Can someone honestly count how many times they've been asked, "What's your favorite movie?" when first getting to know someone? This question seems standard in small talk, but it can be a gateway to learning more about a person.
Pop culture is all around us: movies, TV shows, TikTok, you name it. The amount of information shared in pop culture is incredible. Look at this past Christmas season, when with family, did any family members make references to old TV shows, the family's favorite movie, or even a TikTok meme?
In situations where quotes like these are shared, there is often a deeper meaning. Sharing media shows what someone relates to. Going back to the Christmas example, if someone jokes about leaving by saying, "Goodbye everyone, I'll remember you all in therapy," it not only breaks the tension of leaving but also builds a connection if someone recognizes it from the SpongeBob episode.
Pop culture is much more than just what is seen on TV; it creates an atmosphere of relatability, which in turn helps people understand each other. Next time your friend sends you a reel on Instagram, be sure to understand that there is more emotion attached than simply sending a funny video.
Now, to pose a few questions, have you ever been in a social situation where either understanding or not knowing the reference changed the direction of the conversation? What do these types of situations say about modern society?
Hey Lindsey! I really enjoyed this blog post. I really related to looking back to the holiday season and the conversations had with family about pop culture. I personally watched the final season of Stranger Things with my family and this topic took over a large majority of our conversations. We all talked about what we thought might happen in the last episode and joked about theories we had seen on social media.
ReplyDeleteMy siblings are 17 and 13, so as you may imagine pop culture references (specifically TikTok sounds) take over many of our conversations. As someone who isn't up to date on every trend, I find myself missing out on some of the jokes made. This often leads to frustration and teasing as my siblings find out I haven't seen the video they are talking about. To answer your question, yes, knowing or not knowing a reference can entirely change the direction of a conversation. I think this can show that in some cases we rely on or consume too much pop culture.
There is something interesting in the observation that humans tend to reference things. Films, TV shows, music, and many everyday conversations reference something. A comedic television show will often reference other elements of pop culture. Some of the references are widely known, and some are obscure. Often, the more obscure, the more enjoyment the person who gets it has. Maybe it’s because they understand something that others don’t. But this need to reference other works is not new. It is something that has been around for a long time. For example, the greatest English epic poem, John Milton‘s Paradise Lost, is arguably one giant string of reference after reference. It is a difficult poem to read because it references so many other works of literature. Considering that John Milton was 10 years blind when he wrote it and every one of the references he makes in the poem is drawn from memory from the vast amount of books he had read, it is quite impressive. However, whereas most of us use references to make personal connections with others, Milton used references to add to the story. He can use the words "Tartarean sulphur" to reference Greek mythology and everything that comes with it. It's a form of making connections, but with different purposes.
ReplyDeleteGreat post. I enjoyed reading it. I've been a part of some conversations where I didn't know the pop culture reference, but I feel it didn't change the direction of the conversation. A lot of the times, the individual would explain the reference and I was able to pick up on it. One example is Star Wars, I haven't watched the movies but I know the saying "may the force be with you" is connected to that movie, and is an expression of good well.
ReplyDeleteAnother example is the recent pop culture phenomenon, 6-7. When I first heard it being said, I had no idea why a group of 8 year olds kept saying it and wanted me to join in. I soon found out the number had a couple of different references, The Bible, basketball, a song, ect. To this day, it's not exactly clear the meaning behind it, other than it means nothing. Yet, it annoys so many individuals for some reason. Good job on your post.