WEBVTT 00:00:10.870 --> 00:00:13.570 Welcome to Students Incorporated. I'm your host, 00:00:13.589 --> 00:00:16.329 Mr. Jason. Join me weekly as my students and 00:00:16.329 --> 00:00:18.870 I bring you content that's informative, positive, 00:00:19.010 --> 00:00:21.809 fun, and uplifting. This podcast is created and 00:00:21.809 --> 00:00:23.969 produced with the help of students from the International 00:00:23.969 --> 00:00:30.170 Community School of Bangkok. Have you ever looked 00:00:30.170 --> 00:00:32.310 at a current fashion trend and thought, wait 00:00:32.310 --> 00:00:35.130 a minute, didn't my parents wear that? How much 00:00:35.130 --> 00:00:37.189 of today's culture is brand new and how much 00:00:37.189 --> 00:00:40.759 is just a remix of the past? It's a feeling many 00:00:40.759 --> 00:00:43.479 of us have had, whether it's seeing flared jeans 00:00:43.479 --> 00:00:47.840 back in style or hearing a popular synth beat 00:00:47.840 --> 00:00:50.799 from the 80s in a brand new pop song. The past 00:00:50.799 --> 00:00:52.880 is always present. Today, we're putting that 00:00:52.880 --> 00:00:55.159 feeling under the microscope. We're going on 00:00:55.159 --> 00:00:57.859 a pop culture road trip, making stops in the 00:00:57.859 --> 00:01:01.880 iconic decades from the 70s up till now to explore 00:01:01.880 --> 00:01:04.459 the music, movies, and moments that defined each 00:01:04.459 --> 00:01:07.260 of those decades. And then we'll turn our eyes 00:01:07.260 --> 00:01:10.189 towards the future. What will define the 2020s 00:01:10.189 --> 00:01:13.750 and what's next? But before we jump back to the 00:01:13.750 --> 00:01:15.989 70s, let's hear our quote of the day and get 00:01:15.989 --> 00:01:18.989 some headline news. For a quote of the day, returning 00:01:18.989 --> 00:01:22.150 to a true icon of modern pop culture, Beyonce, 00:01:22.450 --> 00:01:24.989 who once said, I don't like to gamble, but if 00:01:24.989 --> 00:01:26.930 there's one thing I'm willing to bet on, it's 00:01:26.930 --> 00:01:29.370 myself. Now, on the surface, that's a powerful 00:01:29.370 --> 00:01:31.849 statement about self -belief. And you can see 00:01:31.849 --> 00:01:33.989 it in her career. She has constantly evolved, 00:01:34.290 --> 00:01:36.730 taken huge creative risk and trusted her own 00:01:36.730 --> 00:01:39.489 vision. She's a masterclass in betting on yourself. 00:01:39.909 --> 00:01:42.489 But it also brings up a bigger question that's 00:01:42.489 --> 00:01:45.129 perfect for our topic today. When we see that 00:01:45.129 --> 00:01:47.810 the level of iconic confidence, how do we use 00:01:47.810 --> 00:01:50.390 it as an inspiration without trying to copy it? 00:01:50.750 --> 00:01:53.390 Pop culture gives us heroes, but the real challenge 00:01:53.390 --> 00:01:55.629 is to take a piece of their fire and use it to 00:01:55.629 --> 00:01:57.870 build our own path, based on our own convictions. 00:01:58.269 --> 00:02:00.930 It's that balance between being inspired by culture 00:02:00.930 --> 00:02:03.709 and being defined by it. Something for us to 00:02:03.709 --> 00:02:05.879 keep in mind as we get started. And that's our 00:02:05.879 --> 00:02:07.920 quote of the day. Now on to some headline news. 00:02:08.520 --> 00:02:10.939 Thank you for our quote of the day. All right, 00:02:10.979 --> 00:02:13.099 now it's time for a look at what's making news 00:02:13.099 --> 00:02:15.360 in the world of pop culture right now. First 00:02:15.360 --> 00:02:18.039 up, from Billboard, the music industry is talking 00:02:18.039 --> 00:02:21.460 about the recent MTV Video Music Awards, which 00:02:21.460 --> 00:02:23.659 delivered one of the most controversial moments 00:02:23.659 --> 00:02:27.050 in the show's history. While pop superstar Ava 00:02:27.050 --> 00:02:30.009 Chen took home Video of the Year, the big story 00:02:30.009 --> 00:02:32.909 is the Vanguard Award being given to the virtual 00:02:32.909 --> 00:02:36.629 AI -powered artist known as Aura. Legacy artists 00:02:36.629 --> 00:02:39.550 and critics are arguing it devalues human creativity, 00:02:39.830 --> 00:02:42.310 while a new generation of digital creators is 00:02:42.310 --> 00:02:45.210 hailing it as the future of entertainment. The 00:02:45.210 --> 00:02:47.610 debate completely overshadowed a night that also 00:02:47.610 --> 00:02:49.889 featured a surprise reunion performance from 00:02:49.889 --> 00:02:52.289 the Fugues, making for one of the most talked 00:02:52.289 --> 00:02:55.659 about VMAs in recent years. Next, a story from 00:02:55.659 --> 00:02:57.699 The Hollywood Reporter that could signal a huge 00:02:57.699 --> 00:03:00.819 change in how we watch movies. After years of 00:03:00.819 --> 00:03:02.680 prioritizing their streaming platform, Warner 00:03:02.680 --> 00:03:05.639 Bros. Discovery, just announced a major strategic 00:03:05.639 --> 00:03:09.360 shift back to the theatrical first model. The 00:03:09.360 --> 00:03:12.300 move comes after reports of unpredictable streaming 00:03:12.300 --> 00:03:15.550 profits and widespread subscriber fatigue. Most 00:03:15.550 --> 00:03:18.810 notably, they announced a slate of new mid -budget 00:03:18.810 --> 00:03:22.050 dramas, a genre focused on adult stories without 00:03:22.050 --> 00:03:25.030 superhero budgets that was considered nearly 00:03:25.030 --> 00:03:28.409 extinct. Theater chains have praised the decision, 00:03:28.669 --> 00:03:31.569 hoping it will bring a more consistent and diverse 00:03:31.569 --> 00:03:35.909 audience back into cinemas. And finally, a story 00:03:35.909 --> 00:03:38.770 from Vogue that proves the cyclical nature of 00:03:38.770 --> 00:03:41.780 pop culture is alive and well. The undeniable 00:03:41.780 --> 00:03:44.819 trend dominating the runways of Paris Fashion 00:03:44.819 --> 00:03:48.219 Week was a massive revival of the 1990s minimalism 00:03:48.219 --> 00:03:51.080 and grunge. We're talking spaghetti -strap slip 00:03:51.080 --> 00:03:54.620 dresses, oversized flannels, chunky combat boots, 00:03:54.819 --> 00:03:58.939 and stark, clean silhouettes. Trend forecasters 00:03:58.939 --> 00:04:01.259 suggest this is a direct reaction against the 00:04:01.259 --> 00:04:04.120 chaotic, algorithm -driven microtrends of the 00:04:04.120 --> 00:04:07.560 early 2020s, with consumers craving more authentic, 00:04:07.740 --> 00:04:11.889 lasting styles. So, from AI artists redefining 00:04:11.889 --> 00:04:14.849 celebrities to Hollywood rediscovering the magic 00:04:14.849 --> 00:04:18.310 of cinema and 90s fashion making a defined return, 00:04:18.689 --> 00:04:21.750 it's clear the past and future are colliding 00:04:21.750 --> 00:04:24.790 in pop culture today. Thank you for the quote 00:04:24.790 --> 00:04:27.069 and headline news. It's funny that story about 00:04:27.069 --> 00:04:30.709 90s fashion isn't just news to me, it's a flashback. 00:04:31.069 --> 00:04:34.209 Which is the perfect segue to our main event. 00:04:34.750 --> 00:04:37.089 For my co -host and our guest, we're about to 00:04:37.089 --> 00:04:39.850 discuss history. For me, we're discussing the 00:04:39.850 --> 00:04:42.250 first half of my life. So let's dive into the 00:04:42.250 --> 00:04:46.529 70s, 80s, and 90s. Let's start with the 1970s. 00:04:46.529 --> 00:04:48.949 My earliest memories are of the look of that 00:04:48.949 --> 00:04:52.389 decade. The earthy tones, the oranges and browns, 00:04:52.389 --> 00:04:54.889 and the bold geometric patterns on everything 00:04:54.889 --> 00:04:58.269 from shirts to wallpaper. Goldenrod was a color 00:04:58.269 --> 00:05:01.550 used on kitchen appliances. Shag carpet was a 00:05:01.550 --> 00:05:03.990 thing as well. I have this old family photo. 00:05:04.089 --> 00:05:07.149 I'm from a family of five. I have an older brother 00:05:07.149 --> 00:05:09.970 and a younger sister. Anyways, this photo was 00:05:09.970 --> 00:05:12.350 taken as my parents were taking us to church, 00:05:12.410 --> 00:05:14.829 I think, and my mother had dressed my brother 00:05:14.829 --> 00:05:17.949 and I in a full plaid suit, browns and yellows. 00:05:17.970 --> 00:05:20.649 Even the quality of the photo, my mother's hairstyle, 00:05:21.009 --> 00:05:23.509 my dad's expression on his face, my sister's 00:05:23.509 --> 00:05:26.529 church dress, and her hairstyle, the whole image 00:05:26.529 --> 00:05:29.230 just screamed the 1970s through and through. 00:05:29.720 --> 00:05:32.279 So when I think of the 1970s, that old photo 00:05:32.279 --> 00:05:34.939 comes to mind. That and the orange shag carpet 00:05:34.939 --> 00:05:37.180 in the living room of our house I grew up in. 00:05:37.339 --> 00:05:39.639 It was incredibly distinct. Not that I was alive 00:05:39.639 --> 00:05:42.000 yet, but we can all do the research on that decade. 00:05:42.540 --> 00:05:45.740 You had the flared bottom jeans, sky -high platform 00:05:45.740 --> 00:05:48.319 shoes, and corduroy everywhere. It was a mix 00:05:48.319 --> 00:05:51.480 of bohemian hippie holdovers and this neo -slick 00:05:51.480 --> 00:05:54.480 disco glamour. The patterns were bold, the collars 00:05:54.480 --> 00:05:56.360 were wide, and there was a confidence to the 00:05:56.360 --> 00:05:58.779 style that was really unique. And people wore 00:05:58.779 --> 00:06:01.399 that stuff with confidence. And the movies became 00:06:01.399 --> 00:06:05.100 just as bold. The 70s invented the modern blockbuster 00:06:05.100 --> 00:06:08.500 with Jaws and Star Wars, but it was also a gritty 00:06:08.500 --> 00:06:10.980 decade for film with classics like The Godfather 00:06:10.980 --> 00:06:14.879 and Taxi Driver. It was this amazing split between 00:06:14.879 --> 00:06:18.529 epic fantasy and harsh reality. It's true, and 00:06:18.529 --> 00:06:21.050 the music reflected this same split. I remember 00:06:21.050 --> 00:06:24.269 my car radio playing this huge mix of classic 00:06:24.269 --> 00:06:27.470 rock anthems from bands like Queen and the Eagles. 00:06:27.709 --> 00:06:30.709 Well, not my car, but my parents' car and my 00:06:30.709 --> 00:06:33.129 friends' cars. Like most pop culture and music, 00:06:33.610 --> 00:06:36.569 The 70s has a clash of music styles. While the 00:06:36.569 --> 00:06:39.389 airwaves were full of massive, polished rock 00:06:39.389 --> 00:06:42.029 and the glamour of disco, the underground was 00:06:42.029 --> 00:06:44.670 hitting back with raw, three -chord energy of 00:06:44.670 --> 00:06:47.410 punk rock. It was a total rejection of the mainstream 00:06:47.410 --> 00:06:50.990 spectacle. People even talked differently to 00:06:50.990 --> 00:06:53.709 a degree. People were saying things like, can 00:06:53.709 --> 00:06:57.040 you dig it? Or calling things groovy. It sounds 00:06:57.040 --> 00:06:59.980 like a movie, honestly. It sounds so stylized. 00:07:00.079 --> 00:07:02.980 You can hear it sampled in music or see it in 00:07:02.980 --> 00:07:05.439 retro t -shirts. But it's hard to imagine people 00:07:05.439 --> 00:07:09.259 actually saying Jahive Turkey. Seriously, it 00:07:09.259 --> 00:07:11.379 feels like a different language. I promise you 00:07:11.379 --> 00:07:14.000 they did. Okay. So to wrap up this fascinating 00:07:14.000 --> 00:07:17.519 decade, the 1970s, Proud put together a top 10 00:07:17.519 --> 00:07:20.959 list of its most iconic cultural hallmarks. Go 00:07:20.959 --> 00:07:23.100 ahead and share those with us. According to the 00:07:23.100 --> 00:07:25.300 internet, the top 10 cultural hallmarks of the 00:07:25.300 --> 00:07:30.100 1970s are 10. Bell -bottom jeans. 9. The TV shows 00:07:30.100 --> 00:07:33.959 All in the Family. 8. Punk Rock. 7. The Godfather. 00:07:34.319 --> 00:07:38.579 6. Saturday Night Fever. 5. Lava Lamps. 4. Pet 00:07:38.579 --> 00:07:43.290 Rocks. 3. The word groovy. two platform shoes, 00:07:43.550 --> 00:07:45.910 and the number one on the movie that changed 00:07:45.910 --> 00:07:49.449 everything, Star Wars. What a list from Pet Rocks 00:07:49.449 --> 00:07:51.949 to Star Wars. Now let's step into my teenage 00:07:51.949 --> 00:07:55.389 years, the bright, bold, loud, and totally awesome 00:07:55.389 --> 00:07:58.829 1980s. For me, the 80s were all about color, 00:07:58.949 --> 00:08:01.670 neon pinks, electric blues, and everything felt 00:08:01.670 --> 00:08:04.689 bigger, especially the hair and people's attitudes. 00:08:05.110 --> 00:08:08.500 The fashion was pure spectacle. You had the huge 00:08:08.500 --> 00:08:11.360 shoulder pads, the acid wash jeans, and the leg 00:08:11.360 --> 00:08:14.779 warmers. It was the decade of spandex and big, 00:08:14.779 --> 00:08:18.160 bold brand logos. It felt like fashion was shouting, 00:08:18.300 --> 00:08:21.220 where the 70s had been more of a groove. And 00:08:21.220 --> 00:08:23.600 the music was shouting too. MTV launched and 00:08:23.600 --> 00:08:26.600 created a new breed of pop superstars like Michael 00:08:26.600 --> 00:08:29.019 Jackson and Madonna, whose videos were global 00:08:29.019 --> 00:08:32.059 events. But you also had New Wave, the birth 00:08:32.059 --> 00:08:34.440 of mainstream hip -hop, and of course, the over 00:08:34.440 --> 00:08:38.090 -the -top glamour of big hair metal bands. Oh, 00:08:38.149 --> 00:08:40.450 the hair metal bands. Yes, there was a lot of 00:08:40.450 --> 00:08:42.789 them. I definitely had some of those tapes. The 00:08:42.789 --> 00:08:46.389 movies were dominated by high content blockbusters 00:08:46.389 --> 00:08:49.990 like E .T., Ghostbusters, and Back to the Future. 00:08:50.110 --> 00:08:53.230 And of course the iconic John Hughes teen films. 00:08:53.409 --> 00:08:56.250 And the way we talked completely changed. We 00:08:56.250 --> 00:08:59.429 were all like totally sane like all the time. 00:08:59.669 --> 00:09:03.330 Phrases like, gag me with a spoon, and... grody 00:09:03.330 --> 00:09:06.090 to the max were everywhere and we said words 00:09:06.090 --> 00:09:09.629 like awesome a lot really a lot so much so that 00:09:09.629 --> 00:09:12.049 the word has lost its actual meaning and impact 00:09:12.049 --> 00:09:15.250 the 80s slang is the one i hear the most in movies 00:09:15.250 --> 00:09:18.750 it seems like every film set in the 80s has a 00:09:18.750 --> 00:09:21.970 character who says rad or totally in every sentence 00:09:21.970 --> 00:09:25.269 it has become a kind of cultural shorthand for 00:09:25.269 --> 00:09:28.240 the whole decade it really is All right, James, 00:09:28.460 --> 00:09:32.059 give us the definitive top 10 list. What were 00:09:32.059 --> 00:09:35.139 the biggest cultural touchstones of the 1980s? 00:09:35.159 --> 00:09:37.960 It was a decade of gadgets and icons. Here's 00:09:37.960 --> 00:09:42.159 the top 10s for the 1980s. Number 10, leg warmers. 00:09:42.580 --> 00:09:46.360 Actually gonna warm up my leg here. All right, 00:09:46.379 --> 00:09:49.059 nine, the Nintendo Entertainment System, the 00:09:49.059 --> 00:09:53.279 NES. Eight, the movie The Breakfast Club, a true 00:09:53.279 --> 00:09:57.860 classic of its time. Seven, MTV. Six, the movie 00:09:57.860 --> 00:10:02.299 E .T., the extraterrestrial. Five, big hair and 00:10:02.299 --> 00:10:06.399 shoulder pads. Four, the Rubik's Cube. I saw 00:10:06.399 --> 00:10:09.419 a couple of them back in my day. Number three, 00:10:09.539 --> 00:10:13.759 the phrase, like totally. Number two, Michael 00:10:13.759 --> 00:10:16.820 Jackson's Thriller album. And the number one 00:10:16.820 --> 00:10:18.620 invention that defined the decade's personal 00:10:18.620 --> 00:10:21.990 freedom, the Sony Walkman. Ah, The Walkman. I 00:10:21.990 --> 00:10:24.289 had two of them. The first one I had played tapes, 00:10:24.409 --> 00:10:27.169 and then I had to buy a new version of The Walkman 00:10:27.169 --> 00:10:29.909 as the music industry started going digital and 00:10:29.909 --> 00:10:32.990 putting out all their music on CDs. What a great 00:10:32.990 --> 00:10:36.789 list. Now we'll move into my 20s, the 1990s, 00:10:36.789 --> 00:10:40.230 and after the bright colors of the 1980s, the 00:10:40.230 --> 00:10:43.450 90s felt like a color saturation was turned way 00:10:43.450 --> 00:10:47.379 down. The fashion of the 1990s was a direct reaction 00:10:47.379 --> 00:10:50.240 against the 1980s. The grunge look came out of 00:10:50.240 --> 00:10:52.600 Seattle, flannel shirts, ripped baggy jeans, 00:10:52.860 --> 00:10:56.139 Doc Martens. It was anti -fashion. At the same 00:10:56.139 --> 00:10:58.559 time, hip -hop culture introduced its own iconic 00:10:58.559 --> 00:11:01.299 style with starter jackets and baggy sportwear. 00:11:01.519 --> 00:11:03.659 It was all about being casual and comfortable. 00:11:04.159 --> 00:11:06.799 And the movie saw a huge shift with the rise 00:11:06.799 --> 00:11:09.580 of independent filmmakers like Quentin Tarantino 00:11:09.580 --> 00:11:12.419 with Pulp Fiction. And of course, technology 00:11:12.419 --> 00:11:15.899 changed everything with CGI blockbusters like 00:11:15.899 --> 00:11:20.379 Jurassic Park and Titanic. TV was also huge with 00:11:20.379 --> 00:11:24.179 Friends and Seinfeld. Musically, it was a mashup. 00:11:24.399 --> 00:11:28.019 Grunge took over, but then you had the slick 00:11:28.019 --> 00:11:31.320 R &B of groups like Boyz II Men and the global 00:11:31.320 --> 00:11:34.679 explosion of pop with the Spice Girls and Britney 00:11:34.679 --> 00:11:38.240 Spears. And the slang got a bit more sarcastic. 00:11:38.440 --> 00:11:41.879 We were saying as if. talk to the hand, and if 00:11:41.879 --> 00:11:44.220 you wanted to know what was going on, you'd ask, 00:11:44.320 --> 00:11:47.620 what's the 411? That one is still used sometimes, 00:11:47.919 --> 00:11:51.059 which is funny, but the face, as if, is so iconic 00:11:51.059 --> 00:11:53.679 because of the movie Clueless. It's another one 00:11:53.679 --> 00:11:55.759 of those things where a movie defines a whole 00:11:55.759 --> 00:11:58.399 generation's slang for people looking back. It's 00:11:58.399 --> 00:12:00.759 so true. The 90s really set the stage for the 00:12:00.759 --> 00:12:03.139 world we live in now. Esther, go ahead and close 00:12:03.139 --> 00:12:05.320 out this segment. What's on the top 10 list for 00:12:05.320 --> 00:12:08.600 the 1990s? Alright, this list bridges the analog 00:12:08.600 --> 00:12:12.690 and digital world. The top 10 for the 1990s. 00:12:12.690 --> 00:12:16.830 10. The Sony PlayStation. 9. Pulp Fiction. 8. 00:12:17.110 --> 00:12:21.929 Spice Girls. 7. Gurge Fashion. 6. The Movie Jurassic 00:12:21.929 --> 00:12:27.110 Park. 5. Beanie Babies. 4. TV Show Friends. 3. 00:12:27.350 --> 00:12:31.669 The Face As If. 2. Nirvana's album Nevermind. 00:12:32.029 --> 00:12:34.710 And the number one thing that changed the world 00:12:34.710 --> 00:12:37.470 forever, the internet and the sound of dialogue. 00:12:37.870 --> 00:12:40.509 The dial -up sound, oh, the perfect cliffhanger. 00:12:55.129 --> 00:12:58.129 We've journeyed from bell -bottoms and groovy 00:12:58.129 --> 00:13:01.320 to grunge and the birth of the web. When we come 00:13:01.320 --> 00:13:03.740 back, we will dive headfirst into the digital 00:13:03.740 --> 00:13:07.000 world with the 2000s and beyond right after this 00:13:07.000 --> 00:13:14.159 short PSA. Hey everyone, we're taking a quick 00:13:14.159 --> 00:13:16.200 break from our trip through the decades to discuss 00:13:16.200 --> 00:13:18.799 the world that the internet has created. We just 00:13:18.799 --> 00:13:21.700 spent time in the 70s, 80s, and 90s when your 00:13:21.700 --> 00:13:23.980 favorite song, movie, or TV show came on from 00:13:23.980 --> 00:13:27.019 just a handful of trusted sources. But today, 00:13:27.100 --> 00:13:29.039 we live in a world with millions of channels. 00:13:29.559 --> 00:13:32.000 We get our news, our entertainment, and our culture 00:13:32.000 --> 00:13:34.320 from countless feeds, creators, and accounts, 00:13:34.419 --> 00:13:37.299 all competing for our attention. It's an amazing 00:13:37.299 --> 00:13:39.639 thing, but it also means that the responsibility 00:13:39.639 --> 00:13:42.659 is on us to be critical thinkers. Misinformation 00:13:42.659 --> 00:13:45.340 spreads fast, and it's designed to get a strong 00:13:45.340 --> 00:13:48.299 emotional reaction. So here's a simple challenge. 00:13:48.340 --> 00:13:50.720 Before you share that shocking headline or that 00:13:50.720 --> 00:13:53.700 viral clip, just take five seconds and ask yourself 00:13:53.700 --> 00:13:56.980 these three questions. Who made this? What's 00:13:56.980 --> 00:13:59.559 the real story? And how does this make me feel? 00:13:59.639 --> 00:14:02.259 By taking that pause, you're not just being a 00:14:02.259 --> 00:14:04.700 smart consumer of media, you're helping build 00:14:04.700 --> 00:14:07.279 a better, more thoughtful culture online. And 00:14:07.279 --> 00:14:13.279 that's a trend worth starting. Welcome back. 00:14:13.379 --> 00:14:15.860 Before the break, we ended the 90s with the sound 00:14:15.860 --> 00:14:18.759 of a dial -up modem, a sound that was the quiet 00:14:18.759 --> 00:14:22.100 beginning of a revolution. In the 2000s, that 00:14:22.100 --> 00:14:24.580 revolution exploded, and for me, it changed my 00:14:24.580 --> 00:14:27.080 daily life as it was part of my early career. 00:14:27.679 --> 00:14:29.860 This was the decade the internet went from a 00:14:29.860 --> 00:14:32.879 niche hobby to the center of the universe. There 00:14:32.879 --> 00:14:35.700 was a huge shift in music as well. People went 00:14:35.700 --> 00:14:38.379 from having shelves of CDs to suddenly hearing 00:14:38.379 --> 00:14:41.559 about this thing called Napster. The 2000s was 00:14:41.559 --> 00:14:44.120 a digital wild west for the music industry. Peer 00:14:44.120 --> 00:14:46.100 -to -peer file sharing like Napster completely 00:14:46.100 --> 00:14:49.000 upended the business model of the music. And 00:14:49.000 --> 00:14:51.840 then Apple's iPod and iTunes came along and created 00:14:51.840 --> 00:14:54.759 a new one. It was the death of the physical album 00:14:54.759 --> 00:14:57.909 and the birth of the 99 -cent single. It changed 00:14:57.909 --> 00:15:00.210 how we valued music forever. And the fashion 00:15:00.210 --> 00:15:03.190 was your choice. The Y2K aesthetic was a mix 00:15:03.190 --> 00:15:05.570 of futuristic and casual. We're talking about 00:15:05.570 --> 00:15:08.789 the rise of low -rise jeans, velour tracksuits, 00:15:09.029 --> 00:15:11.330 trucker hats, and pop -punk skater look with 00:15:11.330 --> 00:15:13.409 chunky sneakers and bracelets. It was a very 00:15:13.409 --> 00:15:16.009 distinct and until recently often mocked style. 00:15:16.289 --> 00:15:19.269 My parents' photos from that time are wild. It's 00:15:19.269 --> 00:15:21.830 funny because that exact style is what's making 00:15:21.830 --> 00:15:24.230 a huge comeback on TikTok right now. What was 00:15:24.230 --> 00:15:26.740 once considered cringe is now cool again. It 00:15:26.740 --> 00:15:28.820 always comes back around, and on TV everything 00:15:28.820 --> 00:15:31.620 changed too. I remember watching the first seasons 00:15:31.620 --> 00:15:34.620 of American Idol and Survivor. We suddenly had 00:15:34.620 --> 00:15:38.179 this explosion of reality television. Reality 00:15:38.179 --> 00:15:40.580 TV took over because it was cheap to produce 00:15:40.580 --> 00:15:43.299 and incredibly popular. But at the same time, 00:15:43.379 --> 00:15:45.879 cable channels like HBO were starting the golden 00:15:45.879 --> 00:15:49.179 age of prestige TV with shows like The Sopranos 00:15:49.179 --> 00:15:51.580 and The Wire, proving that television could be 00:15:51.580 --> 00:15:54.309 as cinematic and complex as film. It's true, 00:15:54.429 --> 00:15:57.230 and the slang was a mix of hip -hop culture going 00:15:57.230 --> 00:16:00.629 mainstream and celebrity catchphrases. I remember 00:16:00.629 --> 00:16:04.809 hearing bling and, of course, Paris Hilton making 00:16:04.809 --> 00:16:07.950 That's Hot a global phenomenon. Okay, to put 00:16:07.950 --> 00:16:10.350 a bow on this chaotic and transformative decade, 00:16:10.629 --> 00:16:12.750 Vijay, go ahead and give us the top 10 list. 00:16:13.029 --> 00:16:15.470 You got it. The top 10 cultural hallmarks of 00:16:15.470 --> 00:16:19.090 the 2000s are 10. Low -rise jeans and trucker 00:16:19.090 --> 00:16:22.799 hats. 9. The TV show The Office. 8. the Harry 00:16:22.799 --> 00:16:26.320 Potter phenomenon. Seven, reality TV, such as 00:16:26.320 --> 00:16:29.679 American Idol and Survivor. Six, MySpace. Five, 00:16:30.000 --> 00:16:33.120 the Motorola Razr. Four, the phrase, that's hot. 00:16:33.399 --> 00:16:36.860 Three, the Lord of the Rings film trilogy. Two, 00:16:37.340 --> 00:16:40.100 the rise of Eminem. And at number one, the device 00:16:40.100 --> 00:16:42.799 that put 1 ,000 songs in your pocket, the Apple 00:16:42.799 --> 00:16:46.100 iPod. From that digital wild west, we move into 00:16:46.100 --> 00:16:49.000 the 2010s, the decade where the internet, for 00:16:49.000 --> 00:16:51.440 me, stopped being something on my desk and moved 00:16:51.440 --> 00:16:54.919 into my pocket. This was the decade of the smartphone. 00:16:55.379 --> 00:16:57.940 The smartphone changed everything. It meant the 00:16:57.940 --> 00:17:00.179 internet was always with you, and that paved 00:17:00.179 --> 00:17:02.419 the way for social media to dominate our lives. 00:17:02.679 --> 00:17:05.680 MySpace was replaced by Facebook, Twitter, and 00:17:05.680 --> 00:17:08.380 especially Instagram. Streaming services like 00:17:08.380 --> 00:17:11.000 Netflix and Spotify killed the video store and 00:17:11.000 --> 00:17:14.470 the MP3 download. And the algorithm started curating 00:17:14.470 --> 00:17:17.109 our likes and dislikes for us. And that directly 00:17:17.109 --> 00:17:19.869 shaped the music. The idea of a genre started 00:17:19.869 --> 00:17:22.970 to fade, replaced by algorithm -driven playlists 00:17:22.970 --> 00:17:25.609 and moods. But it was also a decade of massive 00:17:25.609 --> 00:17:28.589 pop superstars like Taylor Swift, Drake, and 00:17:28.589 --> 00:17:31.230 Beyonce, who learned how to master the new digital 00:17:31.230 --> 00:17:33.690 landscape. to connect directly with their fans. 00:17:33.910 --> 00:17:37.950 The 2010s also gave us the influencer. The idea 00:17:37.950 --> 00:17:40.410 that a regular person could build a massive audience 00:17:40.410 --> 00:17:43.089 on Instagram or YouTube and become a new kind 00:17:43.089 --> 00:17:45.910 of celebrity was born in this decade. It completely 00:17:45.910 --> 00:17:48.549 changed the meaning of fame, and slang became 00:17:48.549 --> 00:17:51.769 pure internet speak and shorthand for longer 00:17:51.769 --> 00:17:55.130 phrases. Things like YOLO and FOMO meant something 00:17:55.130 --> 00:17:57.549 when we saw it in a text message. It felt like 00:17:57.549 --> 00:18:00.180 a new language was being born online. this decade 00:18:00.180 --> 00:18:02.480 really set the stage for the world we live in 00:18:02.480 --> 00:18:05.799 right now josiah what does the definitive top 00:18:05.799 --> 00:18:09.279 10 list for the 2010s look like it's a list dominated 00:18:09.279 --> 00:18:12.000 by technology and new things the top 10 of the 00:18:12.000 --> 00:18:17.700 2010s 10 athleisure fashion 9 the selfie 8 the 00:18:17.700 --> 00:18:21.200 tv show game of thrones 7 the concept of binge 00:18:21.200 --> 00:18:25.720 watching 6 the marvel cinematic universe 5 the 00:18:25.720 --> 00:18:30.480 phrase yolo you only live once 4 Instagram. Three, 00:18:30.660 --> 00:18:33.480 Netflix streaming. Two, the dominance of Taylor 00:18:33.480 --> 00:18:36.180 Swift. And at number one, the device that runs 00:18:36.180 --> 00:18:38.859 our entire world, the smartphone. And that brings 00:18:38.859 --> 00:18:42.740 us to today, the 2020s. We've gone from the radio 00:18:42.740 --> 00:18:46.079 to the Walkman to the smartphone. Vanaj, from 00:18:46.079 --> 00:18:48.759 your perspective, what's the single biggest force 00:18:48.759 --> 00:18:51.700 driving pop culture right now? It's not even 00:18:51.700 --> 00:18:54.240 a question. It's TikTok and other social media 00:18:54.240 --> 00:18:57.099 platforms. Trends in music, fashion, and slang 00:18:57.099 --> 00:18:59.730 are not born on those platforms. Trends born 00:18:59.730 --> 00:19:02.170 on these platforms can dominate global culture 00:19:02.170 --> 00:19:04.190 for three weeks and then be completely gone. 00:19:04.369 --> 00:19:06.990 The trend cycle is faster than it has ever been, 00:19:07.049 --> 00:19:09.029 and it feels like everything is a remix of a 00:19:09.029 --> 00:19:12.210 remix. Y2K fashion is back, 80s synth sounds 00:19:12.210 --> 00:19:14.549 are in pop music, and it's all happening at once. 00:19:14.630 --> 00:19:17.089 It's like culture is being recycled. And we're 00:19:17.089 --> 00:19:19.250 in the middle of another technological earthquake 00:19:19.250 --> 00:19:22.670 with AI. AI is already creating art. writing 00:19:22.670 --> 00:19:24.890 songs and generating videos. That's going to 00:19:24.890 --> 00:19:27.549 fundamentally challenge our ideas of creativity 00:19:27.549 --> 00:19:30.150 and celebrity in the next few years. So that 00:19:30.150 --> 00:19:32.490 brings us to our final question. The whole point 00:19:32.490 --> 00:19:35.089 of this journey, we've seen how culture evolves 00:19:35.089 --> 00:19:37.869 and how it repeats itself. Looking forward, what 00:19:37.869 --> 00:19:40.089 is your prediction for the future of pop culture? 00:19:40.329 --> 00:19:42.869 I predict we'll see a push and pull. The trend 00:19:42.869 --> 00:19:45.650 cycle will get even faster online, but I think 00:19:45.650 --> 00:19:47.990 we'll see a growing counterculture movement focused 00:19:47.990 --> 00:19:51.390 on offline experiences, local concerts and craft 00:19:51.390 --> 00:19:54.730 markets. things that feel real and tangible as 00:19:54.730 --> 00:19:56.910 a reaction against the digital world. I think 00:19:56.910 --> 00:19:59.490 AI is going to become a seamless tool for creators. 00:19:59.670 --> 00:20:02.410 We'll see blockbuster movies with AI -generated 00:20:02.410 --> 00:20:04.549 effects that are indistinguishable from reality 00:20:04.549 --> 00:20:07.210 and pop stars who collaborate with AI on their 00:20:07.210 --> 00:20:10.670 music. It will be controversial, but it'll just 00:20:10.670 --> 00:20:13.549 become a part of the toolkit. And we all see 00:20:13.549 --> 00:20:15.849 a lot of people embracing the old ways in some 00:20:15.849 --> 00:20:18.990 areas, like buying brick phones again or embracing 00:20:18.990 --> 00:20:21.430 record players and building a large library of 00:20:21.430 --> 00:20:24.059 vinyl stuff. I predict that the very idea of 00:20:24.059 --> 00:20:26.779 a mainstream pop culture will disappear completely. 00:20:27.160 --> 00:20:29.839 The algorithm means we all live in our own personalized 00:20:29.839 --> 00:20:32.279 culture bubbles. There won't be one big thing. 00:20:32.380 --> 00:20:34.619 There will be millions of tiny niche cultures 00:20:34.619 --> 00:20:37.640 and everyone's idea of what's popular will be 00:20:37.640 --> 00:20:40.019 totally different. Yeah, I think that's so true. 00:20:40.140 --> 00:20:42.220 This takes me back to the idea of everything 00:20:42.220 --> 00:20:44.799 becoming hyper -personalized to that extent. 00:20:45.039 --> 00:20:48.180 Like you said, we each in some way are part of 00:20:48.180 --> 00:20:51.059 a micro -pop culture that has been tailored just 00:20:51.059 --> 00:20:53.480 for us and maybe a few of our family members 00:20:53.480 --> 00:20:56.490 and friends. Those are some fascinating predictions, 00:20:56.589 --> 00:20:59.130 so thank you. And you know, listening to you 00:20:59.130 --> 00:21:01.529 all, it strikes me that while the technology, 00:21:01.569 --> 00:21:03.869 the fashion, and the slang change dramatically, 00:21:04.150 --> 00:21:07.869 the core human need for stories, for music, and 00:21:07.869 --> 00:21:10.589 for connection hasn't changed at all. We've just 00:21:10.589 --> 00:21:13.690 found new, faster ways to share it. And the slang 00:21:13.690 --> 00:21:16.130 is moving faster than ever. It feels like a new 00:21:16.130 --> 00:21:18.910 word pops up every week. What are some popular 00:21:18.910 --> 00:21:21.579 slang words being used right now? You will probably 00:21:21.579 --> 00:21:23.859 hear some of these words floating around the 00:21:23.859 --> 00:21:27.720 hallways here at school. Slay, drip, no cap, 00:21:27.940 --> 00:21:33.480 sus, mid, riz, spill the tea, oh my days. Wow. 00:21:33.579 --> 00:21:36.440 Okay. What a list. Yes, and I have heard some 00:21:36.440 --> 00:21:40.039 of those. I think I'm in my trying to keep up 00:21:40.039 --> 00:21:42.180 with slang error since I hang out with people 00:21:42.180 --> 00:21:45.660 your age most of the week. So thank you for enlightening 00:21:45.660 --> 00:21:48.559 me with those words. Okay, moving on. And since 00:21:48.559 --> 00:21:51.720 we are only halfway through the 2020 so far, 00:21:51.880 --> 00:21:54.759 we have only put together a top five list instead 00:21:54.759 --> 00:21:58.220 of a top 10 list. So here's the top five for 00:21:58.220 --> 00:22:01.519 the 2020s so far. That's right. It's a snapshot 00:22:01.519 --> 00:22:04.019 of a decade in motion. The top five cultural 00:22:04.019 --> 00:22:08.279 forces of the 2020 so far are five, the Y2K fashion 00:22:08.279 --> 00:22:11.500 revival, four, the Barbenheimer cinematic event, 00:22:11.680 --> 00:22:15.250 three, the global dominance of K -pop, Two, the 00:22:15.250 --> 00:22:18.470 AI platforms like ChatGPT and others. And at 00:22:18.470 --> 00:22:21.049 number one, the engine of modern culture, TikTok 00:22:21.049 --> 00:22:23.190 and Instagram. All right. Thank you for that 00:22:23.190 --> 00:22:26.390 short list for the 2020s. Just because pop culture 00:22:26.390 --> 00:22:29.230 is changing at light speed, our fundamental need 00:22:29.230 --> 00:22:31.890 to find our tribe, find our community and share 00:22:31.890 --> 00:22:34.690 our story or share something we love and appreciate 00:22:34.690 --> 00:22:37.849 with them. That's the timeless part. So thank 00:22:37.849 --> 00:22:40.309 you for letting us take you through the pop culture 00:22:40.309 --> 00:22:50.319 of the decades. And that brings us to the end 00:22:50.319 --> 00:22:52.779 of our pop culture road trip. We've gone from 00:22:52.779 --> 00:22:56.359 the 1970s to today, from making mixtapes to streaming 00:22:56.359 --> 00:22:59.299 on TikTok. And it's clear that while the technology 00:22:59.299 --> 00:23:01.980 and the trends are always changing, our need 00:23:01.980 --> 00:23:04.660 to share the things we love is timeless. A huge 00:23:04.660 --> 00:23:06.960 thank you to all our co -hosts and student guests 00:23:06.960 --> 00:23:09.779 for this episode. Be sure to subscribe to Students 00:23:09.779 --> 00:23:12.720 Incorporated wherever you get your podcasts so 00:23:12.720 --> 00:23:15.380 you don't miss our next episode. Until then, 00:23:15.400 --> 00:23:18.480 thanks for listening. And as always, this podcast 00:23:18.480 --> 00:23:20.859 would not be possible without the hard work and 00:23:20.859 --> 00:23:22.900 support of our international student production 00:23:22.900 --> 00:23:25.420 team. All music and sound effects are courtesy 00:23:25.420 --> 00:23:28.359 of Pixabay .com, a vibrant community of creatives 00:23:28.359 --> 00:23:30.980 sharing copyright -free images, videos, and music. 00:23:31.180 --> 00:23:34.220 And we are signing off until next time. We are 00:23:34.220 --> 00:23:37.359 Students Incorporated, because your voice matters.