Breaking out of my algorithm bias with Isabelle Rogat
The downfall of men, German techno, the Letze Generation and #vanillababy
Welcome back to just vibes!
I’m back on my writing bullshit after finishing the exhausting marathon that is planning a wedding.
Today I wanted to widen the aperture a bit and bring in an outside POV — someone based in an entirely different country. My fellow trend spotting pal Isabelle Rogat lives in Hamburg, Germany and is the Head of Innovation & DEI at advertising agency thjnk. Isi is also a columnist, podcaster and keynote speaker.
Algorithm bias and social media echo chambers can often make us feel as if we are a part of something bigger, while in actuality we’re living in a filtered, siloed bubble. In an effort to break out of my own algorithm, and the Western-centric bubble that is the U.S., I’m asking Isi about how certain trends and cultural moments that I’ve written about are manifesting in her own country, and in Europe more broadly. The U.S. is no longer the center of the universe and I’m interested in discovering what else is out there.
Let’s get into it!
Existential Dread
Climate change, mental health, a loneliness epidemic, unprecedented income inequality, the threat of artificial intelligence takeover, post-pandemic trauma…take your pick of crises. The term “polycrisis” entered the zeitgeist earlier this year at the most recent World Economic Forum meeting in Davos. While some crises are unique to the U.S., many have societal impact at a global level. We’ve seen young people cope in silly little ways — with sardonic dark humor, dissociation, depreshun naps, radical rest, nihilism, and TikTok trends like humancore. How are people coping with their existential dread in the Eurosphere?
IR: I feel like this is right on the money. Crisis after crisis has made young people go in two different directions — fight or flight (how evolutionary of us, huh?)
In Germany, with regards to climate change for example, we’ve been witnessing groups like “Fridays for Future” and especially their more "radical" sub-group “Letzte Generation” (aka last generation). This sub-group has been polarizing climate debates by gluing themselves to large streets and intersections. By quite literally blocking people’s way to their destination they have made the inevitability of climate change pretty damn clear, even to those that for some reason feel like they can ignore it. And judging from the way many Germans love their cars, they have attracted a lot of road rage. My personal opinion? If dragging a 23 year old from the street so you can pass with your SUV is your only contribution to the climate debate, we have a larger problem ;)
On the other side, major parts of youth culture are escaping into entertainment, star obsession or complete news-ignorance due to “bad vibes”. However, I do feel like this crisis paralysis is not a Gen Z specific thing. Millennials have also been known for a very cynical way of looking at life, manifested in early meme culture. A really good German example for the slightly cynical, but incredibly humorous reaction to our fucked up societal issues is @elhotzo. I would suggest anybody with Google Translate to check out his instagram — it’s worth it.
MB: I like that tension of “fight vs. flight.” For many young people in the U.S., there’s a desire to build a better future that’s at odds with feeling utterly helpless. Sometimes the best kind of activism can just be taking care of yourself.
The Downfall of Men
Men have not been thriving the past few years. From women sharing their “icks” on TikTok (most of which are just “simply existing”) to sharing lists of places where they refuse to go on first dates, men are getting dragged online. This comes during a time in the U.S. when we are seeing record levels of loneliness and mental health issues amongst men. There’s a lack of sympathy amongst women for the other sex, believing they have been the architects of their own demise. But perhaps we’re realizing that patriarchy and its rigid constraints benefit no one — not even men — and something needs to change. How are men doing in Germany?
IR: Funny timing. There is a highly viral TikTok filter going around the German-speaking corners of the app, displaying a classic macho-esce man hitting on women. Women try on the filter and start off their TikTok with “I’ve had this filter on for 15 seconds and I already want to…” and continue with something misogynistic (i.e. want to tell you not to go clubbing even though I’m about to go. Tell you we can’t date, because I need to find myself. Forbid you to talk to other boys but cheat on you at the same time.)
In summary, toxic masculinity is being debunked here as well. But in my opinion, that’s a win for everybody — it shows male-presenting people as well that there’s literally no need to tap into that kind of persona.
So, if anybody wants to check that out “willkommen im gebüsch” should do the trick.
MB: I agree, and I think it’s more about the demise of traditional masculinity specifically. Those stuck in their toxic ways are just destined to be left behind. I know some nice men, so I think it’s fair to keep the good ones around :)
Financial Nihilism
Everything is so expensive in the U.S. People are struggling to afford their daily iced latte, let alone purchase a home. With little hope for achieving traditional financial milestones that seemed more attainable for previous generations, many young people are adopting a “YOLO” attitude to spending — choosing to enjoy the moment, embrace the soft life and “little treat culture”, rather than save for an increasingly uncertain future. How are financial habits evolving in German culture?
IR: In Germany there’s a highly commercialized self care culture or the connection of the “glimmers” method on social media — that’s present here as well. But there are some contrary movements as well. There’s a lot of FinTech hype in entrepreneurship culture and female finance focused content offerings going around Germany. So, do we all still buy ourselves our cute little coffee when we’re feeling sad? Yes. But do many of us also know what an ETF is and invest in them via mobile trading apps like TradeRepublic? Also yes.
MB: I think that’s true for the U.S. as well — I don’t want to discount the enormous movement around financial literacy for women and people of color in particular. But the hype around hustle culture and #girlboss that once dominated the early 2000’s is definitely dying down. For many, the facade of the American Dream has been shattered. So why not just have a lil treat instead.
Performative Authenticity
We say we want authenticity online, but do we really? Each new social media platform purports to be even more “authentic” than its predecessor. But with the collapse of BeReal in the past year, it's become clear that social media is inherently performative. Maybe true authenticity is a little boring? What’s the state of authenticity in your corner of the world?
IR: German internet culture inherently feeds off the U.S. Let’s be honest, we all know what a YETI is, even though I’ve never seen one on a German shelf.
But I don’t think it’s a geographical thing — it’s a human thing. Pretty privilege has been around for centuries before it was called that and beauty standards have made humans do crazy, outrageous things to their bodies for a long time. The capitalist tendency towards deficit-based marketing has always heavily influenced our decision making. I think, in some parts of the internet, we’ve learned to be kinder to ourselves. To others. Brands have learned that they need to adapt.
But I fear this acceptance in larger parts of society is still a shallow, trend-based phenomenon. Larger bodies are beautiful? Sure. But wait, the Kardashians are starting to dissolve their fillers and train down their waists again. Well, I guess let’s get out that Hollister double zero again (of course, Y2K didn’t help with that either).
TikTalk Time
What other social media trends or cultural movements are you seeing in Germany that you haven’t really seen manifest in the U.S. yet?
IR: I’ve noticed over the past few months on TikTok that German techno and the whole ecosystem around that, is not only something that is MORE hyped in Germany, but something that the rest of the world seems to be quite fascinated by.
I’ve seen the same with German true crime. Lots of German-originated true crime stories, covered by an international Netflix team, have received drastically more attention within the past few months. The “digging deeper” docuseries, the “Jens Söhring” documentary, and just recently a piece on some German cyberbunker. I feel like the fascination with German originated entertainment content is growing. It’s interesting to witness.
MB: We’re finally seeing foreign media like Squid Game, Parasite, and others get proper recognition in the film industry. More diverse storylines are being prioritized outside of the Western sphere. Certainly there is a growing appetite for non-English language content, with Netflix’s own figures showing a 90% increase over the last three years. I’m excited to see what other kind of cool content comes out of Germany!
What else are you loving on your TikTok Feed right now?
IR: Am I gonna be this basic? No. Yes. No…
Ok, I’ll just say it: give me Jack Harlows #vanillababy TikToks all day long. The dynamic that’s developed around that is not only a very smooth TikTok dance, but a sort of empowerment for vanilla-boys. Especially after talking about the (in many parts rightfully-so) demise of traditional masculinity, I think that’s kind of beautiful. Also once again a peak example of how you soft-launch a song on TikTok to make it go viral. Bravo, Jack.
MB: Jack can do no wrong. End of story.