Consuming internet culture like a pro
By Megan E. Collins, Cultural Anthropologist
Lately, I’ve been getting a lot of questions about “how I do it”? “It” being keeping up with seemingly everything on the internet and pop-culture at large. While I’m not recommending that anybody be “Extremely Online” the reality is that many of us are. In fact, according to Pew, as of 2021 31% of Americans say they are ‘constantly online.’
Whether or not you identify as “Extremely Online” by now you have probably experienced the IYKYK (if you know you know) internet discourse that is in constant flux. Memes build on top of memes, snippets get remixed into dance trends, and aesthetics & -cores influence in real life (IRL) trends.
The far-reaching implications of the IYKYK internet machine became especially clear recently when Vice President Kamala Harris harnessed the (largely online) momentum around “brat summer” to energize the Extremely Online (read: Gen Z) portion of her base.
1. Complete & total immersion: I wish there was a better answer than constant consumption of culture but that’s the truth. Before you use this advice as an excuse to let your screen time go unchecked, it’s not just about mindless scrolling but thoughtful consumption of the best culture has to offer. If there’s a movie everyone is raving about I will go see it, if there’s a book having a run on the NYT charts I will buy it, if there’s a TikTok dance taking the nation by storm I will try it.
2. Be super curious: Even if you spend a lot of time consuming culture, it’s easy to only consume your favorite culture. Algorithms trained to serve you content based on past preferences have created “echo chambers” and it’s entirely possible to completely miss entire trends and discourses. As such, it’s important to get super curious about what other people are doing online… and why.
For this I often turn to commentary YouTubers and their video essays. Tiffany Ferguson discusses relevant topics like cleantok, lifestyle influencers, and post-covid concert culture and how they’re showing up online. In a similar vein, self-described “chronically online girl” Nicole Rafiee breaks down popular discourses. Most recently she explained the Charli xcx brat lore.
3. Always be listening (to podcasts): In a similar vein, I’m also constantly listening to podcasts. In the shower, in transit, during hot girl walks, and so on and so forth. That said I’m not above playing favorites and heavily prioritize listening to 3 podcasts:
Who? Weekly: Hosts Bobby Finger & Lindsey Weber use celebrity culture as a cover to teach you about media literacy and I eat up every second
ICYMI: A few times a week, Candice Lim brings on fellow Slate reporters to analyze the latest internet discourse.
Shameless: Based in Australia, hosts Zara McDonald, Michelle Andrews, and Annabelle Lee take you through the top 5 pop culture stories of the week and why they’ve captivated the zeitgeist.
4. Look for patterns: As you’re consuming content, perspectives, and new information it's important to be on the lookout for connecting threads. Once you start to notice prevalent or recurring themes you can start digging deeper for why that particular color, style, aesthetic, idea, is connected with the zeitgeist. One of the best ways to stay across the zeitgeist is by keeping up with newsletters. These are often snackable, short, easy to digest write ups of the buzziest culture. Even when I don’t have time to read each and every bit of one, I will open it and skim it. It’s important to subscribe to ones that match your industry and audience base. Some of my favorites in the digital thought leadership space are: The Trend Report, SPCSHP, and The Publish Press.
In addition to seeing what they have in common information wise, these types of communications can also tell you a lot about visual trends (colors, fonts, photography, etc.) to help you stay ahead of the curve.
5. Touch Grass
"Touch grass" is basically internet-speak for "get a life." It's a (usually playful) jab at those hopelessly addicted to their screens, suggesting they should swap scrolling their fyp for a stroll in the streets and their Netflix binge for a night out on the town. On the internet everything is hyperbolic, tensions are heightened, and the stakes can sometimes seem extremely high. In moments like these I tell myself to “touch grass,” log off, “slam laptop shut until Monday” or and take the time I need to reconnect with the tangible world.
By grounding everything you experience and consume online in what it means for the physical world is important to staying grounded with today’s audiences.
In Conclusion:
Now you know what it takes to not just be “Extremely Online” but a savvy consumer of IYKYK digital culture. For those who are less keen on consuming all of this content, we don’t blame you. Luckily our team is doing it for you! In addition to our weekly Cultural Gems and MT Deco blog posts, you can also subscribe to my podcast to learn the latest and what it tells us about culture today.