Pop Culture and how it shapes teen society.

Essay by dmt131High School, 12th gradeB, December 2006

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Everyday we are persuaded to like or dislike something, when we look at the culture we live in there are tons of temptations and people telling us how to live our lives. By choosing your own path through life you are helping set standards for a certain culture, specifically pop culture. Pop culture mainly reflects the teen society and that in which it develops a standard.

Pop culture shapes teen society. Everyday more then half of the teenage population spends millions of dollars on celebrity merchandise. By teenage girls buying the latest Backstreet Boys CD based on the bands appearance shows that teenage society accepts that appearance is key in teen culture. Many celebrity icons use their appearances to sell their merchandise. Teens will do whatever it takes to "be cool" and be a part of the "in-crowd". This includes buying CD's, posters, clothes, and perfumes that the celebrity has to offer, even if the teen cannot afford it.

What a celebrity wears, drinks, eats, and even does affects the way the teens live their lives. These celebrities take advantage of the teen culture because they know the teens will fall for their gimmicks and follow the celebrities every move. The teens do so mainly because being accepted and doing whatever that takes is part of being a teenager. Some teens feel that if they do not have the latest CD or designer clothes that they are "not cool". The merchandise is portrayed as a necessity of life. Owning this merchandise is a way for teens to survive their awkward teenage years by fitting in because they own the latest fads.

Teenagers also help to shape the pop culture by their social standing. For example, every high school has its different groups; the jocks, the rich kids, the nerds,