Kicking And Streaming

Forgive My Debt, Forgive My Debt Not?

The weight of debt is a familiar burden to many. In a special Culture Briefing on the cultural impact of debt, we explored the growing college debt crisis that is putting what Advisory Board member John Thompson calls a “social burden” on millions of Americans. The median amount of debt for millennials is $19,000, higher than the $12,800 average debt that Gen Xers had at the same age. While student debt is hitting millennials harder than previous generations, its effects are not equally felt. Traditionally underrepresented communities are disproportionately impacted. 87% of black students borrow federal loans to attend four-year colleges compared to 60% of white students, and women hold about 65% of the almost 1.6 trillion dollars of debt in the U.S. This is a self-perpetuating spiral that prevents people from moving on to future stages of life. 

In an effort to alleviate the ballooning debt burden, President Biden wants to cancel $10,000 per person of student loan debt. This move could be extremely valuable in providing short-term relief, although the problem would persist for future generations. It also raises the question: is it fair to wipe away $10,000 of debt for every student? The uncertainty as to who is responsible for this debt tags to our element of culture Blurred Responsibility. If necessities like health care, housing, and education are trapping people beyond escape, government and corporations should step in to lessen the financial blow that is weighing many down.

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Streaming Is Streamlined, But Options are Endless

From work-screens to entertainment, we are glued to screens more than ever (and our eyes are screaming). Our Culture Briefing on Your Next Media Obsession explored the platforms and landscape changes that are rising in media and how they reflect developments in contemporary culture, technology, and politics.

According to a Harris Poll, millennials spend twice as much time streaming content as they do watching traditional TV content, with 6 in 10 millennials subscribing to at least 3 different streaming services. This decentralization tags to our element of culture Market Fragmentation which refers to the ways in which markets are breaking up and becoming ever more specialized. 

Not only is there an increasing array of platforms to stream from, but also a diversity in the kinds of content being created, if not critically-recognized. Some viewers are gravitating toward ambient TV, such as “Emily in Paris”, a rom-com-lite series attractive for its sheer lack of substance. Many view the show as background noise, easy to have on while scrolling through social media, cleaning the house, or making food. The popular Netflix series swooped up two Golden Globe nominations for Best TV Musical or Comedy and for Best Actress, TV Series, Comedy, creating contention on social media.

A hotter debate comes into play with the depiction of COVID-19 on TV. Some shows are choosing to tackle the pandemic head-on and others are choosing to ignore it entirely. For many, TV is a comforting distraction and a form of escapism. Those consumers might prefer to watch scenes from the “old normal” depicting maskless interactions in large crowds. But many are finding a surprising sense of comfort and catharsis in watching COVID-19 on TV; reflecting on the coronavirus journey — pain and all — has been therapeutic for many. Luckily, you get to choose!

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Designing Innovations for a Pandemic World 

In our Culture Du Jour Briefing, we brought back our classic briefing style, unpacking trends and changes in human behavior by looking at culture in the horizontal, touching on a wide range of topics including Amazon, identity, fashion, food, gambling, politics and design. 

We covered a variety of cultural trends and insights, but adaptability and accessibility both had strong presence throughout. For example, Nike released a new shoe that can be worn and taken off without using your hands. The Nike Go FlyEase design is intended for everyone, from professional athletes to those who may find traditional shoes difficult to step in and out of due to mobility limitations. The seamless design is arriving at the perfect time, when people are touching fewer things during the pandemic and there is a revival of comfier counterparts that take minimal effort to wear. 

Another pandemic-driven design comes to us from Design Academy Eindhoven graduate Anna-Sophie Dienemann who developed a line of “distance keepers” that encourage social distancing amidst the ongoing coronavirus pandemic. Editorial Director Anna Sofia Martin tagged this to the trend of Disaster Design, as  “an innovation fueled out of moments of time where we feel the need for something that protects ourselves, whether it works or not.”

These two examples provide just a glimpse into the world of innovation in which individuals and brands are tackling some of the most pressing issues facing humanity today.