Apparently, not ‘anything goes’ | Stop Scrolling

I subscribed to Emma Chamberlain in 2017 immediately after watching her Dollar Store haul. From that moment forward, I was a fan. Her sense of humor, comfortable style and coffee order made their way into my routine. My first coffee order was her grande vanilla almondmilk latte, and I liked it enough to consistently order the same drink for about four years.

Seven years later, I still consume her content. The only time I stopped was when her podcast was exclusively on Spotify for a while. I am an Apple podcast listener, so this shift did not complement my routine enough to pursue. 

Chamberlain’s podcast, “anything goes,” falls under the category of comedy, and she wrote she “prefers to share her thoughts with a microphone rather than a physical human being, so thank god she has a podcast.” 

Chamberlain’s content stood out to me because of her authentic form of expression. Her loud, funny and self-deprecatingly edited YouTube videos paved the way for the internet to escape the perfect grasp of the beauty influencers. Don’t get me wrong, I absolutely loved the “My Life as Eva” of it all, but we all needed a break and a reality check. 

Chamberlain provided this relief of genuineness. She was simply sharing her opinions and day-to-day activities. Her brand identity is equally as authentic. Chamberlain Coffee, “anything goes” and her partnership with Louis Vuitton were 100% the right moves for her to make. A lot of influencers try to start a business but miss the connection with it. Everything about her brand identity is compelling because it is simply a reflection of her. Emma does not try to do anything other than being herself. 

Since listening to “anything goes” again, I have noticed something new from Chamberlain: distance. She began talking about her life and conclusions she was coming to, but since she wasn’t giving any context to these general statements, they began to feel empty. This disconnect was a topic of conversation on the internet. Conversation may be a strong word, because people just started to repeat the sentiment that Chamberlain’s opinions on her podcast are dull because she did not go to college. 

Yes, people are literally spending their time on the internet talking about influencers’ level of formal education. Who cares? I know these people would not feel comfortable expressing these belittling sentiments to people who received the same level of education but are less successful. The security of distance from the big and successful entity that is Emma Chamberlain makes these people feel they can comment on her choice to not attend college. 

The main idea being circulated is that the topics discussed on “anything goes” are bland and basic. I don’t necessarily disagree with the observations of some of the revelations Chamberlain has come to on her podcast recently, but the internet has generally been a bland and basic blur for a while. “anything goes” is not doing anything extraordinary in this light. Those commenting on Chamberlain’s education with no nuance are adding to the problem.

A college education is not going to guarantee nuance. I feel confident defending this. It feels a little ignorant and weirdly invasive to me that people feel entitled enough to attack someone’s level of education so publicly. Chamberlain has an estimated net worth of $22 million, is still relevant after almost seven years on the internet, has a successful coffee business, iconic brand identity and ever-growing status as an influencer — and as a red carpet celebrity. I think she’s doing just fine. 

Chamberlain researches her topics based on what she is reading at the moment, or what she’s thinking about. Her podcast episodes are a deep dive into her perceptions of society, how her life plays into it and what conclusions she comes to. She never claimed to do anything but “share her thoughts.” Chamberlain talks about anything and sees where the conversation goes. Yes, Chamberlain has gotten into the habit of talking about revelations one might have written an angsty poem about in middle school or introduced as a “deep conversation topic” at an elementary school sleepover, but this is just where the internet is at. 

There is not really anything that makes “anything goes” stand out right now besides the host, but that is enough for me. If it is not enough for you, do not listen. If you want to talk into the void of the internet, there are so many more things of actual significance to discuss rather than attacking successful strangers for not attending college. Anything does not always have to go online.