Summary:
- "Online culture" and "culture" are not separate entities but rather interconnected. However, for discussion purposes, "online culture" refers to the fast-paced, memeified discourse prevalent on digital platforms, which many organizations excessively focus on.
- The obsession with chasing trending topics and memes began around 2007 when brands started mimicking the appearance of personal profiles on social media platforms like Facebook. This led to a relentless pursuit of being perceived as relatable and current, with the belief that winning online discussions equated to winning culture and sales.
- The current approach to understanding online culture is flawed, as it often results in exhaustion, futility, and a disconnect from meaningful human desires and behaviors. Rather than chasing fleeting trends, there is a need to recalibrate and focus on identifying substantial shifts in culture with sustained energy and meaningful impact.
Discussion (1)
There is a lot of noise from analysts and creators alike about culture. And everyone is trying to make a thing into a thing (trend). It’s been a decent tactic to try growing an audience or be relevant, but it’s hollow (as the author alludes to). It’s the reason we get those silly new words like “quiet quitting” and “loud finances”. These are just fabricated labels that people can latch on to, discuss, be proud or outraged about.