Matthew Arcilla, editorial mercenary
@experimentego.bsky.social
Anglophonic Tsinoy | He/They | Twitch @ experimentego
Just a cat in a human suit. The death of print magazines put me on retirement. Sometimes I still get to write words.
"Aren't you, *the* Matthew Arcilla?" "I used to be."
Just a cat in a human suit. The death of print magazines put me on retirement. Sometimes I still get to write words.
"Aren't you, *the* Matthew Arcilla?" "I used to be."
Reposted by Matthew Arcilla, editorial mercenary
Obviously there are plenty of people in the global south who take the correct position on the US, and the US government itself has never had a great rep.
But generally speaking, US soft power has been extremely strong in these countries. Will be interesting to see how it changes going forward.
But generally speaking, US soft power has been extremely strong in these countries. Will be interesting to see how it changes going forward.
February 11, 2026 at 12:23 AM
Obviously there are plenty of people in the global south who take the correct position on the US, and the US government itself has never had a great rep.
But generally speaking, US soft power has been extremely strong in these countries. Will be interesting to see how it changes going forward.
But generally speaking, US soft power has been extremely strong in these countries. Will be interesting to see how it changes going forward.
Reposted by Matthew Arcilla, editorial mercenary
Surprised to see so many people say this isn’t true.
It’s absolutely true and it’s part of the reason why the US gets away with so much.
The global south sees the US through its cultural exports and they want that for themselves, without realising the US is why they don’t have it.
It’s absolutely true and it’s part of the reason why the US gets away with so much.
The global south sees the US through its cultural exports and they want that for themselves, without realising the US is why they don’t have it.
people born in america probably don’t realize how cool america used to be. the death of US soft power is going to have long term consequences we are only beginning to see
February 11, 2026 at 12:11 AM
Surprised to see so many people say this isn’t true.
It’s absolutely true and it’s part of the reason why the US gets away with so much.
The global south sees the US through its cultural exports and they want that for themselves, without realising the US is why they don’t have it.
It’s absolutely true and it’s part of the reason why the US gets away with so much.
The global south sees the US through its cultural exports and they want that for themselves, without realising the US is why they don’t have it.
Reposted by Matthew Arcilla, editorial mercenary
I see a lot of people wondering how a genocide can be committed in broad daylight. But please don't make the mistake of assuming this is because of a newfound impunity. It's not. It's the impunity of knowing that it's been done before, with no consequences whatsoever, and will be done again.
February 10, 2026 at 12:20 AM
I see a lot of people wondering how a genocide can be committed in broad daylight. But please don't make the mistake of assuming this is because of a newfound impunity. It's not. It's the impunity of knowing that it's been done before, with no consequences whatsoever, and will be done again.
Reposted by Matthew Arcilla, editorial mercenary
so the McKinley Administration flatly ignored the Filipino Declaration of Independence and promptly invaded. In 1899, thousands of US troops were deployed to the Philippines, where they established concentration camps for the population there.
This was not hidden from the US public.
This was not hidden from the US public.
February 10, 2026 at 12:20 AM
so the McKinley Administration flatly ignored the Filipino Declaration of Independence and promptly invaded. In 1899, thousands of US troops were deployed to the Philippines, where they established concentration camps for the population there.
This was not hidden from the US public.
This was not hidden from the US public.
Reposted by Matthew Arcilla, editorial mercenary
In 1898, the United States annexed the Philippines. Filipinos were not consulted and didn't consent, but the Spanish said the Philippines belonged to us as part of the treaty ending the Spanish American War (which the US started),
February 10, 2026 at 12:20 AM
In 1898, the United States annexed the Philippines. Filipinos were not consulted and didn't consent, but the Spanish said the Philippines belonged to us as part of the treaty ending the Spanish American War (which the US started),
I don't know if the stupidest men alive are necessarily the most famous of the stupid men, but I am inclined to believe that next to Donald J., Jake Paul has to be stupidest man in the world.
February 10, 2026 at 12:43 AM
I don't know if the stupidest men alive are necessarily the most famous of the stupid men, but I am inclined to believe that next to Donald J., Jake Paul has to be stupidest man in the world.
Substack has a problem with Nazi content. The problem is that Substack has Nazi content. And that readers who start reading one Nazi item can easily fall down the algorithm hole to even more antisemitic, Islamophobic content. And the problem is that Substack makes money from that.
Pretty sure this is very old news to most of us, but nice to see major outlets finally catching up.
No but seriously please consider getting off of substack as soon as you can. There's lot's of other non-nazi alternatives. Thanks.
www.theguardian.com/media/2026/f...
No but seriously please consider getting off of substack as soon as you can. There's lot's of other non-nazi alternatives. Thanks.
www.theguardian.com/media/2026/f...
Revealed: How Substack makes money from hosting Nazi newsletters
Exclusive: Site takes a cut of subscriptions to content that promotes far-right ideology, white supremacy and antisemitism
www.theguardian.com
February 10, 2026 at 12:02 AM
Substack has a problem with Nazi content. The problem is that Substack has Nazi content. And that readers who start reading one Nazi item can easily fall down the algorithm hole to even more antisemitic, Islamophobic content. And the problem is that Substack makes money from that.
The sick continues. Not coughing as much but still can't speak much. Cassandra has taken up watch in Merlin's place.
February 9, 2026 at 11:26 PM
The sick continues. Not coughing as much but still can't speak much. Cassandra has taken up watch in Merlin's place.
"The dominant genre of ad was a mildly reheated batch of celebrity spokespeople saying the name of a product into the camera. The joke is that they are in on the joke, a crude retreat into bland postmodernism that accepts and broadcasts the emptiness of the form. "
For Sale: The End, And The Means To Wait For It | Defector
In one Super Bowl commercial, an octogenarian actor waxes lacrimal about freedom, a privilege bought for you with the blood of troops 80 years ago, a privilege whose outer bound and cleanest expressio...
defector.com
February 9, 2026 at 11:21 PM
"The dominant genre of ad was a mildly reheated batch of celebrity spokespeople saying the name of a product into the camera. The joke is that they are in on the joke, a crude retreat into bland postmodernism that accepts and broadcasts the emptiness of the form. "
Reposted by Matthew Arcilla, editorial mercenary
an image flashed in my head of a discord exec seeing everyone get together in IRC in protest and rambling to himself like the grinch trying to figure out christmas: "they chat without exclusive unlock quests. they chat without memes. they chat without emojis, video chat, and streams."
February 9, 2026 at 8:24 PM
an image flashed in my head of a discord exec seeing everyone get together in IRC in protest and rambling to himself like the grinch trying to figure out christmas: "they chat without exclusive unlock quests. they chat without memes. they chat without emojis, video chat, and streams."
Reposted by Matthew Arcilla, editorial mercenary
the neurodivergent urge to assume that someone actively hates you and you did something wrong because you simply lost touch in a natural way over the years
February 9, 2026 at 10:42 AM
the neurodivergent urge to assume that someone actively hates you and you did something wrong because you simply lost touch in a natural way over the years
Sick day. More like sick week, actually. Watching some of the worst capeshit on TV.
February 8, 2026 at 6:29 AM
Sick day. More like sick week, actually. Watching some of the worst capeshit on TV.
Reposted by Matthew Arcilla, editorial mercenary
This sonnet was so much fun to write. It’s in This Elegance and thank you to @newenglandreview.bsky.social for originally publishing it 💜
February 7, 2026 at 7:35 PM
This sonnet was so much fun to write. It’s in This Elegance and thank you to @newenglandreview.bsky.social for originally publishing it 💜
As a Filipino, I can confirm that much outsourced digital labor in the Philippines consists of "remotely faking processes described as automated." Since these workers are contractually forbidden from disclosing this work, people remain continuously surprised by this in the year of our lord 2026.
Once again, it turns out “fully autonomous” means “a guy in the Philippines.”
It Turns Out Waymos Are Being Controlled by Workers in the Philippines
During a Congressional hearing, Waymo's chief safety officer, Mauricio Peña, was grilled over the company's reliance on overseas workers.
futurism.com
February 7, 2026 at 2:43 AM
As a Filipino, I can confirm that much outsourced digital labor in the Philippines consists of "remotely faking processes described as automated." Since these workers are contractually forbidden from disclosing this work, people remain continuously surprised by this in the year of our lord 2026.
Reposted by Matthew Arcilla, editorial mercenary
I think it's perfectly understandable that many people feel a deep sense of resentment and disenfranchisement for the time capitalism has stolen from them, but the answer is not to embrace capital's machine that pretends to show you an inner life you aren't having.
February 6, 2026 at 8:47 PM
I think it's perfectly understandable that many people feel a deep sense of resentment and disenfranchisement for the time capitalism has stolen from them, but the answer is not to embrace capital's machine that pretends to show you an inner life you aren't having.
Reposted by Matthew Arcilla, editorial mercenary
Every instance of "AI democratizes the arts, you're classist and ableist and a gatekeeper for trying to stop it" is a slap in the face to the literally centuries of poor, disabled people making art on the margins and a crass lie in service of a machine that strips down and regurgitates dreams
February 6, 2026 at 5:36 PM
Every instance of "AI democratizes the arts, you're classist and ableist and a gatekeeper for trying to stop it" is a slap in the face to the literally centuries of poor, disabled people making art on the margins and a crass lie in service of a machine that strips down and regurgitates dreams
Reposted by Matthew Arcilla, editorial mercenary
do I need to watch any other Woody Allen films if I want to get into the Predator franchise
February 4, 2026 at 4:01 PM
do I need to watch any other Woody Allen films if I want to get into the Predator franchise
Really funny how, in a ploy to provoke pants-shattering tumescence from shareholders, game companies proudly declared a future of AI integrated into game dev. But when an industry outsider started bragging about its game generator, were quick to denounce AI potential and 'champion' humans.
February 4, 2026 at 3:57 PM
Really funny how, in a ploy to provoke pants-shattering tumescence from shareholders, game companies proudly declared a future of AI integrated into game dev. But when an industry outsider started bragging about its game generator, were quick to denounce AI potential and 'champion' humans.
Reposted by Matthew Arcilla, editorial mercenary
My craziest take is Stanley Kubrick made Eyes Wide Shut because he knew there was a secret society in NYC where people bought and used and killed women, but you needed to be a billionaire not just a millionaire like Dr. Bill. Made sure to have Lolita scene with Leelee Sobieski too!
Honest question. Is the list of rich people not on the Epstein list shorter than the list of rich people who are?
February 4, 2026 at 12:44 AM
My craziest take is Stanley Kubrick made Eyes Wide Shut because he knew there was a secret society in NYC where people bought and used and killed women, but you needed to be a billionaire not just a millionaire like Dr. Bill. Made sure to have Lolita scene with Leelee Sobieski too!
"In Metro Manila, where temperatures go as high as 35 Celsius, the mall is regarded as an air-conditioned oasis, providing comfort from the consequences of climate apartheid and insulation from the unjust cost of living in the country. Filipinos bear the brunt of high energy costs in the region."
Air-Conditioning
A version of this article was originally published in 2023 as “Air-Conditioning,” in issue no. 5 of Viscose: A Journal of Fashion Research and Criticism. Responding to the theme “retail,” it w…
alicesarmiento.wordpress.com
February 3, 2026 at 6:26 AM
"In Metro Manila, where temperatures go as high as 35 Celsius, the mall is regarded as an air-conditioned oasis, providing comfort from the consequences of climate apartheid and insulation from the unjust cost of living in the country. Filipinos bear the brunt of high energy costs in the region."
Describe your Bluesky account in one image
February 3, 2026 at 4:21 AM
Describe your Bluesky account in one image
Reposted by Matthew Arcilla, editorial mercenary
This article is almost 10 years old but remains evergreen.
"The line on men has been that they're the only gender qualified to hold important jobs and too incompetent to be responsible for their conduct."
"The line on men has been that they're the only gender qualified to hold important jobs and too incompetent to be responsible for their conduct."
The myth of the male bumbler
How manipulative men use one of our culture's most muscular myths — that men are clueless — and weaponize it into an alibi
theweek.com
February 3, 2026 at 2:49 AM
This article is almost 10 years old but remains evergreen.
"The line on men has been that they're the only gender qualified to hold important jobs and too incompetent to be responsible for their conduct."
"The line on men has been that they're the only gender qualified to hold important jobs and too incompetent to be responsible for their conduct."
This is so depressing. We didn't know "everything" back in the day, but it used to be you could trust the health information ecosystem around you. Only in certain exceptions did the craziest shit make it out, via legal loopholes or spaces without regulation. Now misinformation is the standard.
just got an AI ad that said diabetes is caused by a parasite in your body and can be cured with cinnamon sticks and apple cider vinegar and I literally can't believe how bad ads have gotten in such a short span of time and that this was allowed.
February 2, 2026 at 8:09 AM
This is so depressing. We didn't know "everything" back in the day, but it used to be you could trust the health information ecosystem around you. Only in certain exceptions did the craziest shit make it out, via legal loopholes or spaces without regulation. Now misinformation is the standard.
Reposted by Matthew Arcilla, editorial mercenary
This is Jerry Lawson. He invented the video game cartridge for the Fairchild Channel F system. Because of his invention, many consoles had cartridges and CD formats and would become the norm.
The Atari 2600, NES, Genesis, and many consoles wouldn't exist without him.
Happy Black History Month.
The Atari 2600, NES, Genesis, and many consoles wouldn't exist without him.
Happy Black History Month.
February 1, 2025 at 11:04 PM
This is Jerry Lawson. He invented the video game cartridge for the Fairchild Channel F system. Because of his invention, many consoles had cartridges and CD formats and would become the norm.
The Atari 2600, NES, Genesis, and many consoles wouldn't exist without him.
Happy Black History Month.
The Atari 2600, NES, Genesis, and many consoles wouldn't exist without him.
Happy Black History Month.
Tell me your pet’s name in a gif
February 1, 2026 at 5:00 PM
Tell me your pet’s name in a gif