Popular culture serves as a mirror reflecting the spirit of its era. We spend much of our daily lives immersed in content across over-the-top (OTT) streaming services, films and music, living under their cultural influence. Popular culture constantly evolves through the medium of technology, driving changes in human thought and behavior that go far beyond passive consumption.
The new book "How Does Technology Change Culture?" explores the essence of this relationship between popular culture and technological change, examining its impact on our lives. Just as the written word spread logical thinking, modern technologies such as smartphones have made information consumption across time and space an everyday norm, influencing public perception itself, the book argues.
This technological backdrop is most clearly visible in the transformation of mass media. Augmented reality (AR) and extended reality (XR) technologies have fundamentally changed how people consume video content, leading to generational differences in viewing habits. The advancement of live streaming technology, in particular, has elevated YouTube to a primary media platform in daily life. Audiences no longer remain passive consumers. They participate in real time and directly shape the flow of content. The globalization of K-pop and its powerful fandom culture also blossomed on this technological soil.
The author notes that technology and culture evolve together through mutual interaction. Humans' desire to communicate drove the development of social media technology, which in turn transformed how humans communicate. Technology even alters our values, including how we define a "good life." In an era where artificial intelligence (AI) and algorithms emphasize personalized experiences, the influence of popular culture is being redefined.
Ultimately, we are both the agents who use technology and beings shaped by it. As the popular culture ecosystem transforms in the AI era, we need an attitude of deep reflection on technology's impact on our lives, rather than uncritical acceptance. Technology is already changing our culture. The book emphasizes that it is up to us to determine the direction of that change.