The Weekly Digest: March 30th - April 6th
Let's chat consumer culture.
Welcome to the Weekly Digest—a bite-sized breakdown of everything that shaped consumer culture over the past seven days. From viral product launches to shifting shopping habits, we’re diving into the trends, controversies, and conversations that defined the week.
Let’s Digest!
1 - The Cost of Looking Good
This week Trump’s “Liberation Day Tariffs” went into effect - causing the world to enter a frenzy. Whether you were focused on the NASDAQ entering its “flop era” or the projected price hikes of your beloved Korean sunscreen, or even cost of groceries — this was at the forefront of your mind. We discussed this on Consumer Digest a few weeks ago, highlighting the impacts on fashion, trade and consumption.
Here are a few additional Substack’s that touch on the impacts and or reasons for the tariffs— all from different perspectives and areas of expertise.
Consumer Digest
2 - Let’s Chat Adolescence
I’ll do this one with no spoilers, just reflections and thoughts.
Adolescence, a Netflix series, has taken up space in many minds since it’s release. The story being one of the most important to watch, especially if you have kids or young people you care about. I included it in todays Weekly Digest, not to recap the story or the opportune timing of its release but rather to discuss my reverence for the topics it has shed light on. It has had me and the world thinking — How much control do you really have when raising kids in the age of the internet?
Bad influences used to be external — a kid at school, someone down the block, a sketchy older cousin. There was comfort in knowing that if your child was home, they were safe. But in 2025, that illusion has cracked.
Because the internet is the silent intruder — and it’s inside the house, you are co-parenting your child with the internet.
The internet doesn’t knock on the door. It doesn’t need a ride. It doesn’t sleep. It exists as a digital society where your child can interact with anyone, anywhere, at any time, without your permission or even your awareness.
No geography. No gatekeeping. Just infinite access.
And with that access comes influence… rapid, unfiltered, and relentless.
Once upon a time, a “bad influence” had limited reach. Now? They have followers. Algorithms. Global platforms. Like Andrew Tate. There’s no physical world where he could walk into a school and speak to millions of boys. But online? He doesn’t have to walk in. He’s already there.
This is why I’ve come to believe that the internet is not a metaphorical space — it is, quite literally, a real place. And that place shapes the way we see ourselves, each other, and the world. This is why I discuss consumption on Consumer Digest in an all encompassing way — we are what we eat. Consumption shouldn’t be limited to food or just products, but to talk about content. Because just like food, what we consume digitally impacts our health — emotional, mental, social, and cultural.
If we binge on toxic content, we grow toxic ideas.
If we feed on division, we become divided.
The more we consume media that stokes hate, fear, and misunderstanding, the more fractured our physical world becomes.
So when the internet is discussed as “just online,” I say no — the internet is very real. And if we’re not paying attention to what we (and kids) are consuming in that space, we’re not really paying attention at all.
3 - Costco!
Okay! So this week on Consumer Digest we discussed shifts in consumer habits as a result of the death of DEI. There’s an evolving relationship between corporate values and consumer behavior, especially in the wake of the so-called "death of DEI" (Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion).
Back in February, several major retailers faced organized boycotts as consumers voiced their dissatisfaction with companies perceived to be backing away from DEI commitments. One of the most high-profile examples? Target.
Following backlash, Target saw a clear decline in foot traffic, revenue, and even stock performance. The message from consumers: silence or rollback on inclusion comes with a price.
On the flip side? Costco.
While many companies were quietly walking back DEI pledges, Costco doubled down — affirming their long-standing commitment to diversity, equity, and inclusion, and publicly rejecting efforts to reverse progress.
The result? An increase in foot traffic and strong consumer engagement. Unlike Target, Costco reaped the benefits of standing firm in their values.It’s clear that these shifts are a reaction to what these companies stand for and it’s energizes to see the impacts of consumer power.
4- The Loch Ness Media Monster
For years, conservatives have warned of the elusive beast they call the “mainstream media.” But a new report from Media Matters for America suggests that monster might be looking at itself in the mirror.
They analyzed the 320 most viewed media channels.
191 of them lean right.
Collectively? They pull in nearly 500 million followers.
Reminder: the U.S. population is 320 million
So... who’s really the mainstream now?
Is social media building right-wing pipelines?
The platforms with the most reach often don’t wear a political label. They’re just “entertainment.” But over time, that entertainment starts shifting worldviews… subtly, then overtly.
Joe Rogan didn’t start as political. It was just him talking to whoever — a scientist one day, a UFC fighter the next. But now? He’s interviewing Trump and endorsing presidential candidates.
Jordan Peterson started with self-help. Now he’s one of the loudest conservative voices on the internet.
People don’t always seek out politics. They seek connection, inspiration, entertainment and somewhere along the way, the algorithm serves up ideology.
There’s a question worth exploring: What drives media consumption patterns and how does social media shape them?
It’s possible that disparities in media leanings reflect differences in content diets. Conservatives may focus more on political content, while liberals often consume a wider mix — politics, sure, but also lifestyle, food, wellness, culture, fashion, etc. It’s not necessarily that liberals aren’t politically engaged, but their media intake might be less concentrated in political content alone.
On top of that, the most successful media platforms aren’t always labeled as political… and that’s a huge factor. They present as entertainment first, while quietly shaping ideology.
This also raises a broader cultural question: Are conservatives more unified in their values and messaging than liberals? Recent elections suggest that right-leaning voters tend to align more consistently on policy and ideology. Meanwhile, the left appears more ideologically diverse, fragmented across issues like climate, identity, capitalism, and social justice.
This ideological cohesion on the right may make it easier to create viral, consensus-driven media, especially in an algorithm-driven ecosystem that rewards engagement, outrage, and clarity.
So what does that tell us?
That the so-called “mainstream media,” the Loch Ness Monster that conservatives love to mythologize, might actually be... them.
5 - The Man from New Jersey
It would be completely wrong to wrap this weeks Weekly Digest without discussing Senator Bookers record breaking filibuster. Booker stood for 25 hours to give a speech on the state of American politics. Surpassing South Carolina Senator Strom Thurmond’s infamous 24 hour, 18 minute filibuster. Thurmond’s speech was delivered in 1957 to oppose the Civil Rights Act — and, in a way, to oppose the very idea of someone like Booker ever holding office.
Booker’s speech, in contrast, was rooted in truth, inclusion, and education. He spoke not to delay justice, but to awaken it and he did so across platforms, with people tuning in via YouTube, TikTok, livestreams, and more.
I’ve been thinking a lot about reactionary culture versus what I call “actionary” action or doing something because you believe in it, not because it’s trending or safe.
The truth is: the moment you take meaningful action, someone who’s never tried something different will have something to say. That’s the nature of the world right now — hot takes, quick critiques, and shallow morality policing.
But we can’t let fear of public reaction be the thing that stops us from doing what’s right or even just what feels important to us.
Do the thing.
Say what matters.
Start the project.
Help the person.
Stand for something — even if you’re standing alone.
Because in a world full of reaction, real action still matters. And yours might be exactly what someone else needed to see.
Thanks for Consuming!
Phia
“Each Day Gets Better”
Thanks for including our piece. On your comments on Adolescence and the perils of raising young people in this modern era. The book "The Anxious Generation" by Jonathan Haidt underscores your observation. Parenting requires more vigilance now than ever before.