The long read: From the generic hipster cafe to the ‘Instagram wall’, the internet has pushed us towards a kind of global ubiquity – and this phenomenon is only going to intensify
They frame that one as wholesome. I suppose in a way it is.
But it’s also kind of dystopian. People lost interest in a nice place that serves food and drink they enjoy… simply because it wasn’t trending on the internet. If you don’t actively participate in the phoney curated bullshit and stay on top of the mercurial whims of social media, you quickly cease to exist.
It’s like people forgot restaurants are there to serve you meals, not to be a photo op so you can enjoy a 15 second endorphin rush.
I’m not surprised, though. People put their own lives and the lives of others at risk all the time so they can drive and text. I see it every time I drive. Literally risking killing themselves and other people because of internet-brain.
As for the homogeneous nature of these cafes and places, I’m not sure that’s a very new phenomenon. Diners and hotels from the 1950s and beyond have always been pretty similar to each other. I guess social media also makes that worse, though. Copy everyone else faster or go out of business model.
Interesting article. It reminded me of this story:
https://www.usatoday.com/story/life/humankind/2023/12/28/spiral-hot-dogs-photo-norman-ok-business-boom/72051213007/
They frame that one as wholesome. I suppose in a way it is.
But it’s also kind of dystopian. People lost interest in a nice place that serves food and drink they enjoy… simply because it wasn’t trending on the internet. If you don’t actively participate in the phoney curated bullshit and stay on top of the mercurial whims of social media, you quickly cease to exist.
It’s like people forgot restaurants are there to serve you meals, not to be a photo op so you can enjoy a 15 second endorphin rush.
I’m not surprised, though. People put their own lives and the lives of others at risk all the time so they can drive and text. I see it every time I drive. Literally risking killing themselves and other people because of internet-brain.
As for the homogeneous nature of these cafes and places, I’m not sure that’s a very new phenomenon. Diners and hotels from the 1950s and beyond have always been pretty similar to each other. I guess social media also makes that worse, though. Copy everyone else faster or go out of business model.
More people are also not able to afford eating out as often anymore, as rent and costs increase but salaries stagnate.