Ah, 2024: the yr we debated pronounce “hawk tuah,” contemplated the well being advantages of consuming rocks, and held area for a Broadway showstopper. It was a yr when the discourse may really feel shockingly pure and joyful — a minimum of for a couple of minutes, earlier than all of us got here tumbling again right down to actuality.
Online tradition was extra inescapable than ever this yr, however the place and the way we engaged with that tradition turned more and more fragmented. So listed below are the eight viral, much-memed moments that captured the yr for me — however be happy to let me know what I missed!
A Willy Wonka expertise turns bitter
An group calling itself the House of Illuminati promised a magical, Willy Wonka-themed expertise, with AI-generated fliers promoting all the pieces from “Encherining Entertainment” to an “Imagnation Lab” [sic]. The actuality proved a bit much less enchanting — mainly, only a sparsely embellished Glasgow warehouse. But whereas the expertise might have been a letdown for anybody who really paid for a ticket, it offered a seemingly endless supply of bleakly hilarious photographs for on-line posters.
Google decides it’s wholesome to eat rocks
AI-generated content material actually moved to the highest of our search outcomes, with Google pushing an AI Overviews function that proved lower than completely dependable. Some of the outcomes that went viral within the first few days after launch included directions so as to add glue to pizza, stare into the solar for as much as half an hour, and eat one small rock per day. And whereas Google shortly eliminated essentially the most high-profile of the groan-worthy outcomes, the debacle illustrated how dumb an AI-centric future may really be.
The web celebrates “Brat” summer time
More than simply an album, Charli XCX’s “Brat” was a vibe, outlined by lime inexperienced and a celebration of being (within the artist’s phrases) “that woman who’s a little bit messy and likes to celebration and possibly says some dumb issues generally.” If that sounds a bit obscure, don’t fear about it: “It’s brat. You’re brat. That’s brat.” For a quick, shining second, even Kamala Harris was brat.
The Olympics are enjoyable once more
The 2020 Summer Olympics occurred within the shadow of a pandemic (the video games didn’t even occur till 2021), however this yr’s occasion marked a return to pleasant kind. For American viewers, it helped that streaming service Peacock found out showcase the occasion’s wonderful selection. There have been genuinely heartwarming moments, like Celine Dion’s efficiency of an Edith Piaf traditional, however the web’s true heroes have been extra offbeat, from the unflappability of Turkish shooter Yusuf Dikec to the wild strikes of Australian breakdancer Raygun.
Moo Deng bites her approach into our hearts
With a reputation which means “bouncy pork,” this pygmy hippopotamus shortly turned, in accordance with a “Today Show” host, the “hottest new ‘It woman’ on the planet.” Footage of Moo Deng dwelling her life in Thailand’s Khao Kheow Open Zoo took over the web, because of her diminutive dimension, her feisty-but-harmless bites, and her cute screams. Of course, even one thing as seemingly pure and pleasant as a cute child hippo had its darkish aspect, because the zoo needed to take care of vacationers throwing issues at poor Moo Deng.
The stars of “Wicked” maintain area and fingers
“Wicked” was in all places this fall, as a large advertising and marketing push turned the movie into the highest-grossing Broadway adaptation ever. But the largest second from the marketing campaign was emphatically unscripted, with stars Cynthia Erivo and Ariana Grande seemingly overwhelmed when a journalist advised them “individuals are taking the lyrics to ‘Defying Gravity’ and actually holding area with that” — creating the unforgettable picture of Grande reaching over and clutching one among Erivo’s fingers.
The “Hawk Tuah woman” monetizes her quarter-hour of fame
2024’s most 2024 superstar was Hailey Welch, a younger girl who turned well-known for her colourful reply to the query, “What’s one transfer in mattress that makes a person go loopy each time?” Welch determined to capitalize on her notoriety by promoting merch, beginning a podcast, and even launching the “HAWK” memecoin. That final half ended badly, with nearly all of tokens offered off in what seems to be a traditional crypto rug pull. (Welch has denied any wrongdoing.)
Bluesky goes from open supply underdog to severe social media competitor
Bluesky opened to the general public in February, and some months after creating an preliminary identification as a scrappy, leftist various to X, it shot to the highest of the app charts — first in Brazil (the place X was briefly banned), then within the United States (after Donald Trump gained the presidential election with backing from X proprietor Elon Musk). This, maybe inevitably, led to hand-wringing assume items about liberal echo chambers, in addition to questions on how Bluesky’s newfound reputation may dilute its good vibes and wonderful weirdness.
