Pop Culture vs. Pandemic: Who prevails

The global pandemic caused by Covid-19 has taken a massive toll on how we live our lives and probably how we will continue to live our lives as we move on past the pandemic in the future. I have taken the liberty of finding a couple of examples for y'all to see exactly how the pandemic has altered our way of life through pop culture.

The video above displays how schools across the country have adapted to a new learning environment during the pandemic. Since nobody is allowed to be near each other without risking exposure to the virus, schools have resorted to zoom meetings, online lectures, pre-recorded videos, etc to teach their students remotely. This video however doesn't just display the new learning environment, it also exemplifies how we, as students, still find ways to enjoy ourselves, have fun, and connect with others by coordinating carefully planned pranks on the teacher during these zoom meetings. With one student recording all the action, these pranks go viral and it becomes the new fad for students to attempt pranks remotely. The new trend then sets the stage for others to try and "top it" by coming up with better and more original pranks. This has become our form of entertainment with the outside world being put on hold to slow down the disease.

My next example is when things began to relax a little on the restrictions. In Tyne, England, Sam Fender performed a concert for about 2500 fans. 

However, this wasn't just any concert with 2500 people. Only in groups of no more than 5 people, everybody was split up into these metal platforms that were all organized and separated to comply with CDC guidelines and social distancing rules. Possibly being the new norm, the way this event was held could be how big events would be handled going forward. This newly invented "pop culture" and how it presents itself has the potential to be the lengths we will go to in attempts to host big events and other social gatherings. Clearly there are a lot less people attending than there would be without a pandemic with so much separation between people, but that only means there might be even more events planned so everyone can have the opportunity to go. Maybe? I'm trying to be optimistic but if they want to make money and keep society and culture flowing, they are going to have to put on a lot more shows for more people. At least that's how I see it and feel like that would be the best option for big events to move forward. 

Anyways, this is what pop culture is like now, with our entertainment stemming from poking fun at the pandemic and original designs for how to put on a concert, this could be what we do for a good amount of time moving forward. There is a good chance of a vaccine coming around and then everything going back to normal but that probably won't be for a while and there is also the chance of another epidemic of other origins that will make us go back to this separated way of life. Something to think about.