Did the Internet Kill Pop Culture?

I started to realize that the problem might be with the Internet. With songs so easy to download, and with it being so easy to post your own original content, the value of entertainment has been diminished. That’s a direct result of the Internet.

“Video Killed The Radio Star” was the first music video played on MTV. It was a new era, one where the greater technology replaced the previous technology. Newspapers, books, arcades, movie theaters – they’re all struggling. In each instance, I think that the Internet does it better. Yet, where are the new stars with this new technology? Michael Jackson and MTV fed into each others success. After more than a decade with the Internet, I haven’t seen the same equivalent. Instead, I’m see the reverse.

This decade seems to be a sea of sequels, Batman, Spiderman, Superman, Batman, Spiderman… what… we don’t have any new superheroes? Being patriotic, being honorable, that seems to be a common theme of the 80’s – I only needed to watch GI Joe or the Thundercats to know that. I was spoon fed high ideals. How does that happen online? How do you instill a similar sense of morality when users are a click away from hardcore porn? The Internet doesn’t have a program schedule. How does the Internet build culture when users could simply spend their time looking at funny pictures of cats all day?

If the Internet is responsible for the mediocrity of modern pop culture, how can it be fixed? I think that the online world could use more honor and more camaraderie. Illegal downloading is a problem. How are you supposed to sell 100+ million albums if too many people would just steal it? The same goes for websites. I don’t like it when people brag about using ad block. That just makes online publishers go away. If people don’t want to pay for quality content, then they’ll ultimately end up with what they pay for. Yet, that’s only a tiny part of the problem. Most people seeming willing to buy quality content that they enjoy. Otherwise, VCRs and tape recorders would have hindered Michael Jackson’s career.

I do think that the Internet is hurting pop culture, but I think that the problem will be resolved once the technology matures. There’s a certain combination that builds a superstar – luck, skill, determination – whatever it is, it can occur online. It’s up to artists and producers to figure out how to make it happen. Will there be another culture boom? I think there will be, but hopefully it won’t take until 2020 to happen. Otherwise, it might be called “The Roaring 20’s Part 2.”

One thought on “Did the Internet Kill Pop Culture?”

  1. I agree with you about 90%. I do agree that Internet was the major factor that killed pop culture. But I don’t think a new culture boom can actually come out of the internet. A lot of cool stuff is going on, but the thing is: choices. Like you said, theres no programming schedule, so people can surf freely. That means their in control of what they watch. I like that idea, but unfortunately it has major consequences for trying to build up a superstar. I’m not that disapointed with it, but I didn’t grow up with superstars really. I don’t give the flip of a coin about what child bradjolina is adopting. And I think this Michael Jackson stuff should have stopped after the second day. I would have preferred to see the bills they were passing in congress… You know the whole Cap’N’Trade thing, and the extra taxes and whatnot. Yes, I would have preferred that over a 4th day of people saying “Michael Jackson is dead.” I think we got it after the first day, and all the lag-behind people got it the second. Really, whos benefiting from all this press? The star is dead, move on…

    I seem to be digressing… Anyhow, with people having the free choice of surfing the web, the superstar will be born only if enough people know about it. Thats where advertising triples its role. With potentially unlimited websites, how do you know which one you want to go to? Advertising. With 200 channels its easy to see whats on and whats not. But with 5000 websites you are making a choice to what you want to view. Thats how Google controls the internet… *insert crazy phrase here* So what if there are no more superstars, who needs em? Their just pop idols.

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