rw-embedded-content[https://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2025/03/07/style/gen-z-trend-cycle.html]
Almost a half-century later, the journalist Kyle Chayka wrote in his book “Filterworld” that “microtrends” now rise and fall in a matter of weeks. In its quest to retain our attention, social media seemed to have heightened both the quantity and intensity of what we once called a fad: “Under algorithmic feeds, the popular becomes more popular, and ... See more
New York Times • rw-embedded-content[https://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2025/03/07/style/gen-z-trend-cycle.html]
Should use Kyle’s work as a resource/quotes
W. David Marx argues in his book “Status and Culture.” We want what other people have in order to fit in, but eventually abandon those same things once we see them as too accessible to the masses.
New York Times • rw-embedded-content[https://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2025/03/07/style/gen-z-trend-cycle.html]
Everything is accessible to everyone, which means that people’s desire to reel it in and “gatekeep” is a natural response. At least according to W. David Marx
she felt “constantly bombarded”
New York Times • rw-embedded-content[https://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2025/03/07/style/gen-z-trend-cycle.html]
“The prevalence and pure amount of microtrends has made it impossible to understand or participate.”
New York Times • rw-embedded-content[https://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2025/03/07/style/gen-z-trend-cycle.html]
Trends have always accelerated consumerist culture while simultaneously encouraging playfulness and whimsy. Now, It is impossible to keep up with the onslaught of micro-trends not only because our brains have limited capacity but also because our bank accounts aren’t infinite (at least for most of us).