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...
Current in Culture
Is Netflix’s ‘Shark Whisperer’ an inadvertent threat to shark conservation?
Ocean Ramsey’s 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, we’re not exactly short of wildlife influencers. One of them...
‘Toxic bro culture’ 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 Netflix’s hit television series Adolescence sparking a widespread conversation about digital dangers...
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. It’s no secret that the state of the world is causing mass panic. Cost of living is on a...
Why has ‘Adolescence’ had such an impact?
The new Netflix limited series, following the family of a young boy who is arrested for murder, is already the most watched show in the UK and has infiltrated discussions in Parliament. Its success speaks to the insidious impacts of social media on a generation increasingly misunderstood by the...
America ranks lowest ever for global happiness in new report
According to the World Happiness Report 2025, the US is now outside of the top twenty happiest countries in the world. Finland remains at the top once again. Are you happy with where you live? Content with the way your life is going? Slightly suspicious of your government? These types...
What’s all the trouble with Disney’s Snow White?
A live-action remake of the 1937 classic has been hampered with controversy from the start. But why is a story about a princess, seven dwarfs, and an apple causing so much drama? For better or worse, Disney has been churning out live-action remakes of its classic tales for the past few years – an effort to modernise now rather outdated, but still beloved stories for a new generation. Some have been...
Pepsi purchases soda startup Poppi for $1.6 billion USD
The drinks giant PepsiCo has purchased Poppi, a prebiotic soda startup company first founded in 2018. It is part of the company’s efforts to attract Gen Z customers. It looks as though Pepsi is entering the prebiotic soda market, a particularly attractive sector for Gen Z consumers. In a statement released this week, PepsiCo announced it was purchasing Poppi, a prebiotic soda startup company that was founded in 2018....
Justin Bieber says he feels ‘unqualified’ amidst media speculation
Following months of social media concern over his health, the singer Justin Bieber took to his Instagram to update fans on his mental wellbeing. He has also recently faced scrutiny from previous relations with high-profile industry figures. Justin Bieber has opened up about some of his recent mental health struggles amidst a wave of online speculation about his life. In an Instagram story, Bieber said he regarded himself as ‘unqualified...
The adult wrestling cult
‘you’re breaking the fourth wall!’ Wrestling is massive again, and I’m not quite sure how that happened. Every casual conversation I have with a group of lads seems to inevitably turn to how John Cena recently turned heel. Having not tuned in at 5 in the morning, my immense powers of deduction tell me that his character arc has probably gone from good to bad. I’m 30, my daughter is up at...
