This week's Youth Culture Report is all about conflict: dogs are fighting lemons, Gen Z is fighting millennials, and everyone is fighting AI.
Dogs vs. lemons on TikTok
The latest pet-related trend on TikTok is posting videos of dogs eating lemon slices. These clips are hilarious because dogs don't like lemons, so their excitement at receiving the treat from their owners quickly turns into sour expressions and slanted looks of dog disappointment.
But since no one is allowed to play with them, some veterinarians were quick to warn about the trend, noting that citrus can cause "gastrointestinal distress" and even "severe clinical signs such as collapse." Throwing food at dogs for them to catch is a form of behavior. Dr. Anna Foreman of Everypaw Pet Insurance said, "Especially if the food is too big to swallow," so if you're observant, no one should throw a slice of lemon at their dog. In the video, the dogs almost never eat the lemon slice, they either give it a quick lick and then "no," or they put the fruit slice in their mouths and spit it out, because dogs aren't stupid.
What is a "Zoomer Perm"?
From the mullet in the 1980s to the ubiquitous "Rachel" in the 1990s, every generation eventually develops and popularizes a ridiculous hairstyle that they will be embarrassed by in the future. For Generation Z, the "Zoomer Perm" looks set to become the trend of the generation. Sometimes referred to as the "Broccoli Perm" or "Bird's Nest Perm", the Zoomer Perm has shaved sides and back, and a long, thick/curly top. If you have straight hair, it must be permed to look right. It's a very silly-looking hairstyle, but according to WikiHow, Zoomers like it because they "tend not to be as self-conscious or serious as other generations, so the fun things you can do with a broccoli haircut are actually a benefit, not a drawback."
GamerGate 2 Update
Last week I brought you the sad news that Gamergate was making a comeback, but now a new problem has arisen: Jen Glennon, editor-in-chief of gaming news site Kotaku, resigned late last week, leading some to believe that the resignation was due to Kotaku's coverage of Gamergate 2.0.
Of course, the GamerGate degenerates are wrong on this (and everything else). According to Glennon, the resignation came as a result of the site's owner, G/O Media, deciding to shift Kotaku's focus from news and editorial content to gaming guides, adding that G/O Media's CEO, Jim Spanfeller, is a sketch. Lifehacker used to be owned by G/O Media, so I'll put it this way with insider knowledge: there's no way G/O would have any interest in or knowledge of what Kotaku writes.
Late Night with the Devil's AI Controversy
The first question in a story that could go on for years is "How much of this movie is AI?" It has come to the attention of the Internet movie community that some of the imagery used in the recently released independent horror movie Late Night with the Devil appears to have been generated by artificial intelligence. The film's directors, Cameron and Colin Cairns, were quick to confirm that they had "experimented with AI on three still images" that appeared in the movie in the form of brief insert-style advertisements. Reaction from the fan community was mixed. Some called for a boycott of the movie or said they would never see it. Some defended the movie. Some moderates called for people to sneak into theaters to see it. In complete contrast to art generated by artificial intelligence, Late Night with the Devil is one of the most innovative, creative and unique horror movies I've seen in years. The show will begin airing on Shudder on April 19th.
What is Eccentric Chungus?
Since the publication of Douglas Coupland's Generation X in 1991, the discussion of generational conflict has been dominated by everyone agreeing that Baby Boomers suck. While this trend is prevalent on Reddit subsections like r/boomersbeingfools, the new hot topic is Gen Z's accusations that Millennials are lame. Turning the withering gaze of youth on those a little older, Gen Z has found favor with Buzzfeed and Harry Potter, using words and phrases like "doggo," "I just did a thing," and "adulting. words and phrases like "doggy," "I just did a thing" and "adult" are actually lame - old people shit themselves. Some Gen Z members use the phrase "Quirk Chungus" to describe the "haha, too casual" side of millennial culture. As a Gen Xer, I'm glad no one blames us for anything or thinks we're important enough to hate, but I'd also like to point out that the most recognizable expression of Zoomer culture is the Skibidi toilet. Watch KnowYourMeme's YouTube video for an in-depth look at the latest generation clash.
Viral Video of the Week: my week of using only old-fashioned technology
In this week's widely circulated video, YouTube comedian Kurtis Conner asks himself to use only outdated technology for a week. Objectively, it's fun to see someone wearing vintage gear that barely works, and Conner is a funny guy, but on another level, the video speaks to the value and significance of technology. Most of the devices he uses were early adopters when they were new 20 years ago, but now it's almost everything, from watch cameras to portable TVs, mini-recorders, PDAs, to Xbernaut's all-powerful wearable computers, and even the cheapest smartphones are available for everyone to use. Is anyone happier? More fulfilled? I'd say no, but that's what I'd say about anything.
