A word that comes to mind when I think of popular culture is trends. Today, trends can spread quickly and that unquestionably has a correlation to the interconnectedness the Internet offers those with access. The Internet has the potential to accelerate trends and styles that initiate in various regions of the world and more commonly, amongst celebrities. A current trend in fashion includes man buns, while in the music industry, songs and dances that go viral such as Watch Me (Whip/Nae Nae) by Silentó and Hit the Quan by iHeart Memphis are quite popular. Younger people including preteens, teenagers, and twenty-somethings seem to accept or embrace popular culture trends quicker than other demographics and that could be related to the fact that they are immersed in technology, the Internet, and social media more so than others (Reynolds, 2012).
One area that I hadn’t connected to pop culture was pornography and I think that that is directly related to the taboo nature many people connect with it. Once discovered, many adolescents find a deep attraction to pornography, as it is a gateway to being turned on (Reynolds, 2012). Students in their adolescent years are at the initial stages of self-discovery and exploration. Since sexuality is something that is not frequently discussed openly, curious adolescents may seek out resources found on the Internet in order to learn more. Pornography there becomes an educational tool (Reynolds, 2012).
One area that I hadn’t connected to pop culture was pornography and I think that that is directly related to the taboo nature many people connect with it. Once discovered, many adolescents find a deep attraction to pornography, as it is a gateway to being turned on (Reynolds, 2012). Students in their adolescent years are at the initial stages of self-discovery and exploration. Since sexuality is something that is not frequently discussed openly, curious adolescents may seek out resources found on the Internet in order to learn more. Pornography there becomes an educational tool (Reynolds, 2012).
In connecting pornography to trends, one celebrity who has hyper sexualized the music industry over the past few years is Miley Cyrus. Between her music video Wrecking Ball and her Blurred Lines performance with Robin Thicke at the 2013 MTV Video Music Awards, she has been ever connected to an over sexualized persona. These acts have no doubt increased the awareness and popularity of twerking and tongues. Another very common trend on social media sites is that of posting selfies expressing one’s sexuality, particularly on Instagram. On Instagram, many people post selfies highlighting themselves scantily clothed, females in a bra and underwear or bikinis and males shirtless showing off muscles on their upper body. This is increasingly popular amongst the younger generation as it is becoming more socially acceptable to share this genre of photography with peers and the online community.
In our break out groups on Wednesday, Katina and I had a conversation about how porn and popular culture could be presented in an intermediate class and we both agreed that with the current political and educational climate in Ontario around the newly revised Health Curriculum, it would be rather difficult and possibly, inappropriate. However, with further discussion, we agreed that by providing students with an awareness of the inherent dangers associated with DIY pornography would be a good place to start. This topic needs to be explored further especially in the digital world that future generations will be growing up in.
Reynolds, W. M. (2012). Why popular culture matters. Popular Cultur e. Retrieved from
http://www.intellectbooks.co.uk/MediaManager/File/popularculture(jan12)web.pdf
In our break out groups on Wednesday, Katina and I had a conversation about how porn and popular culture could be presented in an intermediate class and we both agreed that with the current political and educational climate in Ontario around the newly revised Health Curriculum, it would be rather difficult and possibly, inappropriate. However, with further discussion, we agreed that by providing students with an awareness of the inherent dangers associated with DIY pornography would be a good place to start. This topic needs to be explored further especially in the digital world that future generations will be growing up in.
Reynolds, W. M. (2012). Why popular culture matters. Popular Cultur e. Retrieved from
http://www.intellectbooks.co.uk/MediaManager/File/popularculture(jan12)web.pdf