Archive - Pretty Slash Smart

look at our women dawg we’re never making it out the patriarchy😂

or why being chosen isn’t the same as being interesting

Feb 18 • Ari✨

emerald fennell is not an intellectual

yes i saw wuthering heights and yes i thought it was just okay

Feb 16 • Ari✨

well i finally watched after the hunt

2.5 out of 5. And that’s for Julia’s shade of blonde.

Feb 15 • Ari✨

The Popstar as God: Beyonce and the Afterlife of Fame

Why We Don’t Really Know Beyoncé—and Why That’s the Point

Feb 14 • Ari✨

January 2026

the female martyrdom problem in media

or: why women must die for others to be reborn

Jan 22 • Ari✨

sex, survival, and the death of the Final Girl

An essay on the death of the Final Girl, the rise of social thrillers, and the awkward place women now occupy in horror films.

Jan 18 • Ari✨

the politics of the situationship

or: An Analysis of Television’s Greatest Love Affair—and Why You Should Choose Your Aidan

Jan 17 • Ari✨

The Popstar as Mutation: Charli XCX & Addison Rae in the Age of the Algorithm

Or: why everyone is brat and no one is a mainstream icon (yet)

Jan 11 • Ari✨

sometimes, you aren’t the smartest person in the room

can we please be honest about substack as a platform

Jan 7 • Ari✨

The Popstar as Machine: Ariana Grande and the Maintenance of Desire

On Discipline, Desire, and the Cost of Staying Intact

Jan 1 • Ari✨

December 2025

thank god for granting me this moment of clarity

life lessons from a developed prefrontal cortex (allegedly)

Dec 31, 2025 • Ari✨

The Popstar as Brand: Rihanna and the Luxury of Not Caring

How Rihanna turned public tragedy into private power.

Dec 17, 2025 • Ari✨

#nojs-banner { position: fixed; bottom: 0; left: 0; padding: 16px 16px 16px 32px; width: 100%; box-sizing: border-box; background: red; color: white; font-family: -apple-system, "Segoe UI", Roboto, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif, "Apple Color Emoji", "Segoe UI Emoji", "Segoe UI Symbol"; font-size: 13px; line-height: 13px; } #nojs-banner a { color: inherit; text-decoration: underline; } This site requires JavaScript to run correctly. Please turn on JavaScript or unblock scripts