Is Pop Culture Good For You?

  

The subject of pop culture being good for everyone has been up in the air for a while since the emergence of the internet and technological networking systems. Since then, it has become an integral part of our lives to live in the modern world as a source of information or entertainment.  Just as the debate on whether or not it is good for you, it is really up to interpretation on the side of the consumer.  How they decide to consume content from social media is what determines whether or not it is good for them.  In my opinion, pop culture is only good for you if you are a skeptic about what is presented to you and to not blindly consume it. The article "Watching TV Makes You Smarter", by Steven Johnson brings up the idea that the media we consume in modern times that contributes to pop culture has evolved into more complex narratives.  He is suggesting that those who are consuming it are analyzing it and piecing it together; but while that may be true about television with shows like The Good Place, WandaVision, and many others, it would not be true for the rest of pop culture. Even to an extent, Johnson’s claims would be true if everyone sought to understand the cast of a reality TV show like 90 Day Fiancé, but some would probably admit to mindlessly watching it.  It is important that those consuming the media are paying attention to the media presented to them and seek for a better understanding of it in order for it to truly be nutritional. 

Johnson’s article does not account for pop culture being influenced by social media, but Gladwell’s article “Small Change: Why the Revolution Will Not Be Retweeted” brings up into the air how social media is utilized for activism.  While social media is great for spreading information about issues prevalent in our society today, it may not be as resourceful as seeing pop culture being good for people.  Gladwell brings the idea that trying to inform others and bring people together on such platforms is messy. This is true because it’s a public domain and everything is up to debate in the comment section. The media that someone could be consuming could actually be factual and insightful, but that is not always the case.  With the prevalence of an application like TikTok, it has become a pillar of pop culture for the youth and even adults dabbling in the application.  With creators having free reign, it is perfect for spreading misinformation that teaches consumers the wrong things.  One example is with mental health awareness becoming popular, therefore some creators take advantage of that to advocate for helping others suffering with mental illnesses.  On the other hand, some creators are falsely depicting things with no factual evidence and putting it under the guise of a psychological fact.  At that point the information would be helping no one, and yet it becomes popular to an extent that people may believe it.



    That is only the start of issues with TikTok, where the app itself was made for users to mindlessly scroll with an adaptable algorithm that makes you lose sense of time. Especially with the pandemic and the accessibility to easy entertainment without having to use much brain power, this app is terribly addicting. This feature has spread onto other platforms like YouTube and Instagram with an infinite swiping capability just to distract our easily influenced brains. While social media applications have allowed us to connect with others from all over the world, the content is not as engaging or enticing as television shows with a whole production team would be. Users have free reign over the content made, but even having the possibility to be famous has its downfall.



    The best example of sudden fame is through Charli D'Amelio who brought the D'Amelio family into the world of TikTok stardom. She is still a teenager and her brain has not fully developed, but the eyes of millions of people are on her and yet she became famous from a stroke of luck. Despite her luck being out of her control, it causes people to be hateful and the detriment of her own childhood. Pop culture now may engulf the lives of those seeking stardom and when they finally reach that, they become a product because you become the breadwinner of your own family. What happened to Charli isn't something that is happening to the general population, but even she has become a part of the pop culture as TikTok's star.


  
    In conclusion, pop culture can be good for you if you choose to make the most out of the content you consume for your own personal growth.  If what you're getting out of pop culture is making you question your own beauty, worth, and even your own life; then it certainly isn't good for you.  If you simply blindly consume or swipe through your phone, then pop culture really isn't teaching you anything about the societal issues we have to tackle or on the topic of introspection at all.  Pop culture is good for you, but only in moderation and a curated viewing of something that will improve your thinking.  It is similar to choosing junk food that is great to just relax, but we need the nutritional value in our diet that comes from vegetables and thought provoking content.  






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