Why pop culture?

• The speaker, a self-proclaimed pop culture geek, shares a childhood story about watching "The Empire Strikes Back" in a Geneva theater, which sparked a lifelong passion for Star Wars and pop culture.

• The speaker notes that George Lucas gave fans the gift of imagination and hands-on engagement with the Star Wars franchise through toys and other merchandise.

• The speaker defines pop culture as something that can be both trivial and transformative, citing examples of how it can bring people together and change the way we think about the world.

• The speaker highlights the importance of pop culture, arguing that it is not just a "guilty pleasure" but a universal language that connects people across racial, political, and social divides.

• The speaker uses examples like Stormtroopers, zombie Stormtroopers, and grumpy cat to illustrate how pop culture can take ordinary things and make them extraordinary.

• The speaker references PSY's "Gangnam Style" video, which brought people together and made them smile, and notes that it was downloaded nearly 2 billion times on YouTube.

• The speaker mentions Paul, the psychic octopus, who correctly predicted the outcome of eight consecutive World Cup games and brought joy to soccer fans around the world.

• The speaker talks about the Denver Zombie Crawl, which set a world record with 17,000 participants, and notes that pop culture can bring people together and create a sense of community.

• The speaker laments the fact that many early American films have been lost, with over 90% of films made prior to 1929 and over 50% of films made prior to 1950 gone forever.

• The speaker expresses optimism about the preservation of pop culture, citing the growth of events like the San Diego Comic-Con and the Denver Comic Con, which drew 61,000 attendees.

• The speaker believes that recognizing the importance of pop culture is crucial, and that it starts with acknowledging that it is not just a "guilty pleasure" but a vital part of our shared human experience.

• The speaker notes that America's unique cultural contribution is making fun important, and that this should be cherished and preserved.