Source: Fortune
Summary
The term “monoculture” is being used to describe two opposing anxieties in modern culture: the decline of shared cultural experiences and the rise of a uniform, algorithm-driven aesthetic. The word originated in agriculture, referring to the practice of planting a single crop across a large area, and was later adopted in cultural criticism to describe the dominance of a few media outlets and the homogenization of culture. However, some people are now using the term to lament the loss of shared cultural experiences, while others are concerned about the flattening of individuality. Researchers have found that people balance two competing desires: the desire to belong to a group and the desire to express something distinct about oneself.
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The strategy enters a familiar phase.
The term “monoculture” is being used to describe a tension between the desire for shared cultural experiences and the desire for individuality. The word has evolved from its agricultural origins to describe the dominance of a few media outlets and the homogenization of culture. However, the term is now being used in opposing ways, with some people lamenting the loss of shared cultural experiences and others concerned about the flattening of individuality. The use of the term reveals a deeper anxiety about the relationship between individuals and the larger culture. The word “monoculture” cannot quite capture the complexity of cultural experience, particularly the way that shared cultural moments can be interpreted in different ways by different people.
Author: Evan Null
