TikTok is full of bad takes. Gen Z can’t stop watching.

After the release of Taylor Swift's The life of a showgirlTikTok had some expectedly strong takes.

A popular TikTok claims that Swift's album is a “case study of moral breakdown” filled with texts that demonstrate “pathological self-involvement” and “the absence of self-identity.” The user's tone is confident, but his analysis is largely speculative. Another TikTok explains how the public is doing Swift perceived through her whiteness. The argument equally lacks rigor and contains some ahistorical claims. The video still received over 7 million views and tens of thousands of approving comments.

Outside of Swift's release schedule, this kind of critical analysis is everywhere. The TikToker speaks directly into the camera and explains the latest Pop star, reality show, Cheating scandalor fashion trend. Sometimes they examine the object or phenomenon itself. In other cases, they relate it to society as a whole. They often use TikTok's green screen tool, floating photos and text above their heads, which they rely on to gain authority.

Cultural commentary on TikTok is neither new nor is it always bad. Many critics, academics and other experts are now enjoying great popularity on the app. Still, it is troubling to see this kind of in-depth analysis being overtaken by someone with a strong voice and an academic vocabulary. The feigned authority can contribute to this spread from Misinformation on TikTok and other platforms. Meanwhile, professional critics are losing their jobs at mainstream publications as a climate of fear stemming from the Trump administration has made the job riskier. After Charlie Kirk's death a The Washington Post columnist was fired for discussing his history of racist comments.

Still, the rise of the armchair TikTok critic shows that Generation Z wants to help understand the world — but they don't necessarily read a newspaper to do so. Instead, they devour recordings of random strangers on an entertainment app, along with Brain Rot content and lip sync videos. But why?

It seems that Generation Z is increasingly aware that they are stuck in the social media rat race. If they can't stop scrolling, they might as well make the most of it and learn something, even if that's not necessarily rigorous or true.

On TikTok, the commentary is mostly vibes

In many ways, the genre of cultural commentary on TikTok is just a shortened form of the video essays that have been popular on YouTube for years. As Terry Nyugen previously wrote for Vox, these are Long-form videos began to flourish in 2012 when the platform began prioritizing watch time over views in its search engine. And they remain an important source of hours spent on the site. Popular accounts like Natalie Wynn (aka Counterpoints), Mina Le, Lindsay Ellis, Every frame a paintingAnd the nerdwriter regularly receives millions of views for her hours-long, deep insights into cultural phenomena. Among the more well-researched analyzes you will also find a lot of misinformation, unfounded gossip and generally bad views, e.g Covid conspiracy videos or delve deeply into it Hailey Bieber's alleged stalking.

According to Jamie Cohen, a professor of media studies at Queens College CUNY in New York, it was only natural that internet users would carry this “I'm here to learn” attitude onto TikTok. One reason for this shift, he says, was the timing of the app's rise “as everyone moved to online learning during the pandemic.” However, some aspects of YouTube that make it such a successful platform for publishing in-depth explanations don't exactly translate to TikTok's bite-sized format. YouTube's more formal, “big-screen” presentation creates more of an incentive for video essayists to show off their work by reading out full quotes or elaborating on supporting materials. However, on TikTok, facts and ideas are often quickly summarized and compiled to make a quick, succinct statement.

“The format of analysis videos on YouTube is much more like essays, whereas TikTok is about design and layering,” Cohen said. “The green screen tactic is good, but it always ends up pointing at things instead of explaining them.”

Another disadvantage of TikTok commentary is that it is not necessarily intended to spark curiosity or further research. Nikita Walia, a brand strategist and author who specializes in cultural studies, semiotics and media theory, says that the app's best developers “inspire further exploration” in their cultural analysis, but that “the format itself rewards closure, quick understandings and clear answers.” [and] moral certainty.”

“The result is that ideas become aesthetic objects meant to be consumed rather than wrestled with,” Walia said. “What once invited dialogue now functions as a display.”

Generation Z wants to get something out of their screen time

The fact that Generation Z wants knowledge from TikTok isn't particularly unique. Social media platforms have historically been rationalized as additional information and learning centers. In addition to long-form video essays, TED Talks and how-to videos have helped give YouTube an educational sheen. Despite the chaotic nature The app, X (formerly Twitter) is still a space for legitimate journalism and intellectual discourse, populated by prominent voices from media and politics.

However, Generation Z's complicated relationship with their phones makes this method of learning seem less voluntary and more like a response to a state of captivity. The idea that Generation Z can't get off social media is well-studied – and Most agree it's true. TikTok in particular has several addictive and time-consuming featuresfrom his Almighty prediction algorithm for the Shortness of his videoswhich can distort time. Perhaps unsurprisingly, it's young people who dominate TikTok's user base read less than previous generations.

“People want to feel like their time online has meaning, and in some ways it does,” Walia said. “However, even the most intelligent content must follow the same algorithmic rules that favor speed and stimulation over reflection.”

TikTok has also simply become the main source of news for many people. According to a study As the Pew Research Center published in January, 52 percent of TikTok users, which corresponds 17 percent of all adults in the United Statessay that they regularly receive news on the website. However, journalists only make up a tiny percentage – only 0.4 percent – the accounts that TikTok users follow.

While it's easy to accuse Gen Z of not being more educated or curious beyond what they see on TikTok, Walia says individuals shouldn't be blamed for listening to everything passionate “thought leaders” find on their timeline. “There are simply no incentives to engage in intensive self-study, and higher education is increasingly inaccessible,” Walia said.

Cohen, the CUNY professor, still sees a desire to learn in his students, who constantly refer to these cultural commentary videos, and in Generation Z as a whole. He says TikTok is a place where they can “get supporting material that isn't covered but that they're curious about.” This is particularly important at a time when university campuses are under construction Goal of the administration for conveying certain policies and forced to censor ideas.

“The world itself makes them feel disenfranchised,” Cohen said. “It doesn’t give them power, so they want to be educated.” Above all, Cohen added, “they don’t want to feel left behind.”