Corners of Culture

In this entry of Corners of Culture, I’m thinking out loud about something that’s been hard to ignore lately: the quiet return of religion, tradition, and ritual in pop culture as led by female icons.

This episode was sparked by Rosalía’s new album LUX, which leans heavily into sacred imagery, classical sound, and transcendent language. It feels like a real aesthetic and emotional shift, not just for her as an artist, but as a reflection of the cultural moment we’re in.

From there, I zoom out and connect a few dots:

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Duration: 00:11:08

Is the Starbucks siren secretly Yemeni? That’s a lore drop.

Out of all the objects in your home, the foods you eat every day, and the clothes you rotate through your closet…how many do you actually know the backstory of?

This morning I looked at my espresso cup from Paris and it said “MADE IN THAILAND.” What’s that about?

Don’t worry, this isn’t a political message about the importance of domestic production.

It’s deeper than that.

It’s about how increased access to global markets dem...

Duration: 00:07:31

🎙️ Entry No. 04: Markets & Museums – Is the Marketplace the Modern Museum?

Corners of Culture – with Shyne

We once stole culture to display in glass cases. Now, we steal it to sell in paper cups. From Korean cream tops to Japanese matcha to Vietnamese coffee, Western brands often repackage global traditions as “innovation.”

In this episode, I explore how the marketplace acts like a modern museum—collecting, repurposing, and profiting from cultural artifacts. We’ll look at:

- Coffee culture as a case study in cultural appropriation

- How food, fashion, and flavor trends...

Duration: 00:06:23

☕ Episode 3: Are Coffee Shops the New Churches?Hosted by: Shyne, Your Local Cultural Investigator

In today’s episode, we explore a spicy question: Are coffee shops assuming the role of modern-day churches?

Shyne takes to the streets to hear from locals and examine how coffee shops might be filling a role once held by traditional faith communities—places of belonging, loyalty, identity, and shared rituals.

From the barista who knows your order to the sacred conversations over lattes, coffee shops have become a “third place” where life happens: first dates, breakups, grief, joy, and everyd...

Duration: 00:08:26

🎙️ Episode No. 02: The Food-ification of Coffee

Corners of Culture – A Cultural Inquiry with Shyne

Is your latte starting to taste more like lunch? From mango sticky rice matcha to ramen lattes (yes, actual ramen), this week’s cultural investigation dives into the curious case of meals becoming drinks.

What began as a playful sip of something new has spiraled into a full-on trend: food-inspired lattes popping up in coffee shops everywhere. But we’re not here to rate their taste—we're here to ask: why is this happening?

🔎 In this episode, we explore:

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Duration: 00:04:55

🎙️ Episode 1: Welcome to Corners of Culture👀 Hosted by: Shyne, your Loal Cultural Investigator

In this kickoff episode of Corners of Culture, Shyne introduces you to the heart of this limited podcast and video series—a curiosity-driven look into the small, specific things in life that tell big stories about culture. Whether it’s a phrase in another language packed with emotion, a flavor that hints at migration patterns, or a sneaker that reveals global influence, every corner has something to say.

🔎 What to expect:

Bite-sized cultural investigations from a curious (not credentialed) host

Deep meani...

Duration: 00:01:04

A new saying. A short story. And musings about the relationship between language and culture.

This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit cornersofculture.substack.com

Duration: 00:04:00