Communication is only possible if the sender of the message uses language and techniques that the receiver understands. The art of effective communication is one of the most discussed topics in all sectors due to the problems miscommunication causes. The world is changing, and through the embracement of technology, people are changing their lifestyles. This paper intends to respond to one of the educative videos. Use of visual in learning is becoming a key component in learning various modern issues, but the technology still has a negative image among most people. Paul Miller’s video, “Pop Culture is Dead!” (TEDx Talks. 2015) demonstrate the negative aspects associated with mass media but the Miller explain that although the Pop culture past generation may be dead, mass media such as social media, cable TV, and e-commerce has transformed the Pop culture to new dimensions. The paper thus summarizes and evaluates the video to understand the efficiency of Miller presentation and the arguments or proofs he uses to support his ideas. The last chapter offers my opinion on the issues discussed.
Summary
Miller begins the presentation by asking the audience to help him in an experiment. He asks them to take a funny photo using their mobile phones and determine the winner of the funny picture, which Sally wins. Miller continues by illustrating that if Sally tweets the photo and others retweet the photo, it will go viral. Miller keeps the audience guessing on what he wants to discuss although they are aware that it has to do with media but still unaware whether he intends to address social media. The suspense, jokes, questions, and flashbacks in past events increase the attentiveness of the audience. He describes the changes in preference of the people and changes in technology that makes it easier for people to support something by just clicking ‘like’ (TEDx Talks. 2015). Technology has enabled specific interests or ideas to reach the broader society and dominate the community, which he terms as the meaning of popular culture.
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Miller asks rhetorical questions before demonstrating their relevance for instance, by asking, “What happens when the mechanism of spreading pop culture becomes part of the pop culture?” (TEDx Talks. 2015). He show the changes made by technological changes and popular culture influence on the society. He criticizes the past control by the media during serial TV before cable TV where the audience did not have the choice of what to view. The speaker is ironic in his rhetorical question and educative in the message that although the people are changing and some criticize the changes, technology changes in mass and social media offers more freedom than past media. The top ten list demonstrate that celebrity and good looks are first and second respectively depict that popular culture is still in practice but has changed to a new type of popular culture. The message is clear and educative as the evaluation demonstrates.
Evaluation
The message is not straightforward as the summary above depicts but the idea of the changes and opportunities offered by technological advancement in mass and social media and e-commerce is clear to all. Pop culture grows and influences people due to having shared ideas the spread and proliferate through the society. He proves that by depicting the changes in technology that helps people with a common goal to support a charity or share ideas through social media or the internet with a single click ‘like’ (TEDx Talks. 2015). The experiment he and the audience conducted provided the way use of Twitter and Facebook can help spread an idea by the example of Sally tweeting the photo and other people retweeting it. Miller demonstrates the influence of mass media to form popular culture through the example of Elvis v Cliff in 1956 where the fans for either Elvis or Cliff mode of communication or behavior was affected by the person they supported thus forming a popular culture (TEDx Talks. 2015). He describes ways that cable TV and improvement of media has changed over the years and affected the popular culture.
Cable TV increases freedom of the audience by the changes and preference of watching TV, Lucy’s death in 2014 was viewed by 8.9 million compared to Den signing divorce paper in 1986 that had 30.15 million viewers (TEDx Talks. 2015). Miller claims that the freedom that is offered by the likes of Netflix that has about 4.5 million UK subscriber offers choice to watch what the person wants and when they want (TEDx Talks. 2015). He demonstrates that people no longer let the broadcasters determine when to view TV. Other improvements enhancing e-commerce such as Amazon increases the choices for buyers and ensures that people can get what they want rather than being forced to buy what the seller has, as was the case in the past. Social media platforms complemented by the other mass media platforms enhance changes in pop culture hence the claim that pop culture is dead. However, Miller is quick to note that the past or ways the past generation viewed pop culture may be dead but with the inclusion of the medium of spreading pop culture being part of pop culture, there is proof that a new form of pop culture is spreading. Miller’s final statement, “long live popular culture” (TEDx Talks. 2015) demonstrate that although there are changes in pop culture, the transformation indicates that pop culture continues but in a new form.
Personal Opinion
I concur with the Miller’s claim that technology and embracement in technology have changed most of the traditional pop culture but it has offered a new dimension to life. The issues discussed are clear and informative with Miller excellent presentation offering a different perception on the topic. His ideas look simple but hard to come up with thus changing my opinion on the role of new technology in popular culture. I believe that change is vital in all aspects of each generation viewing change and social interaction differently but there is no doubt that new technology has increased choices and ease the way of communication. The new platforms offer faster and better ways to spread pop culture just as Miller demonstrated.
Reference
TEDx Talks. (2015). Pop culture is dead! | Phil Miller | TEDxWoking . Retrieved October 18, 2017, from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CkDYlQhx0wY&feature=youtube_gdata_player
