I don't think that's the way you're supposed to read it? I think you're supposed to read it as, the trendy extremes tell you something about a place, even if the details are silly and ephemeral. People with no filter, no shame, no interest in correctness or consequences, and no pole star except trends are like a cartoon guide to the trends and the mentality driving them.

I think the author would agree with most of what you wrote.

the last decade of journalism has taken two comments on twitter to claim social zeitgeist.