Creators that will make you smarter in 2026

Editor's Note: This is a soft-pilot test of "Offline Algorithm", a new (separate) newsletter we're putting together at OBSCURAE to keep you updated and informed without the doomscroll. It may be a teensy bit more overtly political than you're used to us being. If this isn't your cup of tea, don't worry - Film Reviews and Culture Dissections are still our main bread and butter.

For the past few weeks, I’ve been beseeching you all to find people on the internet you can trust, so you can check in on the state of the world and continue learning about it, even if you decide to spend less time online. I don’t see this as purely political — there are so many ways to stay updated and improved by the world around you. No platform is more efficient at this than YouTube.

Here are the YouTubers that made me smarter and provided me more cultural reference points in 2025, and will continue to do so into 2026.

Bliss Foster

I sound so much cooler talking about Margiela references and “the Creative Director’s intentions” after having watched a Bliss Foster video or 20. Bliss and his powerhouse wife, Daniela, bring the internet one of the most considered and comprehensive deep dives into Paris Fashion Week, and genuinely fuel the entire “fashion opinions” industry with their passion and understanding of the field. You will be smarter for subscribing — and one of my 2026 goals is to have enough disposable income to subscribe to their treasure trove of a Patreon.

Taylor Lorenz/Power User

One of the best Tech journalists in her field and current holder of the most online woman of the century title, Taylor Lorenz ventures forth to understand the parts of our world that are the most niche, the most terrifying — so we don’t have to. Much like Hasan Piker, she spends a lot of her time and knowledge keeping the world updated on how powers as big as International Governments to as small as Reddit Forums are impacting our lives, society, and the direction of politics. She’s an invaluable source of sanity in my media diet, and one we must protect, as she’s often the target of harassment, smears, and threats for her work. I also love that she’s a fellow COVID-Conscious community member, and that she’s never abandoned mentioning how COVID has impacted every single aspect of our modern politics up until this very moment. 

The JAAM Podcast

Located in Chicago, IL – JJ, Allen, Abee, and Matt provide some of the most salient, accurate and entertaining coverage of American politics out there right now, and cover a mix of other pop culture topics across each episode as well. I genuinely love tuning in to hear these four men tackle the modern political landscape, and to keep myself aware and informed of the context happening inside the US that us outsiders aren't privy to.

Bernadette Banner

An oldie but a goodie - one of the best comfort channels on YouTube, Bernadette is a deliciously chaotic Costume and Fashion Historian who is always taking on the most zany and brilliant projects. Her recent Joan of Arc series was mind-blowing, and in the meantime, you can learn new history and be reminded of how little we can actually understand about the real lives of the generations before us. More than anything, though, Bernadette is really knowledgeable and knows many knowledgeable people, which provides a brilliantly well-rounded education. You never know when you might need to know these things — or when they’ll come in useful.

The WVFRM Podcast

Marques Brownlee and his team cover tech news on WVFRM each week (pronounced 'Waveform'), and paired with a weekly Taylor Lorenz check-in, is a super powerful way of getting up to date on our fast-moving tech landscape, what choices these companies are making, and what it might mean for your life. They also have a really fun time tbh, very great podcast to listen to while washing the dishes...

Matt Bernstein/"A Bit Fruity" Podcast

You probably know Matt’s work from his years of amazingly viral Twitter and Instagram memes and posts on trending political topics. What you’ll love about his podcast - aside from the plethora of brilliant guests that help him unpack issues - is how varied those topics are. Matt sits in a really great pocket (much like OBSCURAE!) where he can marry both the political and the pop culture into a coherent discussion of culture as a whole.

“Breadtube” UK - Abigail Thorn, Hbomberguy, Shaun

My favourite kind of Video Essayists are the ones who disappear, only to come back with some actual value. Breadtube UK does that a lot. It’s been months since Shaun posted, and 2 years since Hbomberguy did - but when they return, these creators are simply fantastic, often covering one troubling/baffling trend or political situation in great depth, and often with that typical ascerbic British wit.

Struthless

A fantastic YouTube essayist who values connection over disruption. He started solving problems for creatives and the creative process and has slowly migrated into content that feels more like problem-solving for the world, which he does brilliantly, with the help of the books he reads and the information he researches. 

Innuendo Studios

Required Reading for 2026 if you haven’t already: The Alt-Right Playbook. Made over the course of a few years, it’s a series that Innuendo Studios became known for, as early SJWs sought to explain to others what was going on with the way the right wing organised themselves and their arguments, in person and online. It has, unfortunately, now become crucial for anyone seeking to understand our current political landscape to watch that series.