I’ve been trying to pinpoint what exactly is the vibe right now and I think I finally understand. I feel like the only word to describe the pop-culture, the “vibe” or what have you, is surrealist. I think we can all agree that the last four years have felt pretty surreal in one aspect or another. Things have gotten so ridiculous, you just have to laugh at it or else you’ll go insane. It feels like my generation was just thrown into this reality-tv-like world where everyone has really extreme opinions and everyone thinks they’re right, where information is anarchy, where Trump is president, where social life is mediated through an artificial means of communication. The world doesn’t make sense, and I think people take comfort in that the only tangible truth that everyone agrees on is that the world doesn’t make sense. Hence why my generation jokes about eating tide pods, why we took the Area 51 Raid as far as we did, why we hide under several layers of irony.

Music has gotten a lot more chaotic and somber, too. The music definitely feels like it is the soundtrack of this era. I mean, take a look at Old Town Road. Are you kidding me?? That song is so strange. My generation, we see the chaos that’s in store. We don’t have high expectations. I think we have a lot of resilience because we’ve had to mentally prepare to not expect anything. Nothing is guaranteed, as I think we’ve all learned this year. I always wondered why “may you live in interesting times” was considered a curse. Now I understand.

Thanks for coming to my ted talk.

Case in point to your whole "chaotic music" bit:

_Mc_OM5oNA8

What's surreal to me is living thru dozens of mass shootings,viruses, protests and racism.

What's surreal to me is living thru dozens of mass shootings,viruses, protests and racism.


If it is surreal to you then you know that means something because you are twice my age. Hopefully we’ll get through this and come out stronger than ever.

If it is surreal to you then you know that means something because you are twice my age. Hopefully we’ll get through this and come out stronger than ever.


If Howard is twice your age I''m probably three times your age. The only part of all this I have never seen before is the virus. Living the way we have to because of the virus is completely new to me. All the rest I have seen before time and again. Shootings, lootings, riots, unpopular popular presidents, etc, etc.

The only other major difference is the extreme groupthink that now exists (directly as a result of social media).  Believe it or not, in the 60s and 70s, dissenting opinions were allowed. Not so now. One doesn't dare speak in the slightest against the "party line" now or you will be cancelled, bullied, shouted down, called a racist etc, etc etc. And all from the people who say they demand tolerance,enlightenment and an end to hatred. THAT'S the surreal part.

Case in point to your whole "chaotic music" bit:

_Mc_OM5oNA8


Wow that’s beautiful. I really like it.

I’ve been listening to this song on repeat. If 2020 were a song it would be this song:

3tedPRpAJ38

If Howard is twice your age I''m probably three times your age. The only part of all this I have never seen before is the virus. Living the way we have to because of the virus is completely new to me. All the rest I have seen before time and again. Shootings, lootings, riots, unpopular popular presidents, etc, etc.

The only other major difference is the extreme groupthink that now exists (directly as a result of social media).  Believe it or not, in the 60s and 70s, dissenting opinions were allowed. Not so now. One doesn't dare speak in the slightest against the "party line" now or you will be cancelled, bullied, shouted down, called a racist etc, etc etc. And all from the people who say they demand tolerance,enlightenment and an end to hatred. THAT'S the surreal part.


I see it on both sides. Both sides are wrapped up in their own little bubble. It’s not fair to say that just toward liberals. Conservatives are plenty extreme and won’t budge or be open minded to ideas. Yea, cancelling someone for a problematic thing they said years ago is not good because people grow. Conservatives tend to consume a lot of propaganda though through stuff like infowars. A lot of hate has spread throughout the alt right which is what worries me the most.

Agreed. The atmosphere from the late 2010s to now has been surreal, bleak, and reactionary. Everything's been politicized, people are heavily divided, and most of the late millenial/Gen Z youth (such as myself) is comforted from the polarization and dread of the world by laughing at absurd and bizarre yet relatable memes. 

2020 (so far) is very unique in its dreary atmosphere from the late 2010s. We have a recession, historic wildfires, high tensions between countries (US v. Iran), a life-changing pandemic, and civil unrest and protests over the killing of George Floyd. And we have 6 more months to go.  :o

We are definitely living in one of the most tumultuous years in modern history. 2016, 2017, 2018 and 2019 ain't got nothing on this year imo.

I see it on both sides. Both sides are wrapped up in their own little bubble. It’s not fair to say that just toward liberals. Conservatives are plenty extreme and won’t budge or be open minded to ideas. Yea, cancelling someone for a problematic thing they said years ago is not good because people grow. Conservatives tend to consume a lot of propaganda though through stuff like infowars. A lot of hate has spread throughout the alt right which is what worries me the most.


The problem is, it's not just "sides" now. For example, you can't even be on the "left" (if we must still use these terms) now and still say something like "well, maybe it ISN'T such a good idea to abolish the police (or some such), maybe we should think about this a little more". That will IMMEDIATELY get you cancelled, bullied, shouted down and excommunicated.  It's mob rule now.

The problem is, it's not just "sides" now. For example, you can't even be on the "left" (if we must still use these terms) now and still say something like "well, maybe it ISN'T such a good idea to abolish the police (or some such), maybe we should think about this a little more". That will IMMEDIATELY get you cancelled, bullied, shouted down and excommunicated.  It's mob rule now.


Yea I can see what you mean. People get a knee jerk reaction out of things. I try to be calm and civil in my discourse, though I too am a product of this divided world and have strong opinions. Still, I try to listen and not judge too quickly, even if I have a burning desire in me to just shout you’re wrong.

The problem is, it's not just "sides" now. For example, you can't even be on the "left" (if we must still use these terms) now and still say something like "well, maybe it ISN'T such a good idea to abolish the police (or some such), maybe we should think about this a little more". That will IMMEDIATELY get you cancelled, bullied, shouted down and excommunicated.  It's mob rule now.

Biden has said it and he's still here. Biden has said and done some very questionable things, yet he's still our democratic nominee.  8-P

Biden has said it and he's still here. Biden has said and done some very questionable things, yet he's still our democratic nominee.  8-P


Look what happened to the mayor of Minneapolis when he wouldn't commit to defunding the police at one of these rallies. Even this linked article  about it from the New York Times is shamelessly slanted. People used to get to have their say in the day before these new times of mob rule.

https://www.nytimes.com/2020/06/07/us/minneapolis-mayor-jacob-frey-walk-of-shame.html

The problem is, it's not just "sides" now. For example, you can't even be on the "left" (if we must still use these terms) now and still say something like "well, maybe it ISN'T such a good idea to abolish the police (or some such), maybe we should think about this a little more". That will IMMEDIATELY get you cancelled, bullied, shouted down and excommunicated.  It's mob rule now.

I am left-wing, albeit more centre-left, and completely agree. There’s no wonder there’s been such a backlash in Western politics against left-wing parties when this is what supposedly represents us.

I am left-wing, albeit more centre-left, and completely agree. There’s no wonder there’s been such a backlash in Western politics against left-wing parties when this is what supposedly represents us.


Yeah, it's quite sad when radicals on both sides are more vocal with their policies than moderates nowadays. It only further deepens the divide that we have in politics currently.

If it is surreal to you then you know that means something because you are twice my age. Hopefully we’ll get through this and come out stronger than ever.


If I was 46 in 1974 then I would've witnessed stuff that happened during the 30's, 40's and 50's era but I am lucky to have not witnessed that but I am glad to have seen The 1980's.

Agreed. The atmosphere from the late 2010s to now has been surreal, bleak, and reactionary. Everything's been politicized, people are heavily divided, and most of the late millenial/Gen Z youth (such as myself) is comforted from the polarization and dread of the world by laughing at absurd and bizarre yet relatable memes. 

2020 (so far) is very unique in its dreary atmosphere from the late 2010s. We have a recession, historic wildfires, high tensions between countries (US v. Iran), a life-changing pandemic, and civil unrest and protests over the killing of George Floyd. And we have 6 more months to go.  :o

We are definitely living in one of the most tumultuous years in modern history. 2016, 2017, 2018 and 2019 ain't got nothing on this year imo.


For me The 2010's time period have been a bit depressing and we're heading into the early 2020's and who knows what will happen years from now.

I can only imagine on what’s to come the entire decade.

I can only imagine on what’s to come the entire decade.


I think we all can only do that.  ;D

I think what's surreal is the radicalism of these times, which have been rather unprecedented for much of the 21st century save for only 9/11.

I would say we're in the midst of a culture war - one side wants to bring the world back two centuries culturally and morally, another side wants to topple down society and civilization as we know it because it works for nothing but repression in every conceivable manner, and another wants to appeal to both.

Look what happened to the mayor of Minneapolis when he wouldn't commit to defunding the police at one of these rallies. Even this linked article  about it from the New York Times is shamelessly slanted. People used to get to have their say in the day before these new times of mob rule.

https://www.nytimes.com/2020/06/07/us/minneapolis-mayor-jacob-frey-walk-of-shame.html


The same mayor that used the police as his occupying army and shot tear gas and rubber bullets on peaceful protestors and journalists? This is the kind of person you would have feted back in the day? This is the kind of person you support because he's on "your side"? After just complaining about tribalism? ???

Look what happened to the mayor of Minneapolis when he wouldn't commit to defunding the police at one of these rallies. Even this linked article  about it from the New York Times is shamelessly slanted. People used to get to have their say in the day before these new times of mob rule.

https://www.nytimes.com/2020/06/07/us/minneapolis-mayor-jacob-frey-walk-of-shame.html

Good for them. Playing nice isn't gonna get them what they want.

The same mayor that used the police as his occupying army and shot tear gas and rubber bullets on peaceful protestors and journalists? This is the kind of person you would have feted back in the day? This is the kind of person you support because he's on "your side"? After just complaining about tribalism? ???


My reaction was not so much for the mayor, but more against that woman saying "we have a YES or NO question for you, WILL YOU commit to defunding the police? YES or NO? We don't want no more police!".  As if something so complex is a "yes or no" question! For heaven's sake, at that point I probably would have said "no" too. Until a workable solution can be arrived at. What a ridiculous corner to push somebody into. That's the dangerous "either/or" situation that is going on now.

My reaction was not so much for the mayor, but more against that woman saying "we have a YES or NO question for you, WILL YOU commit to defunding the police? YES or NO? We don't want no more police!".  As if something so complex is a "yes or no" question! For heaven's sake, at that point I probably would have said "no" too. Until a workable solution can be arrived at. What a ridiculous corner to push somebody into. That's the dangerous "either/or" situation that is going on now.


I saw a video of the Minneapolis mayor where he seemed to genuinely care about the issue, not just in a politician sort of way. That’s why it surprised me when he made that decision. I want to know his reasoning though, cause I feel like there is something we’re not getting. I might be naive but I just have a gut feeling he has no ill intent.

I saw a video of the Minneapolis mayor where he seemed to genuinely care about the issue, not just in a politician sort of way. That’s why it surprised me when he made that decision. I want to know his reasoning though, cause I feel like there is something we’re not getting. I might be naive but I just have a gut feeling he has no ill intent.


He didn't make any decision regarding he police, he just refuse to commit at that moment, which was the smart thing to do. I don't know much about that mayor, but to commit to a complete black and white "yes" to defund the police under screaming pressure from a political rally is not good leadership. 

My reaction was not so much for the mayor, but more against that woman saying "we have a YES or NO question for you, WILL YOU commit to defunding the police? YES or NO? We don't want no more police!".  As if something so complex is a "yes or no" question! For heaven's sake, at that point I probably would have said "no" too. Until a workable solution can be arrived at. What a ridiculous corner to push somebody into. That's the dangerous "either/or" situation that is going on now.


I mean, I think we should defund the police. They don't need military-grade weaponry and I see absolutely no reason why we have been giving them that stuff in the first place.

I mean, I think we should defund the police. They don't need military-grade weaponry and I see absolutely no reason why we have been giving them that stuff in the first place.

The mentality is intimidation against serious crime and also they see their role in fighting the often lethal drug war as for why they even have military-grade weaponry. This is at least the popular notion until, well, the police started being viewed as extremely problematic.

I mean, I think we should defund the police. They don't need military-grade weaponry and I see absolutely no reason why we have been giving them that stuff in the first place.

Well then, we go about defunding them. We don't do it by mob rule or screaming at mayors to make split second yes or no decisions. And for heaven's sake, they need to come up with a better and more accurate term than "defunding". It isn't what it sounds like. Like Bill Maher said on his show last night, liberal Democrats are their own worst enemy when it comes to terminology.

I mean, I think we should defund the police. They don't need military-grade weaponry and I see absolutely no reason why we have been giving them that stuff in the first place.
Well, the bad guys have access to military grade hardware in the US all the way up to machine guns and assault rifles. Do you want to go up against that with a 9mm Glock? ???
Don't get me wrong, I think your police are way too much like a military and probably lack proper training (German officers get trained between 2 to 3.5 years before being let loose on the public. I believe in the US it's just a couple of weeks) but I would expect them to need equipment that can at least match that of their opponents.

I can only imagine on what’s to come the entire decade.


You and me both, exodus.

Well, the bad guys have access to military grade hardware in the US all the way up to machine guns and assault rifles. Do you want to go up against that with a 9mm Glock? ???
Don't get me wrong, I think your police are way too much like a military and probably lack proper training (German officers get trained between 2 to 3.5 years before being let loose on the public. I believe in the US it's just a couple of weeks) but I would expect them to need equipment that can at least match that of their opponents.


It would be all well and good if they were using their weaponry against “bad guys,” but instead they’re just straight up murdering civilians.

Also if gangs with military-grade weaponry are such a problem for police, maybe that’s when you call in the National Guard or federal Armed Forces. Then that’s no longer a job for police.