For the fourth time today, a student let out a “6-7” as I questioned why I hadn’t considered changing the order of their grammar practice. Acknowledging the word once again, I redirected the student's attention back to the classroom lesson. As a high school teacher, it is common to see trends come and go. Student lingo continuously shifts as they teach me the difference between cap and no cap or encourage me to utilize the infamous “what the sigma” or the now outdated “skibidi toilet.” Working with these young, brilliant minds is a reminder that culture not only shifts, but as the culture shifts, so does the pop culture they consume that entirely entrenches their lives.
Although pop culture has naturally shifted overtime to not only include art, music, literature, and television, it further has come to consist of memes, TikTok reels, and YouTube shorts. In attempting to keep up with not just their culture, but the pop culture in which they consume, it often becomes a
In considering how the algorithm works, as individuals scroll through reels or short videos, whenever they pause or interact with a reel, the algorithm naturally provides them with more of the same content. Overtime, what had once felt chosen by the viewer, becomes chosen for the viewer. This personalization limits exposure to content outside of one's own interests, and as individuals' interests are naturally defined by culture, cultural belief and value systems are not only engrained into the viewer, but it further normalizes that same belief system.
Even more so, the algorithm not only personalizes reels to fit its viewer, but it further prioritizes engagement and provides users content that is already popular through likes, views, and comments. This popularity essentially creates more popularity while further expanding cultural beliefs within
Needless to say, all of this can easily resonate with Adorno and Horkheimer as ideologies do appear to be driven, pop culture begins to feel superficial, products flood the market; and let’s face it, even the reels are beginning to feel as though they may be interchangeable at times. While all of this is the case, as a teacher, the most concerning part comes down to the overstimulation of today’s society, the difficulty to critically think and utilize imagination, and more so, the difficulty in having beliefs that are not widespread on social media. While this may be the case, it does come down to education. Although many may mindlessly scroll as the algorithm curates their feed, through simple education, viewers can not only become resistant to pop culture messages but further be a positive change in the messages being mass produced. As it has been said, pop culture may appease the masses, but it doesn’t have to control them. Which leads us back to the question, what ideologies are you unknowingly consuming on your social media feed?
As a teacher, I appreciated how you rooted this in your classroom experience—it made the idea of algorithms and ideology feel real instead of abstract. The point about thinking we’re choosing content, when it’s often being chosen for us, really stuck with me. My husband and I have tried plenty of recipes, protein hacks, and workout routines that felt self-directed, but looking back, they were clearly shaped by what the algorithm kept feeding me. My FBI Agent works overtime, truly.
ReplyDeleteYour connection to Adorno and Horkheimer fits well here, especially the emphasis on education as a form of resistance. I absolutely agree —awareness doesn’t mean rejecting pop culture entirely, but learning how to engage with it more intentionally. Once you start noticing what you’re consuming, it’s hard to keep scrolling on autopilot. I desire education and self-awareness for every one of my students, and I’m truly impressed at their resilience and strength in learning to navigate the pop culture world they’re swimming in.
The realization that the algorithm isn't just entertainment but also pushing an ideological narrative is something my husband and I talk about all the time. We are on the same platforms but our feeds could not be more different. Mine is mostly motherhood content and memes that millennial/gen z women would relate to. My husband's feed, on the other hand, is full of fear-based content: end-of-the-world messaging, hyper-masculinity, religious panic, and rage bait aimed at men. A lot of it manufactures anxiety about relationships, reels implying wives leave for no reason, followed by captions pushing men to comment "Class" to pay for supposed protection. It feels like the algorithm actively amplifies fear because that's what easily drives engagement. That's what scares me...Not just what we consume, but how easily reality gets distorted when outrage performs well. (Also, relieved to discover that skibidi toilet is finally outdated.)
ReplyDeleteThere are some great observations in here! I laughed when I read this because I went out to my car this morning and the back window was dusty and just begging to have something written on it. One of my kids had written 6-7 on it. I found it embarrassing, so I wiped it off. The best way to stop getting kids to use certain expressions is to start using them yourself. Once the adults adopt the lingo, the phrases are suddenly not cool and they'll move on.
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