00s internet culture/content I hear everybody talking about it but I don't really get what is? Do you mean more of a feeling of companionship like in an IRC or Group?
Whilst being post-dotcom, where a lot of the internet was worked out technically, culturally platforms were still only just starting out. It was before social network UIs all looked the same and there was a play book for creating a network for X. Small communities were thriving and they all still had control of their ecosystems. Internet "mediums" were still in a state of flux on all fronts.
It was the start of "the masses" coming online and creating profiles - but they came online through things like MSN spaces, MySpace and geocities. Which were a lot less sanitized than today's equivalents. Everyday people experimented with their pages the same way teenages do with their bedroom walls. They looked awful, but the medium was alive.
Both of these made me feel more like making for the sake of making was less linked to ego. And overall every community I was part of was still innovating on the medium as much as their niche (be it art, netsec, photography, local history etc).
The parallels I'm thinking of in particular are both artists rushing to the platforms and trying digital art for the first time (admittedly many driven by $$). Meanwhile community leaders are having to deal with new technical, cultural and governance issues - many of which are novel issues imo.
it’s just like how SNL was awesome when I was 16 and has been downhill ever since — and my dad says the exact same thing about when he was 16.