Arguably one of the largest industries in the world, pop culture packs pre-processed ideas into television screens across America. They influence teenagers who latch on because of their forming identities. While this has always existed in society, only in recent decades has it blown up to such great proportions. It started with the birth of MTV, revolutionizing the way teenagers looked at celebrities. Now, with the growth of the internet, social media has evolved this phenomenon. Sites like Twitter and Facebook allow people for the first time in history, the ability to personally follow their idols. The line between personal information and public becomes visibly hazy. This instant access and gratification that can be reached by clicking or following can’t be a good thing for society. I can only imagine its impact on generation Y, Z, and all of posterity.

Pop culture is a main ingredient when cooking the homogeneous, pubescent, stew society so loves to indulge in. By advertising a handful of “proper” images to society, a strict mold is created for teens to fill. For example, if girls are expected to be pencil thin with a large bust, anatomically speaking, this is highly unreasonable to force on them. If only a minority of the female population can actually achieve this, why would this be advertised to the masses? The simple reason is because humans naturally seek perfection. However, like most things, it is never that simple.

The real reason why we do this to ourselves is much more sinister. Has a teenager ever looked at a celebrity news magazine and thought, “Man, I don’t wanna look anything like those guys”? Probably not because these magazines are designed in such a way to insure loyal readers. Take this example, a girl loves Justin Bieber more than life itself. She buys his newest album because he sings about a beautiful girl with blueish-greenish-brownish eyes that complement her straightish-curly-wavy hair so well. By singing to an anonymous person, he appeals to a wider spectrum. Then, his fan goes out to buy the latest edition of a pop magazine to see his “hot body”, when really her confidence is being crushed by the skinny female celebrities shown inside it. She then has to buy his next latest CD to feel better about herself again. This cycle which feeds off of a teen’s poor body image, has one goal and that is to make profits.

In contrast, some people would say social media is not always a malicious tool implemented by Hollywood, but can be used positively. I would agree to this. Sources like Twitter are extremely valuable because of their innate ability to expedite information. This is evident in places like the Middle East where online activism played a major role in the Arab Spring. However, it all depends on the quality of information being expedited. There is a lot of “cyber waste” not contributing anything to society. In order for society to progress, there needs to be an active movement among individuals that advocates for responsible use of technology. Most of the pop culture that lives within social media is contributing to this “cyber waste”. Nothing valuable is really added.

Finally, pop culture draws a fuzzy line, separating public and private information. The paparazzi are famous for sometimes overstepping this line. Take for instance, the death of Princess Diana. The true cause for that accident was not the paparazzi but rather the people who fuel them. Consumers of pop culture can become so fanatic that they can lead to the death of their very idols, whether from eating disorders, drug overdoses, or more noticeably, car crashes. Pop culture certainly is a tug of war between the producer and consumer. If there’s a great demand for the “product”, the producers will make sure they go to any extent to fill this hunger.

In an age of globalization, where beloved celebrities are a few swipes away, the way society consumes and lives with pop culture is much different than it was a few decades ago. Social media has brought the desire for homogenization to extreme levels. While we contemplate the effect on society at the moment, the true impact will be seen in generations to come. As the world draws closer and the existence of individuality is threatened, many will continue to ask, “Who am I?” with less and less answers.