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How Silicon Valley helps spread the same sterile aesthetic across the world
The homogeneity contrasted with the overall hipster philosophy of the 2010s, namely, that by consuming certain products and cultural artefacts you could proclaim your own uniqueness apart from the mainstream crowd – in this case a particular coffee shop rather than an obscure band or clothing brand. “The irony of it all is that these spaces are sup... See more
Kyle Chayka • The tyranny of the algorithm: why every coffee shop looks the same
Though it was particularly identifiable in cafés, the same sensibility could be found in coworking spaces, start-up offices, hotels, and restaurants—all spaces where time was temporarily spent and aesthetic was flaunted, where physical space was turned into a product.
Kyle Chayka • Filterworld
Coffee shops provided a perfect test case for my theory of digital geography. They were spaces of consumption, in which members of a certain demographic, who were also very active on the Internet, expressed their personal aspirations by spending money. The café space integrated aesthetic decisions across architecture, interior design, and tableware
... See moreKyle Chayka • Filterworld
Digital platforms take away agency from the business owners, pressuring them to follow in lockstep rather than pursue their own creative whims.