Contributing to a Better World
For the past six weeks, we have explored a wide variety of fandom in popular culture, and we have set out to answer one common question: How can what you love: what you read, watch, and share, make the world a better place? We have challenged ourselves to find deeper meaning in all forms of popular culture, from Kim Kardashian’s book of Selfies, to Willow Wilson’s alternative comic book story about muslim superhero Kamala Khan. Each week as I wrote a new blog post and dove deeper into the world of fashion, I felt increasingly proud of my close reading skills and the ways I was able to give deeper meaning to my love and support for the fashion industry. As I read my classmates' blog posts, I was inspired by their ability to pull meaning from their personal fandoms.
A few of the week four blog posts really stood out to me. Brielle’s post about Jessica Jones and the incorporation of mental illness into the show was fascinating and presented a different way to talk about a somewhat controversial subject in our society, one often kept in the shadows. Giuliana’s post about music festivals made me smile, because I am passionate about live music and attend music festivals each summer, so I can relate to what she had to say about how music festivals make the world a more accepting, loving, and present place. Mary’s post about advertising during the holiday season gave me a lot to think about, because I am also an advertising major and am one of the seemingly few people who enjoys holiday advertising; it too gives me feelings of warmth and happiness. All three of these blog posts reveal ways in which fandom can work to spread awareness of difficult issues, send positive and progressive messages, and promote acceptance, love, and living in the present moment.
The first blog post, about Jessica Jones and mental illness, explains how the Netflix series presents Jessica Jones as not-your-average superhero. Brielle explains that Jessica doesn’t wear a leotard, she is not looking to please others, and she doesn’t inherit the weight of the world just because she has super powers. In fact, she is really on a mission to heal herself from the domestic abuse she has endured, and her mental illnesses which include depression and PTSD.
Above: Official Netflix Trailer for Jessica Jones
By using the idea of a superhero, but painting Jessica in her own way with very real human problems that many young women experience, the show is able to bring awareness to difficult topics like domestic abuse and mental illness in non-traditional ways. According to a report released this year by the National Alliance on Mental Illness, 1 in
5 adults in the U.S. experiences mental illness in a given year. With this kind of prevalence, it is important to bring mental illness out of the shadows and show people they are not alone, and should not be stigmatized for experiencing mental illness. By creating a superhero like Jessica Jones, Netflix is able to spread the message that everyone struggles, and everyone has the right to their own journey and healing process to rise out of their struggles.
The next blog post I want to explore is about how music festivals have the ability to make the world a better place. In her blog post, Giuliana explains her experience at the Northern Lights Music Festival, in 2015. Giuliana explains how everything about the festival, from the space in which it was held, to the element of camping, to the diverse lineup, encouraged connectedness and acceptance. A quote from the blog post goes, “While inside the comfort of Northern Nights, there was never a discussion of our differences and because of that, instead, the opportunity to find common ground was endlessly available.” I love this description of the festival, because I can wholeheartedly relate to this kind of inclusion and togetherness.
Above: A few moments I captured at Sonic Bloom Music Festival 2016
Giuliana goes on to explain how there was no judgement of how people dressed, danced, or expressed love for others. This kind of connectedness is becoming harder to achieve in our every day lives, partially due to the rise of technology, but also because of the busy nature of our lives, and the idea of “each person for him or her self.” Music festivals give attendees the chance to slow down and reconnect to nature and other people by camping and relying on their neighbors to help out when needed. (If I had a quarter for every time I forgot my air mattress pump and had to ask my camping neighbors at a festival…) These beautiful events give attendees the chance to get back to their child-like roots, and the idea of playtime, dance, connectedness, and acceptance, which they will hopefully carry with them out into their everyday lives.
The last blog post is the most relevant to this month: advertising during the holidays. I know some people dread the holidays, hate Christmas music, and definitely don’t care for the advertisements (that may be an understatement), but I appreciate all of it. What I really love about this blog post is the way it shows how popular culture in the form of advertisements doesn’t always have to have some huge deep meaning, other than the fact that it makes people feel something. Happiness, warmth, nostalgia, understanding, love. Sometimes, these emotions are especially valuable when felt during the holidays, one of the busiest and perhaps most stressful times of the year. Putting a genuine smile on one person’s face can create a ripple effect that makes the world a better, happier, more loving place.
Above: 15 Most Touching Christmas Commercials (if you're in the mood to cry tears of happiness)
These three blog posts explore many ways that fandom can make the world a better place. From delving into heavy topics like domestic violence and mental illness, to curating unique events that cultivate love and acceptance, to simply putting a smile on someone’s face, popular culture can make a positive impact on the world when it is consciously created and consumed.
