The Earworms Ringing in my Head

Confession: I hate pop culture. I'm going to justify it a little but honestly I probably just have an individuality complex. What do I consider pop culture? The-at-the-moment opinions and events that everyone is talking about, and I mean everyone. It gets so boring. I feel like the spooky algorithms of social media (especially TikTok) spare me from most of the world's who's dating who and omg so and so's business got leaked! However, a little bit of it crawls onto my radar. Right now in addition to the sanctioned pottery, gardening, and vlog content I have been seeing a lot of

Oscar outfit breakdown's

Biggest event of the year (aside from the Super Bowl, Grammy's, Met Gala, etc.) and people love to talk about it. I have seen more favorite outfit complications than I can count and enough edits to make one myself. Congrats to all the winners and the best dressers! "Mom I won an Oscar."

Last of Us (by proxy Pedro Pascal)

No idea what this is to be honest, I think it is a TV show? HOWEVER I know the meme format by heart. It is a convertible scene with a concerned friend and a silly Pedro Pascal. "Make your own kind of music..."

Selena Gomez and Hailey Bieber conspiracy

The gist is that Hailey is obsessed with Selena and is trying to become her. Everyone seems rather concerned, but I think Selena Gomez can handle a little copying. In my opinion, it is not my business. "New update on the Hailey Beiber Selena Gomez drama:"

Rihanna's pregnancy

During the Super Bowl halftime show, Rihanna revealed her pregnant belly to everyone's surprise. For a couple days, all I saw on TikTok was arguing whether she was pregnant again or if fans were judging her postpartum body. She was, calm down everyone. Good for her, I did actually see half the show and it was fun. "When you hold me I'm alive."

Outer Banks

A popular TV show that just released it's third season. The show could have been just one season, and the cast just released season 4. Alright guys come on. "With my left hand free..."

It is a bit frustrating because I have not seen the content this excitement has spawned from and I am tired of seeing the same takes over and over again. The first few times I hear about the next big thing I nod and scroll happy I have been brought up to date with what everyone else knows. But, by the 10th video or post I see, it is all old news. There is such a plethora of content and fresh ideas on these apps that I wish I could see more community and genuine interest in niches than ideas that can be remembered by everyone.

On the contrary, one interesting thing about pop culture is that it has become the medium through which my generation communicates. I can not tell you how many times I have made a joke that only someone who has seen the video would understand, and bafflingly usually everyone has. Alternatively, I'll often find my self start a thought with "Have you seen ...." and if the answer is yes, the shared pop culture can really be a conversation starter. So maybe pop culture is not so bad, but please people let's spice up the sounds we use on TikTok. I'm getting tired of them.

Bye tty soon,

Jordan