Pop Culture Essay Topics

Are you looking to write a great essay that has mass appeal? Looking for a topic that the general public will relate to? Luckily you’ve come to the right place. In this guide, we’re going to take you through many brilliant topics that can be used in any essay.

What exactly sparks your imagination when you hear the phrase ‘popular culture’ uttered? Probably quite a lot of things, right? Popular culture can take many forms of media, from comic books to superhero films. One can even include social media, fashion, slang – the list is endless! Even though there are so many ideas to choose, one has to think about their topic carefully before writing. It is an unfortunate case that people often criticize popular culture for being primitive and superficial, often from more indie groups of society. Can these beliefs really be justified? It depends on what one’s opinion of popular culture is and what aspect of culture one is focusing on.

Perhaps popular culture won’t teach us how to be a genius, nor will it probably enhance our cognitive faculties, but it will make life more interesting! Think about how much fun it is to sit down with a friend and discuss the latest hot and popular media. The conversation can last for hours.

Even though there are so many potential pop culture essay topics out there, how will you choose which one is best for your essay? Sometimes one might feel overwhelmed by the amount of choice available, experiencing option paralysis and so never getting anything done as a result. Fortunately we’ve narrowed down some cracking topics that you can use as prompts. Everything is covered, even the most controversial pop culture topics. Let’s get stuck in!

Popular Culture Argumentative Essay Topics

Everybody loves a bit of an argument sometimes, but it takes skill to argue well. This is why so many teachers and educators around the world are assigning pop culture argumentative essay topics for their students. We would usually recommend using a classic 5 paragraph structure in order to make your text readable and flowing for the audience to read. Without further adieu, let’s consider some of the following topics.

• Weather reports count as popular culture.

• Do computer games have a negative impact on youth social skills?

• Disney have created a brand that has a negative impact on the lives of young girls.

• The depiction of sexuality and gender has changed over time in popular culture.

• Modern technology has polarised our popular culture.

• It is our social obligation to monitor popular culture and enact censorship.

• Social media has created a more insecure youth.

• Morality and pop culture do not mix.

• Popular culture is only considered popular as a result of following.

• Does playing video games reduce cognition of teenagers?

• Religion is corrupting popular culture.

• Pop Stars have no place in the middle east.

• Is popular culture good for our society as a whole?

• The transgender community should have no place in popular culture.

• Popular culture is a byproduct of global problems.

Popular Culture and Science Topics

Strange to think that these two seemingly disparate ideas can come together, but it’s true. Science is just as much as part of pop culture as celebrity reality television. The former will make for a stronger and more interesting essay! Almost everything you know about the world has a scientific basis, so there’s a lot that can be written about. Let’s consider some topics.

• Choose a particular film and discuss how scientifically accurate a certain scene is.

• Can we conduct experiments from ‘Frankenstein’ today or could we do so in the future?

• How reliable are James Bond’s stunts in terms of scientific accuracy?

• Do we consider Pluto to be a planet in today’s day and age?

• What are some popular objections to evolution?

• Popular attitudes to existential crises in the 21st century.

• How much can we learn about neuroscience from watching television?

• In Huxley’s ‘Brave New World’, what parallels does this draw with our drug industry?

• How does the movie ‘Gattaca’ resemble our genetic editing that we carry out today?

• How accurate is ‘Jurassic Park 2’ in terms of evolutionary biology?

• How has our opinion of evolution changed in popular culture over the last century?

• Changing attitudes to science in popular religions over the past 50 years.

• Can academics in science professions study popular culture?

• Popular attitudes to space exploration in the 21st century.

• What are some common objections to the popular practice of eating meat?

• What are some popular objections to anti-aging medication?

• How have attitudes to exercise changed in popular society?

• Why is it wrong to reference popular culture in academic references?

• How does popular culture change our attitude towards wildlife conservation?

• What are some common popular objections to veganism?

• Changing attitudes to popular film on science in the 21st century.

• What are some popular objections to the scientific method in contemporary society?

• How have attitudes to space exploration changed over the last hundred years in contemporary society?

• What are some common popular objections to vegetarianism?

• How has popular science changed our understanding of stars and the solar system?

• Do climate change films really have much of an impact on reducing impacts?

• How are scientific questions that link to existential philosophy portrayed in popular culture?

• How has our understanding of healthy eating changed over the years?

Social Issues and Popular Culture Topics

There are a lot of pop culture research paper topics that tie in with societal issues. Society is what makes a particular topic popular in the first place. Almost all of the most famous films, books and television programmes have focused on social issues because they are so relatable to people. It may be of use to consider some of the following if you have a deep interest in sociology. Have a look and see if any of the following topics would be a good starting point for you.

• The negative implications of popular culture on ‘dumbing down’ our youth.

• How does popular culture have an impact on our moral compass?

• Popular culture and racism over the past century: an analysis.

• The impact of popular culture on consumer purchasing behaviour.

• What religions are the most popular today and why?

• Why are people so stressed about free speech in today’s society?

• How has mass media impacted different popular social movements over time?

• Consumer behaviour and popular culture: an analysis for the last 100 years

• Gender equality and popular culture – a changing landscape.

• The changing representation of terrorism over the years.

• What are some of the most popular clans and what influence do they have?

• Our moral landscape and changing attitudes in gender equality.

• What cults have exerted the most influence in popular society today and why?

• The different ways that feminism has changed popular culture over the past century.

• The way in which popular culture creates apathy in society.

• Why is ethnicity such as popular topic today?

• The differences in attitudes to homosexuality in society as a result of popular culture

Popular Culture Topics on Heroes and Idols

Who have been the heroes that have made such an impact on your life? Perhaps you’d like to write about them? Although a lot of people from common professions are unlikely to make your list, for instance firemen, there must be some popular figures that have had an impact for you. If you can’t think of someone specific but have an inkling into this topic, take a look below.

• How has Stormzy changed the perception of youth in society?

• Do children ever consider a superhero as an idol and why?

• Has the most recent controversial documentary on Micheal Jackson made him appear as a villain or is he still a hero to many?

• Can anyone consider Madonna to be an idol today?

• Kim Jong Un is a hero to the people of North Korea: discuss

• Who is the most popular villain that young boys emulate today?

• Is Jesus as much of an idol as he was to people a hundred years ago?

• How did Marilyn Monroe’s suicide have an impact on society in the decade surrounding her death?

• What is the most popular superhero that young girls want to emulate today?

• How does faith in religion affect people’s mental health?

• Is Chris Martin a hero to his fans?

• Why has Gangnam Style become one of the most popular singles of this decade?

• How have K-pop’s idol superstars exerted so much of an influence in contemporary society?

• How have villains made our lives more exciting?

• Are zombies still the go to villains in this decade?

• Is Miley Cyrus really a worthy idol for children considering her videos which show sexually provocative content?

• What is the most popular superhero that children want to be today?

• How have heroes changed the world for the better?

• Are monsters still the go-to villains of the 21st century?

• How has society’s perception of superheroes changed over the past decade?

‘Outside the Box’ Pop Culture Topics

If one is used to thinking extraordinary ideas, why not take a look at some of these topics. If you’re the sort of person who likes the esoteric aspects of life, some of these themes and ideas may appeal to you. There should be no limits to your writing – discuss the controversial and fanciful by any means! Let’s look at some ideas that might spark your interest.

• Choose a pop culture phenomenon and describe your relationship to it over the years.

• Ethical concerns with the use of technology in popular film.

• How the penal system is represented in popular music.

• Our changing attitudes to plastic waste as represented in popular culture.

• How has your relationship to *insert pop culture reference* changed over the years?

• Sound recording in pop music – ethical principles and concerns.

• The representation of the Yakuza in popular music.

• The ways that pop culture has changed our perception of historical figures in the 21st century.

• How has popular film increased our understanding of terrorism?

• The influence of popular culture on the global economy.

• Ballroom dancing – a comeback in the last decade.

• How have people’s perceptions of travelling and danger changed in the last 100 years?

• The changing attitudes to gang culture as expressed in popular music.

• Who are the most influential pop singers of the past 10 years and why have they become so famous?

• How has the folk music scene changed over the years?

• The different ways that healthcare is presented in popular film.

• Americanization: a growing phenomenon in the 21st century.

• Black Dynamism and its impact on popular culture in the past century.

• My thoughts on *pop culture topic*

• Long hair – is it as popular as it used to be?

• The representation of gang culture in popular music.

• How has popular film changed attitudes surrounding terrorism?

• The ways that prison life is portrayed in popular music.

• Changing attitudes to Manga as an artform.

• The problems associated with *pop topic* in the 21st century.

• The representation of the Mafia in popular film.

• How has popular music changed attitudes on gang life?

• Travelling and popular culture: analyses and musings.

Pop Culture Wrap Up

So what did you make of these numerous topics? Do you think they will spark some interest? Will you be using any of the topics above as a basis for your own essay? Whatever happens, we hope that you’ve found some of the many pop culture analysis topics above to be useful. Remember to write about something that is close to your heart and interests you because this is what will make for a more interesting essay. It’s always more difficult to write about something you’re not that interested in. A lot of people go for what is the most popular option or what appears to be the easiest topic, but this isn’t a great strategy. Really write about something that resonates with you! Good luck with all your essay writing needs.