As Sanneh points out, music reviews went from involving of a lot of passionate crankiness and meanspirited takedowns to being among the most tepid and uncontroversial of all culture writing. He names some likely causes, many of which boil down to the fact that the internet is an insane place run by insane people; negative criticism of K-pop... See more

We live in an era where disagreement is treated like trauma, and emotional reactions are weaponized for political gain. On social media, vulnerability is currency. On TikTok, influencer "therapists" dish out instant validation in 30-second bursts. The most anxious voices often hold the most influence. Complex issues get reduced into content.... See more

Yet, despite this abundance of enthusiasm for cultural research, it often feels like it’s easier than ever to slip into the gravity well of banality. Cookie-cutter essays optimized for algorithmic engagement. Hot takes stripped of depth. Fleeting fads interpreted as extreme, paradigm-shifting hyperbole. We resort to dramatic binaries, either... See more