In this episode, Monica Alanna and I explore how digital platforms like Instagram, TikTok, Reddit, and YouTube act almost like characters in our lives—shaping culture, attention, and even identity. Through humor, critique, and personal stories, we unpack how social media can be both a tool and a trap, and what it takes to use it with awareness and boundaries.
Connect with me, Hanna, your host:
Instagram: @grace.pilled
hannawilliams.com (bookings, conflict school, etc)
patreon.com/gracepilled
(join as a free member to get access to a collection of talks!)
Connect with Monica Alanna
Instagram:
@rooted.relating (coaching/grief counseling)
@magicksalt (handmade jewelry, art, writing)
www.magicksalt.com
Today’s episode is a conversation with my friend & colleague Monica Alanna about the strange and complicated world of digital spaces. We personify the platforms we use every day—Instagram, TikTok, Reddit, YouTube—as if they were people, each with their own archetype and flavor.
We explore how these apps shape culture, attention, and even our sense of self, from the pull we all experience of wanting to peek at the comment section arguments to the addictive, casino-like design of social media apps that keep us emotionally hooked.
Along the way, we talk about digital “duplicates,” cancel culture, distraction, and what it takes to build real boundaries with screens. It’s funny, it’s sharp, and it gets into the gray areas of how technology can be both a tool and a trap.
I think you’ll leave this one reflecting on your own relationship with social media—and maybe even laughing about it too.