What’s the meaning behind TikTok’s ‘anti-propaganda’ trend?

Things that have made the list are vaping, lip filler, traditional 9-5 jobs, cow milk, run clubs, and the male loneliness epidemic.

Other honorable mentions include trad wives, artificial intelligence, skinny being ‘in’ again, preventative Botox, and pills or drinks made to ‘debloat’ our stomachs.

When these kinds of trends gain traction, they’re likely to be remade by hundreds or thousands of users, though everyone will have differing opinions. But that still doesn’t explain why this type of content does so well on social media.

Ins and outs-style lists may be popular online because they are simplified and succinct ways to reflect on and criticize the societal (or viral) norms of our times.

They act as a springboard for conversation in the comments section because they draw attention to the overwhelming social, political, or aesthetic pressures we’re being subjected to in modern times.

Especially online, young people are bombarded by conflicting and mixed messages about who they should be, what they should look like, and what kinds of things should be their priority in life.

Making content like the ‘propaganda I’m not falling for’ trend offers a way for young people to take a stab at de-normalizing things that may one day be seen as cringe, regrettable, or outright unhealthy.

It presents an opportunity for people to push back on toxic beauty, dating, and internet trends in order to reclaim their power. A little ‘just say no!’ if you will.

At the very least, it’s one of the less-harmful TikTok trends of the last five years – so I’ll take it!