Detroit Today: America has a pop culture addiction

Does pop culture have too much of a hold on us?

Stock photo of people looking at their smartphones.

Smartphone addiction is real, but for many of us, it can feel necessary to constantly be online.

Our daily life is bombarded by information — we have access to comedy and news, our friends and even strangers, in seconds.

But are we distracting ourselves with novelty and not addressing the real world problems around us? Do we even have clear boundaries on what is fact in the age of “fake news” claims and AI deepfakes?


Listen: How our obsession with pop culture permeates our daily life


Guest

Megan Garber is a staff writer at The Atlantic. She recently wrote the piece, “We’ve Lost the Plot,” where she argues our constant need for entertainment has blurred the line between fiction and reality in everyday life. She says entertainment has become the defining factor in Americans.

“I think we are now living in a paradigm where entertainment is not just one facet of life, but evermore it becomes the defining facet of life — the only thing that that we respond to, and that shapes our culture,” says Garber.

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  • Detroit Today
    Dynamic and diverse voices. News, politics, community and the issues that define our region. Hosted by Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist Stephen Henderson, Detroit Today brings you fresh and perceptive views weekdays at 9 am and 7 pm.