Offline Clubs and Deep Lore

"and i think that's pretty awesome"

K-pop star Lisa’s debut album comes with a comic book; the Foster sisters are adapting influencer Tinx’s yet-to-be-published novel Hotter In The Hamptons as a TV series; Mindy Kaling’s producing Friends, if it existed in 2025 and took place in Murray Hill; and “the only thing America can agree on right now is that the White Lotus season 3 theme song is NOT it.”

HOW DEEP IS YOUR LORE?, wsj
The Old English word for knowledge has taken on new life on social media, with young people (and brands!) using “lore” to self-mythologize, essentially turning personal traumas and minor gossip into engagement bait. “Online, there is a kind of consciousness of your identity, an awareness of how you’re projecting your qualities, and so to that extent, you are playing a role,” said Peter Sokolowski, Merriam-Webster’s editor at large. “And lore conveys character, conveys narrative, conveys deep history, like ancient history.”

LONDONERS ARE PAYING $12 FOR THE CHANCE TO SWITCH OFF THEIR PHONES AND ‘CONNECT WITH THE REAL WORLD’, fortune
The Offline Club, based in London, offers a two-hour “digital detox” night where young adults can pay £9.50 to leave their phones in a deposit box and make in-person connections. Since the club launched at the end of October, more than 2,000 people have taken part. “We are the technology generation, but we’re tired of it. We want to reconnect with the real world,” said a twentysomething attendee.

HOW AN OLD TOTTENHAM BOOZER BECAME AN UNLIKELY HOME TO THE GEN Z FASHION SET, standard.co.uk
With nightlife preferences shifting away from clubs, younger generations are embracing traditional British pub culture and propelling old-school spots like Mannions Prince Arthur in Tottenham into trendy hangouts. ”Grandad clothes are in vogue, but the new lot are taking things a step further, embracing Grandad pub culture, too,” writes 25-year-old Elfie Reigate.

YOUNG PEOPLE ARE BEING ‘PRICED OUT OF NIGHTLIFE’, dazed
It’s not that Gen Z doesn’t want to go out, according to new research from the Night Time Industries Association, it’s that many of them literally can’t afford to. Some 68% of young people in the UK (ages 18-30) have stopped going out as much, citing the economic climate, and 53% say they’re spending less on going out compared to last year. And things aren’t likely to get better…

AMERICA IS ABOUT TO ENTER AN APARTMENT CRUNCH, businessinsider
The U.S. is heading toward an apartment shortage, with a steep decline in new construction starting in 2026 that will push rents higher. Given that most Gen Zers rent rather than own, this shift will have major financial implications for young consumers who are already priced out of homeownership. As rents rise and concessions disappear, Gen Z renters are likely to face increased financial strain and shifting spending habits.

One last thought:

@goop4heart @goop4heart ♬ party 4 u - ㅤ

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