pop culture, Good or bad?

 Pop culture has always been a large part of society especially in the 21st century. Popular culture continues to grow due to our new forms of technology and social media. I believe pop culture can have many different benefits. In society there are a lot of things that divide people whether it be religion, politics, family, social issues, cultural values, etc. Popular culture can be a way to bring people together. It could be with a funny meme or a trending new album of a favorite artist. This allows people to get along, share different common interests and feel included. Popular culture can also help create a more understanding society. With this new insight into people's lives you can see and learn about authentic experiences they have had. This gives society a different perspective on people. They can relate to similar experiences which  creates a more empathetic and sympathetic society. Popular culture can also be a tool to help young people explore their creativity, expand their interests and discover who they are as an individual. Popular culture brings groups of people together who share a common interest and without it, may not have known something like this is possible. 

Despite the many positives of popular culture there are also many negatives. As a society, we see different trends in pop culture like fashion, lifestyle, characteristics, mentalities, etc. This can be very harmful if you don't fall into one of these specific categories. It can leave people feeling like they don't belong or they have to change something about themselves to "fit in". This goes hand in hand with the glorification of celebrities and the way they live their lives. We as a society get caught up on these "role models" despite the fact they are detached from reality. People feel the need to be recognized and social media plays a huge part in that. People will often blindly follow what an "influencer" is doing even if those actions don't match their character. You could be scrolling on a form of social media and see someone who looks like, what society believes, is the "ideal" version of a woman. This can be very damaging because it creates pressure to look a certain way causing things like eating disorders, body dysmorphia, stress or anxiety. Pop culture has the potential to create a negative impact on youth when it comes to trends, fashion or a lifestyle not everyone can be apart of. 

In the end, both sides have a solid argument when debating the "good or bad" of popular culture. However, I believe that popular culture can be a positive thing if it's done correctly. As a society, if we focus on bringing inclusivity, understanding one another and empathy into light, popular culture can be a beacon of hope. Popular culture can be a way to communicate, learn and come together as a society. It doesn't need to be a way to push these false agendas of how someone should be acting, speaking or dressing. There can be a way to laugh about common interests and find  people who understand you and also want to be understood. In a Ted Talk on popular culture, speaker Alexandre O Philippe states "why must we be so serious about what divides us and trivialize what brings us together". I think this is really important. This reflects back to the argument that we need to hold onto things that as a society, we can connect to and laugh about. He also states "Pop culture is a universal language that manages, in all of its seemingly trivial glory, to make us dream and smile". It is important to find something that brings us together across racial, political and social divides. 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u_3UYncNwz4&t=588s

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CkDYlQhx0wY&t=300s