A decade after BuzzFeed's viral post about The Dress divided opinions on its colors, the article reflects on the cultural impact and nostalgic significance of this moment. It emphasizes how the landscape of media and social discourse has transformed since 2015. The Dress sparked intense debate and engagement, which seems unlikely in today's more fragmented online environment. Nostalgia is felt for that time as a simpler pre-COVID-19 era when social media fostered joy. The article suggests that the discourse around internet culture has evolved, with a need for media to connect with audiences meaningfully.
It could never happen today. The reason why says something dire for media, and for all of us in These Our Times.
I can still summon my stubbornly strong opinion on the matter (black and blue all the way) more readily than I can recall any subsequent reporting that explained the divide.
It was, forgive me, a 'simpler time': pre-COVID-19, pre-Donald Trump and 'fake news'; when social media was still a largely collective and occasionally more joyful place.
Collection
[
|
...
]