POPULAR CULTURE

       Popular culture can dictate how we live, what we believe, and what is considered normal behavior.  It crosses all boundaries of our societies, and our human nature.  Nothing is off limits.  It can promote changes to the oldest rituals, traditions, and family values.  Pop culture can be addictive, dangerous and life threatening. 

      What it means to me is that I have to know who I am, and stick to what I believe so I do not get caught in the hype of it.  Everything pop culture is not for me, and I have to know what is, and what isn't.  I think mainly it is all for money.  If someone comes up with a good idea that sells, it will be promoted to become the norm because society buys into it.  I usually dare to be different, so I don't normally get caught up in its whirl wind.

       However, pop culture also exists in the business environment too.  Therefore, I better have a clear understanding of what is expected while I am here.  Pop culture will determine how certain things are done, and in order to be successful I will be forced to adhere to those standards.  I don't have to be of the world, but I have to be able to survive in it in order to be prosperous and successful.

       What I would consider to be a pop culture artifact is weight loss programs.  I chose this because there are probably thousands of them and the money made from them has been astronomical.  People spend billions of dollars every year on them.  It is a lucrative business amongst the popular culture.  Almost everyone who has ever wanted to lose weight at some point and time has probably been one or two or three or even more like me.  I have tried all kinds.  There are programs who advertise that you can still eat what you want and lose, there are programs that make you believe that you do not have to exercise either.  Neither of these facts are true for long. 

      The biggest reason for their success is because the popular culture has been brainwashed into believing that being skinny is being pretty, and the picture of health.  We see stars that have transformed into these new skinny people.  What the average person forgets is that these people have dietitians and personal trainers.  These are services that the average Joe cannot afford on a daily basis.  Don't be fooled, everyone who is skinny is not necessarily healthy either. 

       I just say, "Love you for you and you will get through because beauty is in the eyes of the beholder, and only skin deep."