Posting Ennui and Craigslist Nostalgia

"tell me the most diabolical, irrational, disturbing satanic ways of getting rich"

Naomi Watts took her 16-year-old daughter to Paris Couture Week; Heartstopper breakout star Joe Locke will make his West End debut; Pauline Chalamet was just cast in The Devil Wears Prada 2; and TikTok comedian Matt Rife is joining Netflix’s Sam Bankman-Fried FTX series.

ARE YOU EXPERIENCING POSTING ENNUI?, newyorker

Kyle Chayka

’s latest column explores “posting ennui,” a growing reluctance among young social media users to share casual moments online. “I feel like everyone in my generation is kind of a voyeur now,” said 24-year-old Kanika Mehra. “People don’t want to be perceived,” and if they do post, they “feel a bit of a vulnerability hangover.” Tarik Bećarević, 17, said, “I honestly can’t even imagine taking a photo of my breakfast and posting that. Maybe as slide six of a photo dump,” and that even his friends’ private accounts “are curated to seem free, rather than actually being free.” If things continue in this direction, Kyle warns, we may be heading toward Posting Zero:

Posting Zero would mean the end of social media as it was once conceptualized, as a real-time record of the world created by anyone who was experiencing anything at all. But the presence of normies was what made social media worth tuning into. In their wake, like detritus on a once busy beach, there will be only dry corporate marketing, A.I.-generated slop, and dreck from thirsty hustlers attempting to monetize a dwindling audience of voyeurs.

LITTLE VIDEOS ARE COOKING OUR BRAINS, vox
Short-form vertical video is overtaking the internet, with TikTok, YouTube Shorts, and even LinkedIn pushing swipeable, dopamine-triggering content, much of which is AI-generated “slop.” Gen Z now spends an average of 108 minutes per day on TikTok, more than twice the time they spend on Instagram — a habit that’s contributing to shrinking attention spans and rising anxiety. AI tools like Google’s Veo 3 and Meta’s automated ad engine are accelerating the slop cycle, flooding platforms with infinite, low-effort content engineered for engagement.

WHEN DID LIFE ADVICE GET SO UNHINGED?, dazed
Advice content online has evolved into an algorithm-optimized spectacle, with Gen Z driving demand for “unhinged” hacks that favor extremity over practicality. (Think beauty tips like “starving saved me money” or finance hacks framed as “diabolical.”) As Dazed reports, the most outrageous suggestions now outperform measured ones, a byproduct of algorithms that reward engagement over nuance. This shift is tied to growing loneliness among young people, who are turning to TikTok and Reddit in place of real-life community, creating feedback loops of performative absurdity.

‘I WAS NERVOUS TO ASK FOR YOUR SOCIALS’: WHY MISSED CONNECTION POSTS ARE MAKING A COMEBACK, theguardian
Missed connections are making a comeback among Gen Z and younger millennials, who are turning to Reddit megathreads and TikTok videos to track down strangers they shared fleeting moments with — often at festivals, bars, or even Trader Joe’s. The posts blend vulnerability and nostalgia, offering a romantic alternative to dating app fatigue. “There’s this desire to connect in-person,” said 30-year-old Karly Laliberte, whose TikTok missed connection drew 50,000 views in hours.

COKE POPS, MARUCHAN COOLS: THE BRANDS WINNING AND LOSING GEN Z IN 2025, adweek
New brand tracking data from Tracksuit shows Coca-Cola is one of Gen Z’s biggest winners in 2025, with purchase consideration among U.S. consumers aged 18–24 rising 15 points. The brand’s revamped “Share A Coke” campaign, centered on personalization and emotional connection, clearly resonated. And in a rare bright spot for the dating app space, Hinge jumped 14 points by positioning itself as a more authentic alternative for the swipe-fatigued generation.

MATCHA LOVERS ARE TURNING AGAINST EACH OTHER OVER GLOBAL SHORTAGE, wsj
The global matcha shortage has sparked infighting among Gen Z tea lovers on MatchaTok and Reddit, with creators blamed for hoarding and price spikes. Premium tins that cost $17 a year ago now exceed $100, with some Japanese shops capping purchases to one per customer. As prices surge — Marukyu Koyamaen matcha is expected to rise 80% — some are rationing grams per latte or switching to alternatives like hojicha. “This is the greed they talk about in the Bible,” one commenter wrote under a matcha haul posted to TikTok.

One last thought:

@iamdestinedtobefamous @iamdestinedtobefamous ♬ original sound - hulaye

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