Feature image by timsa via Getty Images
A new year is almost upon us! That means it’s time to declare what’s in and out for 2024. This list is 100% scientific and objective and I’m sure everyone will agree with me on everything, but, okay, fine, it’s also just my “opinion” or whatever and all complaints should be sent to me directly, etc. etc.
Let’s get into it!
IN
- Birds
- Blogs
- Cute little trinkets
- Daily dessert
- Dinner parties
- Eggplant
- Ethical consumption under capitalism
- Ethical Non-Monogamy (the action)
- Going to the sea when ill or tired
- Jigsaw puzzles
- Judgment-free hookups with new queers still figuring shit out
- Lost causes
- Novellas
- Overdressing for events
- Physical media
- Selfies
- Sex scenes
- Shoplifting
- Tipping 30%
- Unconventional sandwiches
- Waffles
- Working on local campaigns
OUT
- Arugula
- Delivery apps
- Ethical Non-Monogamy (the phrase)
- Follow-up emails
- French toast
- Generation wars
- Horror movies about trauma
- Minimalism
- Saying “I’m an abolitionist but (insert very not abolitionist desire)”
- Self-important media that critiques rich people
- Sex scene discourse
- Soft launching
- Subscribing to a dozen streaming services
- Superhero movies
- Therapy speak
- True crime
- Twitter alternatives
- Using they/them pronouns for trans women who use she/her
- Venmo requests
- Voting for the presidency*
*My own actions/beliefs aside I do think the 2024 U.S. presidential election is going to have a very low turnout. But, of course, it’s up to every individual able to vote to decide whether or not they want to and I do acknowledge the stakes are higher for people who live in swing states. Personally, I can acknowledge that another four years of Trump would be worse than another four years of Biden while at the same time struggling to justify voting for a politician who so brazenly supports a genocide against Palestinians — among other failures. I don’t know how we change the system and our world if we continue to have our votes taken for granted by a Democratic party who doesn’t care about our beliefs or our lives or human life in general. At the same time, I understand there’s a practical limit to a protest vote in a presidential election. Mostly what I hope for in 2024 is a de-centering of the U.S. presidential election from our political discussion and an understanding that whether Trump or Biden is president there will be so much work to do to take care of each other domestically and abroad. The United States is an evil empire and always has been regardless of our figurehead. It’s absurd with nearly a year left before the election, we already know our options and that our options are this. I understand making the pragmatic choice in this election. I also understand if you can’t bring yourself to do that. I just hope cynicism is out for 2024, because we have to keep fighting for the improbable possibility of a better world.
