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Everyone pissed and moans about the instagram era killing the video era, but the real fucking travesty is the death of uniqueness in local scenes.
Can you elaborate on this please? Do your mean that scenes have become globally homogenized? I don't agree or disagree, but would like to hear more.
I wonder if the argument is about how the ubiquity of internet yields homogenized "culture". Sometimes it seems as if the new generations all use the same lingo and slang, are mostly into the same things and have the same senses of humor. While it could be argued that so many new "channels" of information (apps, social media, streaming platforms, etc.) give people much more eclectic tastes, I would argue that it makes it too easy for people to find new interests and hobbies.
For example, if you had ever come across Jean-Michel Basquait's art in the early 2000's and aughts, you had to go to a legit Art Book shop to see his stuff. That was nearly the only way to see his art unless you're lucky enough to live somewhere with a gallery that had some of his work. Back then you had to do real research to find what you were looking for. Nowadays every Tom Dick and Harry in town has a Basquiat shirt, and typically they aren't even aware of who he was.
So it's easier to be into something in a shallow / fake way now more than ever. Kids can see an influencer on Instagram with a Ramones t-shirt sold in Zara or some bullshit, with the link to buy the shirt in their bio, and purchase that shirt with one click. No knowledge or history or research necessary, just an easy click away. Without having to know anything about the Ramones (in this particular example), I would argue that the kid who clicked the link to purchase the shirt is a bit of a poser and only into the shirt for the aesthetics. Which to me, is shallow. Easier to be a poser now more than ever.
Another aspect of this argument I would like to present is how these days, brands are more visible and responsive than ever before. This has many implications but it also means that brands can and do bite each other's style and steal each other's shit all of the time. Even happens in skateboarding, think of all the board brands and there are only a few that stick out. If someone does something innovative and new, other brands follow suit almost immediately. The reason I think this is a new phenomenon is that in the past, brands couldn't really see what each other were doing and if they could, it'd have to be through spying or something covert. Nowadays just look at a new brand's Instagram and say, "Hey, I wanna be like this brand. Let's start making this".
- My lengthy and girthy two-cents.
Topic: HOT LITTLE TAKES (Read 46091 times)