August 28^th, 2024

Happy Wednesday Y'all!

This week's Gen-Z Phrase of the Week:

Definition:

Satirically refers to a self-aware, refined, & subtly elegant approach to one's personal presentation and social interactions

Context:

Traditionally, "demure" is used to describe someone, often a woman, who is reserved, modest & shy.  Through a series of videos, TikTok content creator Jools Lebron, repurposed the traditional meaning of "demure" to describe a more modern, self-aware approach to personal presentation and social conduct using the phrase "very demure, very mindful" (which went viral in early August 2024).  Lebron's satirical take on the concept involves applying this mindset to various everyday situations, from workplace attire to airport etiquette.

The phrase has been adopted on social media as an ironic yet aspirational way to describe a poised and sophisticated demeanor in various social contexts.  Various additions have become common such as "very cutesy, very thoughtful, very respectful, etc."

Example:

^{(all names & events in the following scenario have been made up)}

*airplane arrives at gate, seatbelt sign turns off*

Justen: *immediately stands up even though sitting 24 rows back*

Kimmy: *still sitting like a reasonable person*

Justen: *looks over at Kimmy* “wow look at you - very demure, very mindful” *sits down*

Fun Fact:

McDonald's once made bubblegum-flavored broccoli.  In an effort to get kids to eat healthier, the fast-food giant created this unusual concoction... but it proved to be a failure as the sweet taste only confused children.  Instead, McDonald's is now (supposedly) focusing on other tactics like reducing fry serving sizes and adding low-fat yogurt to Happy Meals to provide healthier options.

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Cheers,

ZACH GEORGE   †   Software Engineer

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