Why TikTok is the Height of Culture

In this salon Interintellects Kushaan Shah and Amir H. Hajizamani host a discussion about the cultural merits of social media platform Tik Tok 

TikTok has taken the world by storm.

With more than 600 million users, TikTok has ignited a creative revolution during the pandemic and introduced new trends in fashion, commerce, health and so much more.

What was once dismissed as a hobbyist tool is now poised to have a lasting influence on culture and society as a whole.

But, it does pose a question: Why?

What does TikTok’s meteoric rise tell us about our relationship with technology?

How does it compare to other tools, like Facebook and Twitter?

In Stewart Brand’s system for a healthy civilization, he discusses the difference between fashion, a layer that moves quickly, and culture, a layer that moves slowly. Are TikTok and other social media tools advancing civilization in ways we don’t expect?

We invite you to share your stories about social media, the good, the bad, and the fun. Let’s chat about your favorite TikToks and tweets, your boldest predictions, your deepest and darkest fears and whatever else comes to mind!

Some of the questions we might explore:

• Why is TikTok so compelling? Even if you don’t use it, why do you feel it’s so popular? What makes it a generational anchor?
• Will other creator tools (i.e. Clubhouse) have a similar influence on culture as TikTok? What takes a tool from fun to a genuine cultural influence?
• What trends will we see in the future with technology? What other waves are going to change the way we think about culture?
• Part of Tiktok’s value comes from its algorithm – is this ultimately a good or bad thing? Is this sustainable over time?

We’ll have some prompts but let’s see where this goes!

Optional Reading:

• Pace Layers Thinking 
• Tiktok and the Vibes Revival
• TikTok and the Sorting Hat (Eugene Wei)
• The Rise of TikTok (Turner Novak)
• How Do Brands Survive on TikTok? 
• TikTok: Why the Enormous Success? (Forbes)

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