pop culture

Pop culture, what is it? Pop culture is everywhere. It is according to Wikipedia “is the totality of ideas, perspectives, attitudes, memes, images and other phenomena that are preferred by an informal consensus within the mainstream of a given culture”. Pop culture has an influence on our everyday lives. Some may say that the media that portray our pop culture does not have an impact on them, but it does.

       I will use myself as an example. Pop culture has influenced me in both good and bad ways. I will say that I was brain washed as a child with the entire princess happily ever after movies. I grew up wanting the prince charming to come rescue me. I at 23 still want to know where the hell my knight in shining armor is. The media has taught many young women that we are meant to be rescued, that we need that man to save us. That was media’s negative impact on me. Making me thing to be complete I needed a man. Well I found a man to complete me. And the relationship was perfect for a little bit. Then the new wore off and reality set in.

       This is hen media’s positive impact comes into play. One night I was watching a documentary on unhealthy relationships. I realized almost everything they talked about my relationship contained. I justified that by saying the relationship was not abusive physically, that was until I decided to leave. At nine weeks pregnant I was grabbed and threw against a car held there in the freezing cold pouring rain at the end of December. I remembered the documentary and what it had said. So I left and I am raising my child basically alone.

       Pop culture makes single parenting look almost easy in the movies and on television and it is far from easy. I knew being a single mom and college student would not be easy. I knew society had unrealistic expectations for me. I have found my own way and made my own rules and standards. I am just happy in knowing that the media does have an impact on my life, but it is up to me to make it positive or negative.