Body Positivity
Imagine you're sitting in a café, watching a plump woman enjoying a piece of cake. In the past, you might have thought: "Oh dear, oh dear." Today, you think: "How brave!" What progress.
Cancel Culture
The modern approach to "delicate" art is beautifully simple: Just file it away under "various reasons" and throw away the key. Where once the Venus de Milo proudly displayed her artistry, today we have precautionary pearl-clutching. The nude body, a source of artistic inspiration for millennia, quietly disappears into the vault of political correctness. Heaven forbid someone might accidentally step outside their comfort zone at the sight of an artistic nude!
Cat Calling
You might remember this from the 80s: Man sees woman, man whistles, man feels great. Today this behavior has a name and is about as welcome as a vegan at a butcher shop. Young people call it "Cat Calling". Sounds cute. It isn't.
Cultural Appropriation
We used to call it "drawing inspiration," today it's a crime against humanity. If I, as a pale Central European, photograph dreadlocks or a model in a kimono, I get in trouble with the culture guardians. Mozart had it easy — he could just incorporate Turkish music into his compositions without anyone batting an eye.
Cringe
You know when your dad does the Macarena at family gatherings? Or when your mom tries to communicate using "bruh" and "no cap"? We used to just call it embarrassing. Now it's cringe. The word itself is actually cringe too — but pointing that out is probably even more cringe.
Digital Detox
The spiritual enlightenment journey of the 21st century: People actually pay money for someone to take away their smartphone. As if you couldn't press the power button for free. But presumably, the digital detox only really works if you can write a blog about it afterward.
Digital Native
A fascinating species: people who can create an Instagram story blindfolded but stand before an iron like it's an artifact from Area 51. They can master five social media platforms simultaneously but fail at operating a washing machine. "Isn't there an app for that?" — No, there isn't.
Empowerement
Back in the day, people would say "Pull yourself together!" or "You can do it!" Today, you need an installation made of recycled coffee cups and a TED talk. But never mind — as long as you feel empowered enough afterward to post about it on LinkedIn.
Male Gaze
This is supposedly how we men view the world — as if everything were one big Playboy magazine. We photographers especially need to be careful. A harmless portrait quickly becomes "toxic objectification through the male gaze". As if we'd take better pictures with our eyes closed.
Mansplaining
When men explain the world to women as if they were Wikipedia with a mustache. Particularly popular: The first-semester IT student explaining to the female computer science professor how computers work. Or the amateur chef showing a Michelin-starred female chef how to properly cook pasta.
Old White Man
That's me. That's probably you too, if you're male, over 50, and light-skinned. We're basically the dinosaurs of modern society: people look at us with a mixture of anthropological interest and undisguised contempt. All we want is to drink our beer in peace and listen to 80s music.
Safe Space
A place where everyone agrees — basically like Christmas with the family, just without that awkward uncle who always starts political discussions. An echo chamber with feel-good vibes, where the only acceptable opposing view is that opposing views aren't acceptable.
Soft Life
The lifestyle trend for everyone who finds "work-life balance" too strenuous. Work? Only from home, in matching pajamas with the cat. Exercise? Exclusively meditation with singing bowls. Used to be called laziness - today it's an Instagram hashtag with millions of followers.
Virtue Signalling
The new humble bragging. A post with a rainbow flag. A statement against the right. Organic food photographed with a Leica. Collecting likes for a clear conscience. Do good and talk about it. Preferably on all channels.
But I hope you at least smiled a little while reading my slightly ironic article.