An Anthropology of Gooners

In this episode of Search Engine, PJ Vogt interviews writer Daniel Kollitz about his investigation into the online subculture of "gooners," individuals who engage in ritualized, prolonged masturbation and create online communities centered around pornography consumption. Kollitz details his exploration of goon caves, Discord servers where gooners share and remix pornographic content, and his conversations with individuals like Speeshack, a self-described "pornosexual." The discussion explores the motivations and social dynamics within the gooning community, its relationship to mainstream internet culture, and the broader implications of readily available, hyper-stimulating content on sexuality and social interaction. The episode also touches on the artistic expression found in "PMVs" (porn music videos) created within the community and the complex interplay of irony, self-awareness, and genuine engagement with extreme pornography consumption.