SEP 2, 2026

INSIDE: Popcorn Brain, Monoculture, and the New Watch Party.

TODAY I WILL:

Stop talking myself out of good things.

Everyone’s keeping score this week—on the court and online.

• Consider this your cheat sheet to the 2026 US Open.

• How much do influencers really owe their followers?

• The robots are coming for the knockoffs.

• Meet fashion’s newest bag obsession.

• TikTok thinks it found a new “filler in a bottle.”

Pop (!) Goes Your Attention Span

Ever sit down to watch a show, only to realize you’re also scrolling TikTok, answering a text, checking your email, and somehow looking up a restaurant you might go to three weeks from now? That scattered, constantly-switching feeling has been dubbed “popcorn brain,” when your attention keeps bouncing from one thing to the next like kernels popping.

With endless notifications, short-form videos, group chats, and approximately 47 things competing for our attention at any given moment, it makes sense that focusing on just one thing can suddenly feel difficult. The good news is you don’t need to throw your phone into the ocean to give your brain a little breathing room.

Try this today: Pick one everyday activity and make it a single-screen (or no-screen) moment. Eat lunch without scrolling, take a walk without checking your phone, or watch an entire episode without opening another app. Ten minutes of doing one thing at a time is a pretty good place to start.

The Return of the Monoculture

Rumors of the death of monoculture have been greatly exaggerated. Earlier this year, the WSJ reported that shared entertainment “is dying a rapid death” due to the specificity of our algorithms. Funnily enough, it was the WSJ that came back around to refute that claim after a summer of monoculture wins. NYC streets, cafes, bars, and parks turned into mega watch-parties for the Knicks’ championship run. The World Cup had us all texting each other about Erling Haaland’s incredible athleticism (and funny internet presence). And it doesn’t stop with sports. 

The Odyssey crossed $1 billion at the box office in its first month with people going so far as booking tickets for 7 A.M. or 3 A.M. just to get in on the action. Spider Man: Brand New Day had the biggest domestic opening ever, with a cultural impact that feels inescapable. A box office analyst says the reason is simple: People just want to feel like part of something bigger. While some of us exist on different parts of the internet than others, we’re still hoping that these shared cultural moments will hold on through fall. Avengers: Doomsday, anyone?

Your Couch Has Competition

Speaking of monoculture, watching TV is becoming a social event again. Instead of live-texting the group chat from three different apartments, people are actually meeting up to watch their favorite shows together. Bars are hosting packed watch parties for everything from Love Island USA and The Bachelor to RuPaul’s Drag Race, complete with themed drinks, hosts, and a room full of people ready to collectively lose it over whatever happens on screen.

And honestly, it makes sense. Watch parties give us an excuse to get out of the house without committing to a full-blown night out. They’re part viewing party, part happy hour, part built-in conversation starter. You already know everyone in the room has at least one thing in common with you.

There’s also something refreshingly old-school about watching something at the same time as everyone else. In the age of streaming whenever you want and scrolling alone on your phone, screaming at a TV with a room full of strangers suddenly feels like a pretty good way to spend a Tuesday night.

Set the Scene: Pick a show your group is equally obsessed with, make the snacks thematic, have everyone put their phones away, and have those group chat convos IRL.

EYEING:  An amazing exfoliating gel-cream, this hyaluronic acid-infused pillowcase, and the perfect bootcut jeans.