Is Pop Culture Good For You?

To say that pop culture is everywhere is an understatement. Especially in an age where new technology is always being invented. Social media and television are prime examples of pop culture. This amount of freedom of the media can allow viewers to use it in numerous ways and intentions. Although some would argue that pop culture effects are negative, it actually positively impacts society.

Social Media Frenzy

In the article, Small Change: Why the Revolution Will Not Be Tweeted, the key word is participation, as it frequently emphasizes the importance of unity. In particular, the importance of strong social media connections during uprisings. Gladwell mentions in it that having weak ties is a wonderful thing in many ways. Neal Caren, an associate professor at the University of North Carolina who studies social movements in the United States, says he's never seen such high self-reports of protest participation for a single issue in such a short period of time (referring to the Black Lives Matter protests) (Buchanan). And what other type of information spreads like wildfire? Social networking sites. This demonstrates how quickly issues can be brought over with weak ties.

    In recent events, revolutions have occurred through the use of social media platforms such as Facebook, Twitter, and others. Sociologist Mark Granovetter asserts that there is strength in weak connections. Because this article was published in 2010, the number of users has increased exponentially in the last ten years, making it easier for weak ties to collaborate with one another. The 2020 Black Lives Matter movement is a prime example. This social movement arose in response to the unjust death of George Floyd. As a result, people organized protests using social media platforms.  

Television

    A good show, particularly one with fantastical or scientific plots, will naturally captivate you to the point where you understand it as if you've known it your entire life. The author used examples such as the E.R., but it can also be seen in films such as Inception and Avatar. These films have a fast-paced rhythm that forces audiences to focus long enough to understand.  

    There's nothing like being able to connect threads together for viewers who enjoy mysteries, strategies, and reality games. Or the euphoria of discovering that one clue that dates back to the previous season. Whodunit series are excellent examples of brain food that helps us focus and consider various networks and outcomes. This also applies to younger audiences! Gravity Falls was a popular television series aimed at younger demographics, but anyone could watch it! The average episode would have one thread with the ending being resolved, but if you stayed around long enough during the credits, you'd be able to see another thread that would eventually lead to the final season.

    While it may be true that pop culture can be helpful, it immensely depends on the person analyzing it. It is a blessing and a curse, therefore it can be taken either way. It is up to the viewer to decide how to spend their screen time and, ultimately, whether or not what they are watching is meaningful.

Works Cited 

Buchanan, Larry, et al. “Black Lives Matter May Be the Largest Movement in U.S. History.” The New York Times, The New York Times, 3 July 2020, https://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2020/07/03/us/george-floyd-protests-crowd-size.html. 

Gladwell, Malcolm. “Small Change.” The New Yorker, 27 Sept. 2010, https://www.newyorker.com/magazine/2010/10/04/small-change-malcolm-gladwell#:~:text=Published%20in%20the%20print%20edition,The%20New%20Yorker%20since%201996.

Johnson, Steven. “Watching TV Makes You Smarter.” The New York Times, The New York Times, 24 Apr. 2005, https://www.nytimes.com/2005/04/24/magazine/watching-tv-makes-you-smarter.html.