Aftermath Hours No Ethical Consumption Under Jetpack Cat-pitalism
Feb 6, 2026
Joshua Rivera, a freelance critic known for film, TV, and games writing, and Ash Parrish, a veteran games reporter who covers culture, labor, and unconventional sexual content in games, join Aftermath as regular contributors. They discuss media layoffs and resilience. Conversation jumps from Bobby Kotick and Epstein ties to Nintendo Direct news, Overwatch’s relaunch, spooky visual novels, party-game trends, and transfers of skills after layoffs.
AI Snips
Chapters
Transcript
Episode notes
Line Up Buyers Before You Quit
- Do test leaving a job only after confirming editors or outlets would buy your ideas first.
- Joshua recommends lining up interest from multiple editors before quitting to reduce risk.
Connections, Not Masterminds, Shaped The Shift
- Nathan connects early content-era platforms and powerful figures like Epstein and Bannon as part of a broader cascade, not a single mastermind plot.
- He argues their interactions influenced later politics by amplifying overlap between tech, media, and political actors.
Wealth Repeats Attempts, Wins By Persistence
- Joshua frames wealthy actors as 'monkeys on typewriters' who keep trying things until power accrues to them.
- He suggests luck and persistent capital, more than flawless planning, explain their eventual success.