The Cambridge dictionary defines pop culture as “music, TV, cinema, books, etc. that are popular and enjoyed by ordinary people, rather than experts or very educated people” The concept of popular culture is in its name, it is widely excepted or popular among a culture. Popular culture, however, in my opinion, does not belong to just one culture. Because it stems from widely available sources such as music, books, and movies to name a few, it can transcend a variety of nationalities and cultures around the world. Pop culture, like religion, has to ability to bring people together to create a sense of unity and belonging among those who also appreciate the same things. The examples of pop culture such as the music we listen to, the books we read, the characters or celebrities we admire in some way shape our lives and our views of the world much like religion do for those who follow it.
One example I am most familiar with of where pop culture has strongly influenced a diverse number of people would be Harry Potter. The books were released from 1997 to 2007, I was in third grade when the first one came out and a junior in high school when the last was published. The popularity of the books followed by the movies created a community of people who like me had virtually grown up alongside Harry and his friends. Translated into multiple languages, people from all different backgrounds were brought together, we read the books, saw the movies, and even today as adults are still fascinated with the boy who lived. Fans of Harry Potter came together to discuss their love of the characters, of the magical world we all wished to exist in, and the trials that they faced to defeat evil. Potterheads, as the fandom is named, learned valuable lessons like facing our fears, standing up for what is right even in complicated circumstances, and “that happiness can be found, even in the darkest of times, if one remembers to turn on the light” (J.K. Rowling). These lessons have followed us from adolescence to adulthood, and while it may not be as prominent in the media as it was then, we remember how we felt, and how the words and actions influenced our lives.
Much like religion, the different forms of popular culture can teach us lessons, to inspire us and make us feel things. We learn stories of good and evil, right and wrong, what makes a good person and how our choices shape our path in life and affect those around us. Religion brings its followers together in much the same way pop culture brings together those who subscribe to follow a specific trend, musical group, or fandom. It encourages conversation and allows those from different cultures and walks of life to learn from and about each other creating a sort of global society or culture through similar interests.
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