Latest news with #Upworthy
Time of India
24-07-2025
- Entertainment
- Time of India
'Dead Poets Society' hits a nerve with Gen Z — have we been teaching the wrong lessons all along?
Dead Poets Society A generational divide has been stirred by a classic film once hailed as inspiring. Dead Poets Society , the 1989 drama that helped shape a generation of idealistic English teachers, has recently come under scrutiny from a new audience — Gen Z. As reported by Upworthy , a Gen X parent shared their experience of showing the film to their Gen Z children, expecting admiration and nostalgia, but was instead met with frustration, criticism, and unexpected emotional reactions. This divergence in response has raised questions about how educational values and storytelling are evolving across generations. Gen Z sees system failure, not heroic triumph While the film continues to be praised for Robin Williams' performance as the passionate English teacher John Keating, Gen Z viewers fixated on what they perceived as a lack of meaningful change. According to Upworthy , the viewer's 20-year-old child remarked, "Nothing changed! He got fired and the school is still run by a bunch of stodgy old white men forcing everyone to conform!" This comment highlighted a key generational difference: Gen Z's emphasis on systemic reform rather than individual rebellion. The Gen X perspective, shaped by an appreciation for personal expression against authority, found Keating's influence on his students uplifting. However, for Gen Z, the absence of structural change at the elite prep school undermined the film's inspirational message. Plot twists without warnings leave younger viewers reeling The abrupt emotional shift in the latter part of the film also contributed to Gen Z's strong reactions. As stated by Upworthy , one daughter responded with, "Why would you traumatise me like that?" The term "traumatise" was used colloquially, with Upworthy clarifying that Gen Z frequently employs it as an exaggeration to describe being emotionally caught off guard. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Top 15 Most Beautiful Women in the World Undo Dead Poets Society (1989) Trailer #1 | Movieclips Classic Trailers Gen Z audiences, accustomed to trigger warnings and trauma-informed storytelling, found the film's tragic ending jarring. The film includes a major character's suicide and the subsequent fallout, elements that were considered intense by today's viewing standards, particularly without prior contextual warning. Romantic persistence or problematic pursuit? Gen Z calls out character conduct Character behaviour once brushed off as awkward romantic pursuit is now being reassessed. Knox Overstreet's attempts to win over a cheerleader — who is already in a relationship — drew sharp criticism from the Gen Z viewers. According to Upworthy , while the Gen X parent recalled Knox as "a bit much," their daughters referred to him as "a total creepo," noting his behaviour was more invasive than endearing. This difference reflects Gen Z's heightened awareness of consent, boundaries, and emotional nuance, especially in media portrayals of teenage romance. Classic film or cautionary tale? Despite the criticism, the Gen Z viewers did not dismiss the film entirely. As Upworthy reported, after expressing their dismay, they admitted, "But it was so gooood!" Their response underscores a complex engagement with the film — one where emotional impact and narrative discomfort coexist. The rewatch has led the parent to reconsider other 80s and 90s classics through a modern lens. The generational gap in interpreting inspiration, tragedy, and heroism suggests that educational values, much like curricula, are always evolving — sometimes one desk stand at a time. TOI Education is on WhatsApp now. Follow us here . Ready to navigate global policies? Secure your overseas future. Get expert guidance now!
Yahoo
26-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Gen Z Is Coming for Your Punctuation
Is nothing sacred anymore? Now we can't even text — text, the thing millennials practically invented on T9 keyboards — without being called out by Gen Z. The generation who banned skinny jeans and used to eat Tide pods are calling out people for breaking their texting 'rules,' which include not capitalizing letters, hidden meanings in emojis, and, yes, foregoing punctuation. One Gen X mom on Upworthy said her teenagers called her out for being 'aggressive' by using a period in a text message, which she vehemently defended. More from SheKnows Don't Be Surprised If Your Teen Asks for This New Toy That's Going Viral on TikTok Another punctuation problem Gen Zers have? Ellipses at the end of texts, which aren't meant to signal anything deeper. 'What, exactly, is going on with boomers and ellipses?' one Redditor asked, per New York Post, saying that they felt this 'comes off as passive aggressive at worst, insane at best.' As a millennial, I can see both sides. I often use periods in my texts without thinking, but I would only say 'Hey…' if I did have something serious to say afterward. I get that other generations have a different style of texting, but it does get confusing when people read into texts they shouldn't (or don't realize you're being passive-aggressive when you are!). For Gen Z, though, this lack of care for punctuation goes beyond casual text messages. One millennial wrote about how frustrated she feels when reading school essays and seeing teens leave out periods and skip capitalizing letters for Reader's Digest. Jason Dorsey, a business etiquette expert, the president of the Center for Generational Kinetics and the author of Zconomy: How Gen Z Will Change the Future of Business, told the outlet, 'There's definitely a trend where Gen Z eschews traditional grammar in written communications. We see this particularly in how they have dropped using capital letters and punctuation.' This is normal, he explained, adding, 'Language is fluid, and conventions change all the time as societal norms evolve.' It's all fine and good … if you can keep up. My Gen Z sister asked me if I was being aggressive when I said 'lol' at the end of a sentence, which is a habit from even before texting. She said 'lol' and the happy face emoji are both passive aggressive; whereas she will use the skull emoji or say 'im dead' instead to signify that she 'finds something so funny she literally died' (not literally). It's mind-boggling to say the least, which is why half the time I just call her so she can be super clear on my intentions. We need more advice to wrap our minds around the teen texting etiquette, so we reached out to our SheKnows Teen Council for more tips on the hidden meaning of texting, and if punctuation is actually out or not. Hopefully their answers will clear some things up for all of us! Esmé, 19, says she doesn't 'think twice about it' when her parents use a period, as 'they would use a period without understanding current connotation.' (Esmé's parents: same!) But she does take it as 'passive aggressive' if someone younger than 30 uses it. It seems like wondering if someone is mad at them was a common theme among the teens we talked to. 'My mom always texts me using periods and it makes me think that she's pissed off at me,' Ajani, 20, says. 'I've told her about how it comes across as a little passive aggressive but she's yet to stop. It throws me off because she also uses periods when she is actually mad at me so she's constantly sending me mixed signals.' Corbin, 13, shares, 'If somebody texts with a period, then they're probably mad. Like if they just said, 'hey' or something without a period I would think it was casual, but with a period they just seem a little bit mad.' (Although, he doesn't feel this way about a text from his parents 'because I know they're old,' he adds.) 'When someone ends a text with a period, I usually immediately assume that they are trying to be ironic/dramatic, or they are mad at me,' Sophie, 19, says, adding that she doesn't feel the same with her parents because 'they like to text with punctuation.' 'Ultimately, it mostly just depends on the person you're texting,' Sophie continues. 'For example, if someone who usually doesn't use punctuation sends me a message with a period at the end, it signals to me that something is different.' Exclamation points and question marks are OK within reason, according to Esmé, although she reiterated that she 'never uses periods.' She explains, 'I feel like question marks are just a grammar thing that feels normal but exclamation points are like a version of an emoji just to show that I'm super excited.' Corbin says that while he uses 'question marks a lot' with his friends, he hasn't 'see a period or an exclamation mark in a text from my friends in a long time.' 'My friends and I don't tend to use grammar or even capitalize our texts, while my parents and teachers use correct punctuation,' Sophie says, adding, 'I think that the unspoken consensus in our generation is that as long as the other person understands what you mean, it works.' She uses punctuation when she wants to give out a deeper meaning behind her texts, such as exclamation points to 'help soften a message.' 'It's like adding a smiley face to the end of a text in a way,' Sophie says. And the opposite: 'When I'm mad, I tend to use a period instead of an exclamation point because it has such positive connotations.' Coby, 15, doesn't use a period when texting with friends unless 'maybe if its two sentences or more.' He also has feelings on other punctuation: 'Exclamation points are a bit much because you can't really portray emotion through a phone so using an exclamation point to do it is, like, overkill. … If my parents text me and they use punctuation it doesn't seem weird because I know that's just how they text.' Ajani says, 'The crying emoji 😭 is the most commonly used amongst everyone that I know.' Gen Z 'only uses this emoji 😂 to be ironic when something isn't funny,' says Esmé. However, she does use other emojis and GIFs. 'My friends are much more emotive [in texting], sending emojis, multiple exclamation points, and GIFs,' she explains. 'They also obviously use more slang and text shorthand than my parents. I think my friends and I will text shorter thoughts but more of them — like separate texts but five at a time where my parents are more concise and keep it in one longer text.' While Sophie admits that grammar and punctuation 'can help minimize the likelihood of a misunderstanding,' she also thinks it's good to understand how other people will take your texts. 'It's important to understand and adapt to different people's ways of texting,' she says. For me, I've found myself adapting my texting style when texting with my Gen Z sister. I'll use way more casual sentences with little-to-no punctuation (and take out all the 'lol's) compared to when I'm texting friends or my husband. If we can meet them in the middle when it comes to texting, maybe Gen Zers can meet us in the middle when it comes to using more formal language and grammar for school essays and in the workplace. At the end of the day, you can text the way you want to (proper grammar and all), but just know that teens are going to be silently judging you for it — or potentially questioning any hidden meanings. There's no harm in just being considerate of others and understanding how your 'Hey.' might make a teen feel compared to just: 'hey'Best of SheKnows Bird Names Are One of the Biggest Baby Name Trends for Gen Beta (& We Found 20+ Options) These Are the 36 Celebrities with the Most Kids 15 Celebrity Parents Whose Kids Went to Ivy League Schools
Independent Singapore
25-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Independent Singapore
A dress that's 14 years in the making: 380 artists, 51 countries, countless stories
Photo: Wikipiedia CC / Red_Dress_(embroidery_project) There are very few things that connect civilisations like art. Whether it's through musical compositions, images on canvas, timeless monuments, or stitched fabrics, creative expression offers us the means to share who we are, our places of origin, and what's important to us. However, not often does one piece of imaginative creation succeed in representing the voices, values, and thoughts of people from all over the world. According to a recent article from Upworthy , the Red Dress project is one such amazing creation, where exquisiteness, storytelling, and connection are sewn together in every fibre of one elegant clothing. A royal garment from everywhere Ostensibly, the Red Dress looks like something appropriate for royals. But this is no regular stately dress. With its profound burgundy satin, elaborate needlework, and elegant form, it's difficult to assign it to any culture or tradition. Rather, it draws from all over Europe, Africa, Asia, the Americas, and beyond—its design a seamless and synchronised blend of international influences. See also Employee asks, "How does one become a manager quickly?" Such universality was not achieved by chance. Consisting of 84 sheets of silk dupion brought from across the globe over 14 years, the Red Dress was worked on by as many as 380 individuals from across 51 nations. As they worked, personal tales and distinct idiosyncrasies were poured into the dress. What came out was a splendid apparel that goes beyond borders and expresses a language of grit, perseverance, memories, traditions, and beauty. Stitching stories: The women behind the art With each stitch of the Red Dress is a woman with a compelling story. Almost one-third of the embroiderers were skilled craftspeople, commissioned and paid for their work, and now have a percentage of the display fees. The others were unpaid assistants who participated in community cross-stitch events, who came from different walks of life. An astounding 97% of the contributors were women, and most of them were using the endeavour as a chance to express personal and cultural stories, some even discovering a path to economic solidity through their expertise. Some sewed traditional designs that have been passed down for generations. Others knitted in intimate self-examination—recollections, symbols, or sentiments—that spoke to their inimitable journeys. One panel was embellished by two women in Kosovo, who shared firm musings about their wartime experiences. These intensely personal insights and inputs shifted the dress into more than just a piece of clothing; it became a universal bedding of reflexive accounts and embodied experiences. From sketch to global symbol The Red Dress was initiated as an unpretentious drawing by British textile artist Kirstie Macleod in 2009, illustrated on the back of a table linen. Then it swiftly transformed into something more glorious — a collective platform to explore individuality and breed connection among women from diverse cultural and geographic backgrounds. Finalised and completed in 2023, the dress comprises millions of stitches, a visual and emotive record of collective human experiences. Today, it is being toured around museums and galleries all over the world, frequently exhibited by women of different backgrounds and ages, each one exemplifying a piece of the women's shared narrative. See also Cameron Diaz and Benji Madden welcome baby daughter
Yahoo
22-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
What a 5-year-old's unusual bedtime buddy reveals about emotional security
A 5-year-old girl has gone viral on TikTok for choosing a bedtime buddy no one saw coming: a life-size Chucky doll. Yes, that Chucky—the horror movie icon with the overalls, red hair, and menacing grin. But to her? He's just a snuggle buddy. The viral clip, first reported by Upworthy, shows the little girl cuddling up with her oversized doll as part of her bedtime routine. Her mom captioned the video with a mix of humor and disbelief: 'Is there any other 5-year-old girl in the world that sleeps with a life-size Chucky Doll?? Or is it just mine …' Related: Teddy bears aren't just for kids—why comfort objects might help adults sleep better too While many children find solace in plush animals or cozy blankets, others—like this little girl—form bonds with comfort objects that are a bit more…unexpected. And she's not alone. A toddler recently went viral for carrying around a wooden cutting board as a beloved comfort item. These moments remind us that when it comes to emotional security, it's not about what the object looks like—it's about what it means. Comfort objects, or transitional objects, play a pivotal role in a child's emotional development. Introduced by pediatrician and psychoanalyst Donald Winnicott, the concept describes items that help children navigate the transition from complete dependence to growing independence. These objects offer a sense of stability and reassurance, especially during times of stress or change. Research suggests that about 60% of children in Western cultures develop strong attachments to comfort objects. Experts say these connections are healthy and beneficial, helping kids manage anxiety, self-soothe, and build resilience. Whether it's a fuzzy bunny, a tattered blanket, or a grinning doll from a horror film, comfort objects serve as a tangible source of emotional support. Related: Mom checks on toddler at bedtime—and is stunned to see what's snuggled up next to her It can be surprising (or downright baffling) when your child bonds with an object that's outside the norm. But their attachment has real meaning, and supporting it can make a difference in their emotional well-being. Here's how: Prioritize safety: Make sure the item doesn't have choking hazards, sharp edges, or toxic materials. Keep it clean: Wash or wipe down the object regularly, especially if it's unconventional or hard to sanitize. Validate your child's feelings: Show interest and curiosity instead of judgment. Your child's emotional attachment is genuine. Transition gradually: If it becomes necessary to phase out the object, do it gradually while offering new sources of comfort. Whether it's a cuddly stuffed animal or a creepy movie character, comfort objects offer something every child deserves: a sense of security, consistency, and love.
Yahoo
16-03-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Wildlife rehab center uses genius technique to raise orphaned birds without human interaction: 'Incredibly successful'
Thanks to a unique woven crane costume, a South African wildlife rehab center is teaching orphaned birds essential survival skills while preventing human imprinting, reported Upworthy. The FreeMe Wildlife Midlands Centre uses puppets and crane costumes to help a critically endangered wattled crane chick learn natural behaviors without becoming dependent on humans. This approach allows wildlife professionals to care for vulnerable animals while preserving their wild instincts. Many baby animals need to learn basic survival tasks from their mothers. When orphaned, they risk missing out on these lessons. The challenge for rehabilitators is providing care without creating attachments that could harm an animal's chances in the wild. Which of these environmental causes would you be most interested in supporting with a financial donation? Promoting clean energy Protecting clean air Advancing forest conservation Fighting climate change Click your choice to see results and speak your mind. "This is a vital part of the rehabilitation process. If one does not intimately understand the physiology, the ethology, and the psychology of one's subject, one cannot successfully rehabilitate it," FreeMe shared on its social media, according to Upworthy. The center uses a puppet named Waldo attached to a worker's arm to demonstrate drinking from a pond. This method allows staff to mimic adult crane behavior precisely while hiding behind the costume. Similar techniques have proved successful with other threatened species. According to Upworthy, one commenter noted: "This is exactly how the San Diego Zoo (amongst others) takes care of baby California condors so they don't imprint. Since they were so critically endangered and almost extinct in the wild, they used puppets to teach them how to be birds so they could be released and rebound their populations. And they were incredibly successful!" The approach works with common birds too. "When I've rescued baby pigeons often they won't peck seeds unless there are other birds around, soo sometimes I'll put on a YouTube video of birds eating and then they get it," another person shared. These thoughtful rehabilitation techniques help vulnerable animals develop necessary skills while maintaining the required distance for eventual FreeMe states on its website, the purpose of wildlife rehabilitation is "to rehabilitate these animals so that they may be released back into the wild in areas free from poaching and with reduced human activity." Join our free newsletter for good news and useful tips, and don't miss this cool list of easy ways to help yourself while helping the planet.
