too many trends, not enought taste
a collection of resources for a work article on trends: Topic territory: “Too Many Trends, Not Enough Taste”: Is the Internet’s Tidal Wave of Trends Fueling a New Era of Criticism?
too many trends, not enought taste
“There’s little new here beyond the names we’re giving macroeconomically induced changes in consumer behavior and the pace at which we’re casting one meme off for the next,”
Remy Tumin • Tired of Influencers, TikTok Users Try ‘Underconsumption Core’ to Cut Costs
Nothing is new, speed is the difference
Sure, certain items became synonymous with Brat summer — a red wine-stained tank top, oversized sunglasses and anything in ‘Brat green’. But the movement’s real power was in its broader, ineffable ethos. It wasn’t just a look — it was a world you could step into.
archive.is
End of micro trends, beginning of “vibes”
We’re trapped in a Never-Ending Now — blind to our place in history, engulfed in the present moment, overwhelmed by the slightest breeze of chaos.
David Perell • The Never-Ending Now
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
“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).
“The thrill of a vibe is that it leads with emotion, not with spending power. It feels like playing hooky from a world where we are kettled by capitalism,” she continued, emphasising the shift towards truly living your life rather than simply purchasing a lifestyle through trending products.
archive.is
How Reading Shields Your Mind from Social Media
youtube.comRobin used a great metaphor in this, likening the onslaught of content to greek mythological creature Hydra with heads that continuously regenerates
she felt “constantly bombarded”
New York Times • rw-embedded-content[https://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2025/03/07/style/gen-z-trend-cycle.html]
At the beginning of 2025, Joan Kennedy wrote a piece prosposing a slow down to viral microtrends.
TikTok has allowed trends to mature faster and be visible farther than previous social media/entertainment apps allowed.