You Are Pop Culture
Editorial

We are constantly inundated by the stimuli that surround us on the street, in stores, in clubs, through magazines, television, performance, and radio. These are the elements that create pop culture, and while it is not currently cool to consider yourself part of the pop culture, this is only because pop culture is currently not cool.

We are creating pop culture every time we make a flier, a record cover, a window display, host a college radio show, have a party, or release a magazine. Whether or not you consider yourself part of this pop culture abyss, you are contributing to it. The product is a reflection of you and, more importantly, of the sub-community you identify with aesthetically, politically, and vocally.
If we hope to re-direct the future course of our culture, we must begin by re-directing the present course of our media. We must begin to understand that even the most seemingly trivial item that we present in a public space has an impact on our values and judgements.

We have given ourselves over to false logic: I should design on a computer because I can design on a computer; I should listen to pop music because it’s on the radio; I shouldn’t wear grey because it’s out this winter. We’re left with terribly designed magazines, bad radio stations, and suspect fashion.

Our culture can not reflect us until we are able to hold ourselves and each other up to our standard of good. We are not doing this; this is why pop culture is not cool.
It’s time we raise the stakes by making our things reflect us, not the status quo. This is not about changing the world, this is about putting more thought into the things we are doing.