Monday, September 7, 2020

Pop culture Encroachment

In the September 3rd episode of Outkick, sports commentator & analyst Jason Whitlock used the term "cape up". During the episode, he described the events leading up to the police shooting of Jacob Blake including the restraining order, violating the restraining order, forcibly resisting arrest, and putting his children in danger by walking toward the cars after the police had drawn their firearms. These events led the Milwaukee Bucks sitting out of the NBA Playoffs in protest of the shooting. Whitlock challenged the NBA players and asked if Jacob Blake was the one who they wanted to "cape up" for after escalating the encounter.

Youtube commentator Doomcock has said that pop culture (Star Wars, Star Trek, comics) are modern myths. One counterarguments is that they have not endured long enough to be comparable to the Norse, Greek, or other mythologies. The origins are starkly different since the mythologies of old were a blend of history, religion, and explanation of natural phenomena (the tale of Arachne or the Chinese tale of the butterfly lovers). The modern works are packaged and sold as fiction. The delivery methods also reflect the different eras. As Mr. Whitlock demonstrates, pop culture does serve some of the same functions. Analogous to referring to a task as herculean, he asks if the Bucks want to play superhero by "caping up." This is i direct reference to the iconic Batman or Superman. 

Culture is certainly the accurate term to use in the moniker pop culture. It is the air we breathe and the water in which we swim, and these caped crusaders are an active component in the mix. They are certainly not just entertainment.

Link to Outkick episode: