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The internet recently began buzzing about a new social media trend that took off among Black men.
Centered on highlighting and promoting a “soft” lifestyle, the videos show Black men simply going about their day-to-day routine—and there are quite a few examples floating around!
Uploads that followed the trend showed men engaging in soothing activities, like caring for houseplants, drinking tea, or just chillin’.
Working out and having hobbies like bowling and podcasting were included, too.
Some contributions made by a user going by @nicenonns are focused on showing what “dinner with a soft Black man” looks like.
All in all, most videos of the trend were pretty straightforward and focused on calling attention to the “soft” life.
As the trend continued to take off, people began chiming in on other platforms like Twitter.
Many critics found the videos to be pretty mundane, as they were focused on showing “an adult doing things that adults do.”
It was even alleged that there was “something sinister about [TikTok] turning every basic action into a life aesthetic or personality trait.”
However, others thought the trend was “cute” and simply looked like “peace, happiness, and success.”
Overall, supporters thought the backlash was strange, as the “soft life” trend was all about promoting chillness.
On the other end of the spectrum, it was asserted that the overall trend is “inherently racist” at its core, as it applauds Black men for “doing the bare minimum” with adulting.
Users also called for “a particular brand of bullying” to be brought back. Similarly, others implored people to leave the trend in 2022, as “we used to build and hunt.”
Are you here for the “soft life as a Black man” trend, and what do you think about the criticism against it?
