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pennswoodsThe Eurovision Song Context has concluded. There was a lot of drama, but no violence and in the end Switzerland won! Israel came 5th. The Netherlands refused to give its points to anyone after its contestant was disqualified. And the UK got 0 points from the popular vote, showing some things never change even when there is huge controversy (LOL).
I was texting two friends in Europe as this was going on: a Millenial from Germany based in Sweden and a GenXer from Ireland based in Spain.
I was feeling really down about Eurovision and how I saw it being talked about on Twitter and Bluesky. To both I expressed worry that other countries would not want to host again and that the EBU might be undergoing unraveling. The Millenial said that a lot of the sparkle was gone for her knowing about the fake cheering that had been implemented in the televised version to cover the in-person booing and she was also down about the disqualification of the Netherlands, which she thought was unjust. Her partner is from the Netherlands, so he was a favorite. The GenXer told me not to get carried away, that there's lots of money involved and life will go on, as will Eurovision. He then sent a laughing emoji, which I have learned is a very typical Gen X thing to do - excess emoji use.
I mention the generations because I think it's relevant. Every single one of the Eurovision contests who filed a complaint or was protesting or being defiant or got disqualified was Gen Z. Gen Z is 12-27 and these singers were between 20-26. The people posting online on Twitter and Bluesky about this and sharing their dismay or shouting down the EBU for not banning Israel appears to be that same age group.
However, that group does not have a lot of deciding power for Eurovision. I don't think there is a single Gen Zer in a leadership role and probably won't be a for a while. It looks like the leaders of the EBU are GenXers. Half of Gen Z is also still underage and not eligible to perform. Where that generation has power and presence is on social media.
And this is a further indication to me that I spend too much time online because the protests I see in these spaces is amplified beyond what my Millenial and GenXer friend see. I think because I am curious and seek out this controversy in an effort to understand (and also because I waste time on the internet to avoid certain emotions), the algorithm is feeding me more and more and what it is showing me is going to be the most extreme and upsetting things to elicit the strongest engagement.
This is an example of why I need to spend less time on social media. It is fueling my catastrophic thinking and upsetting me unnecessarily.
I was texting two friends in Europe as this was going on: a Millenial from Germany based in Sweden and a GenXer from Ireland based in Spain.
I was feeling really down about Eurovision and how I saw it being talked about on Twitter and Bluesky. To both I expressed worry that other countries would not want to host again and that the EBU might be undergoing unraveling. The Millenial said that a lot of the sparkle was gone for her knowing about the fake cheering that had been implemented in the televised version to cover the in-person booing and she was also down about the disqualification of the Netherlands, which she thought was unjust. Her partner is from the Netherlands, so he was a favorite. The GenXer told me not to get carried away, that there's lots of money involved and life will go on, as will Eurovision. He then sent a laughing emoji, which I have learned is a very typical Gen X thing to do - excess emoji use.
I mention the generations because I think it's relevant. Every single one of the Eurovision contests who filed a complaint or was protesting or being defiant or got disqualified was Gen Z. Gen Z is 12-27 and these singers were between 20-26. The people posting online on Twitter and Bluesky about this and sharing their dismay or shouting down the EBU for not banning Israel appears to be that same age group.
However, that group does not have a lot of deciding power for Eurovision. I don't think there is a single Gen Zer in a leadership role and probably won't be a for a while. It looks like the leaders of the EBU are GenXers. Half of Gen Z is also still underage and not eligible to perform. Where that generation has power and presence is on social media.
And this is a further indication to me that I spend too much time online because the protests I see in these spaces is amplified beyond what my Millenial and GenXer friend see. I think because I am curious and seek out this controversy in an effort to understand (and also because I waste time on the internet to avoid certain emotions), the algorithm is feeding me more and more and what it is showing me is going to be the most extreme and upsetting things to elicit the strongest engagement.
This is an example of why I need to spend less time on social media. It is fueling my catastrophic thinking and upsetting me unnecessarily.
