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Have you ever scrolled past short<\/a> videos<\/a> that caution you about the evils of doomscrolling and brainrot? The dangers<\/a> of modern day capitalism and consumerism? The over-consumptive<\/a> nature of our uninspired population? Despite the artificial nature of these videos, they do contain a kernel of truth. You almost want to believe these people because their simple observations about our degraded modern-day society are so true and self-evident<\/a>. Who today doesn\u2019t bat an eye at our grocery<\/a> and gas prices<\/a>, or at the rise of artificial intelligence<\/a> and the enshittification<\/a> of our applications?<\/p>\n We\u2019re inclined to believe these hypocrites, until these same people try to sell you on their own version of these evils \u2014 like a subscription-based service<\/a> to monitor your subscriptions or an app<\/a> to block your other apps. These companies point fingers at what\u2019s ailing the world while simultaneously poisoning the well and profiting from their user base. Unfortunately, \u201cThe Devil Wears Prada 2\u201d finds itself deep within this well, a belated and unnecessary sequel to the original film that attempts to criticize larger social issues but, ultimately, is a gear in the same machinery which propels mindless consumption.<\/p>\n Look no further at this film\u2019s failure than the biggest story change from the original to the sequel: Taking place 20 years after the original, Andy Sachs (Anne Hathaway) is now a journalist. In the opening scene, we see Andy as an accomplished writer who has received an award for her journalistic prowess. Yet, at her award ceremony, Andy hears news that her entire newsroom has been laid off for \u2018corporate efficiencies.\u2019\u00a0<\/p>\n This is an interesting set-up, and the film reunites Andy with familiar faces as she writes for the magazine Runway under Miranda Priestly (Meryl Streep) and Nigel Kipling (Stanley Tucci) to make a living post lay off. Over the course of two hours, we see Andy ingratiate herself within the coarse, tough environment of Runway, making inroads all while corporate interests, hoping to shrink journalism even further, surround her. The film comments on real life recent events like Teen Vogue magazine<\/a> transitioning to a digital-only publication and the ongoing collapse<\/a> of the journalism industry. Grappling with an increasingly digitized and technologically dependent world, the initial conflict of the film seems to focus on the fight to keep the journalism industry \u2014 whether it be the news or a fashion magazine \u2014 alive and printing.\u00a0<\/p>\n