The behavior and attitude of a generation can often be understood through popular culture. Currently, some of the most popular pieces of media and entertainment are enjoyed ironically which gives insight into the humor of Gen Z.
One recent example of this is “The Minecraft Movie”. Judging by numbers alone the movie was a complete success, establishing itself as the biggest debut of 2025 so far. However, the “Minecraft Movie” did not reach this success because of genuine appreciation. Instead, many viewers watched the movie to participate in a trend. What may have begun as harsh criticism of the movie morphed into an online joke of pretending to be obsessed with the movie and some of its lines. While the trend often got out of hand and resulted in rambunctious crowds in theaters, for the most part it was perceived as enjoyable and hilarious. “The Minecraft Movie” is only one example of this ironic popularity. It is not the first and is certainly not the last. Whether the internet ironically idolizes a nine year old known as the “Rizzler” over his iconic facial expression or jokingly listens to the “Talk Tuah” podcast hosted by a woman who became famous in an 18 second clip of a street interview, the result is a lack of genuine popular media.
So why would this pattern be harmful? When the most successful media is consumed ironically it creates a cycle in the industry. While pretending to enjoy the “Minecraft Movie” or “Talk Tuah” may be fun, it encourages media industries to continue to create low effort, disingenuous media.
I spoke to Sophomore Graeme Baker about the possible repercussions of this constant irony. Graeme noted, “I think the ironic nature of current popular media can make these generations joke around more, especially online. It could make it harder to act in a serious manner.” The real life interactions of Gen Z reflect these internet trends and vice versa. If people’s interests are constantly masked by irony they might loose any genuine interests and sincere values. As to why irony has become a core principle of this generation, Graeme explained, “It seems that a lot of people enjoy things ‘ironically’ because it puts up a wall between them and the activity or particular topic they like. So if others begin to judge them for their interest, they can simply say they’re enjoying it ironically.”
Another Sophomore, Vivian Campbell agreed, “Ironic media allows Gen Z to talk about something universally made fun of, while being able to avoid sharing opinions on the matter. Gen Z can interact with each other, discussing the media, without sharing anything personal or important. I think many things are enjoyed ironically rather than sincerely because it doesn’t make you leave your comfort zone or become vulnerable. You’re sharing what you think is strange and different rather than something close to you. Something you personally like, has more room for someone to criticize you for it, while finding something ridiculous takes the pressure off of you and on what is being joked about.”
It could be that irony prevents people from putting their genuine selves out there and risking negative attention. Witnessing the constant “memification” of genuine media and often harsh teasing that occurs online could scare people away from being sincere.
Vivian added, “This could be from a lack of confidence or sense of self. The overwhelming amount of media Gen Z has access to could tarnish one’s courage to express themselves after being overloaded with strangers’ opinions about what is and isn’t interesting, fun, or exciting to do or talk about (particularly online).”
The constant lightheartedness of Gen Z could actually be its downfall. It’s important to note that Gen Z is widely considered the most depressed generation for a variety of reason’s ranging from stunted emotional connection to an obsession with ironic pop culture.
But how do we move forward? Recognizing that Gen Z’s intense ironic humor could be problematic is the first step. To bring back genuine pursuits and media is no easy feat considering almost anything genuine can be ruthlessly mocked online. However, if enough people are brave enough to break the cycle of irony and share their sincerity it can encourage others to share and even be less judgmental of others.
