You get to a point in your life where the things you used to find comfort in begin to fail you.
That’s kind of where I’m at with pop culture.
Nothing to see here, folks, just the same old shenanigans of the rich and famous.
I can’t tell you the last time I saw something pop culture-related on my Instagram timeline and felt excitement or joy.
As someone who is known to many of my friends as a “pop culture encyclopedia,” this is very unusual for me.
Media and pop culture are layered. Maybe that’s why I have always found it so fascinating. Television, film, jaw-dropping award show performances, memorable interview moments; the list goes on and on. I didn’t realize until my senior year of high school that I could be a historian of — you guessed it — pop culture, professionally.
Normally, I’m eager for the latest entertainment news. However, I’m finding myself more bored than invested in starlets and headliners. I’m taking a brief hiatus from it all and it feels good. Also, life is life-ing, which is probably the main reason for said hiatus.
Earlier this semester, I decided that positivity was going to be my only option and I would not be participating in “sad girl autumn.” That was my plan, but to quote one of the best boy bands to ever exist, One Direction, “Does it ever drive you crazy, just how fast the night changes.”
The night has changed. Two unexpected themes of this semester are love and loss.
A family member very close to me passed away two weeks ago. It has altered my perception of reality presently. My heart hurts for my family and everyone who has had the honor to know and love my aunt and the bright light she was. It’s hard to dedicate any of my attention or a single care to celebrities sitting front row at fashion week, public figures having ridiculous feuds on X (formerly known as Twitter), album drops, press tours, so on and so forth, when people are losing loved ones and things happening all around the world are much bigger than influencer propaganda.
It’s okay to put pop culture in time-out. It’s okay if all of the best parts of pop culture are in the past and we’re experiencing a pop-culture drought.
Even when the world feels out of touch, cruel and insensitive, I’m focused on showing up for my family and friends. Especially now when my family and friends are showing up for me. So I am indeed putting pop culture in a time out.
During this season of my life, I’m relying on my faith for comfort, not pop culture. Protecting my peace and not wasting a minute is my priority. Life is too beautiful — it’s meant to be appreciated and lived fully.
Let’s avoid the propaganda at play and avoid mimicking the cruelty going on in this world right now. Instead, we can choose kindness and live in the moment; it’s free and in this economy, that’s saying a lot.
Viewing pictures of billionaires and tone-deaf influencers celebrating problematic personalities at large is the last thing I want to consume my time with.
While pop culture will most likely always hold some interest and intrigue, there are so many other things to put our time, money and attention towards. Touch some grass, take a deep breath, go for a walk, volunteer, pray, write down everything you’re grateful for. But also take pictures, videos and send voice memos, trust me, you’ll be grateful you did.
Pop culture will be here forever, but the people near and dear to you won’t be.
Please, take care of yourself and the ones around you, putting your parasocial relationships aside, cherish your real life circle and don’t wait to give them their flowers.
In loving memory of Denise Elizabeth Highsmith — love you forever.
Ava Francis is a 22-year-old journalism major from New Orleans.
