{"id":2582211,"date":"2026-03-20T16:12:02","date_gmt":"2026-03-20T20:12:02","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/gen-z-doesnt-have-enough-cultural-identity-to-care-about-the-oscars\/"},"modified":"2026-03-20T16:15:29","modified_gmt":"2026-03-20T20:15:29","slug":"gen-z-doesnt-have-enough-cultural-identity-to-care-about-the-oscars","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/gen-z-doesnt-have-enough-cultural-identity-to-care-about-the-oscars\/","title":{"rendered":"Gen Z Doesn&#8217;t Have Enough Cultural Identity To Care About Oscars"},"content":{"rendered":"<aside class=\"mashsb-container mashsb-main mashsb-stretched\"><div class=\"mashsb-box\"><div class=\"mashsb-count mash-medium\" style=\"&quot;\"><div class=\"counts mashsbcount\">22<\/div><span class=\"mashsb-sharetext\">SHARES<\/span><\/div><div class=\"mashsb-buttons\"><a class=\"mashicon-facebook mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/sharer.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.conservativenewsdaily.net%2Fbreaking-news%2Fgen-z-doesnt-have-enough-cultural-identity-to-care-about-the-oscars%2F\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Facebook<\/span><\/a><a class=\"mashicon-twitter mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/intent\/tweet?text=&amp;url=https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/?p=2582211&amp;via=ConservNewsDly\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Twitter<\/span><\/a><a class=\"mashicon-subscribe mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"#\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Subscribe<\/span><\/a><div class=\"onoffswitch2 mash-medium mashsb-noshadow\" style=\"display:none\"><\/div><\/div>\n            <\/div>\n                <div style=\"clear:both\"><\/div><\/aside>\n            <!-- Share buttons by mashshare.net - Version: 4.0.47--><p>The piece contends that the Oscars have become culturally marginal as internet culture eclipses traditional cinema. It contrasts the 1998 ceremony, watched by about 57 million, with the 98th ceremony, which drew only around 17.9 million-one of the lowest TV ratings for the Oscars-arguing that factors such as perceived woke humor, lower-quality productions, and the broader decline of broadcast TV contribute to the dip. The author suggests that the cultural power of movies has waned becuase younger generations no longer look to films to shape trends; the internet now leads trends through social media,streaming,and online personalities.<\/p>\n<p>Gen Z, in particular, is described as mostly disengaged from traditional moviegoing-only about 8% see a movie monthly, while roughly 94% use <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/poll-64-of-americans-believe-social-media-is-dividing-the-country\/\" title=\"BREAKING: Poll: 64% Of Americans Believe Facebook And Twitter Are A Problem\">social media daily<\/a> and a majority watch YouTube daily. This shift has fractured the prior monoculture, with streaming and online content creating a vast, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/how-media-turn-award-shows-into-progressive-pep-rallies\/\" title=\"How media turn award shows into progressive Pep Rallies\">fragmented media landscape<\/a>. The article argues that without a pervasive cultural identity provided by cinema and television, younger generations rely on internet-driven absurdity and online fame to define themselves. Yet there is a glimmer of hope: some young people are reducing screen time, unplugging from apps, and seeking in-person activities, which could present Hollywood with an prospect to regain relevance before magazines-like status sets in.<\/p>\n<p>The piece is written by Brooke Brandtjen, a Wisconsin-based journalist focused on culture, politics, and religion.  <\/p>\n<p class=\"readmore\">\n    <button onclick=\"showReadMore()\" id=\"readmorebtn\">Read more&#8230;<\/button>\n<\/p>\n<hr id=\"line\">\n<span id=\"more\"><\/p>\n<div>\n<p>In 1998, 57 million viewers watched the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.oscars.org\/oscars\/ceremonies\/1998\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">70th annual Academy Awards<\/a>, anxious to see whether movies like <em>Titanic, Good Will Hunting, <\/em>and <em>L.A. Confidential <\/em>would win awards. In contrast, just 17.9 million viewers <a href=\"https:\/\/www.yahoo.com\/entertainment\/tv\/articles\/abysmal-oscars-tv-ratings-revealed-035126394.html?guccounter=1&amp;guce_referrer=aHR0cHM6Ly93d3cuZ29vZ2xlLmNvbS8&amp;guce_referrer_sig=AQAAAKu9wVYtNTs0eR2DfNiPb3h-EmABB6r8lbjWEYj3pQNkkCh03e-G2b5y1KiNDH1sc5yi1vOM_4PmutsQku5ddRCI7x0mOB2o9w6Ge2ehlCkQWWJJcAh0UpaJXydWdBH1fiJ4cvzALi-h7S6sEIaceIl7zU4sK3cJD8FLjcYTXOgs\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">tuned in<\/a> to this year&rsquo;s 98th Academy Awards, marking one of the Oscars&rsquo; lowest viewership ratings since it became televised. The decline of the Oscars can be chalked up to any number of factors: woke &ldquo;jokes&rdquo; alienating audiences, <a href=\"https:\/\/amzn.to\/3YuVZYV\" >lower-quality movie productions<\/a>, or even the general decline of broadcast television.<\/p>\n<p>Beyond these factors, the cultural importance of movies has drastically changed in the past few decades. The 1998 Academy Awards featured a range of stars, from Jack Lemmon to Jennifer Lopez, representing the multigenerational importance of film. The host, Billy Crystal, was a beloved comic who was at the height of his fame. The movies receiving awards were cultural juggernauts that had been seen by a majority of the show&rsquo;s audience.<\/p>\n<p>The Oscars have become irrelevant now because movies no longer reflect American culture. Younger Millennials, Gen Z, and Gen Alpha are growing up in a world where movies and television don&rsquo;t set cultural trends. Instead, the internet sets current trends.<\/p>\n<p>This year&rsquo;s Oscars host, the 62-year-old Conan O&rsquo;Brien, attempted to make light of the disconnect between young people and the show&rsquo;s aging audience. O&rsquo;Brien <a href=\"https:\/\/www.yahoo.com\/entertainment\/articles\/gen-z-streamers-mock-conan-150000170.html?guccounter=1&amp;guce_referrer=aHR0cHM6Ly93d3cuZ29vZ2xlLmNvbS8&amp;guce_referrer_sig=AQAAAKu9wVYtNTs0eR2DfNiPb3h-EmABB6r8lbjWEYj3pQNkkCh03e-G2b5y1KiNDH1sc5yi1vOM_4PmutsQku5ddRCI7x0mOB2o9w6Ge2ehlCkQWWJJcAh0UpaJXydWdBH1fiJ4cvzALi-h7S6sEIaceIl7zU4sK3cJD8FLjcYTXOgs\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">used<\/a> internet slang like &ldquo;host-maxxing,&rdquo; &ldquo;rizz,&rdquo; and &ldquo;brain-rot,&rdquo; before pointing out that his attempt to communicate with young people was going out on broadcast television, which few of them watch.<\/p>\n<p>O&rsquo;Brien&rsquo;s joke reveals the sad truth that the internet has overtaken film. Only <a href=\"https:\/\/pro.morningconsult.com\/articles\/gen-z-movie-attendance-2025\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">eight percent<\/a> of Gen Z members report going to the movies at least once a month. In comparison, roughly <a href=\"https:\/\/www.ctam.com\/industry-resources\/media-behaviors-and-industry-trends\/the-state-of-gen-z\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">94 percent<\/a> of Gen Zers report using a social media platform at least once per day. In 2025, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.pewresearch.org\/internet\/2025\/12\/09\/teens-social-media-and-ai-chatbots-2025\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">76 percent<\/a> of teenagers reported using YouTube every single day. The biggest YouTube streamers, such as Mr. Beast and PewDiePie, have millions of subscribers, and top streamers&rsquo; videos rake in millions of views.<\/p>\n<p>Youth culture now revolves around internet popularity. The decline in sitcoms, movies, and television is largely due to these mediums&rsquo; inability to keep pace with what is relevant online.<\/p>\n<p>The sad result of a continuously fluctuating culture is a generation of young people who have no pervasive cultural identity. In the past, movies and music influenced what young people wore, who their favorite stars were, and the kinds of activities they liked. In 1998, many girls had crushes on Leonardo DiCaprio after they saw <em>Titanic<\/em>, or they started listening to Will Smith&rsquo;s music after seeing him in <em>Men in Black. <\/em>They repeated the jokes they saw on <em>Saturday Night Live<\/em> or tried to dress like the kids on <em>Dawson&rsquo;s Creek<\/em>. Across the country, young people were having similar experiences.<\/p>\n<p>The internet has shattered monoculture. The relatively finite number of media outlets available in the 20th century has been replaced with millions of podcasts and social feeds. Streaming services like Netflix and Hulu have made decades worth of movies and television series available on demand, meaning people can watch anything at any time. Music streaming services have also taken away the relevance of the radio, decreasing the importance of new music in modern culture.<\/p>\n<p>The only way for young people to find a sense of common identity in the overwhelming internet era is through absurdity. It is no coincidence that as the internet consumed American culture, young people participated in increasingly outlandish trends. Gen Z <a href=\"https:\/\/www.pewresearch.org\/short-reads\/2023\/08\/15\/32-of-americans-have-a-tattoo-including-22-who-have-more-than-one\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">could surpass<\/a> <a href=\"https:\/\/www.statista.com\/statistics\/259601\/share-of-americans-with-at-least-one-tattoo-by-age\/?srsltid=AfmBOoqkqjhj71JbQsb79eADqiPvjrALOOWQ4_dHy7bks9rQ42tqHdk_\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Millennials<\/a> as the <a href=\"https:\/\/tattooing101.com\/learn\/styles\/generational-tattoos\/?utm_source=perplexity\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">most-tattooed<\/a> generation, and <a href=\"https:\/\/thepacepress.org\/10855\/opinion\/the-gravitational-pull-of-tattoos-and-piercings-what-university-students-have-to-say\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">piercings<\/a> of all types abound. Gen Z is <a href=\"https:\/\/furscience.com\/research-findings\/appendix-1-previous-research\/summer-2020\/?utm_source=perplexity\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">apparently<\/a> the most likely age demographic to identify as &ldquo;<a href=\"https:\/\/www.rollingstone.com\/culture\/culture-features\/furry-fandom-tiktok-gen-z-midwest-furfest-924789\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">furries<\/a>,&rdquo; and it has the <a href=\"https:\/\/news.gallup.com\/poll\/611864\/lgbtq-identification.aspx\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">highest likelihood<\/a> of identifying as transgender.<\/p>\n<p>Fortunately, there is hope. An increasing number of young people are looking to get away from their phones. Recent <a href=\"https:\/\/www.cnbc.com\/2026\/02\/07\/young-people-quiet-revolution-social-media.html\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">polls<\/a> have indicated that Gen Zers are deleting social media apps, <a href=\"https:\/\/nypost.com\/2026\/01\/08\/lifestyle\/gen-z-millennials-are-more-likely-to-digitally-unplug-than-older-generations\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">taking extended breaks<\/a>, and <a href=\"https:\/\/www.usatoday.com\/story\/tech\/2026\/03\/11\/gen-z-cant-stop-using-tiktok-survey-finds\/89097676007\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">posting less<\/a> frequently than they have in previous years. Between 2022 and 2024, young people reduced their screen time considerably. In online communities, there is a growing clamour for in-person activities after years of going digital.<\/p>\n<p>Hollywood has a prime opportunity to recapture the attention of young people, but if it doesn&rsquo;t, it might end up as dead as magazines.<\/p>\n<hr>\n<p>      Brooke Brandtjen is a writer and journalist from Wisconsin who focuses primarily on culture, politics, and religion. She is extremely passionate about the arts and history, and is honored to write for a variety of distinguished publications.<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<p><\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Oscars fall mirrors shift to online culture<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":3727,"featured_media":2582212,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_mo_disable_npp":"","fifu_image_url":"https:\/\/thefederalist.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/Copy-of-Untitled-55.png","fifu_image_alt":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[33651],"tags":[54980,52166,6445,36660,61836],"class_list":["post-2582211","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-the-western-journal","tag-cultural-identity","tag-gen-z-2","tag-oscars","tag-pop-culture","tag-youth-culture"],"fifu_image_url":"https:\/\/thefederalist.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/Copy-of-Untitled-55.png","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2582211","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/3727"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=2582211"}],"version-history":[{"count":3,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2582211\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":2582215,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2582211\/revisions\/2582215"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/2582212"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=2582211"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=2582211"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=2582211"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}