Pop culture is often seen as low-brow. It is the soft news. A guilty pleasure instead of a hobby. As Philip Ellis puts it, pop culture is regarded as “junk food” — a frivolous, trivial sector of media.
It makes sense that pop culture will sometimes take a back seat to hard news due the urgency of political, economic and social facts, especially with the current state of our government, environment and health. There are pressing issues that deserve attention. However, these issues are not strictly topics of hard news. To dismiss pop culture as insignificant is to ignore how it responds and interacts with said issues. Facets of pop culture — celebrities, social media, television, fashion, etc. — may have the reputation of being shallow, but it is important to see how they reflect, impact and change society.
Pop culture is lived culture. It is the application of and response to the facts. Pop culture and politics often intersect as entertainment holds up a mirror to what is happening in the world around us. Some of the most widely viewed and longest running American programs are responding to current issues, from Greys Anatomy depicting the impact of COVID-19 on healthcare workers to Law and Order: SVU responding to the Black Lives Matter movement. Reality shows like Ru Paul’s Drag Race and Netflix’s Queer Eye heighten LGBTQ+ visibility and representation, critically acclaimed shows like BoJack Horseman and Normal People discuss mental health, and children’s programming like Seasame Street and Steven Universe cover topics like ableism and body positivity.
Celebrities are increasingly using their platforms to speak up on social issues. Many have supported Black Lives Matter, spoken out against Trump and worked as social activists. Even fashion is in the sociopolitical discourse, from brands pledging to emphasize sustainability to a red baseball cap taking on a new meaning with the rise of MAGA. These players within pop culture have the influence to shape how people view certain topics, and they bring politics into the daily conversation for those who would normally be detached.
Just this past month social media has helped people suffering from the storms in Texas, raised awareness around anti-Asian racism, and uplifted Black voices and businesses for Black History Month. As Isabel Vega and Richard Miller explain, “Studying pop culture reveals the underlying assumptions and power structures, as well as the philosophical and moral constructs of the society, that produces those cultural products.” So, as important as it is to focus on the facts and “real news,” to disregard pop culture is to disregard the humanity and reality behind them.
As Philip Ellis points out, “a football fan might have the same encyclopedic knowledge and fervent love of their team as a Mariah Carey stan, but one of these people is more likely to be taken seriously when they talk about their passion at the office.” His article also used the example of the Beatles, who garnered more respect when their audience came to include men instead of just fangirling young women. Ellis includes a quote by Jaya Saxena that seems to encompass how society judges pop culture: “When men enjoy something, they elevate it. But when women enjoy something, they ruin it.”
I am constantly told by my male friends and family members about how stupid or silly my obsession with reality television shows is — the same friends and family members who will cry over their team losing and could talk for hours about players. There seems to be a double standard.
As Alexandre O. Philippe perfectly sums up in his Tedx Talk, “Pop culture is a universal language… it is part of our fabric as human beings.” So, by dismissing pop culture and it’s discourse, many are rejecting the real issues in society that it is trying to reflect.