POP-CULTURE: THE ARCHITECT OF TEENAGE
LIVES.
INTRODUCTION:
What is Pop-Culture?
Pop culture refers to popular culture aimed at the younger generation and
transmitted via the mass media. Popular culture is essentially a set of
beliefs, values, actions, objects, or goods and practices that are popular at
any given time and space in society. It can refer to things like art,
literature, fashion, dance, film, television, and magazines etc.
The evolution of Pop-Culture
The phrase “popular culture” was coined in or around the 19th century. It
all started with a serialized novel that became popular. They were
published in magazines or newspapers in order to reach a wide range of
people.
With the development of film in the late 19th century, people were able to
watch recorded video, which revolutionized pop culture. In the 1920’s you
had the popularity of jazz music, flapper fashion, and film.
Even with the introduction of television in the 1940s and 1950s, it brought
pop culture into people’s homes. It was much easier to get your fill of pop
culture, considering it helped raise the rock’n’roll music scene and youth
culture. Most notably, you had Elvis Presley and The Beatles. The Beatles
became a global sensation during this time.
In the 1960s you had the counterculture movement when teenagers
started to challenge mainstream values and norms.
The 1970s went for more hip-hop influences and saw the video game
industry begin to flourish with games like ‘Space Invaders’.
In the 1980s you have music and TV combined into MTV (Music Television
Channel) and one of the biggest pop stars of the time Michael Jackson
revolutionized it with his hit ‘Thriller’ in 1983.
More recently the biggest change in pop culture was the creation of social
media in the early 2000s. Social media has become a big part of all of our
lives and it’s one of the best ways for us to consume pop culture.
Technology has created a society obsessed with social media. We now
have reality television, YouTube celebrities, music videos, TikTok, and
Instagram influencers
Positives of Pop Culture It evolves from generation to generation
and has a significant impact on youth.It is often seen as a reflection of the
attitudes and values of society, and can influence young people’s
thoughts, behaviours, and beliefs.
pop culture can be a source of education, entertainment, and inspiration.
It can provide young people with role models and examples of positive
behaviour, as well as teach them valuable life lessons. It can also help
ideas to travel.
Negatives of pop culture
It can propagate negative stereotypes and promote unhealthy and risky
behaviour. Pop culture can also be a source of confusion and conflict for
young people and can create pressure to conform to certain standards of
beauty and behaviour. It can also shape young people’s attitudes towards
risk-taking, peer pressure, and drug and alcohol use.
Pop culture, including media and advertising, plays a significant role in
shaping and reinforcing beauty standards. These standards often promote
unrealistic ideals, leading to body image issues and negative self-esteem.
While diversity in media representation is increasing, unrealistic beauty
ideals continue to be prevalent and can negatively impact individuals,
especially adolescents and young adults
pop culture often promotes and perpetuates consumerist lifestyles, while
simultaneously being influenced by consumer demand and marketing
strategies
IDOLISM OF CELEBRITIES
The natural rise of fan culture is in the media Web 2.0 era, where social
media, live streaming and interactive video sites allow information to
spread rapidly, providing plenty of platforms for developing fan culture.
With the increasing amount of information and communication platforms,
the communication structure has become flat, popular and interactive.
Hence, a wider audience gradually accepts fan culture, and the influence
of fan culture has become more widespread and far-reaching.
Idolism, in this context, refers to the practice of admiring and sometimes
worshipping pop culture figures, particularly entertainers.
Parasocial relationships are one-sided emotional connections individuals
form with celebrities or other media figures. These relationships are not
reciprocal, meaning the celebrity is unaware of the fan's feelings and
doesn't reciprocate. They are often fostered through media consumption
and can involve a range of emotions, from admiration and affection to
obsession and even negativity
Conclusion
Pop culture is much more than just entertainment — it reflects the values,
dreams, and challenges of each generation. From novels and music to
social media and influencers, it constantly evolves, shaping how young
people see the world and themselves. While it offers inspiration,
connection, and creativity, it also brings challenges like unrealistic
standards and pressure to conform. By understanding both its positive and
negative sides, we can enjoy pop culture responsibly and use it as a tool
for self-expression and social awareness. In today’s digital world, pop
culture is not just something we consume — it’s something we help
create.
Why do people lie online?
1. Impression Management and Self-Presentation
People often curate their online personas to appear more attractive,
successful, or interesting. This "ideal self" may involve exaggerating
achievements, filtering photos, or omitting negative experiences to gain
approval or validation from others.
2. Anonymity and Reduced Accountability
The relative anonymity of online spaces makes people feel less
constrained by social norms. Without the immediate feedback of face-to-
face interaction, users may lie more freely, believing they won’t face real
consequences.
3. Social Comparison Pressure
Online environments like social media foster constant comparison. Seeing
others' curated lives can lead individuals to embellish or fabricate details
about their own lives to maintain perceived social parity or superiority.
5. Avoiding Conflict or Rejection
People may lie to avoid uncomfortable confrontations or rejection. For
instance, someone might feign agreement in a group chat or lie about
availability to skip a virtual event without offending anyone.
6. Entertainment, Exploration, or Escapism
Some lies are playful or experimental—like using fake personas in games
or forums. This can offer a sense of freedom or escapism, particularly for
those dissatisfied with aspects of their offline lives.
7. Strategic or Malicious Intent
Others lie online for manipulation, fraud, or other deceptive gains.
Examples include catfishing, phishing scams, or spreading misinformation
for political or financial motives.
If you'd like, I can also provide academic studies or psychological theories
(like the Online Disinhibition Effect) that explain these behaviors further.
HYPOTHESIS
H1: Increased exposure to social media content featuring celebrities and
influencers contributes to higher levels of FOMO in teenagers.
H2: Celebrity and influencer content increases the youth's desire for
branded products and luxury lifestyles.
H3: The rise of influencer culture has blurred the line between authentic
inspiration and commercial influence in shaping youth identity.
H4: Most news shared online is fake.
H5: Teenagers engaging more with celebrity or influencer content are
more likely to develop parasocial relationships.
H6: The overall influence of pop culture on teenagers yields more negative
than positive effects.
H7: Most influencers present curated or misleading portrayals of their lives
on social media platforms.
H8: Increased time spent on online games enhances virtual social
connections but weakens face-to-face interactions among teenagers.
H9: Cinema 10 or 20 years ago was better than the cinema now.
RESEARCH DESIGN
METHOD
SURVEY
A survey will be made to gather data on how pop culture is such an
important part of today`s youth.
SAMPLE SITE
Google forms
SAMPLE SIZE
Survey participants- 25 to 30
People aged between 15 to 20
TOOL
Questionnaire
QUESTIONNAIRE
1. Which social media platforms do you use the most?
A, INSTAGRAM B, YOUTUBE
C, SNAPCHAT
2. Do you often feel you're missing out when you see an Instagram
post of an influencer, celebrity, or your peers when they are at
events or on trips?
3. Do you want to buy the products that you see celebrities or
influencers using?
4. Do luxury lifestyles shown online make you wish you lived the same
way?
5. Is it hard to tell if an influencer is genuinely recommending a
product or is paid to promote it?
6. Trendy content online shapes your self-image more than anything
else?
7. Do you feel emotionally connected to certain influencers or
celebrities you follow?
8. Pop culture helps people express their identity and creativity.
9. Most influencer content is exaggerated or unrealistic.
10. Social media distracts me from real-life goals or studies.
11. I get excited when my favorite influencer or celebrity posts
new content.
12. Would you be upset if your favorite celebrity or influencer
started dating somebody?
13. Do you change how you dress or act based on the trends?
14. Pop culture gives me role models who inspire me to improve.
15. Do you prefer influencers who share personal struggles, not
just perfect posts?
16. Social media is full of fake “perfect” lives that aren’t real.
17. Do you believe that most news shared online is fake?
18. Cinema 10 or 20 years ago was better than the cinema now
19. Do you think pop cultue is important for sustaining now?
