Surviving online cringe - Today, Explained Recap

Podcast: Today, Explained

Published: 2026-02-01

Duration: 30 minutes

Guests: E.J. Dixon, Alexandra Samuel, Amelia Knott

Summary

The episode explores the challenges of dealing with embarrassing online posts from our past. It reflects on how these digital footprints affect our self-perception and mental health over time.

What Happened

The episode begins with host Jonquilyn Hill discussing how the internet acts as an archive, preserving various versions of ourselves that we may cringe at today. Examples include teenage fandoms or outdated opinions, like a former support for 'All Lives Matter' during the early Black Lives Matter movement. These past posts can haunt us, especially for those in Gen Z and millennials who have lived much of their lives online.

E.J. Dixon, a senior writer for The Cut, joins the discussion to talk about her own cringe-worthy experience. She reflects on an article she wrote in 2016 titled 'Why I Want Donald and Melania's Marriage', which she now finds embarrassing. At the time, Dixon was exploring concepts of compatibility and partnership, though she now criticizes her past views as naive and clickbaity.

The conversation delves into the nature of online vulnerability and the pressures of the 'personal essay industrial complex' era. Dixon mentions how a culture of earnest oversharing was both a product of and fuel for the internet's click-driven economy, which encouraged personal exposure for minimal compensation.

Tech journalist Alexandra Samuel offers insights into managing an online presence and the idea of 'curating' rather than just deleting past posts. She stresses the importance of backing up posts before deleting them, as they may offer evidence of personal growth and learning if ever revisited.

The episode also features psychotherapist Amelia Knott, who discusses the psychological impact of confronting one's past online self. She advises listeners to approach these moments with empathy and curiosity, rather than shame, and suggests discussing them with others to gain perspective.

The episode wraps up with a broader reflection on the internet's culture shift from genuine vulnerability to more curated and cautious self-presentation. While there is nostalgia for the earnestness of early online sharing, there's also an understanding of the need for a more thoughtful approach today.

Key Insights