Guide #195: The Impact of Reddit on Our Culture

IT concluded a few years back, yet Westworld seems to be fading into a TV footnote. I scarcely recall a mid-2010s reimagining of the Yul Brynner film from the 70s. HBO’s robotic cowboy saga endured four underwhelming seasons before its cancellation.

Nonetheless, when it debuted, Westworld generated a lot of buzz. It was HBO’s sci-fi equivalent to Game of Thrones. The series boasted high production values along with a visually striking cast, including Evan Rachel Wood, Ed Harris, Tandiwe Newton, and Jeffrey Wright, led by the talented duo of Lisa Joy and Jonathan Nolan. At that moment, this project held significant promise in a period flooded with repetitive content. There was genuine apprehension about a show that “makes it up as they go along” (as a devoted fan, I must assert that “they haven’t made it up as they go along,” but that’s a discussion for another newsletter).

However, even the most elaborately planned television shows can unravel. The first hint that Westworld might not ascend to greatness came when forum/social media platform Reddit users began accurately predicting plotlines. Redditors anticipated the twists and turns of the first season, often well in advance and even familiar with the show’s rhythm and patterns. Things escalated to such an extent that in the second season, Joy and Nolan had to rewrite the script to divert the course already hinted at by Reddit users. This not only indicated Westworld’s fragility but also highlighted the formidable influence of Reddit and its community, capable of shaking seasoned showrunners.

Of course, Reddit has since eclipsed Westworld. This month marks the site’s 20th anniversary, though often mischaracterized as an “internet front page.” Celebrated this February, the anniversary brings to mind the more seismic debut of YouTube in 2005. The impact of YouTube on popular culture has been quite significant, even surpassing traditional television.

Reddit’s emergence coincided with an era marked by intense fandom and parasocial relationships. Dedicated fan forums existed prior to Reddit, from band and solo artist message boards to TV show discussions. However, Reddit streamlined and amplified these communities, fostering an environment where niche musical microgenres and discussions could flourish openly under one large digital umbrella.

This newfound freedom and openness, however, comes at a cost. Reddit has faced heavy scrutiny for misogyny, racism, conspiracy theories, and threats of violence. In contrast to many other social media platforms today, Reddit has made substantial strides in community moderation over the past decade. Pop culture discussions can sometimes spiral into more troubling territory, as seen in the long and complicated history surrounding the Rick and Morty subreddit.

Yet, discussions surrounding Reddit often focus too heavily on its negative aspects, neglecting what a surprisingly positive space it can be. With dedicated moderation efforts, it’s one of the last bastions of the old internet—quirky, supportive, and a bit eccentric. As The Atlantic aptly puts it, Reddit is “both niche and vast.” This duality allows it to be explored superficially and in depth, like communities such as Build a Gurdy. In many ways, it represents a mainstream obsession where hyper-specific communities are no longer hidden away but are easily accessible under one broad Reddit umbrella.

I wouldn’t classify myself as a prominent member of this community. At best, I am a Reddit lurker—not bold enough to engage actively and post—but as someone chronicling pop culture, I find it endlessly beneficial. Whether I’m delving into the puzzling narrative threads of a show through its insightful subreddit or seeking out an obscure 70s paranoid thriller, I turn to R/Movie Suggestions. And I can’t even count the number of bands I’ve discovered on major boards like r/indieheads (boasting 3.6 million members and growing). The last time I visited r/indieheads, a user had commemorated Brian Wilson’s death, sharing everything I wanted to hear in a lively, informed exchange.

That essence prompts me to wonder whether some level of concern could tarnish the site, despite the stock market’s buoyancy. Perhaps one day this fear will dissipate, or perhaps not. Maybe Reddit is simply too significant, too unique, and too defiantly independent to be tamed by large corporations. I hope we can celebrate it again in another twenty years as it continues to cover yet another pedestrian TV series.

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