As Rose in Good Faith founder David Teitelbaum says, most of his customers are either younger millennials or members of Gen Z, who find his satirical slogans “ironic” and funny, especially if they’re Mormons. And while it may seem “not so self-serious” on the surface, he does think sacrilegious chic may indicate that this trend isn’t just a phase. Rather, it could be a sign that their mindset is shifting in a much darker direction.
Edgy clothing has always been used as a way to rebel against the status quo, but for the first time ever, we have a generation that has almost unparalleled access to world events, political analysis, civilian journalism, and different ideologies via the internet, where the entire American public is watching the status quo rapidly spiral out of control.
“Looking at politics right now, a lot of these 18 to 22-year-olds, they’re like, ‘nothing’s real.’ The world, it’s all a joke on the internet. It’s just a giant joke,” Teitelbaum says, reiterating that recent events have made everyone feel like the government is becoming synonymous with the Christian Church. “There’s no trust. There’s no virtue.”