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The United States is an ever-changing country. Every year brings new styles, ideas, lifestyles and ways of doing things. Things that just last year were despised and frowned upon are now all the rage. The music we listen to, the celebrities we watch, literature and tabloids we read — each of these has an influence that helps us view the current world. America’s pop culture is constantly maturing, and what is popular here is often assimilated and adopted into cultures around the world.
All too often I will listen to a song on the radio and be disgusted by it. The rhythm, tone, lyrics — none of it appeals to me. However after hearing it a few times in the mall or as background music to a movie trailer, it suddenly becomes one of my favorite songs. This is similar for other forms of pop culture. Things that don’t start as “the norm” become the norm with time and use.
The heroes of pop culture today are a diverse bunch. Ranging from sophisticated and classy individuals to rag-tag and dirty tabloid frequenters, celebrities are often the image of pop culture, which has spread across the world and, more often than not, represents the American people.
In an attempt to see what students thought defined American pop culture, I took a moment away from finals preparation to ask some students outside of the library these questions: Which celebrities and stars are our heroes? Which gave the States a bad image?
The answers varied across the board. I noticed major differences between American and international students. Americans often thought of the most current stars, while lasting legends influenced international students. Michael Jackson was a common choice, as well as Lady Gaga and even Tyga.
Jake Bardsley, a student in the business program, said an image of pop culture for him is Macklemore.
“He appeals to people of all backgrounds because of his ethnicity, also because of the style of music he does and the style of fashion he promotes,” Bardsley said.
He also mentioned Lady Gaga as someone having a great effect on people from around the world. He wishes, however, that our leaders or academics would be the ones to really hold the best image for this country.
Sun Jang, a student from South Korea, agreed with this statement. For her, the person who best represents America is our current president, Barack Obama. “He is president and is famous around the world,” she said.
Our view of pop culture is constantly evolving. Sarah White, a music student, thinks Taylor Swift is the face of America at this time.
“I just read an article about her on Facebook, and to me she represents pop culture right now,” White said. She said she wouldn’t mind Swift being the face of America to the rest of the world as well.
Denzel Washington is a celebrity who Hayden Booth, a biology major, thinks portrays America.
“He’s educated, sophisticated, into human rights. He is a great role model and example,” Booth said.
Whether good examples for the world or not, pop culture legends have a lasting impact on how we enjoy our spare time and they shape our daily decisions more often than we realize.
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