My name is Ozone. I was born in 1997, one of the first Gen Zs (and, consequently, the prototype of the modern "iPad baby"). I grew up on the Internet and spent most of my time in childhood playing video games, watching cartoons, reading books, and exploring the mid-2000s Internet. Trapped in suburbia, it felt like me and my little iPod Touch against the world.
As I've gotten older, I've watched the Internet I know and love get privatized, gentrified, and torn apart. It feels like my old neighborhoods have been ripped up and replaced with a monoculture strip mall. Who needs culture and connection when you have products to buy? I frequently find myself mourning long dead MMOs, forums, and the age of social media before algorithms. I've watched a rich world filled with fantastical alter-egos get swapped for networking and permanent digital footprints. Slowly and steadily, the Internet became less niche as the "real world" bled in. Now, there's no differentiation. My coworkers and managers request to follow me on Instagram. Posting your legal name is not only expected but often a requirement.
I've longed for a return to spaces that I can be authentic in. A return to the online alter-ego that only Tumblr still offers in the present day.
I have no interest in monetization, fame, or counting click-throughs. I just want to share a little part of myself with you. Thanks for hanging out for a while.