Social media influencers have also become a significant force in shaping popular culture. With millions of followers, influencers have the power to promote products, services, and ideas to a massive audience. They have become tastemakers, influencing what we watch, listen to, and buy.
: Platforms like TikTok and YouTube were increasingly viewed by consumers as "watching TV," shifting power away from traditional networks toward individual creators.
On YouTube and Instagram, creators have exactly 10 seconds to convince a user not to swipe away. The "10-second retention rule" has birthed a new genre of content: the "Formulaic Hook." Every popular media piece now begins with a question ("Can I survive 24 hours in...") or a visual crescendo. The art of the cold open has been replaced by the science of the micro-hook.
The cultural reckoning of 2020-2022 matured by late 2023. On 23/10/11, the term "context collapse" was trending—the idea that a joke from 2015 cannot be judged by 2023 standards. Entertainment content now comes with "context cards" (e.g., HBO Max adding trigger warnings to classic Looney Tunes ).
October 2023 was noted as one of the busiest months for video games in years. Teatime & Trending Topics - October 11, 2023 : r/popheads