Critics at Large | The New Yorker

Our Fads, Ourselves

25 snips
Sep 4, 2025
The hosts explore the quirky rise of the Labubu toy, dissecting its strange allure and cultural significance. They discuss the nostalgia tied to childhood fads, comparing past crazes like Beanie Babies with today’s TikTok trends. The conversation dives into the emotional impact of consumerism, highlighting the tension between the desire for individuality and the pressure of societal uniformity. With humor and candid anecdotes, they examine how fads reflect larger societal behaviors while questioning our modern values in a rapidly changing market.
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ANECDOTE

Live Labubu Unboxing And Reactions

  • Alexandra Schwartz, Vinson Cunningham, and Naomi Fry unbox a Labubu live on the podcast and describe its packaging and scarcity.
  • They react to its design, compare it to childhood toys, and note celebrity influence on its popularity.
INSIGHT

From Book Character To Manufactured Scarcity

  • Labubu began as a 2D character in Kasing Lung's book The Monsters and became a Pop Mart toy with engineered scarcity.
  • Pop Mart used marketing and celebrity display to turn the character into a global fashion accessory.
INSIGHT

Cuteness With An Edge Drives Appeal

  • The Labubu's mix of cuteness and menace echoes Where the Wild Things Are and offers safe confrontation with terror.
  • That emotional tension helps explain its broad appeal across ages.
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