pop culture

I have never been one of those people that are afraid to talk in front of people. So I tend to be one of those people in class that answers the discussion points professors make. I don’t necessarily do it because I’m really excited about that topic, more so because I feel bad that the professor gets crickets when he asks the class something he finds important. In every class there are those 3-5 people that generally talk a lot in class, and I am always one of those.
Well in this particular class I find myself actually talking because it’s interesting, who would have thought. I’m taking a University Studies class that actually doesn’t suck, called popular culture. Today we covered the youtube, facebook and how appropriate blogging worlds. Facebook particularly is truly our alter ego, we post photos that we want the world to see, status updates about how exciting our lives are and offering a little box were people can confirm whenever we are projecting. It’s a social networking, a new level of friendship and communication because talking in person nowadays is just to awkward right? haha.
This pop culture of social networking via the internet has some unbelievably good things coming from it. for starters.. the hug campaign. The hug campaign started with a man named Juan Mann, he had returned home after traveling and there was no one to greet him in the air port. While everyone else from his plane was showered with love he wrote "Free hugs" on a piece of cardboard and the rest is history. As most of you know he posted this on youtube and become famous overnight. I came in contact with one of these great people in Pikes Places in Seattle and one of my favorite photos of all times thanks to Micah Parson..


Something that really bothers me on the other hand is how popular culture doesn’t always coincide with what is being represented. My two PET PEEVES..
1. the word “gay”.
When someone says “that’s gay” they are intending that thing is stupid, dumb, lame etc, intending that gay people are anyone of those words. I often call people out on it when they use that word in that context. “Really, you think raised trucks are gay?” hmmm I don’t see anything homosexual about that, then people start to think a bit on what they are actually saying. Not only do I support gay rights in every sense, but there are a lot of people I care about in my life that happen to be gay. So please, think before popular culture overtakes your vocabulary
2. The representation of the peace sign
I know two people in this world (proud shout out to Allison Suvanto and Zach Stutzman) that wear peace sign paraphernalia and truly fit the meaning (as much as humans can). I once witnessed a girl with a peace sign necklace on, order a latte at starbucks, only to scream at the batista that her latte clearly had milk in it as opposed to soy. Is this a sign of peace?

On conclusion, I ask to think a bit before you take up a trend.