How Beneficial Is Pop Culture?

 

When someone opens their Twitter app, they are greeted with a thread of people discussing spoilers for their favorite show or gossip networks delving into why a celebrity wore a specific brand. This is common in popular culture. People use social media platforms to express their thoughts and insights on popular topics, trends, and unpopular opinions. Popular culture takes on new significance in a world where social media is prevalent. However, whether pop culture is good for you or not has become a topic of debate. Pop culture can benefit people by providing cognitive benefits and fostering connections.

The majority of literate people in the new generation rely heavily on television. Shows like Blue's Clues and Sesame Street, to name a few, were used to help younger children communicate by learning new words and even behaviors. Think about reading's many cognitive advantages. Television has increased the demands set on these mental skills (Johnson, 2005, p. 280). When watching television, one can exercise their brain by applying analytical skills to make sense of what one sees. However, since social media platforms allow people to watch videos and read content, these advantages are not limited to television. Thus, being surrounded by pop culture puts our cognitive abilities to the test. To be entertained, people must be able to pay attention and make inferences. This is what improves cognitive capabilities instead of dumbing stuff down (Johnson, 2005, p. 280).  

Social media users can publish content online for viewing by anyone, anywhere. The platforms share humorous memes, gifs, and quotes that are part of popular culture. For example, when a new movie or show comes out, people connect on social media to share their opinions and influence others to see the said show. This applies to music, controversial moments, and even political views. With social media platforms, the powerless may voice their opinions on issues more easily (Gladwell, 2010, p. 314). Even though the author believes that pop culture is ineffective at bringing about change, he asserts that it spreads knowledge to those who were previously in the dark.

Pop culture is significant because it enables people with diverse viewpoints to concur on something enjoyable and fascinating. Pop culture is a worldwide language that unites people by making them laugh (TED, 2013). Twitter or TikTok are examples of platforms that bring people together. Even though social media algorithms categorize users into "groups" based on their shared interests, there is always a viral moment that appears on everyone's Explore page. 

Popular culture brings people together through a trending moment, song, show, etc. Most people relate to popular culture, which is why these topics trend on social media platforms. The topics are relatable to most people; therefore, it connects them. The heavy influence that pop culture has shows the significant role it plays. For example, it may influence deep thinking, how to draw conclusions, how people dress, etc. Pop culture ultimately unites people of all ages. Younger people are impacted by social media trends, while a magazine promotion for a popular recipe or skincare item may sway older people. Through all the trends and discussions, pop culture also benefits people cognitively. Toddlers learn the words to "Baby Shark", and how to sign polite words from "Cocomelon," while other viewers can expand their vocabulary and develop analytical skills. Pop culture has some kind of benefit for anyone that is exposed to it, which is how beneficial pop culture is.

References

Gladwell, M. (2010) Small Changes: Why the Revolution Will Not Be Tweeted, 314.

Johnson, S. (2005). Why TV Makes You Smarter, 279 - 280.

TED. (2013, July 15). Alexandre O. Philippe: Why pop culture? [Video file]. Retrieved from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u_3UYncNwz4