An Evidence-Based Look at Cancel Culture
An evidence-based examination of cancel culture — the psychology of online pile-ons, digital permanence, the proportionality problem, and what...
All Society Trends in Culture
A complete A–Z index of every Society Trends article on When Notes Fly, part of our Culture coverage. New to the topic? Start with the foundational explainers, then move on to case studies and applied frameworks. Returning for something specific? Use the list below to jump straight to it.
For the latest pieces newest-first, see the Society Trends section. For related ideas across the section, see the Culture archive. How we research and review articles: editorial standards.
Browse All Society Trends Articles
Exploring the Global Loneliness Crisis
A deep dive into the global loneliness crisis: what the science says, why social media makes it worse, and what actually works to rebuild human...
The $250 Billion Creator Economy Unpacked
How a $250 billion economy built by individual creators emerged from YouTube, TikTok, Substack, and Patreon — who succeeds, what the burnout...
The Psychology Behind Cult Followings
Cults recruit the curious, the grieving, and the idealistic. Explore Robert Lifton's thought reform criteria, the BITE model, love bombing, and the...
Understanding the Decline in Institutional Trust
An in-depth look at why trust in governments, media, science, and corporations is declining worldwide — what the Edelman data shows, and what...
What Is Hustle Culture and Why It Is Failing
Hustle culture promised that overwork was the path to success. Now the research, the burnout epidemic, and Gen Z are all pushing back.
Why Do Smart People Believe Conspiracy Theories?
Why do intelligent people believe conspiracy theories? Explore proportionality bias, epistemic anxiety, Jan-Willem van Prooijen's research, gateway...