The purpose of this blog is to create an outlet for SUU Communication graduate students engaged in the critical analysis of popular culture artifacts to post insightful contributions to our understanding of popular culture.
The purpose of this blog is to create an outlet for SUU Communication graduate students engaged in the critical analysis of popular culture artifacts to post insightful contributions to our understanding of popular culture.
Popular culture has played a huge role in how we view the world today.
It fuels our society and helps establish a sense of community among all who engage in it. From television and movies to vines from 2013, popular culture has been influencing us through a number of lenses. It shapes who we are and impacts our beliefs and behaviors based on what we choose to consume.
With the rise of the internet and its ever evolving landscape, there are more pop-culture references to keep up with than ever before. And while having the knowledge of a reference on TV may make you feel like a part of the club, it also hinders those who may not understand it. In his essay Death by Harry Potter, Chuck Klosterman addresses the cultural phenomenon that is Harry Potter and argues that there is an “intangible downside to having complete intellectual detachment from whatever most Americans consider to be common knowledge” (Klosterman).
We’ve all been there, right? Sometimes it’s part of a conversation or a quick reference on TV, being out of the loop can leave us feeling uncomfortable or even alienated.
Consider the last reference you made in front of a friend. Did they understand the joke? Did they think it was funny? What did you conclude from their reaction?
We are all on our own intellectual journeys and oftentimes we make assumptions on a person’s identity because of what they choose to consume. While I may not understand the appeal of Taylor Swift or South Park, I know there is a large community of people who do and consider these cultural icons a part of their identity.
This consumption is important to note as similar thoughts are what inspired popular culture to be studied in the first place. In his Essay, David Jacobsen writes that Christopher Geist, a professor at Grand Canyon University, is not afraid to share his opinions on “bad television,” but he’s also curious about why people are drawn to it (Jacobsen). Curiosity is at the heart of popular culture and it’s important to not only understand the content, but also the reasons behind our engagement.
What we choose to consume says a lot about our identity, and in turn, influences the way we understand the world around us.
Do you think our interests reflect the communities we belong to? Is there a cultural icon you identify with? How does it affect you?
I really liked your perspective on this pop culture topic of everything we consume is everything we think about and really who we are. I also think that what we consume online is one of the most important things during our day. To answer your questions, I do think that our interests reflect the communities we belong to. We are all drawn to people who like the same things as us and who we have things in common with. I don’t think there is one certain cultural icon I identify with, but I do think that many people have someone they do identify with. I am someone who does like TV shows though, and I do quote the show New Girl quite often. When you make references to a show, some people know exactly what you are talking about and some people have no clue what is going on. This happens all the time, when people make jokes and references and when you don’t know the pop culture behind them you feel out of the loop and not included sometimes.
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