Taboo on the Bus

What the ‘dot cake’ trend says about gen-z and luxury goods – are viral foods the new status good in our economic climate? 21.06.2026 28min

Sit down with me OFF the bus to dissect our consumption habits when it comes to viral food trends and ‘little treats’. In a backdrop of economic insecurity and the cost-of-living crisis, generation Z are not purchasing as many luxury material goods. In turn, we are watching the status of foods like the ‘dot cake’ take the place of ‘luxury’ as for many, it is the highest point of access, desire, and justification. Let’s dissect it together and take a look at what this means for gen-z. Instagram: WhatzaralovesTiktok: whatzaraloves6Email: charlie@84world.comaward vote (at the bottom): https://www.bcreator.co.uk/awards/vote/ Reading list / references: https://www.forbes.com/sites/aliciapark/2024/07/17/designer-fashion-houses-are-struggling-in-the-first-half-of-2024-heres-why/ https://dergipark.org.tr/en/pub/toleho/article/1610640 https://www.forbes.com/sites/claraludmir/2024/04/25/why-fashion-retailers-are-opening-branded-cafs-and-restaurants/ https://foodfoundation.org.uk/publication/broken-plate-2026 https://www.bbc.co.uk/worklife/article/20250603-housing-affordability-crisis-kyla-scanlon-katty-kay-interview https://publications.parliament.uk/pa/cm5804/cmselect/cmyouth/cost-living-crisis-young-people/report.html https://www.vogue.com/article/how-should-brands-navigate-gen-z-economic-nihilism https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Michalis-Skordoulis/publication/381656145_Perceptions_of_environmental_sustainability_and_luxury_influences_on_organic_food_buying_behavior_among_Millennials_and_Generation_Z_in_Greece/links/66795fcc1dec0c3c6f9fbb94/Perceptions-of-environmental-sustainability-and-luxury-influences-on-organic-food-buying-behavior-among-Millennials-and-Generation-Z-in-Greece.pdf

Let's talk about the 'dot cake' – are viral foods the new status good in our economic climate? [Mini bus version] 21.06.2026 3min

Full deep-dive episode OFF the bus is also live!Sit with me on the bus to dissect our consumption habits when it comes to viral food trends and ‘little treats’. In a backdrop of economic insecurity and the cost-of-living crisis, generation Z are not purchasing as many luxury material goods. In turn, we are watching the status of foods like the ‘dot cake’ take the place of ‘luxury’ as for many, it is the highest point of access, desire, and justification. Let’s dissect it together and take a look at what this means for gen-z. Instagram: WhatzaralovesTiktok: whatzaraloves6Email: charlie@84world.com Reading list / references: https://www.forbes.com/sites/aliciapark/2024/07/17/designer-fashion-houses-are-struggling-in-the-first-half-of-2024-heres-why/ https://dergipark.org.tr/en/pub/toleho/article/1610640 https://www.forbes.com/sites/claraludmir/2024/04/25/why-fashion-retailers-are-opening-branded-cafs-and-restaurants/ https://foodfoundation.org.uk/publication/broken-plate-2026 https://www.bbc.co.uk/worklife/article/20250603-housing-affordability-crisis-kyla-scanlon-katty-kay-interview https://publications.parliament.uk/pa/cm5804/cmselect/cmyouth/cost-living-crisis-young-people/report.html https://www.vogue.com/article/how-should-brands-navigate-gen-z-economic-nihilism https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Michalis-Skordoulis/publication/381656145_Perceptions_of_environmental_sustainability_and_luxury_influences_on_organic_food_buying_behavior_among_Millennials_and_Generation_Z_in_Greece/links/66795fcc1dec0c3c6f9fbb94/Perceptions-of-environmental-sustainability-and-luxury-influences-on-organic-food-buying-behavior-among-Millennials-and-Generation-Z-in-Greece.pdf

Social media is a breeding ground for classism [mini bus version] 27.04.2026 2min

[full deep-dive long episode is live]Social media is a breeding ground for poor-shaming working-class mockery, and I’ve been collecting evidence for the past 4 months to prove that. What we are seeing is the re-invention of the harmful working-class stereotypes present in early 2000s/10s media regurgitated in our algorithms right now. We can look at how deeply intertwined identity and consumption habits to begin understanding why social media creates a hierarchy of lifestyles that shames those as the bottom and analyse the key theme of ‘distinction’ driving a lot of the hate and ‘humour’. I’ve pulled examples from my ongoing to prove just how social media fuels and reinvents the mockery of the working class. Email: charlie@84world.comInsta – whatzaralovesTikTok – whatzaraloves6YouTube: WhatzaralovesPodcast: Taboo on the Bus Kyey references: Books:Chavs by Owen Jones Journals:https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/10.5153/sro.1814https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/10.1177/01634437231185966https://napier-repository.worktribe.com/output/3176889 Articles:https://www.vice.com/en/article/chav-caricature-comeback-tiktok-2020/https://www.transformingsociety.co.uk/2021/09/02/how-the-medias-selective-idealisation-of-the-working-class-perpetuates-inequality/https://consequence.net/2025/12/ricky-gervais-working-classes-mock-mortality/

Social Media is Classist - why people favour the wealthy and shame the poor online 26.04.2026 35min

Social media is a breeding ground for poor-shaming working-class mockery, and I’ve been collecting evidence for the past 4 months to prove that. What we are seeing is the re-invention of the harmful working-class stereotypes present in early 2000s/10s media regurgitated in our algorithms right now. We can look at how deeply intertwined identity and consumption habits to begin understanding why social media creates a hierarchy of lifestyles that shames those as the bottom and analyse the key theme of ‘distinction’ driving a lot of the hate and ‘humour’. I’ve pulled examples from my ongoing to prove just how social media fuels and reinvents the mockery of the working class. Email: charlie@84world.comInsta – whatzaralovesTikTok – whatzaraloves6YouTube: WhatzaralovesPodcast: Taboo on the Bus Kyey references: Books:Chavs by Owen Jones Journals:https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/10.5153/sro.1814https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/10.1177/01634437231185966https://napier-repository.worktribe.com/output/3176889 Articles:https://www.vice.com/en/article/chav-caricature-comeback-tiktok-2020/https://www.transformingsociety.co.uk/2021/09/02/how-the-medias-selective-idealisation-of-the-working-class-perpetuates-inequality/https://consequence.net/2025/12/ricky-gervais-working-classes-mock-mortality/

The girls are emotionless - discussing the politics of numbness and stoic femininity [Taboo OFF the bus] 02.04.2026 53min

Rachel Sennott preaching “numb is in”, " Botox is rising, the girls are emotionless, and lobotomy chic is looming in the air. Sit down with me to dissect what it means for stoicism, deadpan, and numbness to become intertwined in our perceptions of beauty and femininity. Let’s discuss whether this can be viewed as a potential clapback to the patriarchal expectations of women’s behaviour, or in fact just caging us further. Sit down with me to analyse the politics of numbness, the privilege of emotional suppression, and the tool of numbness.

The Politics of Numbness and Femininity [Taboo ON the Bus] 02.04.2026 3min

[Full OFF the bus podcast version is also live for a longer deepdive] Rachel Sennott preaching “numb is in”, botox is rising, the girls are emotionless, and lobotomy chic is looming in the air. Sit down with me to disect what it means for stoicism, deadpan, and numbness to become intertwined in our perceptions of beauty and feminity. Let’s discuss whether this can be viewed as a potential clapback to the patriarchal expectations of women’s behvaior, or in fact just caging us further. Sit down with me to analyse the politics of numbness, the privellage of emotional suppression, and the tool of numbness. email: charlie@84world.com instagram- whatzaralovestiktok - whatzaraloves6podcast - Taboo on the Bus

Trust me, you don't want to become reliant on AI - discussing the domestication of humans by artifical intelligence - Taboo OFF the bus 01.03.2026 39min

Sit down with me today to discuss the relationship between humans and artificial intelligence (AI) in comparison to that of humans and pets. Is it making our lives easier to become reliant on this technology, or are we domesticating ourselves and becoming sub-serviant to AI??Shout out to Gresham College lectures for inspiring this episode. Instagram - whatzaralovesTiktok - whatzaralovesEmail: whatzaraloves@gmail.comLinks and media references:https://www.gresham.ac.uk/watch-now/ai-pethttps://www.theguardian.com/technology/2025/apr/19/dont-ask-what-ai-can-do-for-us-ask-what-it-is-doing-to-us-are-chatgpt-and-co-harming-human-intelligencehttps://sites.uab.edu/humanrights/2025/10/02/construction-and-consequences-the-human-impacts-of-artificial-intelligence-data-centers/

Are we becoming domesticated by AI? - Taboo on the Bus 01.03.2026 3min

MINI bus version - full version off the bus is also live. Sit down with me today to discuss the relationship between humans and artificial intelligence (AI) in comparison to that of humans and pets. Is it making our lives easier to become reliant on this technology, or are we domesticating ourselves and becoming sub-serviant to AI??Shout out to Gresham College lectures for inspiring this episode. Instagram - whatzaralovesTiktok - whatzaralovesEmail: whatzaraloves@gmail.com

Physical media and the fate of 'micro-trends' (everyone is going 'analog') - Taboo OFF the Bus 16.01.2026 40min

Physical media will not replace your phone (is ‘analog’ the next internet micro-trend…)Taboo OFF the Bus is back! Woo! `Sit down with me today to discuss the rapid rise of the 'analog' trend and return to physical media. We're watching rising consumption of DVDs, CD's, resorts back to old generation Apple IPods and IPhones, and all it says is that we are fed up with the current state of technology, AI, and brain-rot content. But will this rising consumption lead to overconsumption? Will physical media fall to the same 'micro-trend' fate of Labubu's, or Stanely cups - hyped, over-consumed, then discarded on to the next trend? Let's discuss the fate of physical media, and where it I think this is heading...Instagram - whatzaralovesTiktok - whatzaralovesEmail: whatzaraloves@gmail.com

The trend of 'physical media' and getting offline [Taboo ON the Bus] 16.01.2026 3min

Sit down on the bus with me for the mini digest of physical media, 'analog', and going offline. (Long episode OFF the bus will be live today) We're watching rising consumption of DVDs, CD's, resorts back to old generation Apple IPods and IPhones, and all it says is that we are fed up with the current state of technology, AI, and brain-rot content. But will this rising consumption lead to overconsumption? Will physical media fall to the same 'micro-trend' fate of Labubu's, or Stanely cups - hyped, over-consumed, then discarded on to the next trend? Let's discuss the fate of physical media, and where it I think this is heading...Instagram - whatzaralovesTiktok - whatzaralovesEmail: whatzaraloves@gmail.com

Why do we hate ageing women? Let’s talk “retired baddies”, the anti-ageing industry and how “old” became an insult 23.09.2025 39min

I cannot escape the deep, seething hatred and humour online surrounding women ‘looking old’. Girls feel pretty and post online only to be attacked for ageing and appearing older than they are. It is an inescapable trap that we all fall to as women, yet we are continuing to tear down each other instead of challenging these expectations within wider society and from the very capitalistic anti-ageing industry. Let’s sit down today to discuss why we are so scared of ageing as women, how society treats ageing women, the paradox of ‘natural’ Botox, and unpicking the anti-ageing industry. I really loved dissecting this topic, it feels like a very fitting follow up to the episode I previously did discussing whether we can view cosmetic procedures and Botox from a feminist lense. Email – ⁠⁠whatzaraloves@gmail.com⁠⁠ Reading list/mentions:https://www.harpersbazaar.com/uk/beauty/skincare/a38813523/baby-botox/Facing Age: Women Growing Older in Anti-Aging Culture - By Laura Hurd ClarkeHolstein, M. B. (2001). A feminist perspective on anti-aging medicine. Generations: Journal of the American Society on Aging, 25(4), 38-43. https://www.spacenk.com/uk/skincare/treatment/serums/c-firma-fresh-day-serum-MUK200031988.html

Why do we hate ageing women? "retired baddies" and the insult of "old" - mini bus version 23.09.2025 3min

Join me on the bus for the mini-deep-dive version of this week's topic. Full 40 min version is live too!I cannot escape the deep, seething hatred and humour online surrounding women ‘looking old’. Girls feel pretty and post online only to be attacked for ageing and appearing older than they are. It is an inescapable trap that we all fall to as women, yet we are continuing to tear down each other instead of challenging these expectations within wider society and from the very capitalistic anti-ageing industry.Let’s sit down today to discuss why we are so scared of ageing as women, how society treats ageing women, the paradox of ‘natural’ botox, and unpicking the anti-ageing industry. I really loved dissecting this topic, it feels like a very fitting follow up to the episode I previously did discussing whether we can view cosmetic procedures and Botox from a feminist lense. Reading list/mentions:https://www.harpersbazaar.com/uk/beauty/skincare/a38813523/baby-botox/Facing Age: Women Growing Older in Anti-Aging Culture - By Laura Hurd ClarkeHolstein, M. B. (2001). A feminist perspective on anti-aging medicine. Generations: Journal of the American Society on Aging, 25(4), 38-43.https://www.spacenk.com/uk/skincare/treatment/serums/c-firma-fresh-day-serum-MUK200031988.html

My boyfriend is AI - dissecting the ethics of relationships with chatbots (is ChatGPT the new hinge?) 12.09.2025 37min

A reddit forum titled: ‘My Boyfriend is AI’ recently gathered a lot of attention, leading me down the rabbit hole of relationships with humanised chatbots. Millions are forging intimate, emotional connections and relationships with artificially intelligent chatbots, creating boyfriends, girlfriends, best-friends, deceased replicas, and more, and today I sat down to analyse it. Is it ethical to build apps and systems that sell relationships to potentially vulnerable or lonely users? Users who will never own that connection, and rest solely upon tech companies not stripping that away now… We’re fashioning towards a society where the elderly will cure loneliness with chatbot partners, and women are ditching Hinge and failed talking stages for the chatbot man of their dreams. Let’s deep dive this from both and ethical and moral perspective, considering the risks, the harms, and the alternatives to artificial connections. Substack: https://substack.com/home/post/p-171924338 Instagram: WhatzaralovesTiktok: Whatzaraloves6Podcast: Taboo on the BusEmail: collective@bricksmagazine.co.ukReading/Referance List:https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s43681-023-00348-8https://www.theguardian.com/technology/2025/apr/15/she-helps-cheer-me-up-the-people-forming-relationships-with-ai-chatbotshttps://www.washingtonpost.com/technology/2023/03/30/replika-ai-chatbot-update/https://www.npr.org/2024/08/27/nx-s1-5073962/exploring-concerns-around-users-building-emotional-dependence-on-ai-chatbotshttps://jamesmuldoon.orghttps://www.reddit.com/r/MyBoyfriendIsAI/

My boyfriend is AI - dissecting the ethics of relationships with chatbots [Mini bus version] 12.09.2025 4min

Join me on the bus for a mini version of this episode as we dissect the ethics and harms of forging relationships with artificially intelligent chatbots. Longer episode is also live for a fuller, broader deep dive. A reddit forum titled: ‘My Boyfriend is AI’ recently gathered a lot of attention, leading me down the rabbit hole of relationships with humanised chatbots. Millions are forging intimate, emotional connections and relationships with artificially intelligent chatbots, creating boyfriends, girlfriends, best-friends, deceased replicas, and more, and today I sat down to analyse it. Is it ethical to build apps and systems that sell relationships to potentially vulnerable or lonely users? Users who will never own that connection, and rest solely upon tech companies not stripping that away now… We’re fashioning towards a society where the elderly will cure loneliness with chatbot partners, and women are ditching Hinge and failed talking stages for the chatbot man of their dreams. Let’s deep dive this from both and ethical and moral perspective, considering the risks, the harms, and the alternatives to artificial connections. Substack: https://substack.com/home/post/p-171924338 Instagram: WhatzaralovesTiktok: Whatzaraloves6Podcast: Taboo on the BusEmail: ⁠collective@bricksmagazine.co.uk⁠Reading/Referance List:⁠https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s43681-023-00348-8⁠⁠https://www.theguardian.com/technology/2025/apr/15/she-helps-cheer-me-up-the-people-forming-relationships-with-ai-chatbots⁠https://www.washingtonpost.com/technology/2023/03/30/replika-ai-chatbot-update/https://www.npr.org/2024/08/27/nx-s1-5073962/exploring-concerns-around-users-building-emotional-dependence-on-ai-chatbotshttps://jamesmuldoon.orghttps://www.reddit.com/r/MyBoyfriendIsAI/

You are what you can afford: the privilege of a healthy diet, and the broken UK food system 09.07.2025 44min

Consider this an expansion to one of my recent episodes: Food as a Status Symbol, where I discussed how food is increasingly becoming a luxury item as it becomes more inaccessible. Today I HEAVILY deep dive the broken UK food system, discussing how healthy eating and foods remain a privilege as opposed to a right amid our current climate. Join in for a discussion about the barriers to healthy foods, food poverty, the appeal of ultra-processed foods, and what the government is trying to do to improve the UK’s diet. Thank you so much for listening and creating space for this important discussion. Unless something upstream is done to tackle access to healthy, nutritious food then we will see widening health and nutrition gaps between those who can and can’t afford these items. Some notable references from this episode are:- Food Fight by Stuart Gillespie - Source quoting Wan et al., (2014) https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0277953615300629- Broken Plate 2025 https://foodfoundation.org.uk/publication/broken-plate-2025- https://foodfoundation.org.uk/initiatives/food-insecurity-tracking#tabs/Round-16- The Guardian article: https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2025/jun/30/obesity-crisis-uk-healthy-food-affordable-government-prices?utm_source=chatgpt.com Find me online: Instagram – WhatzaralovesTikTok – Whatzaraloves Taboo on the busEmail – ⁠whatzaraloves@gmail.com⁠

You are what you can afford: the privilege of a healthy diet [mini bus version] 09.07.2025 4min

Full deep-dive episode is also live, join me on the bus for a mini discussion. here.Consider this an expansion to one of my recent episodes: Food as a Status Symbol, where I discussed how food is increasingly becoming a luxury item as it becomes more inaccessible. Today I HEAVILY deep dive the broken UK food system, discussing how healthy eating and foods remain a privilege as opposed to a right amid our current climate. Join in for a discussion about the barriers to healthy foods, food poverty, the appeal of ultra-processed foods, and what the government is trying to do to improve the UK’s diet. Thank you so much for listening and creating space for this important discussion. Unless something upstream is done to tackle access to healthy, nutritious food then we will see widening health and nutrition gaps between those who can and can’t afford these items. Some notable references from this episode are:- Food Fight by Stuart Gillespie - Source quoting Wan et al., (2014) ⁠https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0277953615300629⁠- Broken Plate 2025 ⁠https://foodfoundation.org.uk/publication/broken-plate-2025⁠- ⁠https://foodfoundation.org.uk/initiatives/food-insecurity-tracking#tabs/Round-16⁠- The Guardian article: ⁠https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2025/jun/30/obesity-crisis-uk-healthy-food-affordable-government-prices?utm_source=chatgpt.com⁠ Find me online: Instagram – WhatzaralovesTikTok – Whatzaraloves Taboo on the busEmail – ⁠collective@bricksmagazine.co.uk⁠

Is it queerbaiting or is it just biphobia? On celebrities, pride month, fanfic, and the real definiton of ‘queerbait’ 18.06.2025 31min

I have seen too many queerbaiting accusations fly around recently, during pride month of ALL months, and wanted to give my input on the topic. So so many times I see ‘queerbait’ accusations against celebrities there is real undertones of biphobia and the reinforcement of labels and boxes. Do these accusations do more harm than good? Are they just pushing the idea that we others an explanation of our sexuality? Sit down with me and let’s discuss queerbaiting, celebrities, and the real origins of the term. Queerbaiting actually stems from a media realm, which I discuss with reference to Sherlock, and the pipeline from queerbait to fan fiction. Thank you always for the support! Instagram: WhatzaralovesTiktok: whatzaraloves6email - whatzaraloves@gmail.com

Queerbait or biphobia? On celebrities, pride month, and the harm of queerbait accusations [mini version] 18.06.2025 3min

[Mini bus bus episode, full deep dive is also live]I have seen too many queerbaiting accusations fly around recently, during pride month of ALL months, and wanted to give my input on the topic. So so many times I see ‘queerbait’ accusations against celebrities there is real undertones of biphobia and the reinforcement of labels and boxes. Do these accusations do more harm than good? Are they just pushing the idea that we others an explanation of our sexuality? Sit down with me and let’s discuss queerbaiting, celebrities, and the real origins of the term. Thank you always for the support! Instagram: WhatzaralovesTiktok: whatzaraloves6Email: collective@bricksmagazine.co.uk

She’s not real, but the harm to society is: on AI girlfriends, robots, and cyber brothels [mini] 12.06.2025 3min

Alongside the longform podcast deepdive, here is the bus version of this week's episode. Inspired by Laura Bate’s new book: The New Age of Sexism, I sat down today to analyse how the interaction between society and AI girlfriends/robots/cyber women is ultimately going to be at the detriment of us all. Is it really a good thing that men are now ‘redirecting’ abuse and harm towards AI women? Is that really sparing the rest of us? Or we creating spaces and systems that tolerate and withstand abuse, creating if anything, a pathway towards further abuse and harm of women every day. I take a look at existing technologies such as Alexa’s and Chat Robots to understand this correlation, giving you a deep insight into this important conversation. It will truly change your perspective on a lotttt of things. Laura Bate’s new book: https://www.simonandschuster.co.uk/books/The-New-Age-of-Sexism/Laura-Bates/9781471190483 Instagram: WhatzaralovesTiktok: Whatzaraloves6Email: collective@bricksmagazine.co.uk

Why there will never be a 'lesbian' Grindr - my favourite topic discussed 24.05.2025 35min

Hello loves! This is somewhat a deep dive in to my dissertation topic and pulling in some of my own research. I sat down in the long episode today to discuss why we can’t just replicate Grindr for women and expect it to foster the same culture. We analyse the differences in hookup/dating app culture between queer men and women, and how these intertwine with dating app design. Someone please just let me design a dating app for the gay girls, I beg!! Tiktok – Whatzaraloves6Instagram – WhatzaralovesEmail – collective@bricksmagazine.co.uk