How ‘monoculture’ became a catchall for two opposing anxieties – that we no longer share enough, and that we all share too much

The term’s contradictory uses signal deeper worries about cultural fragmenting and algorithmic-induced flattening.

By: Maria A. Rodas, University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, The Conversation

Outlets: The Conversation

Published: June 3, 2026

Words: 1,371

Last Updated: 1 month, 3 weeks ago

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By Maria A. Rodas, University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign

When “The Late Show with Stephen Colbert” aired its final episode on May 21, 2026, critics lamented more than the end of a television program.

It was a nightly ritual that millions of Americans participated in, with Bloomberg media reporter Lucas Shaw describing its cancellation as one more sign of “the decline of monoculture.”

Eulogies for “the monoculture” have appeared elsewhere. In fall 2025, BuzzFeed announced …

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