What Is the Problem With Popular Culture?

Note to Attendees: Please consider making a $5 donation to contribute to the running costs of this Meetup.

Popular culture is everywhere—guiding our tastes, shaping our language, and defining what's considered “normal.” But as David Foster Wallace once observed, “There’s some great stuff on television, but a lot of it is just candy for the mind.” So how much of what we consume is expanding our understanding of the world, and how much is quietly dulling our curiosity and autonomy? Is popular culture simply reflecting who we are—or is it actively shaping who we’re allowed to be?

At our next Gold Coast library meetup, we’ll examine the influence of popular culture and ask whether it enriches society or erodes it.

The questions we’ll debate at this session are:

1. Has popular culture become a substitute for serious thought and meaningful debate?
2. Is pop culture reinforcing conformity by turning dissenting views into social liabilities?
3. Are we mistaking representation in media for real social progress?

For those who want to keep the conversation going, we’ll head to lunch at SOPO, a relaxed venue just a three-minute walk from the library, after the discussion.

PLEASE NOTE:
– This is intended to be a good-natured but robust discussion. Please be respectful and prepared to have your ideas challenged. If you are easily offended, this event may not be for you.