Slate Daily Feed ICYMI - Our Year of Brain Rot and Tech Dystopia
Dec 27, 2025
In a deep dive into 2025's internet landscape, Kat Tenbarge, an internet-culture writer known for her insights on viral trends, joins host Kate Lindsay. They tackle the themes of brain rot, surveillance, and big tech dystopia. From the confusing 6-7 Gen Alpha meme to the fallout of the Astronomer CEO's kiss-cam moment, the conversation explores the dark side of viral fame. They also debate the TikTok ban saga and reflect on the cultural implications of radicalized online movements, emphasizing the urgent need to reclaim attention and prioritize offline life.
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Meaningless Slang As Cultural Glue
- '6-7' exemplifies Gen Alpha's meaningless, shared shitpost language that spreads as a cultural signal.
- Kate Lindsay says its emptiness is precisely why it functions as a shared generational joke.
Memes Crossing Into Real Violence
- The Charlie Kirk assassination revealed how niche internet culture and meme language can surface in real-world political violence.
- Kate Lindsay highlights that the incident feels 'unserious' because attackers used trolling language etched on bullets.
Kiss-Cam Turned Career Crisis
- The Astronomer CEO kiss-cam clip went viral after a concert in Boston and transformed two private people's lives overnight.
- Kristen Cabot later told the New York Times the exposure cost her professionally and led to death threats and phone doxxing.