Pop Culture Pros And Cons

Have you ever wondered if America is going in the right political direction? The articles “American Psychosis,” by Chris Hedges, and “Engaging Apolitical Adolescents,” by Melissa Ames , have contrasting views and opinions about how pop culture is expressed through young adults political views and interest. In Hedges article, he explains why he thinks that reality TV shows among others are destroying this country. Hedges uses very harsh and critical phrasing in his article to evoke a deep emotional response to the reader. Ames, on the other hand, reference s the rise of dystopian novels after nine eleven the “total vote has increased consistently throughout the past four presidential elections” (Ames 4). She shows how young readers are becoming

more interested in politics and in what is happening to our country today. Ames uses relevant and coherent statistics and facts to thoroughly back up her claims. Ames has a much more admirable tone that she uses to entrance the reader. While both authors are constructing their viewpoints in different ways I believe that they both just want is best for America.

Throughout both of these articles tone plays a key role. In Hedges article, he seems content with making the American people feel as small as he can. Hedges picks his words very precisely to create the exact meaning that he wants. “As the gap widens between the illusion and reality, as we suddenly grasp that it is our home being foreclosed or our job that is not coming back, we react like children”. Here Hedges is comparing the American people to children which evokes a harsh reaction from the American people. Ames uses a serene tone and is almost picking the reader up and confronting him/her rather than purposely thrashing them down as Hedges does. Ames’s article contains a lot of content, which usually makes a article sound monotone and unenthusiastic. However, when Ames talks about different types of dystopian books and authors, she really seems to keep the reader engaged as much as possible. Ames’s tone almost makes the reader want to believe her even if she is wrong, while Hedges’s tone make the reader want to think he is wrong even if he is right. Both authors use their tone to create a persona for the ideas and opinions set forth by their articles, Hedges wanting the reader to move to action as Ames wanting the reader to accept the facts that she puts forth.
Pop culture, the kinds of pop culture we enjoy and how we perceive the culture is one of the vital points in both articles.

On Hedges side there are references to reality TV programs like “Survivor” while in Ames’s there are novels such as “Feed” by Matthew Tobin Anderson and “The Hunger Games” by Suzanne Collins. Each example of pop culture is very different with unique audiences. Many young adults enjoy watching reality TV and pretending that what they see is real, but most young adults don't fixate upon these shows. These pithy TV shows are for pure enjoyment and they are not trying to convey a deeper meaning. Novels such as “The Hunger Games” try to have the reader think more deeply about their government and country. Novels like this force the reader to ask if they are involved in trying to make the world a better place as much as they can. Some audiences who watch survivor may think that the world should be more like the TV show, and some readers who read The Hunger Games might think that we should have a more dictatorial government. For the most part I think that the pop culture that Ames is referencing to, is geared toward a more intellectually invested group of young adults. The pop culture that Hedges references is more focused on the lowest common

denominator.

All art is ever trying to do is to produce a response. The responses to both of these articles are very different. Hedges tries to make the reader stand up to him and to challenge his ideas and opinions that he puts forth. Hedges puts forth shaky statistics and facts that seem like they could be false, this entices the reader to look them up and find the real answers. Amese wants the readers of her article to agree with her and trust her. Ames puts forth very through and thought out statistics to reassure the reader that she has a ample knowledge on the novels that she puts forth as well as other topics. Although both authors try to fabricate completely different responses they are both contorting the reader as if they are puppet masters.
Therefore although Hedges and Ames have drastically different views on whether or not today's young adults are involved with politics today. Hedges brings up very many good points, such as how all of america is not as invested as it should be. Hedges criticizes American people and points out that the common American would rather sit on the couch and watch TV rather than think about the mortgage or the political state that our country is in. Ames is suggesting that young adults are becoming more involved as a result of the rise of dystopian novels. With this rise, young adults are becoming more concerned about America and the well being of our world as a whole. Among all the turmoil and strife these too authors have brought it upon himself to try and make a difference in America and the young adults around the country.