Talahon is a German trend on

social media Social media are interactive technologies that facilitate the Content creation, creation, information exchange, sharing and news aggregator, aggregation of Content (media), content (such as ideas, interests, and other forms of expression) amongs ...

and other social media platforms in 2024. The trend is characterised by videos of young men and kids often with a

migrant background In the Germanosphere, ''migration background'' () is a term used to describe people on the basis of identity and ancestry. Migration background is a variably defined socio-demographic characteristic that describes persons who themselves or who ...

, especially from Arab countries, adopting aggressive postures and showcasing luxurious, albeit often fake, accessories. The phenomenon is deeply rooted in a specific portrayal of

patriarchy Patriarchy is a social system in which positions of authority are primarily held by men. The term ''patriarchy'' is used both in anthropology to describe a family or clan controlled by the father or eldest male or group of males, and in fem ...

masculinity Masculinity (also called manhood or manliness) is a set of attributes, behaviors, and roles generally associated with men and boys. Masculinity can be theoretically understood as Social construction of gender, socially constructed, and there i ...

misogyny Misogyny () is hatred of, contempt for, or prejudice against Woman, women or girls. It is a form of sexism that can keep women at a lower social status than Man, men, thus maintaining the social roles of patriarchy. Misogyny has been wide ...

and

materialism Materialism is a form of monism, philosophical monism according to which matter is the fundamental Substance theory, substance in nature, and all things, including mind, mental states and consciousness, are results of material interactions. Acco ...

, and it has sparked widespread discussion and controversy. In 2024, Talahon was nominated as the Youth word of the year in Germany.

Meaning

The term "Talahon" does not have a fixed definition, but it is believed to derive from the

Levantine Arabic Levantine Arabic, also called Shami (Endonym and exonym, autonym: or ), is an Varieties of Arabic, Arabic variety spoken in the Levant, namely in Syria, Jordan, Lebanon, Palestine, Israel and southern Turkey (historically only in Adana Prov ...

phrase () meaning "come here," from the rap song "Ta3al Lahon" by Syrian-German rapper Hassan, released in 2022. The song's lyrics, which discuss life on the streets,

violence Violence is characterized as the use of physical force by humans to cause harm to other living beings, or property, such as pain, injury, disablement, death, damage and destruction. The World Health Organization (WHO) defines violence a ...

, and

crime In ordinary language, a crime is an unlawful act punishable by a State (polity), state or other authority. The term ''crime'' does not, in modern criminal law, have any simple and universally accepted definition,Farmer, Lindsay: "Crime, definiti ...

, are reflective of the themes prevalent in the "Talahon" trend. Young men identified as "Talahon" often display a distinctive style that includes luxury brand tracksuits,

Gucci Guccio Gucci S.p.A., doing business as Gucci ( , ), is an Italian Luxury goods, luxury fashion house based in Florence. Its product lines include handbags, ready-to-wear, footwear, accessories, and home decoration; and it licenses its name and ...

caps, and gold chains.

Cultural context

The "Talahon" trend has become a symbol of a particular youth

subculture A subculture is a group of people within a culture, cultural society that differentiates itself from the values of the conservative, standard or dominant culture to which it belongs, often maintaining some of its founding principles. Subcultures ...

among young men of

migration background In the Germanosphere, ''migration background'' () is a term used to describe people on the basis of Identity politics, identity and ancestry. Migration background is a variably defined Social structure, socio-demographic characteristic that desc ...

that is both celebrated and criticised. Videos often feature participants

shadowboxing Shadowboxing is a combat sport exercise in which a person throws punches at the air as though there is an opponent. Practised primarily in boxing, it is used mainly to prepare the muscles before the person training engages in stronger physical ...

or performing martial arts kicks while wearing ostentatious clothing and accessories. This portrayal is meant to convey male dominance, fearlessness, and strength, resonating with some youths who see it as a form of self-expression and empowerment.

Criticism

Critics argue that the trend perpetuates stereotypes about young men from migrant backgrounds, portraying them as violent,

misogynistic Misogyny () is hatred of, contempt for, or prejudice against women or girls. It is a form of sexism that can keep women at a lower social status than men, thus maintaining the social roles of patriarchy. Misogyny has been widely practis ...

, and obsessed with

material wealth Wealth is the abundance of valuable financial assets or physical possessions which can be converted into a form that can be used for transactions. This includes the core meaning as held in the originating Old English word , which is from an ...

. This has led to a polarised reception, with some using the term "Talahon" ironically to mock these stereotypes, while others embrace it as an authentic representation of their identity. The "Talahon" trend has faced significant backlash for its perceived glorification of violence and its patriarchal and misogynistic undertones.{{cite web , title=TikTok-Trend Talahon: Rassistisches Klischee oder reale Gefahr? , url=https://www.derwesten.de/politik/tiktok-talahon-rassistisch-gefahr-id301072168.html , last=Lattemann , first=Marisa , website=Der Westen , date=11 August 2024 , access-date=16 August 2024 Integration experts have criticised the trend, arguing that it promotes a regressive worldview that is harmful to societal cohesion. Additionally, there are concerns about the trend being co-opted by right-wing groups to further marginalise and stigmatise young men with migrant backgrounds.

References

2024 neologisms TikTok trends Islam-related controversies Racism Racism in Europe Arabs in Germany Arabic words and phrases