A brief overview of what is currently trending on X in news, culture, and/or trending hashtags and formats.
#Disney: Fans celebrate Miley Cyrus's remarkable achievements as a singer and actress, recognizing her iconic status as she becomes one of the youngest to be honored as a Disney Legend at Sunday’s ceremony.
#ClosingCeremony: The Paris 2024 Olympics concluded with a spectacular closing ceremony, where the Olympic torch was passed to Los Angeles for the 2028 Games. The event featured performances by celebrities including Phoenix, Snoop Dogg, Billie Eilish, Tom Cruise, and more.
#JordanChiles: Jordan Chiles was denied her bronze medal in the women’s gymnastics floor exercise after her score inquiry was later ruled invalid.
A deeper dive into a subject that is impacting culture on a macro level, beyond just the social space.
gen z’s obsession with labels
What It Is: We're observing a growing trend where users take elements from fashion, lifestyle, makeup, or other categories, add a suffix, and create catchy labels that capture attention online. People label different aesthetics and lifestyles with suffixes like ‘-core’ or ‘-aesthetic,’ leading to an ever-expanding array of terms such as ‘gorpcore,’ ‘ballet core,’ or ‘office siren aesthetic.’ Ironically, while Gen Z is known for their emphasis on individuality, there’s a simultaneous fascination with categorizing everything. However, this trend has faced criticism, with some arguing that these constantly evolving aesthetics and ‘cores’ are difficult to keep up with, leading to confusion and, at times, gatekeeping within youth culture.
Brand Takeaway: This labeling system doesn’t mean that brands need to add ‘-core’ to their names to make an impact, but it does highlight the need for community. Consumers are naturally gravitating towards these trends by identifying and responding to patterns. Brands can capitalize on this by emphasizing the lifestyle associated with their products and creating a unique identity within this framework. This approach also allows brands to connect with existing “cores” that resonate with their values. The emergence of new trending groups highlights that consumers are ever-changing and more dynamic than just one-dimensional personas.
Subcultures and trends have always given people a sense of belonging and community. Although Gen Z's emphasis on individuality might seem to contradict their tendency to categorize everything, this phenomenon is more about their desire for community and exploration. As Gen Z continues to grow and refine their identities, they test the boundaries of who they are within the cultural landscape. These trends help individuals connect with others who share similar interests and beliefs, particularly within online niche communities—much like how slang shapes group identity.
Examples: 1, 2, 3, 4
A recap of what you might have missed while not online
Taylor Swift: A third suspect was arrested in connection with the attempted attack at Taylor Swift's concert in Austria.
Celine Dion: Celine Dion's management team issued a statement online expressing their disapproval of the unauthorized use of her song "My Heart Will Go On" at a recent Trump rally.
Olympics: The U.S. secured the highest overall medal count in the 2024 Paris Olympics, tying with China for the most gold medals.
Want to subscribe? Reach out to culturetaskforce@substack.com.