My mantra with pop culture lately has been that of Thomas Jefferson: “In matters of style, swim with the current; in matters of principle, stand like a rock.” So I downloaded Pokemon Go and even play it. I use Snap Chat. I generally jump on every trend that pops up.
It’s fun for me, but that’s not the only reason I do it. Here are the four big reasons I tend to jump on every trend/app/social media platform/artist…
1. It keeps me open-minded.
I’ve never watched nor played Pokemon. So my temptation was to dismiss Pokemon Go as something silly. It definitely is silly, but now that I’ve engaged with it, I totally understand the draw. Therefore, I’m less likely to dismiss people who are obsessed with the game. I can actually respect people who are, just like I respect people who aren’t.
2. It helps me connect with younger generations.
My teenage sister-in-law and I actually hung out for an hour yesterday, walking around a park looking for Pokemon. In that one hour, I learned more about youth culture than I knew from reading tons of articles. I’m getting older, but the age group that moves and shakes this world isn’t. I don’t want to fall out of touch.
3. It helps me creatively.
By exposing myself to new ideas and new ways of doing things, it actually helps me become more creative. If our experiences and perspectives are our creative fuel, I want as many as I can get my hands on. These new trends usually require a new way of thinking. It actually helps.
4. It forces me to learn.
Finally, I believe that when I stop learning, I stop growing. The less comfortable something is for me to learn, the more I want to learn it. So even when a trend looks ridiculous, I usually try it just to force myself to learn.
Listen: I’m not telling you to download Pokemon Go. I’m not telling you to use Snap Chat. I am telling you to try something new today. Get outside of your comfort zone and try something that looks dumb from the outside. Learn. As long as it doesn’t compromise your principles, I guarantee it’ll be good for you.
