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Culture

The entertainment and cultural moments that define our society.

In times of uncertainty, Gen Z is “locked in”
Culture

The self-help mantra that’s helping young people navigate their economic anxiety.

By Kyndall Cunningham
In times of uncertainty, Gen Z is “locked in”
Culture

The self-help mantra that’s helping young people navigate their economic anxiety.

By Kyndall Cunningham
Culture
The one Jane Austen scene people are still arguing aboutThe one Jane Austen scene people are still arguing about
Culture

Reckoning with Jane Austen and empire on her 250th anniversary.

By Constance Grady
Politics
Why does Bari Weiss keep winning?Why does Bari Weiss keep winning?
Politics

The “anti-woke” commentator quit the New York Times in protest 5 years ago. Now she’ll be CBS News’s top editor. How?

By Andrew Prokop
Podcasts
How KPop Demon Hunters became everyone’s idolHow KPop Demon Hunters became everyone’s idol
Podcast
Podcasts

The real reason why the animated movie resonates.

By Denise Guerra and Noel King

The latest in Culture

Podcasts
So the Labubu and Dubai chocolate fads — what was that all about?So the Labubu and Dubai chocolate fads — what was that all about?
Podcast
Podcasts

It’s not just you. Today’s fads are harder to follow now.

By Danielle Hewitt and Sean Rameswaram
Culture
The AI-generated actress that has Hollywood panickingThe AI-generated actress that has Hollywood panicking
Culture

Is Tilly Norwood a threat to the film industry? It’s complicated.

By Kyndall Cunningham
Culture
Taylor Swift is done pretending she doesn’t absolutely love this life Taylor Swift is done pretending she doesn’t absolutely love this life 
Culture

Taylor Swift used to try to hide her ambition. In Life of a Showgirl, she’s done with that.

By Constance Grady
Future Perfect
OpenAI’s Sora 2 is an unholy abominationOpenAI’s Sora 2 is an unholy abomination
Future Perfect

The age of AI slop is upon us.

By Bryan Walsh
The HighlightThe Highlight
What is Dubai chocolate and why is it everywhere?What is Dubai chocolate and why is it everywhere?
The HighlightThe Highlight

TikTok is only part of the reason the snack has become the epitome of “IRL brainrot aesthetic.”

By Kyndall Cunningham
Culture
This is, objectively, the worst pasta shapeThis is, objectively, the worst pasta shape
Culture

Penne? Angel hair? Farfalle? Why??

By Alex Abad-Santos
Explain It to Me
How sitcoms explain the American dadHow sitcoms explain the American dad
Podcast
Explain It to Me

Why are so many young men turning toward fatherhood?

By Jonquilyn Hill
Culture
Why does everything online feel so embarrassing?Why does everything online feel so embarrassing?
Culture

Zoomers might fear cringe, but the internet embraces personal humiliation.

By Kyndall Cunningham
Politics
How Trump lost the podcast brosHow Trump lost the podcast bros
Politics

In Trump’s manosphere, the center is not holding.

By Christian Paz
Politics
Jimmy Kimmel’s return showed the potential — and limits — of celebrity resistanceJimmy Kimmel’s return showed the potential — and limits — of celebrity resistance
Politics

An emotional monologue, a takedown of Trump, and a victory for individual action.

By Christian Paz
Culture
The ridiculous quest to find the most distinctive baby name possibleThe ridiculous quest to find the most distinctive baby name possible
Culture

The internet loves to point and laugh at names like Oaklynn and Haleigh. There’s real anxieteigh behind it.

By Alex Abad-Santos
Explain It to Me
Why self-help might be making you feel worseWhy self-help might be making you feel worse
Podcast
Explain It to Me

One author’s quest to get to the bottom of our self-improvement obsession.

By Jonquilyn Hill
Policy
The big myth about why Black kids can’t get aheadThe big myth about why Black kids can’t get ahead
Policy

How ignoring two-parent families has warped the narrative.

By Rachel Cohen Booth
Politics
The right’s big lie about Jimmy Kimmel’s suspensionThe right’s big lie about Jimmy Kimmel’s suspension
Politics

The conservative defense of Trump’s FCC rests on a myth.

By Eric Levitz
Culture
A political violence scholar explains what the furor over Charlie Kirk’s killing is missingA political violence scholar explains what the furor over Charlie Kirk’s killing is missing
Culture

What studying hundreds of political assassinations has revealed.

By Constance Grady
Culture
How Jimmy Kimmel became Trump’s nemesisHow Jimmy Kimmel became Trump’s nemesis
Culture

The former Man Show host has gone from the least political voice in late night to a victim of the war on woke.

By Constance Grady
Politics
An era of internet-addled violence is taking shape before our eyesAn era of internet-addled violence is taking shape before our eyes
Politics

Charlie Kirk and meme culture’s violent turn.

By Sean Rameswaram and Christian Paz
Culture
The last time the US waged a propaganda war on the artsThe last time the US waged a propaganda war on the arts
Culture

Trump wants to be a cultural tastemaker. The CIA did it first.

By Constance Grady
Explain It to Me
Why 2025 has been a banner year for horror moviesWhy 2025 has been a banner year for horror movies
Podcast
Explain It to Me

Weapons, The Conjuring, and more have fueled a horror movie boom.

By Jonquilyn Hill
Politics
How Charlie Kirk remade Gen ZHow Charlie Kirk remade Gen Z
Politics

Three reasons his message resonated so strongly with young conservatives.

By Christian Paz
Politics
The right’s vicious, ironic response to Charlie Kirk’s deathThe right’s vicious, ironic response to Charlie Kirk’s death
Politics

They’re calling him a martyr for free speech as they demand a violent crackdown on progressive dissent.

By Eric Levitz
Technology
Social media is the worst place to be right nowSocial media is the worst place to be right now
Technology

Our unmoderated online reality bares its teeth.

By Adam Clark Estes
Explain It to Me
The Southern takeover of American cultureThe Southern takeover of American culture
Podcast
Explain It to Me

How A/C, tax breaks, and hip-hop tilted America southward.

By Jonquilyn Hill
Culture
Rewatching Hamilton in 2025Rewatching Hamilton in 2025
Podcast
Culture

The hit Broadway musical turns 10 this year. Does anyone think it’s cool anymore?

By Avishay Artsy and Sean Rameswaram
Culture
The US Open is hotter than Coachella. That’s what makes it awful.The US Open is hotter than Coachella. That’s what makes it awful.
Culture

The greatest grand slam in the world has become an etiquette nightmare — and it’s not alone.

By Alex Abad-Santos
Life
Why kids are all posing like this in picturesWhy kids are all posing like this in pictures
Life

Decoding the long history of Gen Alpha’s favorite photo pose.

By Anna North
Life
The real problem with kids’ diets todayThe real problem with kids’ diets today
Life

How MAHA is trickling down to Gen Alpha.

By Anna North
Explain It to Me
The one-sided intimacy of being a fanThe one-sided intimacy of being a fan
Explain It to Me

Parasocial relationships get a bad rap. How should you relate to your favorite celebrity?

By Aja Romano
Culture
A MAGA influencer says there’s no space for her in women’s media. Is she right?A MAGA influencer says there’s no space for her in women’s media. Is she right?
Culture

The weird lie animating the right-wing womanosphere.

By Constance Grady
Culture
Taylor and Travis are engaged. Congrats, America. Taylor and Travis are engaged. Congrats, America. 
Culture

Best wishes to the happy cultural phenomenon!

By Aja Romano
Culture
America has turned dancing into a culture warAmerica has turned dancing into a culture war
Culture

NFL dance squads and sorority rush dances have become the front lines of gender anxiety.

By Aja Romano
Culture
Pumpkin spice lattes — and the backlash, and the backlash to the backlash — explainedPumpkin spice lattes — and the backlash, and the backlash to the backlash — explained
Culture

Pumpkin spice is America’s most hatable seasonal flavor. But Starbucks is leaning in even more heavily this year.

By Rebecca Jennings
The Highlight
The testosterone theory of politicsThe testosterone theory of politics
The Highlight

The hormone might be the key to understanding this moment in America.

By Leo Kim
Podcasts
You lift bro? How America became a nation of exercise obsessives.You lift bro? How America became a nation of exercise obsessives.
Podcast
Podcasts

And why fitness culture is a quintessentially American invention.

By Jonquilyn Hill
Culture
Gen Z created a new type of man to avoidGen Z created a new type of man to avoid
Culture

Should you beware of “performative males”?

By Kyndall Cunningham
Today, Explained podcast
South Park is doing what the rest of the media won’tSouth Park is doing what the rest of the media won’t
Podcast
Today, Explained podcast

The White House says South Park is irrelevant. Its record-breaking ratings tell a different story.

By Sean Rameswaram and Gabrielle Berbey
Culture
The exhausting summer of nothing 2025The exhausting summer of nothing 2025
Culture

Have we burned out on seasonal joy?

By Alex Abad-Santos
Culture
Marc Maron says the Rogansphere has ruined comedy. Is he right?Marc Maron says the Rogansphere has ruined comedy. Is he right?
Culture

The comedy forecast is bleak — but not as bleak as Marc Maron says it is.

By Aja Romano
Life
What kids don’t want you to know about Gen Alpha cultureWhat kids don’t want you to know about Gen Alpha culture
Life

This is why they love Minecraft so much.

By Anna North
The scandalous literary classic we’ve never stopped arguing about
Culture

The novel published 70 years ago that still explains America.

By Constance Grady