The year 2009 has flown by. It’s hard to believe we’re already three-quarters of the way through! As every year brings change and transition, this one has been no different, especially in terms of popular culture. The first part of 2009 has been one of ups and downs, of comings and goings, of hellos and goodbyes. Popular culture has been altered. And though it is usually taken lightly, these shifts in pop culture are significant.
Let us now take a look at four of the years biggest pop culture events, welcoming the arrival of some and mourning the departure of others:
1. Bye-bye Bunny Ears
The conversion of television from analog to digital proved to be somewhat … anticlimactic. We spent so much time talking about the change, planning for the change and changing for the change that when it was finally time for the change, the process wasn’t all that exciting. Most Americans had already made the switch long ago, and those who hadn’t were prepared.
Still, the adieu we bid to the bunny ears is representative of a move towards that future that renders a part of the past irrelevant. With HD and satellite TV technology, the television has become more complex, entertaining and central to American life than ever. Long gone are the 50s-esque days of five channels and standard network programming. The departure from and rejection of analog television represents the abandonment of this time. We are now setting off on a much more technologically and culturally savvy era of television.
2. Hello Recession
The end of 2008 witnessed one of the worst economic crises in recent history. Homes were taken, jobs were lost, and savings were gone. In the wake of this, we have found ourselves in a devastatingly sluggish economic environment all year. This has changed the way in which we live and think about culture and entertainment. Whereas the NFL Sunday Ticket may have been a season staple for sports fans in the past, it is now an often sacrificed luxury. The way pop culture acts is different; its light sense has been darkened by an economic shadow.
3. Goodbye Michael
The sudden death of Michael Jackson represented the end of an era. The loss of one of the biggest pop culture icons in American history not only led to grief, but it also led to a realization. Before his death, Michael Jackson had largely faded into obscurity. His death resulted in the reemergence and reaffirmation of his influence on American culture. His death resulted in a coming together in remembrance of a great American icon.
4. Hello Barack
Now President Barack Obama is as significant a cultural icon as he is political. He culminates recent progress in race relations and a general willingness to change in America. Obama is charismatic – his message is often as important as his action. Though his poll numbers are beginning to slip, he has restored a fervor and faith in the culture of American politics that has long been absent.
As we move into the fourth quarter of 2009, we cannot help but wonder what popular culture has in store. Surely, the surprises the future hold will be just as significant and intriguing as those of the past.
Haven’t heard of all the great features
Direct TV has to offer? Check out the
DirectTV or give us a call to hear more about it!
