Pop Culture Critical Theory Cookbook: 9 Recipes That Have Worked For Me

1. Treat “text” (TV shows, songs, national events, things of the internet) as growth marks behind the knees of culture. Use another metaphor if you will, maybe barometer, or even milestone makes better sense to you.
2. Make connections to old stuff: classic literature, history.
3. Look for double meanings in language.
4. Be critical, but not political.
5. Follow neither the herd, nor the Avant-garde.
Follow your nose instead. Use your natural interests as material to discuss.
6. Never worry about how old your subject matter is. Whether it’s a show from the 60’s or music from the 40’s, it still has relevance.
7. Define your current critical perspective for yourself. However, do not feel the need to define it for others; writers play a guessing game with readers.
8. Enjoy the content and the process of writing about it. Tasks like these get categorized under ambition. To keep it ambitious, simply enjoy it.
9. Do not limit how many writing projects you work on at one time.