every february, the same reactions surface. questions about balance, calls to move on, claims that history already handled itself. the defensiveness around black history month reveals something deeper than disagreement. it exposes how uncomfortable people become when the default shifts and attention lingers where it usually doesn’t.

influencer culture often frames visibility as opportunity, but beneath that framing sits a quieter entitlement. this piece examines how attention becomes leverage, how sincerity turns performative, and how small creators and businesses are pulled into systems that reward extraction more than integrity.

This essay examines how media shapes the way consent is interpreted in interpersonal relationships. Rather than treating consent as a single moment of agreement, it explores how repeated portrayals of ambiguity, silence, and persistence teach people which cues are read as permission. By focusing on interpretation rather than intent, the piece highlights how learned norms influence real-world boundaries and miscommunication.