PARTNERSHIPS | COMMUNITY | PODCAST | FRIENDS | | | | | PRESENTED BY NIKE | | | Happy Thursday, FutureParty people. If you're over the age of 30, you may remember a little (huge) company called Enron, which went bankrupt for committing light fraud (one of the most brazen accounting frauds in business history). Despite going bankrupt two decades ago, it's back, baby… well, kind of. Enron's site has relaunched in what seems like the perfect poster of corporate blandness and platitudes. Turns out, the whole thing is a genius bit of satire from Connor Gaydos and Peter McIndoe, the duo behind the joke "Birds Aren't Real" movement. We'll be watching this one closely. |
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| | | | | | Everyone Wants Their Wicked Pic |  | Cinema concert // Still courtesy of Universal Pictures // Illustration by Kate Walker |
| The outsized popularity of Wicked has come with a wave of people whipping out their phones during the movie to get a picture or film a video… sparking a fresh debate about movie-theater etiquette. | The Big Snap: By and large, moviegoing has transformed from a casual communal activity into a once-in-a-while event. In the modern era, capturing yourself experiencing the event (filming your favorite song at a concert or even finishing an emotional book) has become just as important for social capital as simply having the experience. | Behind the Curtain: Taking out your phone at the cinema used to be taboo… but it's now becoming commonplace. | Audiences are now routinely taking out their phones to take selfies in movie-themed garb (pink for Barbie, florals for It Ends with Us), get a picture of the title screen, or even film reactions of themselves watching specific scenes to post on their socials. The worst-offending cases have posted whole scenes for viral clout… either not realizing or not caring that it's a federal offense (piracy is a real crime, folks). But it's not just about the legal consequences of in-theater phone use — it's also rude to the people who don't want their experience ruined by a stranger (whether that's in the theater or by someone posting spoilers online).
| Closing Credits: People sharing their experiences during a movie is a double-edged sword for Hollywood — it shows a genuine enthusiasm for movies but also highlights a selfishness that could deter some audience members from visiting theaters in the future. | Maybe the answer is in finding a compromise that acknowledges modern human behavior, such as putting up an Insta-friendly banner for socials right before the movie begins (like what's already done for influencer screenings) and then cracking down on phone use with zero-tolerance rules (like they do at Alamo Drafthouse). | Go Deeper: The theater-etiquette debate has even expanded to include whether it's okay for audiences to sing along during a musical. |
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| | | | | Together with Nike | | This Holiday Season Give Yourself The Gift Of Nike Air Max | | Take your footwear game to the next level this winter with Nike's Air Max collection for men. | With a diverse range of models, this collection prioritizes comfort and functionality, perfectly tailored to meet your everyday needs. | Whether you're hitting the gym or going for a casual outing, these sneakers deliver the support you crave without compromising style. | Find the perfect pair that matches your lifestyle and get ready to make a statement with every step. | Treat yourself to a fresh pair from the collection this holiday season — you deserve it. | Shop the men's Air Max collection now. |
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| | | | | Gen Z Can't Stop Swiping |  | Debt load // Illustration by Kate Walker |
| Young consumers have become a little too willing to swipe their credit cards to pay for purchases — whether to pay necessary bills or just to indulge in the finer things in life, even though they can't afford them. | Why It Hurts: Despite high inflation, consumer spending is still breaking records. That's a conundrum for economists. But it points to a vibe shift in spending habits — people putting expenditures on credit and dealing with the bills down the road. That'll likely lead to significant consequences for wealth building, social mobility, and job flexibility for the generation. | Between the Purchases: Total American credit-card debt hit $1 trillion last year… and Gen Z habits may dig that hole deeper. | TransUnion found that the average credit-card balance for people aged 22 to 24 at the end of last year was $2,834 — 26% more than millennials a decade ago at the same age. Credit Karma found that Gen Z is acquiring debt at a faster rate than any other generation, with their debt increasing by an average of 3.2% earlier this year… while millennials, Gen Xers, and baby boomers went up by 2.4%, 2%, and 1.6%. Unfortunately, Gen Z can't keep up with the payments, which is hurting their credit scores — the average Gen Z credit score dropped to 659 during Q2, while the number with "subprime" credit (below 600) increased to 33%.
| Final Bill: So, what's behind the Gen Z debt? Courtney Alev, a consumer advocate at Credit Karma, says that the generation "prioritizes fun over finances" (pandemic revenge-spending, points and rewards tied to card use) despite having "fewer earning years" to build up enough of a salary to manage that debt. But the same weight must be given to inflation, high interest rates, and the soaring cost of living. Plus, it's never been easier to access credit lines, thanks to loosening bank restrictions, digital wallets, and BNPL services. | If the trend continues, many future job decisions may be based on what makes it easiest to pay off the debt. |
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| | | | | | | Are you carrying a balance on your credit card? | | 68.9% of you voted No in yesterday's poll: Do you discover new artists on YouTube? | "Apple Music, Spotify, and Tidal all have better music discovery tools than YouTube." | "I spent a lot of time discovering new artists via YouTube when I was in high school and college, but as a working adult, most of my music listening is limited to Spotify and terrestrial radio." | "I haven't used YouTube since it was commercialized — the ads are intolerable." | "All the time! There are so many underappreciated artists." | Let's keep the conversation going. Join our Poll Of The Day newsletter so your opinions can shine. Discover how your views line up with your peers', check out cool insights, and have some fun. It's data with personality. |
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| PARTNERSHIPS | COMMUNITY | PODCAST | FRIENDS | Today's email was written by David Vendrell.
Edited by Nick Comney. Copy edited by Kait Cunniff.
Published by Darline Salazar. |
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