Teetotaler Generation

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Happy Wednesday, Future Party. As the LA firefighters get a handle on the most dangerous aspects of the Palisades and Eaton Fires, the city has been heroically rallying around survivors who have lost their homes — so much so that physical donations are being temporarily turned away. But here’s a list of verified GoFundMe pages to help people get back on their feet. Every little bit helps.

Gen Zers are increasingly going sober or sober-curious as changing norms take the social pressure off of consuming alcohol to have fun.

The Big Picture: Young people going sober are already having major ripple effects across the food and beverage industry, the sports economy, and nightlife scenes.

Between the Beverages: Just how sober is Gen Z?

Last Call: Why are people closing out their tabs for good? The reasons are varied — it’s not particularly good for you, it doesn’t make you feel good, there’s a new focus on health and well-being, and a growing movement toward alcohol-free socializing. Now, alcohol doesn’t seem as cool as it did to previous generations. 

What’s becoming cooler again is actually socializing in real life (not just through screens). Coupled with the sober movement, spaces that provide fun and connection that don’t require a little liquid courage could be the biggest trends over the next decade… until a new generation finds the taste for some bubbly.

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With TikTok’s US expiration date approaching, there’s a mad rush to eulogize it, purchase it, find alternatives, or extend its American life.

Why It Hits: The dust is far from settled on what TikTok’s fate will be. But whatever happens, social media is definitely entering a new era, which will once again reshape online life.

Behind the Curtain: Brace yourselves — there’s a lot happening.

The Future: Woof. We’re exhausted. But the big takeaway is that people love TikTok, which has been arguably the driver of culture over the past five years. For users, that means the entertainment takes precedence over any other issues. For potential buyers, it means the opportunity to make the biggest tech deal in history. And for politicians, it means few want to take the heat for allowing a ban to go through… which will reportedly result in a total shutdown on Sunday.

Grab your popcorn.

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76.4% of you voted Yes in yesterday’s poll: Have you ever been ghosted by a potential employer?

“It even happens in the federal government with national security positions.”

“This is in the UK, too. All the advice is to ask for feedback [post-interview], and companies talk a good game about how supportive and helpful they are, but the reality is they just aren’t that bothered.”

“I know for a fact my current employer posts new jobs they have no intention of filling to make the company look like it’s doing better than it is to the public.”

“I’m a C-suite exec, and I’ve been looking for a new position since July. There are plenty of openings for which I’m qualified… either I’m poorly presenting myself, or the jobs aren’t real.”

“This is such a silly concept. Potential employers are under no obligation to keep up correspondence with you if they select another candidate or terminate the position you’re applying for. Rejection is a natural part of the job search. It’s capitalism. Don’t take it personally.”

Let’s keep the conversation going. Join our Poll Of The Day newsletter, so your opinions can shine. Discover how your views line up with your peers’, check out cool insights, and have some fun. It’s data with personality.

📺 Local LA news viewership tripled during the first days of the Los Angeles fires as people turned to channels like KABC and KTLA for info.

🎥 A24’s Sing Sing is set to return to theaters… and inside 1,100 American correctional facilities… this weekend.

🏈 Where Venu Sports left off, DirecTV is picking up with its new “MySports” streaming package.

🌲 The Biden administration is making federal land available for lease to build AI data centers.

💻 The DOJ confirmed that it carried out an operation that deleted Chinese malware from thousands of US computers without people knowing.

🤖 OpenAI’s reasoning model sometimes “thinks” in Mandarin or Farsi, even when a query is asked in English.

🍸 The government may be coming to pour out your THC-infused cocktail.

🛍️ Burlington is literally downsizing its stores to 20% of their usual size to keep up with changing trends in retail.

🚗 eBay is acquiring e-commerce car startup Caramel to compete with Amazon’s new car salesmanship.