Tom Faber

For @theguardian.com I dug into the incredible life and mysterious death of drag icon Heklina, who was found dead in an apartment in 'unexpected' circumstances. Peaches and many other drag legends helped me tell the story of Heklina's amazing life and the questions remaining around her death.

A Group of Socialists Created a Hit Game That Tore Them Apart The role-playing game Disco Elysium wowed critics by lacerating capitalism, communism and fascism. But instead of a sequel came bitter lawsuits and five rival studios.

For @nytimes.com I dived deep into the insane story of Disco Elysium, a brilliant RPG made by a group of Estonian socialists who then exploded into bitter infighting, lawsuits and a scrap over the legacy of one of the greatest games ever made.

www.nytimes.com/interactive/...

“If you’re reluctant to be in a relationship or have a family, to have phone conversations or use social media, if you don’t want to earn money — these things are reduced to psychological symptoms which should be treated. What happens if we look at them instead as political forms of resistance?”

Punk philosopher Paul B Preciado on the true meaning of ‘dysphoria’ In a quiet Parisian square, the radical writer proposes a new way of understanding the world

In July I met trailblazing theorist Paul B. Preciado, whose work is poetic, revolutionary and intimate. We discussed his idea to redefine ‘dysphoria’, today's surging transphobia and how we might still remain hopeful despite it all. Read it on @financialtimes.com or DM me

www.ft.com/content/6ede...

‘Great Rewiring’ or moral panic: are young people really ... Jonathan Haidt says the crisis in young people’s mental health is down to addictive phone habits. This may be too simple

‘Great Rewiring’ or moral panic: are young people really the ‘anxious generation’?

Loved this thoughtful & nuanced piece from @tomfaber91.bsky.social

observer.co.uk/culture/book...

‘Great Rewiring’ or moral panic: are young people really ... Jonathan Haidt says the crisis in young people’s mental health is down to addictive phone habits. This may be too simple

In The Anxious Generation, Jonathan Haidt argues that social media is harming kids at an industrial scale.

I'm not so sure: yes there's a problem, but aren't there benefits, too? For @theobserveruk.bsky.social I challenged Haidt on the nuances of this tricky debate.

observer.co.uk/culture/book...

Feel the Sound at the Barbican review — a playground of sounds and vibrations London exhibition offers a joyful array of interactive and immersive sonic experiences

I reviewed the @barbican.bsky.social's major new exhibition on sound for @financialtimes.com, and took Pauline Oliveros along for the ride...

"In an age when the loudest voices usually win, to truly stay quiet and listen might be considered a radical act."

www.ft.com/content/a704...

Is there life beyond The Sims, 25 years on? The game has been played by 500mn people it began, but new competitors are threatening to steal its crown

"The most compelling fantasy isn’t always a world of dragons and goblins, but can be a version of your life if you had made different choices"

I went deep for @financialtimes.com on why The Sims still enchants players, 25 years after its inception.

www.ft.com/content/989c...

London’s new Dungeons & Dragons tavern — and why fantasy role-play is on a roll D&D is thriving, with hit video games, movies, TV series and now a dedicated playing venue for fans

"It was never really about winning or losing—it was about the stories, laughter and magnificent sandwiches we shared along the way."

For @financialtimes.com I went dungeon crawling and learned why players are still flocking to D&D after 50 years.

www.ft.com/content/55fb...