Gatekeeping and the return of the literary snob

Overview

The video argues that today’s “bring back gatekeeping” discourse is largely a reaction to influencer- and algorithm-driven content sameness—particularly in fashion and books. However, the speaker says the answer isn’t literal gatekeepers (people deciding what others are allowed to consume).

Instead, the speaker contends that audiences need better critics and curators—figures who slow down the feed, provide nuanced language for evaluating art, and help people articulate what they already feel.

Key Points and Analysis

1) “Gatekeeping” is being redefined online

• Originally, gatekeeping referred to institutions controlling access to voices, attention, and resources.
• Now, social media often uses “gatekeeping” to mean almost any refusal to share minor lifestyle knowledge (e.g., “we don’t gatekeep here” beauty/fashion advice).
• The speaker frames this as content that may be valuable, but also functions as another layer of influencer marketing.

2) The “gatekeeping” call is tied to authenticity/oversharing backlash

• A viral Emily Sundberg quote (“Taste isn’t a democracy… It comes from experience and exposure…”) helped reignite discussion.
• The speaker interprets the trend as nostalgia for fewer oversharing influencer “creators” and more authoritative taste-making.

3) Real gatekeepers may be the algorithms

• In the modern “gatekeeping” conversation, few people focus on recommendation systems.
• The speaker argues that algorithms effectively act as gatekeepers by dynamically steering what becomes visible.

4) A parallel concept: the “online culture curator”

Referencing The New Yorker, the video describes a curator as a human filter who:

• distinguishes signal from “slop”
• slows the scroll
• helps people savor culture instead of endlessly consuming it

Curators are positioned as more outward-looking and less self-branding than classic influencers.

5) Critics are more useful than “gatekeepers”

Sean DeLong’s response is presented as the main counter-argument:

• People may not want gatekeepers who decide what gets made.
• Instead, they want curators (consumers with better taste) and especially critics, who provide language for articulating and refining opinions.
• The speaker emphasizes that criticism can be sincere and nuanced—even when harsh—unlike personal insults.

6) Why criticism seems weaker right now

The speaker suggests social media incentives encourage:

• “toxic positivity”
• conflict avoidance
• fear of dogpiling or doxxing

As a result, mainstream venues and online book reviews often blunt criticism.

7) “Pretentiousness” can become a form of gatekeeping

The video argues that some people label earnest requests for depth as elitist/pretentious, which can shut down discussion rather than expand it.

The speaker highlights a tension:

• opinions should be shareable even on casual accounts
• but longer, more thoughtful reviews also have value

8) Taste labels can become shallow snobbery

The speaker critiques social-media taste policing, including derogatory labels such as:

• “TikTok taste”
• “Reddit literature”

Even when the underlying books are widely regarded as good, labeling them as “uncool” or “cliché” can shape how fans experience cultural identity and status.

Conclusion

While the speaker supports cultivating personal taste and wanting more depth and diversity, they argue that “gatekeeping” language is misleading and can reinforce exclusion.

The desired outcome is more thoughtful criticism—tools for discussing likes and dislikes beyond simplistic labels like “TikTok taste” or “Reddit literature.”

Presenters/Contributors Mentioned

• Emily Sundberg (writer; author of the newsletter Feed Me)
• Anne Friedman (writer; article in The Cut)
• Sean DeLong (writer/editor; responding to Sundberg: “You don’t really want gatekeepers”)
• The New Yorker (referenced for “online culture curators”)
• New York Times (2021 viral article referenced: “We should all know less about each other”)
• Cathy Park Hong (writer/poet; Threads post referenced)
• Eden (TikTok creator referenced in the book-review discussion)
• “Man Carrying Thing” (YouTube creator referenced analyzing “Reddit”)
• Taylor Swift (album referenced in critique/taste discussion)