Sabrina Carpenter’s new album pushes predictable buttons, why Gen Alpha loves throwing up peace signs, and why some people think online age verification is a dangerous idea. But first:
Song of the Week – “Dead Dance,” Lady Gaga
“Dead Dance” is flooding TikTok feeds. The jerky, zombie-like choreography is creepy, campy, and just simple enough for teens (and parents brave enough to try) to copy. The song (and its music video) dropped on September 3 alongside the second half of Wednesday’s second season. In the music video, Tim Burton’s gothic imagination meets Gaga’s creative, unconventional, and often controversial artistry. Some parents may find the visuals unsettling, but for most teens, the trend is seen as playful more than dark. Gaga has described the track as being about the way friendship and community can bring us back to life after heartbreak.
And now for our three conversations…
1. In “Tears”
What it is: Sabrina Carpenter’s new album, Man’s Best Friend, has debuted at #1 on the Billboard chart on the heels of a controversial VMA performance of her newest single, “Tears.”
Why she’s drawing backlash: In the lead-up to this album release, Carpenter received negative attention from both conservative critics and even some of her less conservative fans. The singer continues to denigrate men with her lyrics while embracing a flippant, disengaged attitude toward sex, romantic love, and even her own heartbreak. “Tears” sees Sabrina setting the bar so low for men, it’s on the ground, as she begs potential partners to just be nice, do the dishes, and set up IKEA furniture. It doesn’t play well when you’re obviously courting the male gaze while also making a show of humiliating men for looking—but it is, apparently, a winning recipe for churning out trending TikTok sounds.
Continue the conversation: Do you think the girls you know have fair standards for guys they want to go out with?
2. Throwing Hands
What it is: Gen Alpha loves to throw up the 70s-era “peace sign” pose in photos.
Why it’s not that deep: In decades past, the extended index and middle finger were associated with victory over the Nazis. Later, it came to be known as an anti-war gesture, and later still, it became popular in Japan, particularly in anime culture. But for kids born between 2010 and 2025, the gesture has become simply a pose—something to do with their hands akin to saying “cheese” for the camera. Gen Alpha doesn’t seem to be giving a lot of thought to throwing up the “V-sign” in a casual selfie or a photo with friends; they may long for world peace, but they mostly just use the sign because they think it looks cute.
Continue the conversation: What do you like about how you look in photos?
3. Apparently, Age Verification Is Controversial
What it is: As more and more online platforms roll out age verification policies, some adults are becoming afraid of what it might mean to lose anonymity online.
Why it’s unfortunate: By the end of Smartphone September, 25 states in the U.S. will have enacted online age verification policies, largely aimed at preventing children from accessing high-definition videos of hardcore pornography. While this seems like a goal most reasonable people could get behind, actual identity verification means that everyone would have to verify ID, and many adults would prefer their online actions not be linked with their actual identity. The internet should be unaccountable and anonymous by default, some seem to think. So where does this idea come from, and what exactly is the counterargument?
Let’s translate this one further…
My great aunt Shirley passed away last week. She was 93. At the graveside service, as we took a minute to reflect on cherished memories, I thought back to a conversation in which I jokingly suggested that she should leave an anonymous comment about something that had frustrated her.
“Oh no,” she immediately said to me. “You never say something you can’t put your name to.”
It was morally obvious to her that every one of us should only say and do what we would be willing to be publicly associated with. That we should resist the temptation to fragment our identities into who we are when people are looking versus when they aren’t, and should all strive to live fully integrated lives.
It was with this memory in mind that I opened culture writer Taylor Lorenz’s Substack, User Mag, which posted an article called “We must fight age verification with all we have.” The writers condemn age verification as “safety theater,” and their argument claims that “such requirements erode anonymity on the internet, a huge pillarstone of what allows free expression to flourish online.”
I simultaneously wanted to laugh and roll my eyes all the way out of their sockets. Anonymous expression typically flourishes online the same way it flourishes on the inside of bathroom stalls.
And yet, there is more complexity in this conversation. As an article from TechCrunch points out, “In places where people can be prosecuted for political speech, anonymity is vital to allow people to meaningfully discuss current events and critique those in power without fear of retribution.”
I’m not convinced that efforts to restrict minors from accessing online pornography would do more harm than good. But I do wonder about the unintended consequences of losing online anonymity. Then again, thinking about Aunt Shirley’s response, I wonder if a future without presumed anonymity could mean more moral courage. What would that mean for our society?
If we want the next generation to be the same when people are looking versus when they aren’t, we also have to pursue and cultivate that same sort of personal integrity. In the end, we cannot transmit something we don’t have ourselves.
Continue the conversation:
- If you had kids of your own, what would you think about online age verification?
- Do you think it’s possible to be completely the same no matter who you’re with?
- What do you think it means to have moral courage?
For more context and nuance, check out our Roundtable podcast on Spotify, Apple, Amazon Music, or wherever you listen to podcasts. On your way out, here’s a quick survey of some of the rest of the cultural landscape:
- This week, Apple announced the next generation of iPhone, as well as new Airpods that feature live language translation.
- Ariana Grande is opting not to use dynamic pricing for her upcoming shows, ensuring tickets remain the same price regardless of demand.
- MTV’s Video Music Awards happened this week, with Lady Gaga winning “Artist of the Year.”
- AI videos stylized like video game cutscenes (specifically Final Fantasy) are being created to bring “Bible stories to life like no one’s ever seen before.”
- “Ranch Style,” i.e. fashion that focuses on looking like you work or live on a ranch, may be the hottest fashion trend in the upcoming months.
Parenting together,
Evan Barber and the Axis Team
PS: Know someone who could use our conversation starters with their teens? Share the CT with a friend!