Every coin has two sides, as we know. I can relate to this particular saying more than anyone. I am a rapper and I know what it takes to be a part of this interest. Music is something that saved my life. Not only mine but also my friends' lives, who also rap. I was on the verge of depression twice in my life so far but in many ways, music took me away from it. I chose to give back to the thing that saved me and started rapping. I might not be the one who dropped the first Desi Hip Hop track, it was my brother, but I am definitely the now who's putting my stuff on the map. As I am a part of pop culture itself, I can not keep my opinions about it to myself. As a musician, I pour my heart out on my verses, which is a way for me to vent out as well. I am a very emotional guy so I need to filter my thoughts sometimes. But of course, I would love this to be my career and I hope that my dream of rapping in front of a crowd comes true someday. But there is a negative side to this. Making a living and stuff out of it is cool but a person can not write songs and be innovative all day, every day. At this point in my life, I want music to be my first priority but I have to keep studying for now because even if I know I can make it out with music, it isn't guaranteed. Many think that it's easy to be a musician but according to me, a person can never be a musician all week long, someday a person has to get humble and live as a normal person. Even after getting famous and making a living, it's necessary to stick to the roots and wish for a normal life to keep that living balanced and make it worth it.
This was the POV of someone who works behind the screens. In the excerpt of the reading, television shows and different kinds of relations to those things are what is stated as pop culture. So as per the logic I mentioned in the very first line of this blog, even these have their side effects. According to Central Community College’s research guides, there is a list of those negative effects provided for the readers to access. Ranked top on that list is “Reinforcement of Stereotypes: Pop culture can perpetuate stereotypes based on race, gender, sexuality, and other characteristics. These stereotypes can lead to discrimination, bias, and a lack of understanding among different groups within society.” As we all know people do affect our thoughts. If a famous English actor is acting in an American movie, with an American accent, and someone who doesn’t know that actor is watching, they would think that the actor is American. People still think that Tom Holland is American and he actually is The Spider Man.
Also psychologically, too much of anything isn’t good. Just like the second point on the list says, “Desensitization to Violence: Excessive exposure to violent content in pop culture, such as in movies, video games, and music, can desensitize individuals to real-world violence and lead to a more tolerant attitude toward aggression.” Biological effects can be dealt as well, such as watching too much television/screens can damage one's eyes, and listening to loud music can damage ears.
The fifth point of the list is something I can see in real life. “Erosion of Cultural Values: In some cases, pop culture can undermine traditional cultural values and norms, leading to a loss of cultural identity and cohesion within societies.” Five years ago when I left India, there was a sense of shame, respect, and integrity in the community which seems to be vanished these days. When I went back a few months ago, I could see changes like, teens having multiple affairs, physical relationships before marriage, and kissing in public. These things shouldn't have been a big deal for me as I witnessed it all in The U.S., but it was. Not because of the cultural adaptation, but just the thought in my head that said, “This isn’t the India that I knew of.”
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