When I think of pop culture for some reason my brain immediately takes me to MTV. I was six years old when I was introduced to the magic of the entertainment world, and that moment had a lasting effect on my life. In the following years, pop culture greatly influenced my journey in music and my vision as a storyteller, and its impact has my attention to this day.
I have realized that I am not the only one who notices this strong correlation between pop culture and the entertainment industry; if you go on YouTube and search "Pop Culture", it will mainly show you videos of celebrities and clips from their interviews that are either funny or the opposite.
However, since there is this evident connection between pop culture and entertainment, people are prone to not take pop culture seriously - or worse, show contempt for it. And with social media added to the mix - especially with its influence during the last few years - many people link pop culture to negativity.
For instance, the interesting lifestyles of influencers and celebrities as shown by them in social media are often seen as bad influence, especially in our youth. Their examples might influence people's priorities or desires about acknowledgment, and "it causes a problem; the need for recognition that social media plays directly into." (TEDx Talks, 2015, 11:09)
Pop Culture is ever changing, but the doubts around its impact on us have been there all the way. I think there is a mentality of setting limits when it comes to culture, values and morals, whereas popular culture breaks down those limits; and perhaps that is why people tend to be judgmental of it.
A few of the most prominent interests in our lives are not questioned on whether they are actually good or bad for us as much as pop culture is. "Politics divide us. Religion divides us. Social issues divide us." (TEDx Talks, 2013, 5:58) But I believe that pop culture truly brings us together. It connects us with people who share our interests, and leaves us feeling understood in a space of unity and appreciation.
In my eyes, popular culture has morphed into so many different things. From MTV to social media, to memes and viral content, and more... There is drama and chaos in pop culture, but there is also creativity and innovation, and people can get so much out of these contrasts. There is pronounced exploration and discovery embedded in pop culture, and the passion and creativity of generations are constantly being documented through it.
References
TEDx Talks. (2015, February 5). Pop Culture is dead! Phil Miller, TEDxWoking [Video File]. Retrieved from:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CkDYlQhx0wY
TEDx Talks. (2013, July 15). Why Pop Culture?: Alexandre O. Philippe at TEDxMileHigh [Video File]. Retrieved from:
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