I really didn’t want to believe it, but post-election I’ve come to the conclusion that a significant amount of these vibes are driven by YouTube and TikTok. My FYP is filled with videos that portray only the side of the U.S. that is decaying–abandoned shopping malls, blighted neighborhoods or towns that shut down for one reason or another, presented as memes about “liminality” or uncanniness. Admittedly I have a longstanding interest in urban exploration that predates the liminal space trend and its offshoots but you have to ask yourself why these media are being pushed so hard by algorithms and I don’t think it’s just that they appeal to people like me. I suspect that it’s part of a more concerted effort to portray the United States as a nation in decline, failing to keep up with authoritarian powers like China and Russia, leading to an obvious prescription: replace our democracy with our own authoritarian system… which will be easier for large corporations and foreign governments (even China whom Trump ostensibly opposes) to exploit and control.