Caring about social issues is too much for some people. They even think it is overrated, and therefore, pop culture became their politics. After a challenging couple of years, you might have thought that the pandemic would transform society, anddid it?

However, there is one thing that the quarantine gave birth to: too much media consumption. Well, what is there to do besides work from home (for adults) and online learning (for young ones)? To adapt to the new normal, a professional like a marketer or mortgage advisor should leverage social media to reach clients and expand their network. However, most people fell back to the comfort of binge-watching Netflix shows and watching TikTok content.

If you are a parent, here is why you need to be aware of how your kids consume media and entertainment content.

The Bandwagon Craze

Teenagers of this country know the craze over what's trending, the latest scoop, and everything about the artists they are following. Raising responsible adults in the future means teaching your kids how to respect people no matter what their station is in life. A female lawyer will just be as good a man. They shouldn't judge someone based on sex, skin color, and race. Performative activism on social media does not guarantee awareness and understanding, and so you need to be aware of how your kids look at all the trending craze. Are they simply following the bandwagon, or are they aware of its magnitude?

While entertainment and media consumption provides escape and outlet to children, there is no denying that every trend is a fad and drives them to believe everything online. What is worse? Not all online trends are healthy. Doing so to fit in, or in their vocabulary, doing things "for the clout" is not healthy, either.

It is easy to point fingers and blame Maslow for emphasizing that humans need acceptance without a fair heads up about humans' tendency to mirror others to feel good. While self-expression is healthy and necessary for your children, it is your responsibility as parents to monitor and guide them about online consumption.

Responsible Media Viewing

Years ago, media representation mattered to the viewers. Inclusivity and diversity in a show or film were a huge stride towards representation. Now that we have movies almost everyone can relate to, it is up to the responsible adults to gatekeep what the next generation would be watching. Remember, what your kids are watching can unconsciously contribute to how they will grow up, too. That is the power of media and entertainment. If they grow up watching shows that promote violence, abuse, or even unhealthy tendencies, they might take after from them and do things they'd end up regretting.

You should also let them know that not all media content is morally right and healthy. After all, it is the people's projection of what serves as the media's bloodline. Pop culture is the sum of society's opinion towards everything the media is obliged to disseminate. It is not the media that teaches girls and women to hate their bodies. It is not the media that forms stereotypes and sets labels. And it is not the media who created the ever-righteous society. Humans did, along with their pop culture.

Social Media and Politics

People rant endlessly on social media sites, demanding better national leaders. However, they have never talked about how some questionable figures are famous and revered. People talk about how great it was before the time of the internet by sharing advocacy posts online about disconnecting to connect. The pop culture that this generation forged shunned everything necessary. On the contrary, it serves as a breath of fresh air. Pop culture is light, and it gives people something to smile about after a tedious day of work. As aforementioned, life is too short to care so much about every single problem, making pop culture a form of escape as well.

Pop culture is the new politics for the younger generation. Understandably, society revolves around it. The media feeds on it, and the users fuel it. It is your job as parents to gatekeep the content your children are viewing and raise awareness about social issues that are more important today.

Final Thoughts

While it is okay to enjoy media content and entertainment, there are limits and boundaries that children need to be aware of early. There are times that even social media platforms can be swarming with false information and propaganda that may mislead your kids, and you might not even know it. Therefore, be mindful and guide your children today.