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Culture Study explores societal norms, personal experiences, and the impact of technology on daily life through a critical lens. Topics range from home ownership pressures and the #TradWife phenomenon to burnout and the portrayal of gender in media, often focusing on the intersection of culture and identity.

Society and Culture Technology and Lifestyle Gender and Identity Media and Entertainment Work-Life Balance Social Media Trends Personal Development

Top posts of the year

And their main takeaways

#TradWife Life as Self-Annihilation

11656 implied HN points • 06 Sep 23
🎭️ Culture Society Gender Religion Family Politics
  1. The concept of #TradWife encompasses different categories, like evangelical Christians and stay-at-home-girlfriends, each with unique beliefs and practices.
  2. The #TradWife content on social media may seem harmless on the surface, but it often aligns with regressive and anti-choice ideologies.
  3. There's a common theme of self-annihilation among women subscribing to #TradWife ideals, where their identity and desires are overshadowed by serving others.

Are You In The Portal?

10925 implied HN points • 22 Oct 23
🏥 Health & Wellness Wellness Transition Career Identity
  1. The portal represents a period of transition and transformation in midlife.
  2. Many individuals experience a shift in priorities, questioning societal expectations, and seeking more purpose.
  3. It is a time for reevaluation, confronting challenges, finding creativity, and embracing change.

Taylor Swift and the Good Girl Trap

10386 implied HN points • 07 Feb 24
🎭️ Culture Celebrities Feminism Analysis Society Identity
  1. Taylor Swift's fame and success put her in a delicate position where even her smallest actions are heavily scrutinized.
  2. Winning constantly can lead to over-saturation and make it hard for people to root for you, turning every move into a topic of critique.
  3. Celebrity culture reflects greater societal issues, such as discourses on girlhood and the struggles faced by privileged white women in progressive spaces.

Culture Study Meets Bama RushTok

9604 implied HN points • 20 Aug 23
🎭️ Culture Social media Identity
  1. Rushtok videos on TikTok showcase the rush process for sororities at universities like Alabama, revealing a behind-the-scenes look at recruitment and Greek life.
  2. Greek life appeals to students seeking social structure and friendship, offering connections, community, and a pathway through college.
  3. Sorority recruitment still reflects historical exclusions based on race, class, and gender norms, influencing the images and performances seen on social media.
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Barbie Answers Oppenheimer

9014 implied HN points • 25 Jul 23
🎭️ Culture Film Gender Society Entertainment Art
  1. Oppenheimer is a classic Christopher Nolan film with a focus on the masculine world and a lack of interest in women's narratives.
  2. Hollywood often caters to a male-centric audience, but Barbie challenges this norm by offering a matriarchal world where women hold power.
  3. Barbie's success signals a hunger for diverse perspectives in cinema, contrasting with the typical white male-centered narratives in Hollywood.

The Worst, Worst Week

8642 implied HN points • 07 May 23
🏥 Health & Wellness Grief Loss Recovery
  1. The author's dog passed away, leading to deep sadness and grief.
  2. The author is also recovering from their first case of COVID, adding to the difficult week.
  3. The author is taking a break from the newsletter to heal and put themselves back together.

The Unraveling of a Royal Fairytale

7347 implied HN points • 13 Mar 24
🎭️ Culture Royalty Celebrity Media Photography Entertainment
  1. The royal family's image control is rooted in their historical role as commodities, affecting how public perceive their every move.
  2. Princess Catherine's carefully crafted image contrasts with the destabilizing effect of Meghan Markle's outspokenness and mixed-race identity.
  3. The unraveling of the royal fairytale is symbolized by the mishandling of Princess Catherine's health crisis, exposing the monarchy's struggles to maintain control in a changing media landscape.

Pretty White Moms in Their Pretty White Houses

7257 implied HN points • 27 Aug 23
🎭️ Culture Motherhood Gender Roles
  1. Momfluencers monetize their maternal identity on social media through sponsored content, affiliate links, and brand partnerships.
  2. Momfluencer culture perpetuates reductive and exclusionary ideals of motherhood rooted in gender, race, and class.
  3. Aestheticized motherhood by Cool and Trad Moms offers an illusion of certainty and personhood through visual representation.

Reimagining Life with Friendship at the Center

7244 implied HN points • 14 Feb 24
🎭️ Culture Friendship Relationships History Society Social norms
  1. Friendship used to be considered a vital part of life through history, becoming sidelined as marriage took priority in emotional connections.
  2. Modern ideals often emphasize a spouse also being a 'best friend', impacting how friendships are valued and maintained.
  3. Cultural norms and societal structures make it challenging to prioritize and nurture friendships over traditional family setups, but it's about understanding the possibilities and taking steps towards meaningful platonic connections.

The Specific Catharsis of 'That Guy"

7219 implied HN points • 13 Sep 23
🎭️ Culture Social Commentary Gender Dynamics Internet culture
  1. The TikTok filter 'That Guy' accurately portrays a specific type of man with entitlement issues.
  2. The filter highlights the dynamics between men and women, showing how some men view women as objects to possess.
  3. The meme provides catharsis by showcasing and ridiculing behaviors of 'That Guy' and shedding light on societal roles in enabling such behavior.

How Millennials Grew Up and Got Old

6860 implied HN points • 15 Oct 23
🎭️ Culture Generations Identity Society Economics Challenges
  1. Millennials are experiencing a shift in societal focus as they move from being the future to the middle generation.
  2. The pandemic has impacted millennials in various ways, from financial challenges to changing perspectives on owning homes.
  3. Millennials are navigating feelings of age and exhaustion, dealing with societal issues and personal milestones.

The Absorption Vacation

6834 implied HN points • 13 Dec 23
🏝 Travel Vacation Reading Relaxation Self-care Leisure
  1. An absorption vacation is about creating space and rest by immersing yourself in an activity that soothes you.
  2. It involves intentional absorption, leaving distractions behind, and focusing on one relaxing activity.
  3. Choose companions who share your absorption vacation style or enjoy the experience alone.

The Anti-Airbnb-Space

5103 implied HN points • 31 Jan 24
🎭️ Culture Design Aesthetics Hospitality Trends Personalization
  1. The concept of 'airspace' refers to a trendy design style popular in the past but now considered outdated and replaced by more unique and diverse aesthetics.
  2. The rise of Airbnb has led to a shift in the hospitality industry towards standardized, 'cool' interiors, sometimes at the expense of personal touch and uniqueness in spaces.
  3. Creating a truly comfortable and inviting space goes beyond trendy decor and requires a personal touch that reflects individuality and a sense of being lived in.

Welcome To Your Colonoscopy.....AGAIN

4552 implied HN points • 17 Mar 24
🏥 Health & Wellness Healthcare Prevention Wellness
  1. Getting a colonoscopy is important, even at a younger age if there's a family history or other risk factors.
  2. Colonoscopies are crucial, especially for Black individuals who are more at risk of colorectal cancer.
  3. Preparing for a colonoscopy involves strict dietary restrictions, consuming prep solutions, and being mindful of the timing and scheduling for the procedure.

Whose Bodies Get Studied

4372 implied HN points • 28 Feb 24
🏥 Health & Wellness Research Women's Health Body Image
  1. The majority of research studies focus on cis-gender men, leading to biased advice, knowledge, and healthcare.
  2. Women's bodies have historically been considered anomalies in sports and medical research, impacting areas like sports gear design and participation rules.
  3. Excluding women from research studies leads to gaps in knowledge, affecting areas like injury prevention, gear design, and understanding menstrual health.

Culture Study Goes Full ACOTAR

3308 implied HN points • 06 Mar 24
🎭️ Culture Fantasy Romance Literature Podcasts Critique
  1. These books have explicit sex scenes that focus on female pleasure, offering multiple builds and payoffs, with a perspective that centers around women's desires.
  2. The hotness in the books is rooted in monogamous fantasies, exploring the idea of soulmates and eternal monogamy as very sexy concepts.
  3. The series grapples with the complexity of first loves and the trauma of realizing someone may not be your perfect match, providing a rare depiction of challenging romantic realities.

Inside the Dahlia Wars

3103 implied HN points • 03 Mar 24
🎭️ Culture Gardening Community Monetization Ownership Creators
  1. Dahlias have a rich history and diverse range of varieties, making them popular among collectors for their beauty and unique characteristics.
  2. The dahlia community faces challenges like disease control, competition for rare varieties, and shifting norms around pricing and ownership.
  3. There is a growing trend among millennials to turn hobbies, like dahlia growing, into side hustles, reflecting a desire for productive and monetized leisure activities.

The Gnome Trail

2936 implied HN points • 04 Feb 24
🎭️ Culture Nature Community Social Issues Art Podcast
  1. There are many hidden trails on the island that offer unique and beautiful experiences for those who take the time to explore.
  2. Community, like the trails, requires ongoing maintenance and efforts to be inclusive and welcoming to all.
  3. The existence of gates, physical or metaphorical, in communities raises questions about access and the risk of exclusion.

The Case for Detracking

2821 implied HN points • 11 Feb 24
🚌 Education Student experience Challenges
  1. Detracking in education is a process that aims to reverse the ways students are grouped into different educational pathways, addressing systemic injustices.
  2. The harm of tracking can lead to racial and socioeconomic disparities in education, impacting opportunities for college and overall school experience.
  3. Challenges in detracking include the resistance from educators and parents, as well as the need for training and support to create more inclusive and diverse classroom environments.

How Do You Make Email and Texts Steal Less Time?

2654 implied HN points • 23 Feb 24
🕹 Technology Communication Productivity Social media
  1. Emails, texts, and messaging apps can make us worse at maintaining deep friendships by offering false comforts and distractions that replace meaningful connections.
  2. Efficiency in emails and texts is important, but it's crucial not to let these tools take over our lives and prevent us from engaging in activities we truly value like hanging out with friends or pursuing hobbies.
  3. The goal is to communicate in more present and meaningful ways, where our attention isn't constantly divided. Finding a balance between digital communication and real-life interactions is key.

A Wild and Shimmering Life

2333 implied HN points • 10 Mar 24
🎭️ Culture Film Hollywood Representation Identity Legacy
  1. Katie Gee Salisbury's book on Anna May Wong sheds light on the complex negotiation of popular media and gives a fresh perspective into Wong's storied career.
  2. The book highlights the critical importance of personal experience in biography writing, emphasizing the subjective nature of telling someone's life story.
  3. The discussion on Hollywood's past and present shows that while progress has been made in Asian American representation, there are ongoing challenges and biases in the industry that still exist today.

Culture Study Classifieds! (Winter Edition)

2308 implied HN points • 30 Jan 24
🎭️ Culture Community Creativity Networking
  1. Share your services or store to reach a wider audience by posting in a classifieds section like this.
  2. Offer your skills for free or a low fee to help others, whether it's proofreading, grant writing tips, or providing other specific services.
  3. Showcase your creative work like photography, writing, music, or design in platforms that allow you to share with interested audiences.

How Do You Find a Good [Insert Profession Here]?

2115 implied HN points • 05 Mar 24
🎭️ Culture Advice Community Internet
  1. The post discusses the importance of finding trustworthy professionals in various fields like doctors, therapists, contractors, and more.
  2. Detailed information is key when seeking recommendations or providing advice on services to ensure transparency and clarity.
  3. Conflicting advice and experiences are normal, emphasizing the idea that everyone's mileage may vary when it comes to service providers.

An Atmospheric River of Links and Recs

2051 implied HN points • 28 Jan 24
🎭️ Culture Books Podcasts Shopping Community Writing
  1. The author shares about fulfilling Trans Santa gifts with donations and the impact it had, showcasing the power of community support.
  2. The post discusses upcoming content on resistance to the Airbnb Space decorating style and invites readers to share their experiences with alternative rental aesthetics.
  3. The author mentions enjoying reading a fantasy series and gathering various links and recommendations to share with paid subscribers.