Is Pop Culture Good For You?

The rise of technology and pop culture go hand in hand. Pop culture has always found a way to keep up with technological advancements. For example, the invention of radio brought music, sports, and many other forms of entertainment to a widespread audience. In part to the creation of the internet, pop culture is vastly different than it was decades ago. Some believe that this has caused pop culture to take a turn for the worse. They say the internet has caused interpersonal relationships to fade away in favor of likes and followers. Others question if pop culture even exists today. However, I disagree that pop culture today is indeed beneficial.

In Watching TV Makes You Smarter, Steven Johnson's main point is that if entertainment is consumed in the right manner, it will improve the mind’s cognitive abilities. His argument revolves around how television and movies have drastically increased their number of threads. Johnson explains “the Sleeper Curve,” which shows how entertainment has become multi-threaded and more cognitively demanding overtime. Johnson (2005) exemplifies his main point by saying, “But the mind also likes to be challenged; there's real pleasure to be found in solving puzzles, detecting patterns or unpacking a complex narrative system.” (p. 293). This reveals why television has evolved from its simplistic origins; the mind is attracted to what is good for it. 

On the other side of the argument, Malcolm Gladwell, author of Small Change: Why the Revolution Will Not Be Tweeted, is adamant that social media is the cause of why activism today has lost its meaning. He uses the Glassboro sit-ins of the Civil Rights movement to establish his case. The way those protests formed could never happen today, and the magnitude of which people want reform was drastically different back then. Gladwell (2010) writes, “The kind of activism associated with social media isn’t like this at all. The platforms of social media are built around weak ties…you can have a thousand “friends” on Facebook, as you never could in real life” (p. 319). I disagree with Gladwell's claim that social media activism can not be meaningful and make change. Today, speaking out for change is not only commonplace but you could make lifelong friends through these websites and online communities, you just have to want to make connections.

Pairing with Gladwell’s beliefs, Phil Miller on his Pop Culture is dead! TED Talk discusses the current state of pop culture. He argues that big companies have taken over what pop culture was and may have effectively killed it. Miller (2015) goes on to say, “In 1956, when Elvis Presley first entered the charts and began his long-running battle with Cliff Richard, you were either for Elvis, or you were for Cliff… It affected the way that you spoke. It affected the way you wore your hair. It affected the way the clothes you wore…But then along came services like Spotify and iTunes. You could listen to what you wanted to listen to, when you wanted to listen to it and wherever you wanted to listen to it. It's great. And music was free. But it became less of a group experience” (5:57-7:08). Music back then was much less accessible than it is today. With Spotify and iTunes, you can find what music you really enjoy, instead of choosing from very few options. Social media plays a key role in connecting music fans worldwide, and the only part of Miller’s quote I agree with is, “It's great.”

On Alexandre O. Philippe’s Why Pop Culture? TED Talk, he highlights the importance of pop culture. He gives examples from cute little kittens to Kim Jong-un and demonstrates how they tie into pop culture. Philippe (2013) then says, “above all else, is the fact that we are the first civilization in human history to have made fun important” (12:08-12:16). He showcases how common pop culture is used in our lives, and through that it brought people together. 

In conclusion, pop culture has shifted its meaning from what it used to be, but that does not mean it is dead. While there are a few downsides, the positives of pop culture heavily outweigh them. Pop culture is meant to evolve with us. Johnson proves that consuming media can be beneficial for us with scientific evidence, and Philippe reveals how society has revolved around pop culture since its creation. According to human behavior and science, pop culture is good for you.