Jim Carrey reacts to being called a clone, what parents should know about the new Resident Evil video game, and why people are still talking about Alysa Liu’s Olympic performance. But first:
Slang of the Week: Moving in silence
The slang term “moving in silence” refers to keeping a personal project to yourself until it becomes big or successful. Rather than announcing your big plans at the outset—for example, the fact that you’re starting a new workout plan, or a beginning new creative project—the idea of “moving in silence” refers to keeping your cards close to your chest, at least at first. Internet culture deeply values disclosure and authenticity, so keeping something to yourself for a time can be understood as a statement.
And now for our three conversations..
1. The Dead Abides
What it is: Resident Evil: Requiem, the ninth installment in the popular video game franchise, was released last week to high acclaim and high numbers of players.
What parents should know: Like earlier games in the series, Requiem features two protagonists: newcomer Grace Ashcroft and returning fan-favorite Leon Kennedy. When you play as Grace, you spend your time hiding from grotesque monsters and trapped in a mysterious, maze-like hospital. Leon’s sections are more action-focused, as you roundhouse kick zombies and ride motorcycles. The dichotomy between the sections is a recipe for gripping tension and satisfying resolution as you transition from frightened to powerful. That being said, the game is rated M for blood, gore, intense violence, and strong language; standard for horror, but making it hard to recommend and worth knowing about if your teen is curious.
Continue the conversation: What’s a video game world you’d like to live in?
2. The Mask?
What it is: Last week, Jim Carrey accepted the Honorary César Award at the César Awards ceremony. In addition to the fact that he gave a full speech in French, he looked just different enough that a portion of the internet felt sure they were seeing a Jim Carrey clone or impersonator.
Why it’s bizarre: First things first: clones definitely do not exist. But for years, conspiracy theories have abounded that major celebrities and political figures, such as Kanye West, Katy Perry, Joe Biden, and Hillary Clinton, died long ago and have since been replaced by clones for nefarious reasons. Adding to the confusion, a makeup artist named Alexis Stone suggested that he, himself, had stepped on stage in a face mask, pretended to be Jim Carrey, and accepted the award. Carrey’s team denied all this, and described his mental state this way: “Jim is sad. Not because people are questioning or making fun of his appearance, he’s not worried about that at all. Rather, he is sad that people are stupid.”
Continue the conversation: What’s your favorite conspiracy theory?
3. The Struggle is Real
What it is: As buzz about the Milan-Cortina Olympics begins to fade, women’s figure skating gold medalist Alysa Liu continues to have a viral moment.
Why she’s resonating with young people: Very rarely do we see an athlete triumph for putting artistry first. But at the end of a journey that included quitting the sport at age 16 and taking a two-year hiatus, Liu’s winning free skate performance was praised for fusing joy and beauty with technical prowess. With tree-inspired vertical streaks of bleach in her hair and a frenulum piercing she did herself, it’s easy to read Liu’s appearance on the ice as an act of rebellion in a sport marked by red lipstick and ballerina buns. But getting to the gold required more than rebellion—it demanded resilience. And Liu hasn’t shied away from struggle. In fact, she told 60 Minutes, “I love struggling, actually. It makes me feel alive.”
Let’s translate this one further…
In Surprised by Joy, C.S. Lewis wrote that earthly joy isn’t something we can permanently possess, but “a desire for something longer ago or further away or still about to be.” This quote rose to mind as I watched Alysa Liu’s exhibition performance of “Stateside” by Pink Pantheress and Zara Larsson alongside my four-year-old daughter. Before the two-and-a-half-minute skate was over, my daughter was bopping around the kitchen doing her own improvised toe loops and begging to go to the ice rink. It looked like Liu was owning joy. But what she was doing was giving it away.
Watching that performance also reminded me of the KPop Demon Hunters song, “Golden,” performed by HUNTR/X. Rumi sings, “No more hiding / I’ll be shining / like I’m born to be.” The lyrics point to the idea that to reach our full potential, we have to confront shame, doubt, and our true selves. Then, through self-acceptance, we can reach the height of our powers—athletic, artistic, or otherwise. This seems to resonate with Gen Z and Gen Alpha, in particular. And to some, Liu’s story of quitting, reckoning, and returning is the perfect embodiment of it.
But the journey towards an infectious, transferable joy—the magnetic kind that transfixes and inspires—demands so much more than self-love. It’s an ongoing conversion of our energy into something fit to give away, and that conversion often feels hard. That’s why I love Liu’s comment about embracing the way struggle makes her feel. It turns “I have to do this” into “I get to do this,” and that makes all the difference.
We can’t all be gold medalist figure skaters, but we can represent a sanctified, riotous joy in our everyday lives—a longing for Heaven, which Jesus promised He would fulfill, and an easy yoke and a light burden on the way there.
For more context and nuance, check out our Roundtable podcast on Spotify, Apple, YouTube, or wherever you listen to podcasts. In the meantime, here are three questions to help you continue the conversation with your teens:
- What’s something you do that makes you feel alive?
- Imagine you could choose any sport and excel in it. What would you choose?
- When do you feel the most proud of yourself?
Parenting together,
Kate Watson and the Axis Team
In Other News…
- Early reviews for the new game Pokémon Pokopia have been enthusiastic, with critics comparing it to a blend of Minecraft creative mode and Animal Crossing’s relaxed village life. The game focuses more on building and exploration than traditional Pokémon battles.
- Apple is stepping into the budget laptop market with the new $599 MacBook Neo. The price places it much closer to the Chromebooks and Windows laptops that many schools recommend for students.
- Rumors that Zendaya and Tom Holland secretly got married started after Zendaya’s stylist casually told reporters the wedding had “already happened.” The couple hasn’t confirmed anything, but fans online are already in full detective mode.
- About 40% of Gen Z and millennials say spiritual advice from AI can be just as trustworthy as advice from a pastor, according to a recent survey by Barna and tech platform Gloo. Many young adults say they already use AI tools for prayer, Bible study, and spiritual questions.
- Energy drinks were once marketed almost entirely to young men, with branding tied to extreme sports and masculinity. Now companies are launching pastel-colored cans and fruitier flavors aimed at women, including cotton candy, which is delicious at a carnival and deeply questionable as a beverage.
PS: Know someone who could use our conversation starters with their teens? Share the CT with a friend!