Cambridge Dictionary names ‘parasocial’ its Word of the Year
Highlighting the prevalence of ‘unhealthy’ and ‘one-sided’ relationships people are forming with celebrities, influencers, and AI chatbots today, Cambridge Dictionary has named ‘parasocial’ as its Word of the Year. Can you name a celebrity you feel like you ‘know’ because you’ve paid so much attention to their career and personal...
Current in Culture
Billie Eilish criticised by Elon Musk after wealth comments
‘She’s not the sharpest tool in the shed,’ wrote Musk on X earlier this week. His comments were in response to Billie calling him a ‘pathetic coward’ for hoarding wealth instead of donating it to good causes. Billie Eilish has been hit with new criticism from the world’s richest...
Is Trump’s threat to sue the BBC warranted?
The BBC is facing a barrage of criticism from right-wing opposition after broadcasting an edited clip of Trump’s 2021 January Capitol Riots speech. The US president is threatening to sue for $1 billion USD. The BBC is currently engrossed in controversy after broadcasting an edited speech by current US president...
The 1975 remove song from last album on streaming services
British alt-pop band The 1975 have removed the song ‘Human Too’ from their previous album on all streaming platforms. Frontman Matty Healy says it’s simply because he doesn’t like the track anymore. Should artists be allowed to do this? The 1975 have removed one of their songs, ‘Human Too,’...
Should celebrities speak out on politics?
Jennifer Lawrence says speaking out against Trump would ‘add fuel to a fire’ ripping America apart. As political binaries continue to sharpen, should those in the public eye take sides? The question of whether famous people should be politically outspoken is a complex one. I’ve argued with friends and family...
Why is there a Gen Z activism stan war going on?
Stan culture isn’t limited purely to the world of music, but this might just be the most peculiar beef fictionalised by the internet to date. Pick a side and get to tweeting your non-sensical argument immediately. The latest internet beef based on precisely nothing, and with absolutely no influence from either...
Coca-Cola misses the mark with AI-generated Christmas ad again
After last year’s debacle, Coca-Cola has doubled down on its use of generative AI for its annually anticipated Christmas ad. The public reaction is even worse this time around. ‘Tis the season, it’s always the real thing’… except for when it’s not. Halloween is officially over, and Guy Fawkes Night will have been and gone before you can sing a Katy Perry chorus. Next up for a lot of us comes...
Opinion – women are done with heteronormative ideas of love
As Lily Allen’s scathing account of marital infidelity resonates so broadly, it’s clear women are detaching from outdated ideals that their value can only ever truly be found within men. Maybe it’s because I’m a single woman in her late twenties – but something feels different lately. A change in energy, if you will. That shift has crystallised in two cultural moments that landed almost simultaneously: Lily Allen’s new album West End...
Considering dating an AI partner?
AI promised us a better future. Yet here we are, one step away from asking our AI therapist how to cope with our AI partner’s latest update. OpenAI is getting ready to launch a new ChatGPT feature by the end of the year, letting verified adult users have romantic or sexual chats. They are not the first to go there, but they’ve definitely turned up the heat around the conversation...
Have body-shamers made Nelly Furtado want to stop performing live?
Last week, Canadian singer Nelly Furtado announced on social media that she would ‘step away from performance for the foreseeable future’ after returning from a seven-year hiatus. Fans are speculating that body-shamers may have caused her to make the decision. Throughout her career, Canadian singer Nelly Furtado has graced her fans with some absolute timeless bangers. From her Grammy winning debut single ‘I’m Like a Bird’ to more upbeat tracks...
