IRL is here!
Chris’s second book, IRL, is out now, with an updated edition released on August 30, 2022. Buy the original or new edition today!
It’s reflexive and common to view our online presence as fake; to see the internet as a space we enter when we aren’t living our real, offline lives. But ever since the pandemic pushed more and more of our work, relationships, and even leisure into digital space, the internet doesn’t feel so fake anymore. Every day, the lines between digital and “real” space blur even further. IRL explores what it means to be human in a time when we live more of our lives in front of a screen than ever before.
Praise for IRL
“In Stedman’s new book, IRL, he cements his position as a powerful cultural critic and gifted author.”
“Much of the time, [Stedman] says, we don’t think of our time on the internet as real, and therefore we don’t approach it with the same critical analysis that we might a different kind of engagement. How much thought do you put into an activity that you don’t think is real? [Stedman] argues that while our lives online are different, [the internet] is no less real. As such he invites us to think deeply and critically about how we engage with the internet, how it is shaping us, and what it’s telling us about what is real and what is important.”
“[IRL] is erudite yet highly readable, a deeply confessional memoir that mixes philosophy with pop culture and media studies.”
“A book that will change the online (and offline) you.”
“A must-read for anyone who’s condemned the internet for creating huge social disconnect, and everyone whose lived experiences prove otherwise. Stedman explores the many ways people form meaningful relationships and reveal their authentic selves through social media and forums—often with more success and freedom than in their ‘real’ lives. Which brings me to an especially salient point—that this distinction between our digital and physical lives is an antiquated one, and both are equally real.”
“IRL is a beautiful, honest book, a true balm for my Twitter-addled brain.”
“The online world has infiltrated the daily lives of billions of people in such a short amount of time. But what exactly is happening in the minds of so many social media users? . . . Stedman is at ease in the existential, both digitally and [offline, and] IRL is a fascinating contribution to this all-important conversation.”
“In Stedman’s latest work, the author turns his thoughtful yet thorough gaze upon the Internet as a means of constructing purpose and identity. A hybrid of memoir, criticism, and reportage. . .all held together by Stedman’s moments of bracing honesty. . .Vital.”
“Essential. Even without the pandemic, IRL would be a vital read, a thoughtful examination of our perpetually ‘logged on’ existence. . . Eye-opening and affirming, IRL should be required reading before the next time you hit send on a tweet.”
“Jam-packed with metaphors and beautifully described vignettes . . . Stedman reminds us throughout IRL that these digital lives, though different, aren’t any less real than our offline ones so they must be managed with care.”
“In IRL, Stedman makes a compelling argument for embracing our uncertainty about using the internet as a tool to better understand our online and offline lives . . . A balm of thoughtfulness for the digital age.”
“It takes curiosity, tenacity and a certain off-the-wall sense of humor to engage meaningfully in these online spaces, so there is no better guide for readers than Stedman, who is a viral Twitter personality, professor of religion and philosophy, and creator of the critically acclaimed podcast Unread . . . Stedman brings hope, compassion and understanding to the human side of the Internet, along with a wealth of research, including studies performed by social scientists, and analysis from prominent cultural critics focused on the field . . . For readers wondering how to balance life online and off, IRL provides amiable and invaluable insight.”
“This book is for anyone concerned about the long-term impacts of social media use on community degradation, those who are on the fence about the formation of online communities, as well as those once burned by social media . . . Readers eager to dig into practical philosophy or who have had some of their most genuine and long-lasting connections formed online will respond most strongly to this book. It is best suited for a curious individual seeking to make the most of their internet and digital communities, particularly while coming of age.”
“Arguing that the distinction between ‘in real life’ and online life is a false binary, Stedman offers a beautifully written reflection on the powerful role digital media plays in our lives, the problems with social media, and the digital world’s rich possibilities . . . Astute, personal, and compelling.”
"In Stedman's new book, IRL, he cements his position as a powerful cultural critic and gifted author."
"Much of the time, [Stedman] says, we don't think of our time on the internet as real, and therefore we don't approach it with the same critical analysis that we might a different kind of engagement. How much thought do you put into an activity that you don't think is real? [Stedman] argues that while our lives online are different, [the internet] is no less real. As such he invites us to think deeply and critically about how we engage with the internet, how it is shaping us, and what it's telling us about what is real and what is important."
"[IRL] is erudite yet highly readable, a deeply confessional memoir that mixes philosophy with pop culture and media studies."
"A book that will change the online (and offline) you."
"A must-read for anyone who's condemned the internet for creating huge social disconnect, and everyone whose lived experiences prove otherwise. Stedman explores the many ways people form meaningful relationships and reveal their authentic selves through social media and forums—often with more success and freedom than in their 'real' lives. Which brings me to an especially salient point—that this distinction between our digital and physical lives is an antiquated one, and both are equally real."
"IRL is a beautiful, honest book, a true balm for my Twitter-addled brain."
"The online world has infiltrated the daily lives of billions of people in such a short amount of time. But what exactly is happening in the minds of so many social media users? . . . Stedman is at ease in the existential, both digitally and [offline, and] IRL is a fascinating contribution to this all-important conversation."
"In Stedman's latest work, the author turns his thoughtful yet thorough gaze upon the Internet as a means of constructing purpose and identity. A hybrid of memoir, criticism, and reportage. . .all held together by Stedman's moments of bracing honesty. . .Vital."
"Essential. Even without the pandemic, IRL would be a vital read, a thoughtful examination of our perpetually 'logged on' existence. . . Eye-opening and affirming, IRL should be required reading before the next time you hit send on a tweet."
"Jam-packed with metaphors and beautifully described vignettes . . . Stedman reminds us throughout IRL that these digital lives, though different, aren't any less real than our offline ones so they must be managed with care."
"In IRL, Stedman makes a compelling argument for embracing our uncertainty about using the internet as a tool to better understand our online and offline lives . . . A balm of thoughtfulness for the digital age."
"It takes curiosity, tenacity and a certain off-the-wall sense of humor to engage meaningfully in these online spaces, so there is no better guide for readers than Stedman, who is a viral Twitter personality, professor of religion and philosophy, and creator of the critically acclaimed podcast Unread . . . Stedman brings hope, compassion and understanding to the human side of the Internet, along with a wealth of research, including studies performed by social scientists, and analysis from prominent cultural critics focused on the field . . . For readers wondering how to balance life online and off, IRL provides amiable and invaluable insight."
"This book is for anyone concerned about the long-term impacts of social media use on community degradation, those who are on the fence about the formation of online communities, as well as those once burned by social media . . . Readers eager to dig into practical philosophy or who have had some of their most genuine and long-lasting connections formed online will respond most strongly to this book. It is best suited for a curious individual seeking to make the most of their internet and digital communities, particularly while coming of age."
"Arguing that the distinction between 'in real life' and online life is a false binary, Stedman offers a beautifully written reflection on the powerful role digital media plays in our lives, the problems with social media, and the digital world's rich possibilities . . . Astute, personal, and compelling."