For the first time, games for all four major sports leagues happened on the same night, breakup songs are going viral on TikTok, and a Gen Z competitor is winning hearts in the Great British Baking Show. But first:
Song of the Week: Tyler, The Creator, “St. Chroma”
The first track on Tyler, The Creator’s new album CHROMAKOPIA introduces Saint Chroma, an alter ego of the experimental hip-hop artist who serves as the album’s main character. The song has a spiritual feel with a call-response section, whispered rap verses, a back-up choir, and a smooth, gospel-sounding chorus sung by R&B artist Daniel Caesar. The lyrics are about recognizing your own light, shutting out detractors, and obeying your own creative instincts. They also contain some strong language. Full lyrics are here (language).
Three Conversations
1. Baking Brits
What it is: Dylan Bachelet, Gen Zer contestant on The Great British Baking Show, is being called “The Captain Jack Sparrow of Baking” and compared to the Dread Pirate Roberts online.
Why it’s pretty accurate: The Great British Baking Show is a long-running reality show where bakers of all ages and backgrounds compete for ultimate glory. For many, the show is like watchable comfort food, and the antics of co-host Noel Fielding (who once played scaly manfish Old Gregg) are by turns hilarious and absurd. The 12th season is halfway over as of today, and Bachelet is still fighting his way to the top. Viewers appreciate his creativity, humility, and pirate-adjacent sense of style—as well as how his unique blend of culinary influences (with an Indian mom, a Japanese-Belgian dad, and a gap year spent enjoying Southeast Asian cuisine) continues to impress the judges.
Continue the conversation: Do shows like The Great British Baking Show ever make you want to try something in the kitchen?
2. Peak Sports
What it is: As the NBA and NHL seasons wax, the MLB season wanes, and the NFL season reaches its zenith, sports fans were treated to a rare “Sports Equinox” this past Monday. All four major American sports leagues had games.
Why it’s bigger than just Monday: 2024 has been a banner year for cultural conversations around sports. Taylor Swift and Travis Kelce’s relationship drew massive amounts of attention to the Kansas City Chiefs and their Super Bowl win, the summer Olympics provided two solid weeks of entertainment and memes, Caitlin Clark brought fresh attention to the WNBA, MLB stars Shohei Ohtani and Aaron Judge met in the World Series, and father and son Lebron and Bronny James made NBA history by sharing the court together. Even if leagues like the NFL aren’t as popular with teens as they once were, for many, sports continue to provide interesting storylines, intense competition, and inspiration for their own athletic exploits.
Continue the conversation: What’s a sports highlight that sticks out in your mind from this year?
3. Crying for the Camera
What it is: Breaking up is hard to do, but good for views—as many creators (language) are finding with their breakup posts going viral.
Why it’s not so baffling: Writer Nora Ephron coined the phrase “everything is copy” to mean that any life experience, no matter how mundane or disappointing, could be recast into relatable, bankable writing inspiration. In 2024, the same adage could be adapted with a slight revision: Everything is content. The impulse to write a tongue-in-cheek song about an awful ex, or present an emotional breakup as a lively story for others’ entertainment, might be hard for parents and grandparents to grasp. But when creators share the gritty details of their romantic trials in a public forum, they reclaim some of their agency. And while they may profit from their content getting attention, they may also have to keep reliving their rejection until the internet moves on.
Let’s translate this one further…
In his 2019 comedy special, Sebastian Maniscalco brings up modern attitudes towards antidepressants and therapy and contrasts them with his father’s boast: “I’ve been depressed for 30 years!” To previous generations that took pride in taking their pain to the grave, publicly sharing details about a painful breakup probably seems outrageous—maybe even indecent. In many ways today, social media has fostered a total pendulum swing away from the reluctance to share, and into mass disclosure.
When we share our most painful moments on the world’s stage, a few things can happen. First, we can expose ourselves to the criticism of people who care nothing for us. Second, we may discover a level of fame we weren’t prepared for. But third, by our gesture of vulnerability, we may be able to help others make sense of their own life stories and experiences.
In his book The Wounded Healer, author Henri Nouwen argued that, “[R]eal martyrdom means a witness that starts with the willingness to cry with those who cry, laugh with those who laugh, and to make one’s own painful and joyful experiences available as sources of clarification and understanding.” In a sense, this is exactly what content creators like Spritely (language) are doing by turning painful breakups into internet content. Others who’ve gone through similar relational issues may find posts like hers online, and feel less alone.
Turning pain into art has always been one of the ways people deal with it. But in an age when so many of us are now quicker to share our story with a sea of digital usernames than to open up to someone in person who could offer a hug, we should remember that pain is often best processed in community. As the Apostle Paul puts it in Galatians 6:2, “Carry each other’s burdens, and in this way you will fulfill the law of Christ.”
For more context and nuance, check out our Monday Roundtable on Spotify or Apple. In the meantime, here are three questions to spark conversation with your teens:
Continue the conversation:- What’s the difference between sharing and oversharing?
- What’s a healthy amount of sharing online?
- Who’s someone you trust to help carry your burdens?
Parenting together,
The Axis Team
PS: Know someone who could use our conversation starters with their teens? Share the CT with a friend!