Artemis II is unlikely to be the cultural touchstone Apollo 8 was, and that's OK

"The world of today is, of course, incredibly different from that of the 1960s, especially the landscape of media competing for public attention. Just three US television networks graced the airwaves then, compared to hundreds today and a bazillion more online through viewing options like YouTube and social media."

"The stunning 'Earthrise' photo, which poetically illustrated how humanity was all in this together, captured worldwide attention. We don't have concrete viewer numbers of the Artemis II launch, but preliminary estimates suggest the total viewership reached about 16 million people."

"Anecdotally, it also does not appear that the Artemis II launch captured the cultural zeitgeist. The launch does not seem to have been a global event."

NASA's Artemis II mission, sending four astronauts to the Moon, occurs in a vastly different media landscape than the Apollo missions. While the 1968 Apollo flight captivated a global audience, Artemis II's viewership is estimated at around 16 million, lacking the same cultural resonance. The current media environment, with numerous platforms and content creators, contrasts sharply with the limited options of the 1960s. The launch has not sparked the same widespread interest or sense of unity as the historic missions did decades ago.

Read at Ars Technica