Podcast Summary: Throwing Fits
Episode: SUBSTACK PREVIEW The 2024 Fitties
Release Date: January 7, 2025
Introduction
In the Throwing Fits episode titled "The 2024 Fitties," hosts Lawrence Schlossman and James Harris dive into their annual award show, celebrating and critiquing the year’s standout trends, brands, movies, and cultural phenomena. Joined by Columnist Nora, who is actively engaged in the polls, the trio navigates through listener-voted categories, offering a blend of humor, insight, and candid discussions about the evolving landscape of the male zeitgeist.
Annual Award Show Overview
Lawrence Schlossman kicks off the episode by highlighting the meticulous process behind the awards:
"The 2024 Fitties have been calculated and tabulated. Mathematic..." [01:18]
The hosts emphasize that the awards reflect listener opinions, making it a participatory event:
"As voted on by you, the listener, the customer." [01:34]
They tease upcoming categories, including best brands, trends, movies, and more, setting the stage for an engaging exploration of the year's highlights and lowlights.
Top Trends of 2024
The discussion swiftly moves to the heart of the episode: the top five trends as voted by listeners.
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Quarter Zip Crisis
Garnering 6.6% of the vote, the quarter zip tops the list, albeit somewhat humorously:"Quarter zips coming in at number five." [08:37]
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Old Money Aesthetic, New Money Taste
With 7.1%, this trend reflects a blend of traditional and modern styles:"Old money aesthetic, new money taste." [08:40]
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Good Boy Fits
Receiving 8.3%, this category celebrates styles that are universally appealing and non-confrontational:"Good boy fits... popping your collar in your top coat." [09:04]
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Irish Independence
At 20.7%, this trend delves into cultural expressions and national pride:"Irish independence talking splitting the GS..." [09:17]
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Post-Trend World
Surprisingly, the top trend isn't a trend at all. Fall-out polls reveal that the prevailing sentiment is the absence of fleeting styles:"The best trend of the year is the fact that we're living in a post-trend world." [09:40]
Notable Quote:
"There are no more trends. Any trend you see is a media psyop to get clicks and engagement." – Lawrence Schlossman [09:51]
Discussion on the Dissolution of Trends
Lawrence and James engage in a spirited debate about the current state of fashion and cultural trends. Lawrence posits that the media-driven nature of trends has led to their dilution:
"It's all a media psyop to get clicks and engagement and outrage and sales." [09:51]
James counters by suggesting that the absence of traditional trends allows for more authentic personal style development:
"People are digging in deeper to the things that matter to them that are personal, that they really enjoy." [10:12]
Notable Quote:
"It's a bit of a reset... people are still dressing like Silver Lake mechanics, but that's no longer a new trend." – Lawrence Schlossman [13:09]
Personal Style vs. Trends
The hosts reflect on their personal engagement with the trends discussed. James shares his tentative embrace of the quarter zip trend:
"I have a quarter zip... I'm excited to wear it on pod." [12:17]
Conversely, Lawrence expresses skepticism towards following fleeting trends, advocating for a more grounded approach to personal style:
"I set the trend... I do love trends, but if something doesn't work, you discard it and move on." [11:20]
Notable Quote:
"Your screen time seems pretty high, my friend." – Lawrence Schlossman (teasing James) [11:08]
Audience Engagement and Voting Insights
Emphasizing the participatory nature of the Fitties, Lawrence thanks the listeners for their votes, underscoring the community-driven aspect of the podcast:
"Thank you everyone that voted in the Fitties." [08:40]
He also reflects on the evolving nature of trends post-pandemic, suggesting that the intense trend-driven culture of previous years has mellowed:
"It's kind of indicative of the times we're in relation to the pandemic where we were in like hyper trend drive." [13:09]
Conclusion
As the episode wraps up, Throwing Fits underscores the shift from a trend-centric world to one where personal style takes precedence. The hosts advocate for authenticity over fleeting popularity, encouraging listeners to prioritize personal satisfaction over external validation.
Final Quote:
"This proves the point that personal style is more enduring than transient trends." – James Harris [14:13]
Key Takeaways
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Post-Trend Reality: The leading trend of 2024 is the absence of traditional trends, highlighting a cultural shift towards individualism.
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Personal Style Emphasis: Both hosts advocate for developing a personal style that transcends media-driven trends.
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Listener Participation: The Fitties award show exemplifies community engagement, with listeners actively shaping the conversation.
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Cultural Reflections: The discussion mirrors broader societal changes post-pandemic, where authenticity and personal preferences gain prominence over ephemeral trends.
This episode of Throwing Fits offers a candid and humorous exploration of the current state of trends and personal style, inviting listeners to reflect on their own approaches to fashion and cultural engagement.