Pop Culture: The Best Thing To Happen To Our Generation

            Contrary to popular opinion, I think pop culture is the best thing that happened to this generation. There certainly were things in the generations before mine that were relatively better; however, not everything falls under that title. For example, segregation and slavery are negative aspects of the past that do not exist in the modern day.

            So, what does one say to someone that tries to argue that their older generation is better? You present the facts that prove them wrong. The time I grew up around, technology and television entertainment were on the rise. Technology has proven to be very helpful in both people’s personal and professional lives. Social platforms such as Facebook and Twitter assist people in connecting with their family and friends while software databases help companies keep all their information in a neat and organized manner.

Along with helping us connect with the people around us, the pop culture associated with technology has contributed greatly to society in making people smarter. Although this may sound strange, since adults seem to think the opposite. However, in his article, “Watching TV Makes You Smarter”, Steven Johnson argues, “The real world doesn’t come in nicely packaged public-service announcements, and we’re better off with entertainment like The Sopranos that reflects our fallen state with all its ethical ambiguity.” Today’s shows and films educate the youth about real life issues and force them to think critically.

Shows being aired today deeply focus on fair representation. They throw in a little of Spanish and a little bit of hood to appeal to all different types of audiences and to display the different struggles these people go through daily. This makes them more culturally aware. Also, another idea that his generation seems to publicize is critical thinking. Most of the shows created in previous generations were very straightforward with their plots and characters. These shows would not interest someone today because “the modern viewer doesn’t have to think to make sense of what’s going on, and not having to think is boring.” Shows today carry multiple plot-lines with many characters with varying backgrounds. To keep up, the viewer must utilize distinct parts of the brain. This type of thinking was not required in shows aired in the past. In relation to television, pop culture has had a positive effect on people today because it forced them to connect and think.

Johnson, Steven. "Watching TV Makes You Smarter." The New York Times Magazine, 24 Apr. 2005.

Literacy Blog

     Since the day I was born, I have been surrounded by books. Both my parents, especially my mother, hold a special love for reading in their hearts. My grandparents encouraged them to read as they wanted their children to gain knowledge from written material and not just the outside world. Their encouragement also came from a religious perspective, as our religion deeply stresses the notion to read and be knowledgeable.
   
     While I was growing up, my parents spread their fondness of reading to me. I was about six or seven years old the first time I ever read or wrote anything. I remember my parents teaching me the alphabet and bringing me my first books to read. Throughout my first literacy experience, both my parents supported me, as they were eager to hear me and see me write my first words. Every time I sat to read, my mom would sit with me and help me pronounce difficult words. Also, in order for me to enjoy what I read, my dad bought me books of my choice, ranging from religious bedtime stories to fairy tales. In all of this, my biggest inspiration was my mother. She was, and still is, an avid reader who owned more books than she could count. I would see her read her novels and since then I have aspired to be an enthusiastic reader like her. I would see how her face would light up as she dives into the world of her book and I would think to myself that I want to be as happy as she is when I read.

     I first felt literate in the first grade. During that time, I was able to compose and write full length sentences. Once I learned how to write, I would write summaries of every story I read. The genre that caught my attention at that age was fiction. I enjoyed the feeling of traveling to another world when I read fictional stories. Along with reading and writing, I loved to communicate. I generally liked talking to people, whether it was talking to my classmates or making conversation with random strangers at the grocery store. In particular, I enjoyed talking to my family as they would happily converse with me in order to make my communication skills stronger. Although I was considered a chatterbox, I would take time out to listen to my parents converse among themselves in order to pick up new words. Watching television also helped me learn about different talking styles and enhanced my vocabulary.

     Among all this process, I recall becoming frustrated at certain points. I realized rather quickly that I was a fast learner and I wanted to quickly learn to read,write, and speak in order to communicate like my parents. It would upset me when I could not imitate their speed,comprehension, or style and when their words would exceed beyond my limited vocabulary. This frustration made me realize that my role model was my mother. Since I was a little girl, my dream has always been to be just like her. My mother always had some kind of reading material in her hand, whether it was a newspaper or a novel. After seeing her devotion to literacy, I made it my life goal to appreciate literacy as much, or possible even more than my mother has.

     In my opinion, literacy is crucial because it provides a platform for people to communicate with one another and learn about each other's cultures and backgrounds. My religion emphasizes the need to possess the ability to read and write as it makes a person knowledgeable and helps them properly communicate with people in their community. The mosque leaders in my community stressed the need to be literate so I could educate myself about the religion. This is where I learned that I had to be literate in both my school classroom and in a religious gathering.

     Literacy plays a major role in my personal life as it helps me put my feelings into words. I use writing as a form of expression. Also, I love to read because it takes me to another world and serves as a temporary escape from reality. Another reason I continue to read and write is the fact that I want to strive to be a better writer for myself. I want to be able to educate others and make them appreciate English as much as I do.