Kali Hauser: Clairo. Feminist Literature. Carabiner Key Ring.

Clairo. Feminist Literature. Carabiner Key Ring.

These three things have become staples of a rising male classification known as the “performative male.” Popularized on TikTok, the concept has exploded in recent months. A wave of bleach-blonde hair, wife-beater tank tops, and wired headphones has swept through the younger generation. College campuses are holding contests, random men are filmed on subways and uploaded online — a new cultural phenomenon is in full swing.

So what does this have to do with the economy?

More than you might think. One of the key accessories of the performative male (the ever-present matcha) has a surprising link to economic trends. Over the past decade, matcha sales have sharply increased. Once primarily consumed in Japan, the beverage has found a major foothold in Western markets thanks to social media trends like the “Clean Girl” aesthetic and, more recently, the “performative male.”

The health-focused culture of the 2000s paved the way for matcha’s American debut. With wellness becoming a social media currency, matcha emerged as the perfect drink: photogenic, healthy, and on-trend.

Now, the performative male has claimed matcha as his own.

Whether out of genuine interest or ironic mimicry, men have been buying matcha in record numbers. The surge in demand has put the drink back in the internet spotlight and (in many local coffee shops) has led to noticeable price increases.

This price spike is simple economics: when demand rises faster than supply, shortages occur. With too many consumers wanting matcha at the current price and not enough supply to go around, prices are pushed upward.

But this won’t last forever.

As suppliers respond to higher prices by producing more, the market begins to balance itself. Increased production shifts the supply curve outward, bringing prices back down to roughly where they were before.

Enter: the invisible hand of the matcha market.

Just as Adam Smith described, prices adjust according to the relationship between supply and demand. But what happens when outside forces, like climate change, come into play?

If global temperatures continue to rise, matcha cultivation could suffer. The plants are sensitive to heat and may yield less, creating a supply shock. With demand remaining strong but supply falling, prices will once again rise.

The opposite can happen too. If rapid production leads to lower-quality matcha, consumers may begin to lose interest. A decline in demand would push prices downward as excess stock floods the market.

So next time you’re at Starbucks staring at the price of a matcha latte, pause for a second.

What’s driving that number? Could global trade tensions be restricting supply from Asia? Has a poor harvest raised costs? Or has public interest shifted toward another trend entirely?

Whatever the reason, remember: every price tag tells a story about the forces of supply, demand, and the invisible hand that connects them all.