Gen Z is adding “-maxxing” to nearly every word. And now, there are countless headlines using the suffix, like ones referring to “by-your-self-maxxing” (romanticizing solitude), “Catholicmaxxing” (rediscovering religion), “Londonmaxxing” (fully immersing in London’s city life), and even “hopemaxxing” (a quick Gen Z rebrand on “Millennial optimism”). The media is correct that there’s a trend going on here: online, creators are building entire platforms around “maxxing.” Even if you don’t recognize their names, influencers like Clavicular or The Cologne Boy are pulling hundreds of thousands—sometimes millions—of views by showing their young audiences how to “maxx” everything from their appearance to their diets. While “maxxing” might feel like a new trend, it’s actually been around for years in more niche online forums (see: incel communities), where it was often tied to rigid and sometimes toxic ideas around self-improvement and success. But like many things Gen Z touches, it’s since been reworked and rebranded through social media. Now, “maxxing” has evolved into yet another Gen Z internet culture vocab word. In...
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