#obsession over being a millennial or gen z

[mzannthropy]

People commenting under Barbie trailer on Instagram were complaining that Ryan Gosling was too old to play Ken. Is Ken supposed to be of certain age? Or is it true, and I'm not crazy, and these kids really do have a weird thing about age?

[trippingontheescalator]

Curious about the direction the HP fandom has gone

Okay, so as an old HP fan from way back when the books were first coming out, and then getting hit with the nostalgia and decided to return after years and years of not interacting with the fandom at all, the changes are truly mindboggling and I'd love to get to the bottom of some things.

Like, the disappearance of Blaise Zabini. Blaise was a fan favorite way back when we only knew his name but now I barely hear a whisper of his name. Now, the obvious answer is racism, which I think is the #1 reason why Blaise-pairings have dropped of significantly. Back then we all thought Blaise was a hot Italian girl, and then we found out he's a black man and suddenly people stop writing about him? Hm, yeah, seems the obvious answer (especially considering the popularity of other characters who are just a name on a page *cough*regulusblack*cough*).

Or the rise in Snape-hate. Like, Snape used to be the fan favorite. Everyone loved Snape. The meaner he was, the more we liked him. Being mean to children was a plus, not a negative lol. And this was back when we all thought he was a pureblood who came from a wealthy family like the Malfoys. Now by the time the 7th book came out I had pretty much moved on and so I didn't really see the fallout of readers discovering his actual background, so I don't know if his drop in popularity is classism and learning that he isn't a palette-swapped Lucius Malfoy or not, but honestly I would figure his impoverished background would be a plus in these times. Like Snape is obviously one of JKR's least favorite characters, and considering how she-who-must-not-be-named has destroyed her reputation with her increasing radicalization you'd figure the poor, abused, author-hating character would become more beloved instead of the rich, white, heteronormative bullies who barely even show up in the books. Like with our increasing knowledge of social injustice, I just don't understand why the fandom would want to latch onto the Marauders? And I just can't believe Snape's handful of snippets with Lily is the cause of his downfall (like what's there is barely enough to fill up a few pages, and there are certainly more toxic relationships in the series that are still beloved), or the fact that he was a Death Eater or that he inadvertently caused the deaths of the Potters (we already knew that in GoF and HPB respectively and he was still beloved, and this was when we assumed he didn't give a shit about the Potters or if they died when he went snitching). Draco is still popular. DRACO who doesn't give two shits about slinging around the word "mudblood," as opposed to Snape who actually changed for the better.

Am I just too old to understand? Is this like 90s fashion coming back in style (no, I won't do it again, I don't care if it's cringy I'm sticking with my millennial styles, I did the platforms and the slip dresses and the cargo pants in high school and I'm not putting myself through that again lol you gen z's can pry my comfortable mom jeans from my cold, dead fingers, I don't care if it makes me look old, that's the point, I AM old). Like, in addition to 90s fashion, has the 90s obsession with luxury athletic fashion like Lacoste come back in style? All those fashion ads of rich white people on yachts with popped collar polos? Are people starting to obsess over the Marauders because nouveau riche conspicuous consumption is coming back in style? It can't all just be young kids who have only read AtYD and have never actually opened one of the books, can it?

There also seems to be a trend of treating characters as if they're real people. I mean, we've always done it (Snape Wives, I'm looking at you), but now it almost feels as if the crimes characters commit are treated as if they're real crimes and that liking them is somehow a moral failing on the reader's fault. If you were to say "I don't like Snape, his douchy actions anger me, I'd rather skip all the parts he shows up in" I'd say, cool, I get that. That's normal. But "Snape is an abuser, a racist, and an incel and if you like him you're probably those things too" is fucking weird. Like, Harry and Hermione are not real children. Snape is not a real person. The things that happen in this book have as much influence on the real world as me imagining ninjas breaking into my workplace on a slow day. And that "media does not exist in a vacuum" pisses me off because it's blatantly misused. The pieces of media that have had serious consequences? Jaws, The Birth of a Nation. One resulted in the culling of sharks, the other helped restart the KKK. Do you know what those two pieces of media have in common? They're not about fucking wizards and magic schools. They instead paint a target on real groups. After twenty years nobody has ever tried to hurt a marginalized group of people because of a harry potter book (except for JKR herself).

Anyway, these are just some random thoughts, feel free to chime in with your own.

[notyouraryang0dd3ss]

That time period where Taylor was on tumblr "lurking" and following only the most dedicated fans was super weird. That and the invites to her house for listening parties definitely fueled the parasocial shit show. I do hope that it was some intern behind all the tumblr stuff, though. If it wasn't', that means an ego maniac was scrolling through her own tag giving out gold stars for loving her enough. Everything about that is creepy as hell.

honestly even though kpop groups (this is who i credit, if you know any other celebs who did it earlier please lmk!!!!!!!) started the trend of parasocial relationships (see BTS and their vlogs and how their fans feel like they know them + RPF) taylor swift really perfected it and made it into an art.

i think it was her ability to make her fans feel like they were her friends and having her invite them over to her house (very personal thing to do especially as a celebrity) that encouraged them to latch onto her. also genius move because she had fans that could testify to her being a good person if a swiftie showed skepticism or legit critical thinking skills when it came to her behavior.

it was definitely an intern tho because i doubt she’s actually a millennial and talks like *that* in her social media posts (its very gen z or someone just very well versed in the internet). have you seen a millennial online? they type like they’re HR 24/7.

BUT if she was a crazy enough weirdo to actually be the one to scroll through her tag…well…someone is deeply self obsessed and insecure

[numbwhileintertwined]

(ongoing) Youtube videos to watch (uncategorized)

(note: most things here have links attached, but the ones that failed will have the channel name)

Overconsumption is keeping you POOR

Let’s talk ‘Tiktok made me buy it’ culture.

Code Orange Hysteria: Is Halloween Consumerism Out of Control?

The Terrifying World of Temu

How Dropshipping Ruined Online Shopping

TikTok Shop is a Nightmare

fast fashion has ruined media consumption

tiktok's obsession with the it girl aesthetic & consuming in the...

designer brands are for broke girls

How Consumerism Ruins Our Planet and Finances

Your Perfume Obsession is Keeping You BROKE!

Shawna Ripari

TikTok’s Rage Bait Problem..

Gen Alpha is Absolutely COOKED

Millennial Parenting Videos Keep Getting Crazier...

performative cleanliness & the hygiene olympics

Gen Z Has a HUGE Problem With Commitment..

kids ACT like adults because they want to be TREATED like adults

Why Do We Hate Women After They've Cut Their Hair Off?

poor spoiled rich kids on tiktok

the scammers of manifestation tiktok

you’re 12, not 21

Let's talk social media's 'aesthetic' obsession.

Gen Z's Aesthetic Obsession & Search for an Identity is Tiring...

the cult of unschooling

How World War 2 Began

Exploring The Old Internet

How to Perform an Exorcism

why Brandy Melville can't be cancelled

The Conspiracy Theory Iceberg

CC Suarez

Disturbing Internet Anomalies

Is CRAB the final form?

Advice for time traveling to medieval Europe

The Weirdest and Most Obscure Side of the Internet

Government Cheese Tunnels & The "Got Milk?" Conspiracy

How to Eat a Human Being

Something Strange Happens When You Follow Einstein's Math- Veritasium

The Beautiful Horror of Deep Space- Curious Archive

The Complete Extraterrestrial Encounters Iceberg Explained-Zoanfly

Math's Fundamental Flaw- Veritasium

Midsommar - The Complete Guide (Everything Explained)

Entertainment Made By North Korea

BobbyBroccoli

Plagiarism and You(Tube)- hbomberguy

Disney's FastPass: A Complicated History- defunctland

Evermore: The Theme Park That Wasn't- jenny nicholson

The Amberlynn Reid Show! 8 HOURS STRAIGHT DELUSION!- lil cringe

ImAllexx's History of Controversy & The Current Allegations- Mike's Rhetoric

Reviewbrah: Food for Thought - Documentary- Mr. Snowflake

Anna Stubblefield & The Pygmalion Delusion- Andrew van der Vaart, MD, PhD

The Internet's Most Notorious Scammers- TheGamerFromMars

Who's Lila? - Story Explained- Flawed Peacock

The Religion & Cult Iceberg Explained- Wendigoon

The Mass Hysteria Iceberg Explained- Wendigoon

The Cult of Scientology- Philion

Sinking in Scandal: A Canadian Tragedy- BobbyBroccoli

The Monsters Beneath Us: The Monument Mythos- Wendigoon

The Entire History of Video Games

The Biggest Ideas in Philosophy

Life's Biggest Paradoxes

The 8 Greatest Philosophical Theories You Need to Know- Aperture

Here is Everything We Don't Know (Extended)- Arperture

The Lost Books of the Bible- Wendigoon

100 Strange Cases of Lost Media- ShaiiValley

Your Entire Human Existence from Birth to Death- Arperture

The Bizarre World of Fake Video Games- Super Eyepatch Wolf

10+ Hours of Backrooms Level Explanations... (400+ levels)

536 AD: The Year That The Sun Disappeared | Catastrophe | Real History

The Siege of Ruby Ridge - An American Standoff, Story, & Controversy

The Complete History of Rome, Summarized- Overly Sarcastic Productions

The Mass Extinction Debates: A Science Communication Odyssey- Oliver Lugg

These Paradoxes Keep Scientists Awake At Night!- Destiny

Foundation: Are We Predictable?

The Paleozoic Era (That We Know Of) Compilation | Lindsay

How capitalism destroyed community for profit || Motherhood In Progress

Let's talk Water Bottle Culture.

Money: Humanity's Biggest Illusion

End of the Road: How Money Became Worthless

why is everything so bland now?

Thrift Store Prices ARE RUINING Thrifting..

How Dollar Stores Quietly Consumed America

How Central Banks have Seized Power over our Societies

The Return of ElsaGate | It’s Worse Than I Thought

The MOST ADDICTIVE Snack: Flamin' Hot Cheetos

Toxic, Tasty, and Targeting You: Dark History of Fast Food

The Horrible Aftermath of the SHEIN-pocalypse

1984 Tried To Warn You- Moon

Disney World is a Dystopian Nightmare

Let's Talk About The Horrible State of The Internet- Tsunul

Inside China‘s T*rture Camps for Teens- fern (the title isn't censored)

Fear of Forgetting

Why Quantum Computers Will Break Reality

What Is The Biggest Thing In The Universe?- History of the Universe

The Star That Can't Exist

What Is Beyond The Edge?- History of the Universe

Beyond the Observable Universe [4K]

The Mystery of Spinors

Two robots debate the future of humanity

[aizenat]

I was watching this woman who does child free content on yt, and she was showing clips of a woman on tik tok who was complaining about some family vlogger influencers (because that’s somehow still a thing in 2024 apparently) on ig who went on a cruise and apparently went to have dinner after the kids went to sleep so they could have a romantic night alone. They had baby monitors and nothing actually happened, but the internet does what it always does and this girl is just moralizing about all the could be dangers that COULD have happened in a worst case scenario because god forbid people don’t live their lives with crippling anxiety constantly planning and expecting the worst thing to happen at all times (not defending the couple but girl nothing happened just shut the fuck up).

And I had this thought I’ve been having a lot where I’m thinking this woman who I’m watching react to this girl’s tik tok (a supposed journalist lol) is wasting her time watching a girl waste her time making tik tok after tik tok moralizing about a couple she doesn’t know doing something that wasn’t the smartest but led to no issues, bitching about this couple sharing their stupid lives online.

And like I just thought to myself “why does this girl on tik tok care so much about this couple to make all these videos faking concern about these kids that are fine? Why is this YouTuber wasting her time reacting to this girl making tik toks about a family neither of them know and how they raise their kids? Why is this couple able to get enough people watching them vlog their lives that they can afford a nice cruise (and apparently make enough to afford a hypothetical nanny for the kids so they wouldn’t have to leave them alone sleeping in the rooms just for a date night, according to critics), and enough attention to get major backlash for doing something I’m sure most of our own parents did at least once or twice.”

Like truly, what does ANY of this matter? I don’t know ANY of these ppl I’m engaging with. I don’t care about family vloggers: I find them all reprehensible. I don’t care about some random white woman’s moralizing on another couple not being perfect parents like she thinks all parents should be. I don’t even understand why the child free content creator was even commenting on the drama. Like what was the point? Don’t have children so you can have date nights without worrying about kids?

Like who cares? Why are we all so obsessed with other people’s lives? People we don’t know, will never know, who will get canceled in a few years for something (if they’re lucky enough to last that long) just to do it all over again with a new influencer. That south Asian ray guy was the most popular YouTuber and and then it was pewdiepie then one of the Paul brothers then dream then Mr beast and he’s getting canceled now so it’ll be someone new this time next year.

Again and again the cycle goes and what do any of us get out of it? Are we better people for it? Are we even entertained? Why does ANY of this shit matter? Truly?

Idk how corny or eye roll inducing it is to say this but the entire internet, and most of modern media, has become a literal virtual reality matrix that we’re all acting like we have to participate in. You don’t go online, you miss all the news. Everyone from boomers to gen x to millennials to gen z to gen alpha don’t know how to connect to people without it. At my last job, my coworkers would bond over memes they’d share on fb or send each other snapchats or tik toks and constantly reference them. And because I’m not on the sites, I was literally missing out. And when I’d ask them to send things to our group chat so I could enjoy the fun, they just ignored me.

In today’s world, if you’re not plugged into the matrix, you pretty much don’t exist. It’s a red flag if ppl can’t find social media on you. YouTube commentary videos don’t even introduce players in drama because they assume you already know who they’re talking about for some reason. I’m expected to know all the latest tik tok influencers and streamers and podcasters and all the other mundane morons taking up space online. Why? Why do I need to know any of them just to keep up? Truly? Why?

Meanwhile, no one knows how our government work to organize effectively (looking at the faux “pro Palestine” ppl protesting the dnc without any fucking real plan all while ignoring that three of the most progressive and pro Palestinian representatives were up for reelection and let two of them LOSE their reelection bid, pulling more pro Palestinian voices away from congress; as well as ANYONE telling people to not vote or vote third party in November), no one seems to care that we’re living through a major environmental catastrophe, NO ONE READS, art is literally dying thanks to corporate greed, men are gearing up for a major anti feminist backlash that I’m afraid no woman under 30 is quite prepared to fight against, and no one can afford to live a happy and comfortable life.

But I have to care about stupid influencers being stupid online for stupid amounts of money because everyone is chasing a bag instead of working to make the world a better place.

I’m genuinely hitting a limit. Not in the manosphere way, but I’m seriously taking the red pill and getting the fuck out. This online world is just so bleak and miserable. I can’t deal with this shit anymore. It’s burning me out and I’m exhausted by it all. I genuinely just need out. Completely and fully. I’m so completely done.

[tooningin]

Been seeing a lot of discourse around concern for Gen Alpha’s device usage and the tweens at Sephora, and those are both extremely valid concerns

But why are people so worried about the STANLEY CUPS?!

Now I completely understand if it’s related to the fact that people have been attacking each other, fighting and getting hurt over them. That deserves to be addressed and something must be done about it.

However, these hot new items becoming these huge trends and things that everyone and their mom wants isn’t anything new

I mean, Gen Z was obsessed with Fidget Spinners and Silly Bands. Millennials had Pogs. It’s the same cycle that happened in the past, only difference being the trending products

[purplesurveys]

1755

Millennial survey In which a Gen Z-er takes over a survey meant for millennials 😜

What year were you born in? 1998.

Do you remember a time before smartphones and social media? Yeah, of course. I'd talk to friends mostly through landline or text; memorizing the program schedules per channel was the norm because streaming and on-demand stuff were pretty much nonexistent then; and playing outside was the best way to have fun with friends. There was also still the element of surprise when watching...well, pretty much anything, because there was no concept of spoilers unless you had access to the (early days of the) internet, which had been damn near impossible to use anyway because of how expensive it used to be.

I remember when Friendster, Multiply, YouTube, and Facebook all started getting popular and it being very exciting because the concept of social media didn't exist til then and it was like discovering a new world that I thought I'd never get tired of, lol.

Were you part of the generation that experienced the transition from dial-up internet to broadband? Yes. We had dial-up up til the early 2000s and didn't get a taste of broadband until around 2008 - 15 years ago. That noisy dial-up sound is permanently etched in my brain.

Did you grow up watching Saturday morning cartoons? I absolutely did. For some reason they kept the actual entertaining shows in the early morning, so that's how I learned to want to wake up early even on the weekends to catch them. I hated the Nick Jr block they had on in the morning and always skipped over it unless Hi-5, my only favorite, was airing.

Do you have any memories of using floppy disks or cassette tapes? Not floppy disks, but I am very familiar with cassettes since our first family car had a cassette player. My first Beyoncé album is a cassette and I wasn't able to get the CD version til, like, well into the 2010s because it was the first time I saw the CD in the wild haha.

How did you communicate with your friends before the advent of text messaging? Landline.

Were you a fan of any particular boy band or girl group during your teenage years? Ok this is 100% where my Gen Z card would show because my answer to this would be One Direction hahaha.

Did you ever own a portable CD player or a Walkman? I had a CD player and my own radio.

What was your favorite video game console when you were growing up? PlayStation 1 and 2. I had always wanted to try playing on the GameCube but we never had one.

Did you ever use AOL Instant Messenger (AIM) or MSN Messenger to chat with friends? Not those, but I did have Yahoo! Messenger for a time.

Were you aware of the Y2K bug and the associated concerns leading up to the year 2000? No, I had been too young for that whole thing.

Did you ever rent movies from a physical video rental store like Blockbuster or Hollywood Video? I didn't.

Were you into MySpace or LiveJournal during the early days of social networking? I made a Myspace because I had heard of its popularity, but quickly realized that it was only popular in the west because what was big here instead were Friendster and Multiply. LiveJournal yes, I did do a few attempts to start blogs and stuff but I always ended up abandoning them after 1 or 2 posts.

What was your first experience with online shopping? I only started online shopping in like 2017 - the Philippines caught on pretty late. Before that I would either have to go to an actual store to get something, or ask my dad to buy something for me whenever he was in the US.

Did you ever participate in a flash mob or witness one in person? I've done neither.

How did you discover new music before the rise of streaming platforms like Spotify? It was mostly through either recommendations of my favorite celebrities or word of mouth in school.

Were you a fan of the "Harry Potter" book series or the "Twilight" saga? I was never into Harry Potter but I was obsessed with Twilight (still am, lol). I caught on to the hype in 2008 when the first movie came out – quickly breezed through all the books and got to watch New Moon up to Breaking Dawn Part 2 in the cinema.

Did you ever have a MySpace profile and customize it with HTML and CSS? I didn't do HTML on Myspace but I definitely did on Tumblr. This is where I learned all my website customization knowledge tbh.

What was your favorite TV show or cartoon during your childhood? In early childhood, my favorite was without a doubt Hi-5. I was hooked and I remember feeling so distraught when I graduated preschool and realized I was never gonna get to watch Hi-5 again once I'd start grade school and have full-day classes.

Growing up more I started to gravitate towards shows like Drake and Josh, The Suite Life, and That's So Raven. Apart from those, Spongebob also remains a favorite no matter what age I get.

How did you feel about the transition from traditional television to streaming services? It was hard to grasp at first. I remember in 2020 when my dad was asking us if we can get rid of cable and I felt genuinely scandalized lol like why would we ever get rid of cable when it's been part of our everyday lives since even before I was born??? Anyway, my siblings and I eventually gave in when we too realized that we never even went through the cable channels anymore.

Streaming services are definitely the 'new' way of consumption now and my family has fully eased into it - we're subscribed to Netflix, Disney+, and Prime Video. I don't have too many strong feelings about this topic, but if anything it does feel extremely bittersweet whenever we'd hear a channel permanently sign off for good – recently it had been NatGeo.

[cartoonscientist]

I feel like the subset of Gen Xers and elder millennials who constantly dunk on younger millennials and Gen Z for being so self conscious and obsessive over their interactions and presentation are neglecting to take into account how we were influenced by growing up in an era of increased surveillance + privacy invasion as entertainment (see: viral iphone videos, open webcam sites, reality TV, hate wikis, etc)

[tooth-fucker]

hey! first post but i have been obsessed with the internet and internet culture for around 10 years now. i have been mulling over this topic for MONTHS, but today i started seeing a HUGE influx of “musical.ly”s on tiktok, something that just started today. i wanted to share my opinions on a platform that will actually understand what i mean. all the friends i’ve messaged and even my own parents think i’m crazy.

and cont. from the notes app:

“and personally, i think the only thing that’s going to keep this going is if we continue to bring back more musical.ly audios. this won’t be just a one-off thing, this “musical.ly” trend will continue and evolve into early tiktok audios, once again leaving us standing at the doorstep of the 2020s. when we open that we’re going to realize we have hit a dead end. you can’t make nostalgia nostalgic. and that’s all we have been doing these past three years. i know i’m talking in loops and skipping around a lot but my god i’ll scream this from the rooftops if i must. as someone who spent their entire childhood on this internet seeping in memes and irony and curated content, i personally feel like i have a lot of knowledge on the topic. i see memes constantly being upcycled, “created” to fit the new climate of the world, but dude it’s the same damn joke i saw at ten years old sitting on the floor of my bedroom with my sister, scrolling through tumblr, wattpad and youtube on my ipad

“and can we talk about MM3? melanie coming back is a HUGE part of this, and depending on when her album releases it can completely alter the trajectory and impact of these trends. the idol and ICON of the 2010s tumblr music genre. talking about issues that were very prevalent in that time (plastic surgeries, being “fake” to look perfect online,) and near none of these things apply to media today (“clean girl” aesthetic, kim removing her implants, the reverting back to “natural”, imperfection creating a sense of “realness” in online media today). but she’s coming back, and with that she’s either going to bring light to issues with society today (something that will make this 2010s aesthetic hit mainstream media, since radio stations love pretending like “woke music” is something new or exciting (ex. see the victoria secret song, which i hate with a burning passion)), or hit some chord with gen z that will further solidify us falling into a millenialization, pretending like we’re still relevant and our opinions matter when they don’t (sorry millennials i love y’all 😭) either way this is going to skyrocket her popularity (like K-12). she couldn’t have come back at a more perfect time. and to top it all off, it’s almost even better she changed her aesthetic, just to really drive home the whole “we’re doing the same exact shit we’ve gone through but BETTER”.

“internet culture has changed too much. 2010s were a time of seeping in hatred, eating disorders, inside jokes, pretending to be “different”, not like other girls. today’s culture is all about being on the same level playing field as each other. we’re not going to become “problematic” again guys. the 2010s is either going to transform modern culture again or dissipate into obscurity.””

i’m done. thanks y’all. sorry i’m a mess.

[trerti]

Honestly I kinda like how the collective narrative of the users of this site has calmed down a lot in the past 10+ years. I’ve been on this site since 2010 (not as a active user most of the time, I like to observe) as a wee Gen. Z kid and watched some Gen X and Millennials progressively change and morph from being very young and passionate to more chill and calm. And yeah it’s because the population here is aging blah blah blah but it’s an interesting shift now more than ever from what I’ve seen because you can literally see the exhaustion and maturity shift set in the user base of everyone here in the changes for discourse, fandom dynamics and political/societal from here so rapidly. It’s really fascinating to me. I grew up from the millennials progressing from posting poor quality gifs in long drawn out fandom posts and commenting “if you’re not angry at this (insert large scale societal issue) you’re not paying attention” on every other (insert bigoted whatever -ism/ist term here) critique post and obsessing over random white boys/men to becoming basically the primordial soup progenitors for fandom culture and progressive politics.

Now that I’m at the point of the beginning of my adulthood, I’m glad to have seen and experienced what I did. It’s still so weird to see the shift from 2014ish when everyone started to be emotionally exhausted with the way their all lives were heading collectively that is was literally tangible in the way that intersectionality is incorporated, and then started to be applied in social/political discourse became the foundations for online behavior today for a lot of ideas and humor concerning all online spaces, like YouTube comments to Pinterest posts reels. Like, it was a very VERY USA oriented white fandom men space focused space where there was young and fresh 20 year old something (usually, on the surface cis and straight oriented) millennials were just obsessing on the same 3-4 major fandom things at a time or so was into a very admittingly prominent site for gender and sexual orientation terminology and concepts development that are now being practiced and in use are implemented on a societal level. I feel like I’ve aged x2 fast too just being here lol.

Now I mostly just see millennials and a vast majority of the more older gens blogs chilling and just focusing a bit more on living in adulthood in the strides they wish they had earlier and (usually) cheer on and encourage Gen. Z youngsters and slowly raising and preparing Gen. Alpha as of now. Gen Z is just mostly geeking over the aesthetics, trends and terminology/concepts now, especially in identity politics laid down earlier from others in discourse in our identitys as adults. Aka; Cancel culture and policing is the same hurdle we have to face head on and navigate as a generation for the next one to come after to work, tweak and improve on a societal level.

Of course the echo chambers here and the discourse are still annoying here and there but I feel like now more than ever I see a lot of settling? happening now. It’s very chill; like the tones and way people talk changed, lowkey it’s kinda a nice even if there used to be and still is strife in certain spaces I guess.

I’d argue being on here is the most tolerable concerning the younger gens here being discreet (as in I don’t see younger people always focus on output here and more so relaxing and not engaging in large fandom wars or whatever like I’ve witnessed before, it’s only be very slight if not tedious buzzword identity policing and gatekeeping callouts but that’s as far as I’ve seen) and just focusing on creative content, and gaining inspiration in lieu with Tiktok and Instagram and Twitter as the main avenues for content content (ironically as there was a great migration in 2018 to Twitter due to policy update and back here on tumblr for the same reason Lmaooooo) being a whole thing… also to be fair the UX of this specific platform is actually nice because you have the ability to actually extend and spell out our own coherent ideas about things as need be compared to the other platforms where content creation forces the users to be hard pressed to not be able to flesh out and materialize their ideas and posts aside from Reddit or something.

Also? To see blogs that are like 10+ years old and scrolling though the older posts of like, idk a blog dedicated to providing insight into Wicca or a set interest etc. for a subject you are researching and have those same popular older posts (‘the president stole my shoe laces’ and ‘do you like the color of the sky?’) be in its ye olden archives when you search for something accidently is really entertaining to me. I can see why everyone here lowkey kinda remanences and cringes at those times, it’s truly iconic in every way possible before and after if you were there lol.

[oogles]

I am actually sick of generational warfare like gen z this, gen x that, elder millennial, zillennial

Some people never mentally age past 15 and some 15 year olds are old souls like can we please stop creating divides over made-up age thresholds

“Gen-z is obsessed with tiktok” i see just as many gen-xers and boomers constantly on their phones. In fact MANY of my older coworkers are the people we have to remind MOST OFTEN to not be on their phones in front of guests/visitors. So many things that are perceived as being indicative of a certain generation are just like, affected by personality factors more than anything. Apps and social media are DESIGNED to be addictive, and how resistant you are to that has very little to do with age.

“Gen alpha kids are doing skincare at 10 years old” there have literally always been harmful things that kids have been able to get into. Kids in the 50s used to smoke cigarettes. Kids in the 70s had access to psychedelics and firearms. Kids in the 90s and early 00s had access to razor blades and other self harm implements. The thing or activity EXISTING didn’t matter as much as how attentive were the adults in that kid’s life, and how able they were to teach their kids good habits.

Despite the progression of technology, in the end we all live very similar existences and we need to empathize with younger and older generations instead of Othering them. Creating rifts actually just allows politicians and corporations to manipulate us more easily. The more we can split ourselves into niche groups, the less we work together, the less power we have to make a change or help each other, and the more susceptible we are to advertising and fringe ideologies.

[thelesbianpoirot]

Yes exactly. I also think it’s interesting that rather than wanting to be the proactive complex character, they would rather be a passive simplified version of that character? I relate to characters like aziraphale who prefers calm and slow pace so if I want to see aspects of myself somewhat reflected I do go to these characters as I’m more similar to them, or the male writer self insert nerd characters too, but fiction is also for escapism and imagining yourself as something else and so why would I take the power fantasy characters and turn them into another type of character to be more similar to myself? I don’t always want to be me and I don’t need characters to have similar traits as me for me to relate to them and want to be them. Often I like to imagine myself as characters more cool, more confident, more competent etc than myself, then the power fantasy is also aspirational to me. I even like to imagine myself as cool and tragic villains, not because I agree with the villain but because it’s just, you know, it’s just escapism to imagine yourself as someone more powerful or interesting.

In the case of crowley, I am not sure why the fandom has “feminised” him so much. It might be because they want him to be more like a typical representation of a demon who’s more androgynous and seductive because they’re attracted to him? Or want to be that kind of character (especially considering the gender fandoms obsessions with making gay characters’ sexualities fluid, aziraphale being gay).

Anyway, I think in general the baby girlfication of male power fantasies and other heroic powerful and competent etc type of characters might also be a result of this generation using representation and diversity in fiction as a criteria for whether the story is good or “unproblematic”, and the seeming inability or unwillingness to read about people different than yourself (ironic when you want diversity. It’s almost like some just want diversity so every story has a character with a similar identity as themselves that they can then project on?). Like how similar a character is to yourself is used as a criteria for whether the story is good or worth reading.

YOU ARE SO SMART

And so right. The diversity they ask for is usually within a group they fit in so they can project on more easily. The inability to identify with people unlike themselves force them to conform every character to their demographic in their fanon - suddenly the white straight able man is a brown "queer" autistic fat anxious nb with vitiligo . I do not need a character to be like me to love them or recognize good writing. I enjoy knowing people unlike myself (AZ & Crowley & Dean & Poirot & Columbo& Chloe & Nadine (uncharted btw) & Ellie (last of us) & Xena & Gabs), and getting to see their experiences in a way only film/video games can do. While I don't want every character to be a straight white man, I don't want every character to be like me. I have read YA and New Adult books with anxiety ridden "queer" millennials/gen Z that never do anything worthwhile and waste their time obsessing over identity, I hate those characters. I don't want to change every character into that....it's not diversity it's a new homogeneity. Turn on the latest procedural, and 40 yr old characters are talking in woke speak like their 19 yr olds on twitter. It's exhausting. But I am talking about a series of problems right now. Thank you for taking time out to rant with me. You are way more eloquent.

[chappell-roans]

yeah im not technically a millennial but I never refer to myself as gen z. I just feel like the difference is best described as being a vine generation kid and not a tiktok one.

I agree with this fully. I think generational distinctions are necessary (especially from a research and demographic standpoint) but obsessing over the differences is lame, especially the way it's done on tiktok. I definitely fall into the vine camp though even though I'm firmly in gen z. I just don't really relate to most of the stereotypes and think it's silly to try to, but to each their own I guess.

[alexsfictionaddiction]

Review: Fling by Joseph Murray

I don’t think I need to keep saying that I am inexplicably drawn to this art style on book covers. Of course, with a title like Fling, I expected this to be about casual relationships and perhaps two people who fall in love despite fighting against it. While that is what I got, it wasn’t exactly the full story.

After six years of marriage, Tara and Colin’s marriage is on the rocks after yet another failed round of IVF. But there’s a new dating app on the scene. Fling encourages married people to find the perfect person to have an affair with and Tara and Colin are both encouraged to sign up to it. The lost spark that appears to have left their marriage long ago might turn out to have been right under their noses all along.

The book did a great job of illustrating a marriage that has been worn down by the heartache of trying to conceive. In the first chapter, I thought this would be a pretty emotional read and I wish this theme had been explored a bit more than it was. For a topic that features so heavily at the very beginning and is a big reason for Tara and Colin’s resentment towards each other, they didn’t really talk about it much after the first chapter. I definitely wanted more of this vulnerability throughout the book.

For a male author, Joseph Murray also does a good job of highlighting everyday sexism. It’s quite rare to see in books written by men but it came up a few times in Fling, which I really appreciated. 

There were also parts of this book that were genuinely really funny and original. I have never heard anyone described as ‘the human incarnation of the Comic Sans font’ but obviously, I completely understand it! Unfortunately, these jokes were very few and far between, which was a huge shame.

Colin’s friend Rory gave me the strongest physical ick that I’ve had in a long time. He is a huge misogynist and it’s not even slightly subtle. I hated reading the conversations between him and Colin because they just seemed to be obsessed with how women looked. According to them, a woman who isn’t conventionally pretty isn’t even worth talking to in a romantic way and to be honest, Colin showed signs of the same mindset. If this is genuinely how men that we’re supposed to like talk to each other when there are no women around, I’m so disappointed and angry.

Tara’s colleague Emily wasn’t any better. She seems to be fully on board with infidelity and was clearly only concerned with Tara having a fulfilling sex life. While I have no problem with people having casual relationships and being polyamorous, I do have a problem with those people trying to push those who are in committed, monogamous relationships into ‘giving it a try’ without informing their monogamous partner first. That happened twice with two different characters in this book, so of course, it felt horrible.

Another problematic statement from Emily came in the quote above. She is ‘so quirky and Gen Z’ that she can’t possibly refer to herself as heterosexual. Because being heterosexual is boring and having a queer sexuality is so in right now, apparently. 

Also, millennials don’t care about the planet or have panic attacks about failures. Those are Gen Z things only but millennials can have avocado toast and no money. I really hate it when the media divides the generations into over-simplified categories like this and I never expected to see it in a rom-com but here we are.

Fling rests on a very icky concept for an app that I like to think wouldn’t ever become a reality but let’s be honest, something similar either already does exist or certainly will one day. Both of the side characters were awful people and I wasn’t crazy about Colin either. I did get intensely frustrated by the miscommunication and the near-misses that Tara and Colin kept having and I suppose that must mean that I cared about their marriage, which I did. However, I think there were too many things that I disliked about it to be able to recommend it in good faith. 

[12abm01group4]

"ON BECOMING A MEDIUM: GEN-Z INDIVIDUALS AS MODERN COMMUNICATORS"

written by Kristine Faith Perolino and Alleah Nicole Medroso

NGL. SLAYYY. FR. TBH.

If you're a member of the boomers, generation X, or Millennials, you'll undoubtedly struggle to grasp these acronyms or slang terms. However, if you recognize these, you are most likely a member of Generation Z.

Introducing the digital natives

When compared to previous generations, the world has changed dramatically. Generation Z, also called as zoomers (a post-millennial generation born between 1997 and 2012), has similar characteristics to their predecessors, yet they are different in their own wants and needs, particularly when it comes to communication. Technological advancements have greatly altered our way of life. Gen Z is known for being extensively online as the first generation of digital natives. Through the use of the internet and social media, individuals can share and obtain information from all over the world with a single click. From how we communicate with friends and family to how we acquire our news and how we create relationships with others.

Gen Z showcases their ideal selves on Instagram; on Snapchat, they share real-life moments; on Twitter, they acquire news; and on Facebook, they gather information.

Generation Z communicates through graphics and multitasks across numerous devices. Their attention spans are also decreasing, which explains their liking for video and graphics over words. They are the ideal snack media consumers. They communicate in bite-sized chunks. With Gen Z having the advantage of technology and the Internet, people will more likely label them as lazy and as the generation who doesn't know what it’s like not to have round-the-clock access to the internet. Self-absorbed. Screen-obsessed. Whiny. Privileged. Entitled. Lazy. They are known to be meme-obsessed and to treat situations lightly. More than 60% of Generation Z check Instagram and YouTube every day. Furthermore, more than 65% of Generation Z users say they use social media on a daily basis. It is undeniable that Generation Z has grown accustomed to technology. Well, think about it. They have never experienced a world without it. Nonetheless, they are the most capable generation in history. Being constantly on their phones presents a negative picture to others. Nonetheless, they are actually shaping social media into a new era. Striving to be a beacon for a better world.

But how does Generation Z function as a communication tool?

The creative, technologically savvy, and emotionally aware generation. The generation that is creative, technologically sophisticated, and emotionally aware. Gen Z isn't simply idle and glued to their devices; they can also impact the world wherever they go. They communicate digitally through digital media, social networks, and texting. Because being connected allows for nearly endless contact, it is not unusual for members of Generation Z to have friends all around the world. They seem to be more diverse and can engage with everyone. Generation Z perceives the digital and physical worlds as a unified continuity of experiences that integrate offline and online data for entertainment, commerce, and communication. They're reared in a judgmental environment, yet they could build their own fate and are more creative and ambitious.

For many people, connecting with someone halfway across the world is simpler than communicating with elderly relatives at the dinner table during a holiday meal. Have you felt this way?

Gen Z enjoys emojis and memes, but they also utilize their creativity to promote issues that are important to them: charities, causes, movements, and so on. They are using social applications to create communities and imaginative ventures that are linked to a love of activism, art, or entrepreneurship. When problems arise, it is highly likely that Gen Z will be the first to bring them to light. They lobby and organize campaigns. They redress wrongs and are unafraid to oppose unjust systems and traditions. They don't simply deal with minor issues; they hope to tackle global issues through social media, which is what they do best. From pursuing occupations that they are passionate about, to accepting various identities, combating climate change, banning animal testing, and advocating for feminism and equality. They communicated and expressed their opinions and truths using social media platforms.

Social media is readily accessible to everyone. It's all over the place. It is very convenient to have. But, of course, a coin has two sides, and although it has many advantages to cater to Generation Z as communicators, it also has its drawbacks. It is a great medium for sharing knowledge, but it can also be a dangerous place as well. People can be cruel behind a computer, and it can have an impact on a person's mental and emotional health. Some people even like employing it for scamming and fraud. Not everything on social media can be trusted since some of it may include inaccurate information. As a source of information you must understand how to be a factual and integrated individual. As an absorber of information, you must be able to examine a text and determine whether or not it is credible. Only when we understand how to use social media platforms correctly will it be a good thing. We must listen to comprehend rather than just respond.

GENERATION BE YOURSELF. A MEDIUM FOR A BETTER CHANGE.

“Asked to develop a slogan for gen Z, 13-22 year-olds overwhelmingly suggest some variation on ‘be yourself’ (e.g. ‘just be you,’ ‘just be yourself,’ ‘do what makes you happy’) as the slogan for their generation. Second after variations on ‘be yourself’ were slogans aimed at social responsibility such as ‘save the planet’, ‘we want change’ and ‘we are the future.’” - 2019 JWT intelligence study in partnership with Snap Inc (THINKHOUSE UK)

These are the individuals who, regardless of their field of competence, speak their truth and convey what they think has to be said. They stand firm in their beliefs and appreciate one another's unique qualities.

Communication has always been a part of what it means to be human. Generation Z is a distinct generation with the capacity for successful communication. They have what it takes to develop into a medium— the ability to influence change in the society in which we live. This generation might be a significant force for change. But we must learn how to speak clearly and convincingly if we are to convey these to the rest of the world. And in order to do that, we must be kind, compassionate, and rational with individuals who want to communicate properly. Let them speak up and have their say. In this way, other people will be able to hear you. As social media users and digital natives, we need to constantly remind ourselves to use the technology that has been granted responsibly. Use it as a location for a variety of activities that everyone can enjoy and learn from.In this approach, generation Z as a medium will eventually become  an effective modern communicator.

REFERENCES:

Clark, D. (2019). 10 Defining Characteristics of Generation Z. Ttisi.com. https://blog.ttisi.com/10-defining-characteristics-of-generation-z

Ennis-O’Connor, M. (2019, June 15). Into Z Future: Here’s What To Know About The Creative Habits Of Generation Z. Medium; Medium. https://marieennisoconnor.medium.com/into-z-future-heres-what-to-know-about-the-creative-habits-of-generation-z-63be615c6635

Gen. (2021, February 2). City to City Europe. City to City Europe. https://www.citytocityeurope.com/evangelism-project-blog/gen-z-be-yourself-and-change-the-world

Hughes, J. (2022, August 24). Communicating with Generation Z: Everything You Need to Know. Keg.com; Keystone Academic Solutions AS. https://www.keg.com/news/communicating-with-generation-z-everything-you-need-to-know

Mair, K.(2021, February 21).Gen Z: Be Yourself and Change The World.City to City Europe. https://www.citytocityeurope.com/evangelism-project-blog/gen-z-be-yourself-and-change-the-world

Man, C.(n.d.).THE VOICES OF GEN Z.Thinkhouse. https://www.thinkhousehq.com/insights/the-voices-of-gen-z

‌Meola, A. (2022, January 5). Generation Z News: Latest characteristics, research, and facts. Insider Intelligence. https://www.insiderintelligence.com/insights/generation-z-facts/

‌Oliver. (2022, February 8). Generation Z Social Media Usage Statistics in 2022. Grow Following. https://growfollowing.com/gen-z-social-media-usage/

GIF AND IMAGE SOURCES:

https://www.webwise.ie/parents/a-parents-guide-to-internet-slang/

https://www.digitalwebsolutions.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/06/Social-Media-Presence.gif

https://www.techprevue.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/disadvantages-of-social-media-cyberbullying-1024x682.jpg

https://c.tenor.com/SqSQJOyZaEoAAAAC/we-are-the-youth-of-the-nation.gif

[nerdybluephoenix]

Aliens interact with and are totally confused by Gen Z humans? (and an emo as well, if you can?)

Sorry you waited so long, I was struggling to come up with something since "gen z" is a much broader term than people realize.

First, allow me to introduce you to the...

Bright young people who passed their tests with flying colors. While the image only shows these notable three for this story, the graduating class composes of many skilled individuals with varying backgrounds.

Unlike many of this generation, these very few are lucky to get their dream job.

They worked hard to get in. They really did. But no matter what they did, or where they found success, they were met with critism from older generations.

These three in particular, and one older man placed in charge, were placed on a Spaceship to train as the new star sailors. Aboard this same craft were several aliens, who were used to human ways from the generation preceding.

Immediately upon boarding, the discrimination was clear from the older male. He especially seemed to hate a young boy with long black hair and piercings. The boy was often met with phrases like: "when I was your age..." and "I can't believe they allowed you onto the ship looking like that."

Despite the hostility, the three did as humans do and were seemingly cheerful. They passed around beverages on their breaks, gave each other high fives and fist bumps, and sometimes they gave out hugs. Jokes were common. The alien crew members would admit these jokes were a little weird. From simply saying "bread" the group would burst in a fit of giggles and be told off by their instructor. Mental health was a common joke among them too, often laughing about being "dead inside" and failures. Such sad "jokes" juxtaposed with such bright expressions really did a number on aliens. Weren't human smiles a GOOD thing???

Upon asking one of them about these same jokes, the human simply offered up a colorful image of a young boy giving out finger guns, captioned "nothing really mattered".

"It's okay," the human would say. "We're all that way."

Despite the instructors complaints, there was nothing wrong with the humans work performances. They were just the same as the instructor had been back when he was with his old crew. They were inexperienced and maybe a bit complain-y for sure, but... so had been the instructor at their age. Hell, he used to skip work and get drunk in the hot boiler room. Still had a scar from being dared to touch heated equipment. By comparison, these three in particular were actually much better than the last crew.

Aliens observed this and looked through human's written records. As far as alien's can see, the humans have always, ALWAYS, been filled with varying personalities like this generation. Gen z wasn't as odd as they claimed - well, odd by comparison. They had their own unique quirks, and interests, and styles, but so did any other generation. What was it about gen z that scared the older generation?

To look deeper meant to learn of a new word. Prejudice. The hate against gen z was nothing new to human behaviors. It seemed... ANY "group" different than another "group" was met with hostility. Simply being a new batch of humans with the crime of being born in a different year was enough to scare the elderly among them. Gen z wasn't the first with this discrimination. No, many, MANY sources were found against millennials too. An obsessive amount one can say...

Even farther back one can find complaints about the "boomers", even if they weren't called that back then. So... why did the "boomers" not learn and treat future generations kindly? Why did the millennials themselves turn around and complain about gen z?

Despite the constant badgering, these three took it quite well. How do you three handle the older man's prejudice? And with that, the entire crew now had a new catchphrase among them.

Older man (slamming down a piece of paper onto the desk): "How am I supposed to work with this?"

Alien (looking it over): "I can't say I understand the problem."

Man: "It's not specific enough. I needed you to categorize these by the alphabet."

Alien: "We've been over this. We do not sort letters the same way human's do, I simply am not familiar with-"

Man (already walking out):"just redo it"

Alien (moving the paper underneath the "forget" to do it pile): "Ok Boomer"

Man (from a distance): "Everyone needs to STOP CALLING ME THAT."