Eroding Social Contracts

In a recent Dazed piece, Serena Smith calls on young Brits to stop behaving like “overgrown, perpetually drunk babies” abroad. The essay responds to growing anti-tourism backlash, Barcelona’s water pistol protests, Amsterdam’s crackdown on pub crawls, and takes aim at the TikTok-fueled obsession with “hidden gems.” Her advice: Show respect, learn a... See more

Parks officials said protocols differ depending on the consistency of the excrement. For solid poop, all swimmers are kicked out, and a net is used to scoop the material out of the water. Workers then add chlorine to the mix for at least 25 minutes before reopening the pool.

These NYC pools kept closing last summer after people pooped in them

COLLEGE STUDENTS ARE USING ‘NO CONTACT ORDERS’ TO BLOCK EACH OTHER IN REAL LIFE , wsj

No contact orders (NCOs), originally designed to protect victims of sexual harassment or assault on college campuses, are now being widely used by Gen Z students to avoid interpersonal conflict, often over disputes as minor as stolen bagels or awkward social run-i... See more

But the secondary problem is American individualism, which compels bourgeois Americans to focus what small amount of energy we have either on optimizing ourselves (exercise, skin care, “self-care”) or on our very close familial circle (that amorphous, ever-expanding activity known as “parenting” that includes everything from making Spirit Week cost... See more

It doesn’t help that social media platforms have made this very easy. For one, we never have to look anyone in the eye when we’re canceling on them anymore, so the act has become totally disconnected from reality. Plus, the rise of the “maybe attending” button, first on Facebook and now Partiful, allows future bailers to evade commitment entirely. ... See more

There’s clearly something in the air because The Atlantic just published Derek Thompson’s cover story on “the anti-social century,” which explores why Americans are spending more time than ever alone. And last week The Guardian published a piece about the rise in flakiness, with one person interviewed saying, “I have adjusted my mindset so I almost... See more

“People just feel like they don’t owe anybody anything any more, but they also just don’t want the scrutiny of others,” said a graduate in her late 20s from Devon.

“Everyone can upload things to their [social media] profiles that’ll make them look like they’re on top of the world, but these curated images aren’t real and wouldn’t hold up in conversa... See more

“Fewer people drink, the cost of living is high and everyone has a mountain of responsibilities, not to mention burnout and anxiety. Unless it’s a significant birthday or wedding, I’m not quite sure why one would agree to gather in the first place. These days I’ll take any excuse to cancel last-minute and it feels like self-care.”