“Thumb tribe” emerges in Japan

Illustration depicts woman reading a novel on her flip phone.

The “thumb tribe” or “thumb generation” refers to the tech-savvy youth who grew up using mobile phones with touchscreens, relying on their thumbs for texting and navigating screens. The term originates in Japan, 拇指族 “oyayubi-zoku.” It is also associated with consuming novels via mobile phones.

Tags
Bodies & Minds 2000s

Explore More

Doomscrolling

Animated gif of cartoon hands scrolling through a cellphone on fire.

"Doomscrolling" refers to the behavior of continuously scrolling through negative, distressing, or alarming news, even though the content may amplify feelings of fear,...

Pokémon Go

A densely packed crowd of young people look at their phones to capture Pokémon in a hotspot in the UK.

Pokémon Go's augmented reality mobile game brought virtual and physical worlds together, showcasing the potential of mobile gaming and location-based experiences. The game...

“We noticed protest posters: 'You will drink lithium, you will eat copper.'”

– Ligaya, Atacama Desert, Chile

Flash mobs

Capture of the Macy's 'love rug' flash mob, with organizers and many participants examining the rug in question.

Popular in the mid-2000s, flash mobs are sudden gatherings of people, often for entertainment or artistic purposes. Organizers usually told participants when and where to...

Transform the tech industry from inside.

Take Action Photo of a hand holding the 2021 yearbook, which is a collection of the community’s work over 12 weeks.

Collective Action School has a grassroots theory of change. We believe the people who make the tech industry run—its workers—have the power to not only transform it, but to build and imagine new technologies. They welcome all tech workers—whether you’re a project manager, warehouse worker, software engineer, or ride share driver.

“Thumb tribe” emerges in Japan

Illustration depicts woman reading a novel on her flip phone.

The "thumb tribe" or "thumb generation" refers to the tech-savvy youth who grew up using mobile phones with touchscreens, relying on their thumbs for texting and navigating...