#27 Unboxing Nostalgia: collectibles, toys and capitalist dreams

#27 Unboxing Nostalgia: collectibles, toys and capitalist dreams

Mystery boxes, collectible plushies, $100 keychains and the infamous labubus have taken internet by a storm and counterintuitively, the target consumer isn’t children - it’s adults. In an age where life-changing milestones such as buying a property have become unattainable to an average 20-something, we turn to more accessible “luxuries” to signify our material status and give us (if only a very brief) sense of accomplishment. In this episode we explore how toys have fallen into this category of small luxuries and explore how this phenomenon reflects the current economic state and public sentiment towards wealth and material possessions. 💌  welcometoheavenpodcast@gmail.com [welcometoheavenpodcast@gmail.com] ---------------------------------------- Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy [https://acast.com/privacy] for more information.

#26 Democratisation or devaluation? The politics of fame in the age of social media

Once upon a time, fame was reserved for the few - actors, pop stars and super models graced us from the glossy pages of Cosmo and occasionally waved at us from the TV screens. Fast forward to today, your ex’s cousin just landed a brand deal for filming her morning matcha routine and a random girl from your secondary school just got invited to fashion week. Social media has democratised fame to an extent we never thought possible. The once unattainable red carpet dream seems just one step away - just keep posting often enough. So many celebs have sprung to fame that they’ve become a social class of their own, but in the age where almost anyone can have their 15 seconds of stardom, is anyone a star anymore? This week, we untangle the fame hierarchy, from Oscar-winners to TikTok queens and wonder what truly defines a celebrity. Is it about talent, taste, or just who got there first? Does democratisation equal devaluation, or is the uber-famous club so exclusive no outsider can join the vip section? Tune in to find out! 💌  welcometoheavenpodcast@gmail.com [welcometoheavenpodcast@gmail.com] ---------------------------------------- Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy [https://acast.com/privacy] for more information.

#25 Always falling behind: chasing greatness in the age of cynicism

When Timothée Chalamet proclaimed his dream of being ‘one of the greats,’ the internet swooned — but what does it even mean to want to be great? Raised on a steady diet of romcoms and Disney films our generation was promised we could be anything - our main character syndrome flourished. But somewhere between unpaid bills, unemployment crisis and the never ending online popularity contest the whole idea started to feel more like a pipe dream. In a world where success is measured in followers and selling your youth to land on the Forbes 30 under 30 list is the epitome of living your life to the fullest - is there still space for healthy greatness? This week, we peel back the pressure, unpack the privilege, and ask: what if greatness isn’t a title — but a feeling? 💌  welcometoheavenpodcast@gmail.com [welcometoheavenpodcast@gmail.com] ---------------------------------------- Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy [https://acast.com/privacy] for more information.

#24 Scrolling through chaos: the crisis of social media

There was a time when logging on social media meant, reconnecting with your online friends, sharing the sandwich you had for lunch and checking the comments on you retrica-filtered holiday photos? Today, social media is omni present, accompanying us in every moment and yet it feels more distant and impersonal than ever. In a time when one post can earn more than a year of work in an office, it is no wonder that the platforms have become a full time job for many. In this episode, we meet with Mónica, tattoo artist and foreced-to-be influencer, who relies on social media to promote her work. From Meta monopolising buying the entirety of the internet, Twitter morphing into Musk’s personal megaphone, and TikTok caught in the crosshairs of political agendas we discuss what went wrong with our beloved apps. We revisit, tumblr dashboards, the six-second fever dream that was Vine and discuss what the future holds for social media. So join us, and our guest as we ask the ultimate existential question of the internet age: if we log off, do we even exist anymore? Mónica’s socials: IG @chaotic.tattoos [https://www.instagram.com/chaotic.tattoos/] TikTok @chaotic.tattoos [https://www.tiktok.com/@chaotic.tattoos] 💌  welcometoheavenpodcast@gmail.com [welcometoheavenpodcast@gmail.com] ---------------------------------------- Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy [https://acast.com/privacy] for more information.

#23 Are women opting out on men? Exploring the rise of female-only spaces

When the world stops revolving around men, do they start spinning out? In a universe where men once dominated our lives, bank accounts, and romantic narratives, a shift is happening. Disillusioned with the male-dominated structures around them, women are not only rejecting them but dismantling them completely, creating female only spaces, rejecting heterosexual relationships and effectively decentralising men from their lives. But what happens when the male ego meets female autonomy, is there any room left for a healthy dialogue or is the only response hatred and rage? In this episode we discuss where does this decentralisation stem from and whether it can pave the way to bridging the gender gap. 💌  welcometoheavenpodcast@gmail.com [welcometoheavenpodcast@gmail.com] ---------------------------------------- Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy [https://acast.com/privacy] for more information.