over the past two years, we’ve seen clues emerge that suggest society is shifting its value system - dw i’m not going to go on about quiet luxury vs logomania, i’m talking about something much more personal here, and far more pervasive.
let’s set the scene…
first, the book club came back - Seen Library, Belletrist, Library Science, Read the Room, Reese’s Book Club…
then tiktok’s algorithm showed creators that they could be more than one thing - what started as a silly dance and trend-centric app transformed into a bonafide search engine for gen z. with a couple of taps you could learn about caviar, launching a company, or even angel investing. creators with full time jobs and real industry-specific expertise blew up alongside the lifestyle creators who’d dominated instagram…
the office siren aesthetic kicked off and miu miu ushered in the trend - in 2024 the brand had reportedly seen an > 89% sales spike, not to mention search volume exploded by 208% on The RealReal.
then substack blew up (again).
all signs are pointing to the rise of a class of nouveau intelligentsia: theoretically pragmatic commentators sitting on the frontlines of culture, directly informed by consumer behavior and trend cycles, specializing in intellectual deep dives into everything from politics and consumer behavior to trending flatware. think Tariro Makoni and her substack Trademarked; this content still feels juicy and indulgent, but also sharp and chic.
meaning, it’s officially cool to be smart.
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