Use of disposable vapes reportedly falls ahead of ban
E-cigarettes, more commonly known as vapes, have reportedly seen a decline in popularity ahead of the UK-wide ban that comes into effect at the start of June. From then on, disposable versions will no longer be available. The use of disposable vapes has seen a sharp decline in the...
Current in Culture
The White Lotus is breaking the Hollywood pay code
Mike Whiteβs hit show pays every cast member the same amount, regardless of role or experience.Β You could argue that all jobs, all workplaces, are built on hierarchies. But perhaps no more so than Hollywood. There are few other contexts in which all employees work on the same projects regardless...
UK calls for streaming services to share revenue into TV fund
MPs in the UK have called for platforms like Netflix to share some of their revenue to support high-end British TV. They warn that a lack of support could erode distinctly British content. A group of UK MPs have called for streaming services to contribute a share of their...
A Minecraft Movieβs meme-shaped success
Gen Z fans have propelled the eponymous film to ridiculous heights thanks to memes and theatre mayhem. Who wouldβve thought a movie based on the most popular game of all time would be a smash hit? Honestly, not me. Unless youβve just woken up from a coma spanning back to 2009,...
Understanding the body politic
As many people are becoming increasingly disillusioned by a tumultuous political arena and a lack of social mobility, many are turning towards the gym as a way to βcopeβ with capitalism and achieve objective βpositiveβ results. In 1982, Jane Fondaβs at-home workout videos were released, becoming one of the most...
Opinion – The bashing of Meghan Markle has gone too far
The media loves a catfight, but its obsession with inserting them into Meghan Markleβs innocent home-making exposes deep-rooted biases.Β Ever since she entered the remit of the royals, Meghan Markle has been subject to relentless scrutiny. Never one to break a habit, the media has ensured that her latest venture,...
Should we be concerned about the Studio Ghibli AI trend?
Social media platforms are ablaze this week with users creating fake Studio Ghibli inspired artwork using generative AI. How much harm does this do to actual artists and animation studios? Another week, another story of generative AI disrupting the creative industry. This time, it looks like the legendary Japanese animation house Studio Ghibli is being dragged into the debate, as thousands of social media users generate and post βoriginalβ images...
Is Netflixβs βShark Whisperer’ an inadvertent threat to shark conservation?
Ocean Ramseyβs new Netflix documentary highlights her conservation journey, but has also reignited debate within the scientific community about her credibility and actual impact on shark conservation. In a world where conservation efforts are of greater public interest than ever before, weβre not exactly short of wildlife influencers. One of them just got a Netflix documentary released called Shark Whisperer. The film follows internet-famous Ocean Ramsey and her journey in shark...
βToxic bro cultureβ is driving women away from social media
A new survey has revealed that young women are staying off social media due to a surge in misogynistic content and divisive language on such platforms. Public awareness about online safety has ramped up in recent weeks, with Netflixβs hit television series Adolescence sparking a widespread conversation about digital dangers faced by children. These conversations have even influenced debates in UK parliament. With so much of modern life spent online, governments,...
News avoidance has become huge internationally
The percentage of people who selectively avoid news has reportedly reached 39% globally. This is an increase of 10% in less than a decade. Blissful ignorance or doomscroll-induced anxiety? Pick your poison. Itβs no secret that the state of the world is causing mass panic. Cost of living is on a continual ascent, the climate situation is perilously grim, war crimes are occurring on a daily basis, the threat of terrorism...
