The Study Hall Podcast Gonzo Internet Journalism ft. Daniel Kolitz
Mar 2, 2026
Daniel Kolitz, a journalist who reports on internet subcultures, talks about immersive, gonzo reporting and how he finds sprawling online stories. He describes gooning communities, entering Discords with transparency, and even trying participation firsthand. The conversation also touches on surveys, generational narratives, and why documenting fast-moving internet cultures matters.
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Gooning As An Online Ecosystem
- Gooning is a trance-like, prolonged masturbation subculture centered on multi-screen, hyperkinetic porn and communal chat.
- Daniel Kolitz discovered it via memes and a 404 Media story, then embedded in Discords to map the ecosystem's social practices.
Be Honest When Reporting In Private Discords
- Be transparent when reporting in private online spaces; Kolitz entered Discords openly as a journalist except when participating for immersion.
- He reached out honestly and used direct messages and surveys to separate sincere respondents from trolls.
Use Small Surveys To Ground Online Reporting
- Use lightweight quantitative tools to contextualize fringe communities; Kolitz distributed a 33-question Google survey to roughly 100 respondents.
- The survey distilled habits (e.g., many had past sexual experience) and tempered overgeneralization from anecdote.
