A series exploring the media “input” of a group of people — our commercial semiotician colleagues, from around the world — whose “output” we admire.

London…

SEMIOVOX

What forms of media do you “take in” the most regularly/frequently, during a typical day or week?

BECKS COLLINS

I spend a lot of time on social media, particularly TikTok and BlueSky. It’s almost like daytime TV for me, always in the background, with new updates and characters to keep up with.

But it’s also more than that. In 2020, I realised how important it was for me to feel connected, not just to my friends, but to my queer, trans and activist communities, and wider culture in general. I have made true friends online, many of whom I’ve met in real life. I even travelled to the Midwest to meet some of them. Plus, I do a lot of campaigning, fundraising and mutual aid on social media, and it’s been very effective. I used to take to the streets, now I also take to my phone.

I do a lot of gaming. My favourite game is Baldur’s Gate 3, a story-focused fantasy game based on Dungeons and Dragons. I have spent way too many hours in it, and I’m deep in the fandom. I find clients rarely list gaming as an area of culture to explore, alongside TV and movies and so on, which seems wild to me. It’s hugely influential.

In the same vein, I play regular DnD on Discord with my international friends. I see Discord as a return to early-internet forums. Groups coming together to play, discuss and nerd out over a particular interest.

I watch a lot of TV, mainly streaming, as I like to keep up with popular shows (helps if they’re fantasy though). I used to watch movies all the time, but I find streaming has restricted access to international, independent and older cinema, or loses things in the algorithm. I regret getting rid of my huge DVD collection. I’m trying to build it back up, to reclaim physical media.

And finally, reading. I do this more than anything else! Mostly speculative fiction. I read a lot, my shelves are bursting. I typically read about 8–12 books at once, across physical, ebook and audio. My current favourite authors are Saara el-Arifi, Aiden Thomas and Juno Dawson.

SEMIOVOX

What music — genres, particular artists and songs — do you listen to during a typical day?

BECKS COLLINS

I love rock, pop, metal, blues, soul, house, reggae and soca.

However, I have tinnitus, misophonia (certain sounds make me uncomfortable) and hyperacusis (some sounds are painful), so I find it very difficult to sit in silence. But I often get distracted by lyrics if I’m trying to focus. I therefore listen to a lot of classical, lo-fi and minimal techno during the day.

SEMIOVOX

What music did you love as a teenager? Do you still listen to it today?

BECKS COLLINS

I was a teenage goth, and I love live music. I spent every summer from age 14 onwards at muddy music festivals, moshing to Slipknot, Mudvayne, Deftones and more popular rock like Guns N’ Roses. I also listened to Little Earthquakes by Tori Amos on repeat, danced in my room to Bowie and Prince, and introduced my friends to The Cranberries.

In my 20s, I also fell in love with Berlin techno, and became part of a Europe-wide clubbing scene (probably where I got the tinnitus). I also, finally, got into pop. Well, Lady Gaga specifically.

These days, I don’t club so much, but I still love rock. When I’m against a deadline, I occasionally blast death metal and attack the keyboard.

I’m still going to gigs, from Skunk Anansie to video game music concerts. I love looking out at the crowd, seeing what kind of subcultures are clashing together. This summer I’m going to see Sleep Token (my current favourite metal band) plus I’ll be attending some festivals so I can discover new music in my favourite environment: a muddy field.

SEMIOVOX

Anything else you’d like to share about your media diet?

BECKS COLLINS

I’m a huge nerd. I love immersing myself in comic, gaming, sci-fi and fantasy fandom culture, both online and in the real world. I cosplay at comic cons, my happy place. I call the huge MCM London con ‘Nerd Christmas’. It’s a beautiful place to be, to revel in the nerdy culture I was teased for when I was a teenager.

Someone said that people in their 30s are reverting to the things they loved as teens. With my fantasy cosplays, vampire books and metal band t-shirts, I’m inclined to agree.

MEDIA DIET: GIANLLUCA SIMI (Brazil) | HIBATO BEN AHMED (France) | MARIE LENA TUPOT (USA) | EUGENE GORNY (Thailand) | YOGI HENDLIN (Netherlands / USA) | INKA CROSSWAITE (Germany / South Africa) | SÓNIA MARQUES (Portugal) | ĽUDMILA LACKOVÁ BENNETT (Czechia) | BRIAN KHUMALO (USA / South Africa) | JIAKUN WANG (Shanghai) | FRANCISCO HAUSS (China / Mexico) | ASHLEY MAURITZEN (England) | STEFANIA GOGNA (Italy) | BECKS COLLINS (England) | ANTJE WEISSENBORN (Germany) | MARIANE CARA (Brazil) | MARTHA ARANGO (Sweden) | PAULINA GOCH-KENAWY (Poland) | COCO WU (Singapore / China) | JOSH GLENN (USA) | JENNIFER VASILACHE (Switzerland) | ANDREA BASUNTI (England) | SARAH JOHNSON (Canada) | MARIA PAPANTHYMOU (Greece) | VICTORIA GERSTMAN (Scotland).

Also see these global semio series: MAKING SENSE (Q&As) | SEMIOFEST SESSIONS (monthly mini-conferences) | COVID CODES | SEMIO OBJECTS | COLOR CODEX | DECODER (fictional semioticians) | CASE FILE | PHOTO OP | MEDIA DIET | TATTOO YOU (semioticians’ tattoos).