Pop culture is defined as following what has become popular

4 Pop culture is defined as following what has become popular. The trends of the 21st century are cell phones, Ipads, the Ipod Touch, and eReaders. Young people, some as young as 6, communicate, and learn, through a small handheld device. They search the net, call their friends, complain about their parents, and read books all via digital technology.

So what is the problem you say? Is this not progress? We can communicate so much easier and faster. Ah, Yes, but we aren’t communicating face to face. I can’t see your emotions when you ‘speak’ to me. I cannot see you squint your eyes, or twitch your nose, or turn down the corner of your lip. I do not know if you are telling the truth, or if you are sad or happy.

Are you really 6 foot tall, dark and handsome? Are you really 12 years old like me or 42? Are you saying things through Facebook or Twitter that you truly mean? These questions cross a parent’s mind every time the child/teen picks up that device.

On the other hand, do I really need to know what you are doing every five minutes? Is there a need to post on Foursquare where you are every minute of the day? Must you post pictures of where you are and what you are doing on Instagram continuously? A diary of one’s life used to be private. No longer. Young people seem to have a need to tell the world.

Some of you may think all this complaining is silly, even old fashioned. You could be right, after all, pop culture is the future, at least for a little while.