Ruby Thelot, a cyber-ethnographer and media theory researcher at NYU, contends that the internet’s balkanization has led to a misinterpretation of virality as a measure of real cultural trends. Thelot explains that what was once a good proxy for understanding culture—virality—has become a target in itself, leading to content engineered for views rather than cultural staying power. He notes that Goodhart’s law, which states that when a measure becomes a target, it ceases to be a good measure, applies to today’s online culture. Thelot’s book, In Defense of Being-On-Line, is set for release this fall, and he discusses how the internet’s fragmented nature has created ‘digital islands’ where viral phenomena are often the result of force-fed consumption rather than organic cultural adoption.
Thelot’s research into social media trends revealed that approximately 25 percent of content on platforms like Instagram and TikTok carries a negative tone. He examined 1,000 videos with over 1 million views to determine the prevalence of negativity, finding that it was not concentrated on any single platform. Instead, he suggests that the negativity is a result of broader cultural narratives rather than algorithmic bias. He also argues that the narrative of dating burnout is a mirage, pointing out that heteropessimism, a term describing the malaise felt by straight women dating straight men, is overblown by culture writers. Thelot notes that the existence of this sentiment is well-documented since 2019, and it is part of a larger conversation about dating and gender dynamics.
Thelot also explores the rise of prediction markets, where young people bet on everything from celebrity performances to natural disasters. He draws parallels between this trend and the trading of meme coins in 2020-2024, describing both as forms of group gambling. He highlights how these markets serve as tools for participation rather than just financial instruments, allowing users to engage with culture in new ways. Thelot argues that the act of wagering itself is more important than the financial reward, as it provides a sense of closeness to the media. He concludes by suggesting that AI’s role in reshaping culture may be overestimated, emphasizing that intelligence is not the primary driver of global challenges.
Source: wired
