The Four Sides of Popular Culture in Media

Let’s say mainstream popular culture has four sides. 

Junk Culture,  pop cultures' evil cousin is the side that celebrates the shallow.  Low on the intellectual scale but accessible to all.  Popular to many,  yes,  but very trendy, look driven  and it’s popularity often isolated to certain demographics.  Entertaining perhaps but inevitably a fashion-over-substance cheap thrill. 

EXAMPLES:  Kim Kardashian; This week’s reality show, 

Smart Culture  is higher on the intellectual scale, lasts longer and has a more robust  “coolness” profile.   Tech  devices and the more clever and adventurous programming, products and  people exemplify this.  There are soulful, cerebral and  wonder qualities that are the trademarks of smart culture.  An offshoot of smart culture is that it enhances the cool factor.  

EXAMPLES:  Apple; Space Travel, 

Conspiracy Culture is the absurdity of “conspiracies” and misinformation fueled by social media,  especially Tik Tok,  and extreme right and left media forces. Possibly the most dividing forces on earth  —- ranging from the  mildly plausible to the absurd to the damaging,  and usually  perpetuated by fanatical believers utilizing the availability of electronic soapboxes 

EXAMPLES:  Pretty much everything far far right and far far left

Average Culture is just that. Average. Nothing that rocks the world or creates disdain.  It’s the  “average as acceptable“ things in life.   So engrained in the landscape they’re utilities and often things that began as revolutionary that have simply become part of the American standard.  

EXAMPLES:  McDonalds; Ford, Airlines

Junk Culture and Conspiracy Culture  are the most harmful to the National IQ and contribute to the increasing global perception of American stupidity…a cheapening of the American culture in the information Wild West.  Junk culture is like electronic candy.  Sweet but it’ll give you cavities. Not nutritious.  Conspiracy culture is simply rooted in paranoia and mis information fueled by social media

Smart Culture advances and enlightens and usually makes a lasting impact.  Think about films  or songs that have lasting relevance.  They are almost always the inspired ones rather than the buzz and burn ones whose long term relevance is a trivia question rather than reverence.  

You can make a lot of quick money with Junk and Conspiratory productions and projects, or you can be lucky enough to be so engrained that you’re average but omnipresent,  though in launching something new,  you can go the enlightening route and experience a longer and more positive life span and contribute to reversing the junk epidemic in the USA

Smart culture can appear arrogant.  It’s not.  It’s quality and street-smart thinking capable of touching all demographics and lifestyles in a lasting way

I think conspiracy and junk culture will always exist but If there was a Cultural stock market—I’d buy Smart Culture now.