Humans need belonging to survive. It is inevitable for us not to interact with our immediate surroundings. What we perceive and our relationships with our groups drive our behaviors, establishing our collective strength and humanity. Our interplay initiates civic engagement in society. Yet in recent times, with growing generational differences, distrust amongst each other, and technological advances, the participation of people has begun to be sedentary. And just to fill this void, we have turned to pop culture, society's new mechanism for cohesion, instead of civic engagement. Pop culture becomes a binding force as humans grow more solitary and isolated. In an increasingly transient world, it has evolved into a strategy for people to create a sense of identity through social lives centered on entertainment rather than genuine connections. 

With pop culture creating authentic portrayals of events and situations, we have become more empathic toward them, opening our eyes to fresh ideas and fostering understanding. It can be cathartic, allowing us to invoke strong feelings and relate to past experiences. Additionally, it stimulates a sense of community; when we see someone watching the same show, we feel connected. 

Pop culture has defined our perceptions of what is normal and abnormal, funny and not funny. It can convince us to accept messages we wouldn't otherwise consider because they have been shown to us merely as entertainment. Recently, when technology is bridging gaps and the internet is ruling the world, people have started to relate to each other. They no longer communicate; they entertain. Albeit pop culture has influenced our attitudes and beliefs, every form of our daily life has been reduced to a form of recreation. Politics have evolved into a reality show, the rise of slacktivism: where people are taking 'token' action for a cause that is doing no good. Social networking sites have provided a platform for such political discourse where even though people are connected through a common medium, they are sharing opinions, they feel accountable, still they are even more fragmented than before. And that's how pop culture brings us together nonetheless dividing us with harsh differences. 

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