How ‘monoculture’ became a catchall for two opposing anxieties – that we no longer share enough, and that we all share too much

How ‘monoculture’ became a catchall for two opposing anxieties – that we no longer share enough, and that we all share too much

Have algorithms and AI flattened popular culture the way industrial farming flattened the prairie? alffoto/iStock via Getty Images PlusWhen “The Late Show with Stephen Colbert” aired its final episode on May 21, 2026, critics lamented more than the end of a television program. It was a nightly ritual that millions of Americans participated in, with Bloomberg media reporter Lucas Shaw describing its cancellation as one more sign of “the decline o…

How ‘monoculture’ came to mean two conflicting things

Stay ahead of the curve with our weekly guide to the latest trends, fashion, relationships and more Stay ahead of the curve with our weekly guide to the latest trends, fashion, relationships and more Stay ahead of the curve with our weekly guide to the latest trends, fashion, relationships and more When “The Late Show with Stephen Colbert” aired its final episode on May 21, 2026, critics lamented more than the end of a television program. It was…