Kendall Jenner is on the cover of Vogue; Billie Eilish and Lana Del Rey were in the studio together; Sydney Sweeney cast as the ‘female Rocky’ in an upcoming biopic; Sabrina Carpenter stars in the latest Marc Jacobs campaign; and sorry for the delay — I hit send on this about two hours ago but failed to hit “confirm.” 🫠
A TIKTOK BAN WON’T FIX SOCIAL MEDIA, newyorker
You can take TikTok away from the people, but you can’t undo the app’s impact on our social media habits. ”Parents express concerns about their childrens’ addiction to TikTok, and yet YouTube Shorts and Instagram Reels, two U.S. products, aspire to be just as transfixing,” writes Kyle Chayka. “TikTok has provided the template for the algorithmic, passive future of social-media consumption…”
IS CARRINGTON BORNSTEIN THE INTERNET’S HOTTEST FUNNY GUY? OR FUNNIEST HOT GUY?, gq
Kate Lindsey interviewed the 22-year-old model-turned-comedian whose chaotic internet persona — “a confounding combination of rizz and cringe” — has earned him 2.5 million followers on TikTok and 789,000 and 42,700 on Instagram, and YouTube. That he looks like a pretty version of Pete Davidson does not hurt; I suspect he’s about to be everywhere.
'INTELLECTUAL INFLUENCERS' WILL SOON BE TAKING OVER YOUR SOCIAL-MEDIA FEEDS, businessinsider
"They don't just want to be entertained or just want to be educated. They want to be edutained." They’re playing it a little fast and loose with the word “intellectual” here but I do think there’s a shift happening.
TEAM TRUMP IS WARMING TO TIKTOK, semafor
MAGA Inc., the Donald Trump-aligned Super PAC, joined TikTok on Wednesday, making them the first Trump-affiliated group — though certainly not the last — to launch on the app. Their content is predictably cringe, and as of this morning, they have just over 500 followers and 2000 likes.
YOUR NEIGHBORS ARE RETIRING IN THEIR 30S. WHY CAN’T YOU?, nyt
The Financial Independence Retire Early (FIRE) movement — which has been around since the ‘90s — is gaining popularity among people who want to retire early and take control of their lives. Right now, it’s primarily an Xer and millennial thing, but given the rise of “money dysphoria” and “quiet quitting” among Gen Z, it’s not hard to imagine this catching on with younger generations, too.
GEN Z IS RELYING ON DEBT MORE THAN MILLENNIALS DID AT THIS AGE, bloomberg
Gen Z consumers ages 22 to 24 have higher debt levels and delinquency rates for a number of credit products — from credit cards to mortgages and student loans — than millennials did at the same age a decade ago, according to a new report from credit bureau TransUnion. (Worth noting that with the rise of buy now, pay later platforms, Gen Z also has more opportunities to rack up debt than millennials did a decade ago.)
HOW GEN-Z BECAME EUROVISION'S BIGGEST FANS, bbc
Now 67 years old, Eurovision has an enduring popularity and appeal, especially among younger viewers. The contest's engaging structure, fast-paced format, and inclusive spirit make it particularly appealing to Gen Z.
One last thought:
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I’ve also felt a rise in the “intellectual influencer”…just hope actual experts will outshine those who just appear to be experts/spreading bad data. Time will tell I guess!
That NYT FIRE article was wild! But honestly so refreshing to see the other extreme end of the spectrum after so many stories about the American habits of overspending and credit card debt.