When Donald Trump won the 2016 election the New York Times declared he’d made the US a laughingstock. Lately, however, there has been a shift in how America is spoken about and portrayed in popular culture. Video essayist and podcaster Mina Le explored this change in her recent video, “Why is ‘America’ Cool Again?” She observed that while America has long been culturally dominant, patriotic sentiment has resurfaced in pop culture, which is reflected in country music’s growing popularity and a renewed focus on the midwest.

But what has fuelled this shift from deep embarrassment over the US to a renewed sense of pride? And is it possible, or even right, to love America under Trump while it continues to commit so much injustice both domestically and globally?”

This episode is hosted by Halima Jibril and Laura Pitcher, with research by Solomon Pace McCarrick. It was edited by Oliver Gale, and the executive producer is Harry Slater.

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“Manifestation is intention-setting through focusing your thoughts on the desired outcome until it happens. It’s part of psychological thought that became popularised by books like The Secret, before taking over popular culture in 2020. Since then, there’s been a growing fascination around how algorithms, the internet, and even AI can be tools for manifestation. Over the summer, Gabi Abrão Tweeted: “Everything I have in my life, I once reblogged on Tumblr. The internet is a rapid manifestation tool. The images and essences you worship here lay on an altar that determines your future.””

In her article, The rise of the ‘manifinsta’: how social media became a manifestation tool, writer Laura Pitcher explores the phenomenon of "manifinstas"—social media accounts that young people use primarily to manifest jobs, relationships, and an overall improved life. This trend aligns with the growing popularity of astrology in culture, reflected in music of Ariana Grande and film’s like Tarot (2024). This week, we delve into the roots of the desire for predetermined outcomes and discuss whether social media should function as a tool for self-optimisation.

This episode is hosted by Halima Jibril, Elliot Hoste, and Laura Pitcher, with research by Solomon Pace McCarrick. It was edited by Oliver Gale. The executive producer is Lauren Ford.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

“A video of Christina Aguilera has come up on my TikTok feed multiple times over the past few weeks. Going to the comments, it’s abundantly clear what has caused this clip to go viral. Dressed in an anime-cosplay monochrome look for a performance in Osaka, with her hair pinned high and flawlessly blended diamanté-encrusted make-up, it’s not just that Aguilera looks “good” for her age (which is 43), she looks 20 years younger. As one commenter puts it, 'wait what am I back in 2002.'"

In her viral article, We Are About to Enter the ‘Undetectable Era’ of Beauty, writer Bee Beardsworth investigates the shift we're witnessing in plastic surgery today, focusing on celebrities like Christina Aguilera and Lindsay Lohan, whose cosmetic procedures are being described as “natural” and “undetectable.” Plastic surgeon Dr. Prem Tripathi proclaims that this is the era of plastic surgery we’ve all been waiting for — but how does our relentless pursuit of youth impact us physically and mentally? What does it mean to be 40 and present as 25? Is plastic surgery truly a woman’s choice, and should we even be critiquing it?

This episode is hosted by Halima Jibril and Elliot Hoste, with research by Solomon Pace-McCarrick. It was edited by Oliver Gale. The executive producer is Lauren Ford.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.