Pop Culture

While the use of technology is increasing swiftly, things are becoming effortless, and our society is getting lazier. People used to go to the library to find books or do research. Today, we have the Internet that allows us to do our research wherever and whenever. There's no need to go to the library to find a book because we can easily order them online and get them delivered to us as soon as the next day. This change in technology has affected our way of thinking and our methods of activism. Today, people have everything handed to them. There is no longer critical thinking required to understand TV shows.  

Pop culture has become more useful to start trends instead of making a legitimate change for many people. Putting your story on social media can help you find a match for a bone marrow transplant or get justice for a stolen phone (Gladwell 2010). Social media can impact only a few. Acting upon a belief is much stronger than posting something on the Internet. More meaning and dedication is shown through actions than it is through words. It is much more powerful when people stand together to fight for what they believe. Pop culture has limited people’s actions because it has made it easier for them to express their thoughts but the fact that they post their ideas online does not mean that they impact people. Many people can agree on certain beliefs but if no action is taken then what that want does not seem to be important. When the four students sat peacefully in the cafeteria, it encouraged many people to do the same (Gladwell 2010). During that time social media did not exist to spread the news. Instead, it was all spread through word of mouth.
This event impacted many without the need of social media, these people’s actions spoke much louder when they were united in one location. During these types of events, you can also find those who are your real friends. A person can have many followers or friends on social media, but that doesn’t mean they’ll be by your side when you’re fighting for your beliefs. Pop culture has allowed people to call the strangers online 'friends' without knowing them. A friend is someone who will stand by your side and support you no matter what, not a person who just likes your posts on social media. Social media has made everyone worry about their physical appearance. People need to look good for pictures so they can get 'likes' and 'followers.' Even though some people may gain self-confidence, there are others who become more insecure with themselves. Some people set unrealistic goals for themselves to try to be or look different and they end up doing more harm than good.  
Pop culture has made shows and movies easier to understand which stops people from using their brain to think. Movies and TV shows are being made with small hints to make sure that the viewers know what is happening because all that matters is that the viewers understand the plot. It reduces the amount thinking needed to understand the story. People won’t watch a show with many characters because it is hard to remember all the characters and their stories. Even the interactive TV shows are being made to only watch instead of learning. In these shows, the actors and actresses think, not the actual viewers. It doesn’t do any good to watch a show that will provide you with answers because in real life you don’t get the answers to a test.  
It is inevitable to become involved in pop culture, but the more people do, the less they think. They are spending more time on social media instead of fighting for what they believe. Instead of analyzing a movie to understand it, we are being told about everything that is supposed to happen before it happens. Although pop culture may have a positive impact on a few, overall it has an adverse impact on many people. There is nothing good in having a couple of benefits and having twice as many adverse effects.  

From Monolingual to Bilingual

When I was two years old, I landed at the Miami International Airport from Peru, where my great grandparents still do not know how to read or write in their own language. My mother and I boarded a bus that brought us to Union City, NJ, which has been my hometown to this very day. That day we started a new life, in a new country, which forced us to learn a new language, and which also forced me into literacy. 

The only language I spoke was Spanish. I was introduced to the English language my first day in Pre-School. Unfortunately for me, my first teacher only spoke English. The challenges were evident. I was unable to communicate with her. However, one of the frustrating challenges was that instead of trying to understand me, she yelled at me for not being able to communicate. It was not until I was switched to another class that I actually started to learn the language and receive support from my teacher and peers. This is what pushed me into becoming literate in the English language. However, the hardest part was going back home and not being able to practice the language. My parents only spoke Spanish, so I was becoming literate in Spanish at home. Learning English was twice as hard, being that I was only able to speak it in school. 

Due to the fact that I was not fluent in English, my parents were not comfortable sending me to a public school that was filled with kids who were fluent in the language. I ended up attending a private school from kindergarten to sixth grade. Starting kindergarten was better than starting pre-school. I had a teacher who helped me immensely even though she did not speak Spanish. I became friends with students who were also learning the language and students who were already fluent in it. Having these peers helped me become more literate in the English language. I obviously learned to read in school, and I would read more and more on my own. I was never a fan of writing; however, I always loved to read. Reading horror novels helped me become more literate. I would learn more vocabulary through my books, and I would use what I learned and apply it to my speaking and writing. I credit reading with being the central aspect of me being able to communicate well in English today. 

My path to literacy pushed my parents to learn the English language as well. They were not in school to learn as I did; however, they knew the importance the language. Every day that I would come home from school speaking more and more English was more reason for them to learn because they wanted to help me as much as they could. Today, my parents understand English well, and although they do not speak as well as I do, they can easily hold their own in a conversation in English. In fact, my father is currently in English classes to learn to read and write to help him get certifications for his job.

Literacy is one of the most important things a person can have. The ability to communicate accurately through reading and writing is what creates opportunity. If you cannot read or write, nobody in the world will take you seriously, and very few would ever offer to help you learn. Without literacy, there is no way you would get a well-paying job. Besides those obvious reasons, literacy to me is most important because, without literacy, there are few ways to educate yourself. If you cannot read, you are missing out on so many pieces of knowledge held within billions of books and articles. Literacy means knowledge, and knowledge is the power that will help you get through the game of life.