Everything is slop now

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Welcome to Creatives Anonymous, a weekly newsletter that explores what it means to be a modern-day creative through essays, interviews, and commentary.

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We’ve officially reached our slop era. 

Everything—from food to clothing to content has gotten so bad. 

We’ve become a society that wants things cheap and fast rather than high-quality and resonant. It’s late-stage capitalism at its finest. 

“Slop culture” refers to a growing concern that the internet and culture are becoming oversaturated with low-effort, low-quality, algorithm-optimized "stuff." Whether content, design, or even experiences, the emphasis is increasingly on quantity over quality.

It’s anything churned out for lack of meaning and engagement, but rather for clicks, profit, and views. A slop culture doesn’t care about the people or the work—the only metric that matters is how it benefits the bottom line. 

Slop culture shows up in:

• Fast fashion and dupes that are just glorified designer knockoffs 

• The homogenous design aesthetic of everything from coffee shops to mobile apps

• AI-generated, SEO-stuff, recycled content to appease the algorithm

The goal is to minimize thought and maximize efficiency, sacrificing beauty, creativity, and quality along the way. 

I. We’re living in a Bubblegum Dystopia

A “Bubblegum Dystopia” is a phrase coined by Stephen Nothum that describes a “world where all power is held by one or multiple totalitarian corporate entities that make the world vibrant, convenient, and filled with endless innovations and content that function to fill every hour of a human life.”

Essentially, it’s technically consumable, but devoid of substance or care—hence, like bubblegum. 

In a Bubblegum Dystopia, “a human being’s identity is reduced to that of a consumer, people define themselves almost entirely by the products they use and media they consume, and there is a general oblivious blind optimism thanks to how convenient life is and how easy it is to pass each day simply consuming.”

Everything has become a product, even ideas, replacing art and media entirely. 

And AI just makes things worse. We believe AI is making things better and faster, but there is no inherent quality behind the produced content. It’s low effort, low quality, and lazy. It lacks original thought, insight, personality, and perspective.  

AI has made it easier to create content that dulls the senses and lowers expectations. There is no mental stimulation. It might comfort us, but it certainly doesn’t challenge, disturb, or surprise us. 

Hence, why we get recommended the same recycled content on the same ideas and topics. 

So, why is it produced then? Because the producers know that’s how they’ll beat the algorithm. 

This kind of content forces us to think less, putting our brains on autopilot. It’s dopamine-scrolling hyper-personalized content engines that serve us the content we want to see rather than having us go out and search for it. 

It’s why we get caught in an echo chamber filled with recycled content on the same ideas and topics. As a result, we only see a sliver of what’s going on in the world around us (which is scary AF). This removes the step in the process that allows us to think critically because we don’t see the full picture. As a result, we begin to lose our grip on reality because we only see one side of the story.

II. Slop keeps us mediocre 

Slop numbs us to beauty, depth, and surprise. When everything looks and feels the same, we stop asking for better, often forgetting what “better” even looks like. 

In other words, it’s mediocre. 

There’s no desire for excellence in slop culture. The bar is set low. “Good enough” is the benchmark. We don’t push ourselves to do something great, and how can we when we're encouraged to be faster, not better? 

And because of that, there is a lack of satisfaction with what’s being produced. You’re not necessarily proud of the work; you’re just glad it’s done and ready to move on to the next thing.

It makes us burn out, not only from producing more work, but from boredom with what we’re creating. 

Because it safe.  

It doesn’t encourage us to push boundaries, experiment, or have an opinion. It’s the literal representation of sticking to the status quo. 

Slop has made it so we’re not rocking the boat. Our so-called “hot takes” are lukewarm at best and an iteration of what someone else has already said. We’ve forgotten what it means to shake things up and make people think. 

We’re not relying on critical thinking and human insight but rather on tools that supposedly do that for us. 

Tools don’t give us perspective and point of view. Our experiences do. 

III. There are no shortcuts  

Slop has created a world of shortcuts. We think we’re better off expediting the process, but we’re just outsourcing our brains. 

To combat slop culture, we need to use our brains. That means slowing down and forcing ourselves to go through the process instead of speeding through it. 

We need to go through the process, not because it’s easier, but because it’s more rewarding. We don’t get as much reward when we take the easy way out.  

To get good, you can’t take shortcuts. You need to go through the process, no matter how hard. As they say, you can’t rush greatness. 

Building skills takes practice, and slop removes the process of learning. And not just learning hard skills, but learning about ourselves—our values, our limits, what we’re made of, and what we’re capable of doing—all that becomes lost. 

When there is no process to go through, you remove the introspection that comes with it. We aren’t forced to feel anything or confront any truths.  

You can’t gain grit, resilience, or strength without the process, and you can’t ChatGPT your way out of dealing with rejection or failure. 

Going through the process is the shortcut. 

IV. No one “aesthetic” to rule them all 

When we hear the word “aesthetic,” we likely have the same image in mind—one where everything is beige and minimalist. 

You don’t see intentionally designed living spaces anymore. Every new apartment complex looks exactly the same, down to the layout, flooring, and fixtures. Every store sells the same silhouettes. Everything has a dupe. 

Homogeneity is the epitome of slop culture. Nothing is differentiated or unique. It’s created this single idea of what is considered “aesthetic.” 

What we see as “aesthetic” is validated by social media, influencers, and algorithms. It’s trickled into our homes, the products we buy, and how we present ourselves to the world. 

And most of the time, it’s devoid of taste. There is nothing beyond the design on the surface. It doesn’t stimulate the senses or evoke emotion. It’s just there. 

The mainstream “aesthetic” isn’t the only aesthetic, but it’s the only one we see and know. 

It’s refreshing when we see something different. It’s so novel and new. And we resonate with it because it’s different. 

It’s how we develop taste and our personalized aesthetic—things we think are cool because we resonate with them, whether design choices, objects, or clothing. 

Our aesthetic reflects our personality, and the more we hone it through curiosity, exploration, and experimentation, the more we create an aesthetic that is all our own. 

As we’ve reached the peak of slop culture, it’s up to us to decide where to go next. Will we ditch our reliance on tools and efficiency and instead swap it for human insight and critical thinking? Only time will tell. 

Creative Corner

• 🎞️ What I’m Consuming: First-Time Caller by B.K. Borison

• 💡 What I’m Loving: Had my first official beach day of the season last weekend and definitely looking forward to the next one

• 🎨 What I’m Working On: Editing allll of the photo series I’ve taken so far this year

• 💭 Weekly Musing:

Thank you 💕

If you liked this newsletter, I’d love it if you could forward it to someone who you think would like it, too!

I’m so grateful for all of your support!

Alexa Phillips is a writer, brand strategist, and multi-passionate creative. She is the founder of Bright Eyes Creative, a Seattle-based brand consultancy and media company that helps founder-led consumer brands and creatives design brand experiences and media.

Where to find me:

• Learn more about my services 

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