My pop culture education

Right. I know nothing about popular culture. Nothing at all. Well, that's a lie - I know that it exists. This is what I knew about pop culture 6 months ago:

• Lady Gaga sings songs and wear dresses out of meat.
• There is a man called Justin Bieber who sings songs and has lots of fans.
• There is a difference between Star Trek and Star Wars.
• Lots of people like zombie films

There is a little more but not much. I guess I don't really know much about pop culture because I wasn't brought up knowing about this. My parents liked dub and Orbital so this is what I listening to when I was growing up. When I got to 13 and started 'rebelling', I loved classical music (I had some wrong kind of crush on Rimsky-Korsakov when I was 13) and Marilyn Manson.  I've never liked mainstream music and this is what's in the media, on the TV, on the radio etc. I've never had that exposure to it so guess it's largely passed me by.

BUT - I am 26 and a half now. My lack of pop culture knowledge is obvious and I frequently get a ribbing from my friends for not knowing what is going on. For example, I thought that Arnold Schwarznegger was the stage name for the man who's real name was Robert de Niro. I thought they were one and the same. I still don't know who Robert de Niro is. Why don't I know this?! I'm going to blame my parents. 

I still don't think I'm "missing out", even though my friends do. I don't think I'm not as rounded a person as I could be because I haven't watched Dr Who since 11 February 1985 (the day I was born). I don't think that I'm missing out on life because I don't know who is shagging who in Holly wood. But, I think it would be interesting to try and fill my head with all this knowledge and at the end of this process try to see if I really have been missing out.

Areas that I'm going to concentrate on:

• Films. Not Korean horror films that I like but big blockbuster (or is BlockBuster the right word here?) ones and those American films that everyone loves. I've already watched Knocked Up and Role Models. More to come. I've also seen Evil Dead so know who Bruce Campbll (or Bruised Campbell as my boyfriend says)
• Comic book knowledge. This is pop culture knowledge. Fact. I've read 3 Alan Moore comics, that's enough for now. I can't do everything.
• Knowledge of who people are. I now know, Arnie, Bruce Campbell, Angela Rippon. Loads more!

I shall report back with my #PopCultureEducation findings