AIM Away Messages & The MySpace Top 8

The Journey To Creating Viva La Life Media

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26d ago 49:40

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Before Likes were dollars and algorithms ran your life, social media was pure, chaotic performance art. Host Ash Tone kicks off the new, nostalgia-focused Season 7 by logging back into the Golden Age of Digital Socializing—and the sheer emotional trauma that came with it.

From the analog origins of the Party Line and BBS communities to the dial-up modem shriek of the late 90s, we trace the history of connecting with strangers online. This episode dives deep into the high-stakes drama of AOL Instant Messenger (AIM), where Away Messages were used to signal heartbreak, deep thoughts, and your current mood with cryptic song lyrics.

Then, we revisit the brutal reign of MySpace (2003): the glittering HTML nightmares, the emotional blackmail of the Top 8 Friend ranking, and the agonizing pressure of choosing your Profile Song to define your existence. It was a time of ultimate digital freedom and ultimate teenage angst.

A journey back to the internet before it was polished—when we were the designers, the DJs, and the curators of our own garish, beautiful web profiles.

(Note: The main topic content begins at the 11:00 mark. New listeners, feel free to skip ahead! Loyal listeners, Ash takes the first 10 minutes for a personal catch-up and life update.)

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