Social Media Digest

Dating detox

"Women are sick of dating," commented Cosmopolitan, a US fashion and entertainment magazine, when writing about the "boy sober" movement that started earlier this year.

Like when drinkers take a hiatus from alcohol, more and more young women in the US are choosing to take a break from men because they're tired of seeking male attention and being disappointed by toxic relationships.

The term "boy sober" was first brought up by Hope Woodard, 28, a comedian and influencer at a club in New York City. After several unsatisfying relationships, she decided to take a yearlong halt from dating to focus on self-growth and self-discovery.

"Maybe we are one of the first generations of women where we don't actually have to plug into a man for, like, energy and power and whatever," she told The Washington Post.

Trauma and relationship therapist Jordan Pickell explained to USA Today that the "boy sober" trend reflects a broader shift in how young women perceive singlehood — not as a state of lack, but as an empowered choice.

"By going 'boy sober', women are actively de-centering men in their lives, and rather than trying to please men, taking a step back," she said.

Although this trend, like any other, is likely to be temporary, Natasha Silverman, a relationship counselor, said it offers valuable insights and tools for healthier relationships in the future.

"When you're feeling more confident and secure, it tends to be that you come to dating from a different place. You know who you are, and what you're willing to tolerate," she told Cosmopolitan.

Olympic cinemas

Flying to Paris to watch the Olympics may be too costly for many, but this year, cinemas in China provided a perfect alternative for those wanting to immerse themselves in the Games.

For sports events, large cinema screens offer enhanced clarity compared to home TVs, delivering intricate visual details. Cinemas also made every effort to improve the audience's viewing experience. In some cinemas, for example, staff distributed small Chinese national flags before entry. Others offered drinks and snacks, and some even set up a ping-pong table in the screening room.

However, due to event scheduling and a lack of publicity, Olympic live-streaming did not generate significant box office revenue for cinemas.

According to data from Lighthouse Professional Edition, the highest box office revenue among Olympic live-streaming events was for the opening ceremony, which grossed approximately 2.14 million yuan ($298,019). Other events were much less popular, earning only tens of thousands of yuan.

"Offering a space for sports enthusiasts to gather and watch the games so that they can experience the Olympics in a new setting has much greater social significance than its actual market benefits," Chen Diandian, founding partner of Ecosports, a sports industry service platform, told news website 36Kr.