Scrolling through social media is a common pastime among the teenagers of today, one that I am all too familiar with. While the average teen’s feed is filled with pop culture updates, it’s not uncommon to stumble upon the latest internet controversy while trying to unwind. As usual, one lucky influencer post, news segment, advertisement, or television show falls under scrutiny for doing something we can all agree they shouldn’t. I, just like many others my age, have spotted that infamous screenshot within the replies: “that friend who’s too woke”. I’ve personally been “that friend who’s too woke” too many times to count. Of course, people will form different opinions, but in recent years, the tone is seeming to morph. Hundreds of replies, all with yet another dreaded phrase— “it’s not that deep”. The internet is going from sharing their opinions to refusing to form one at all.
Though we may not always like to admit it, media is always filled with implicit bias, connections to real world issues and symbolism, whether it’s intentional or deliberately placed. For example, actress Sydney Sweeney’s American Eagle “genes” ad. Many people, Sweeney included, may assert that the ad really was just to promote AE denim. But even articles trying to convince readers everything is not about politics cannot resist throwing jabs at “liberals” and “progressives”. Despite her denials of any ulterior motives behind the ad, Sweeney has a track record of immersing herself in less than politically correct movements, and the ad was praised by none other than J.D Vance, criticized for his support of a far-right German political party which frequently undermines the horrors of the Holocaust.
At a time like this in American politics, it is imperative that we engage in better media literacy skills. While we’ve all heard the term before, especially in recent years, “media literacy” is becoming more of a buzzword than an initiative. It's gaining popularity in pop culture, with YouTubers such as Danny Gonzalez joking with his viewers that he wants to see a little more “critical thinking” within his fanbase. As seen in this article from the University of Illinois, even laws promoting media literacy struggle with implementation between generations and political ideologies.
While media literacy is increasing in prominence, reading between the lines surpasses just the trends. Coded messaging through art and media has existed throughout the course of history. During the Vietnam War, anti-War protesters sported black armbands and frequently wore bell bottoms to signify their stance to other protesters and those who shared their beliefs. Dmitri Shostakovich, a Russian composer from the Contemporary era, mastered implementing subtle messagery into his music. The finale of his popular Symphony No.5, “Allegro non troppo” criticized Stalin. It’s filled with triumphant brass, yet repeatedly features one deafening note from the rest of the instrumentation. Privately, Shostakovich called his work a “satirical picture”. He also incorporates his signature into all of his works, including the notes DSCH.
Dogwhistles, common among far right political groups, are also a point of concern. Many Neo-Nazis on the internet include things like the letters “SS” and lightning bolts in order to discreetly signify their political ideologies. In October of 2025, a group called the Young Republicans came under fire for their leaked chat messages which contained appalling language and topics. They shared messages including the number 1488, is commonly used as a dogwhistle among White supremacists due to the amount of words in their slogan. H comes 8th in the alphabet, and 88 stands for “Heil Hitler.” Keen eyes observed members of the Young Republicans, consisting of members ages 20-40, holding up an OK symbol with their hands in various pictures. While this seems like a common gesture, it morphed into a dog whistle used by White supremacists after a joke on the internet forum 4chan exploded into the mainstream. Dog whistles exist for the express purpose of establishing plausible deniability and gaining the ability to tell people “it’s not that deep”.
Do I think that everyone needs to spiral deeper and deeper into irrational paranoia? No.
Do I think that, as a generation, we all need to be a little more critical of the media we consume? Yes.
While no one can truly know everybody’s intentions, discernment is a valuable skill to develop. To intentionally push intuition down, to refuse to do research to support your feelings, and to just listen to people saying “it’s not that deep” will sabotage your personal growth.
Sometimes it really is that deep.
The girls are talking. Get in the conversation.