Superbad Index -
And right now, the Superbad Index is flashing a signal so extreme that we need to talk about it. To understand the index, we have to go back to the source code. Superbad (directed by Greg Mottola, produced by Judd Apatow) was released on August 17, 2007. The iPhone was released six weeks later.
We are currently witnessing a reverse of the Superbad dynamic. In the movie, Evan is terrified of saying "I love you" to his crush, but he eventually does it. Today, Gen Z has invented the "situationship"—a relationship so devoid of definition that it makes Evan's awkwardness look like Casanova-level confidence. superbad index
Why? Because we have a generation of Fogells who don't even need to fake an ID. They just stay home. They order everything. They watch Pornhub And right now, the Superbad Index is flashing
We have the Consumer Price Index (CPI) to track inflation. We have the S&P 500 to track equities. We have the Baltic Dry Index to track shipping rates. But for the past 15 years, analysts have been overlooking the single most reliable barometer of the American social condition. The iPhone was released six weeks later
But we made a mistake. We thought the index was dead. We were wrong. It was just incubating. The pandemic broke the Superbad Index.
If Superbad happened in 2019, Seth wouldn't need to steal a police cruiser or sing "These Eyes" at a liquor store. He would open Tinder. He would use Drizly. He would slide into DMs.