Manifesto

The Popshifter Manifesto, or “What’s this website all about then?”

“Those That Bind,” © 2002 by Brandon Bird
Oil on canvas, 24″ x 20″

1. Reclaiming pop culture for those who lived it then or love it now: Pop culture has just about been done to death by talking heads shows and clever magazine articles. Many of the elements in this culture we call pop are popular for a reason but oftentimes those reasons have been lost or forgotten. It’s not about marketing to the —something demographic; it’s about making people feel. Popshifter aims to make people love, laugh, cry, and think.


“Portrait of Stephanie,” © Johanna Pieterman

2. Remembering that the term pop culture also contains the word “cult”: Pop culture isn’t just about what’s popular with everyone. Although Wikipedia defines pop culture as “widespread cultural elements” and “moments” that comprise the “everyday lives of the mainstream,” there are plenty of amazing non-widespread, non-mainstream things that are begging for intelligent and witty discussion. Popshifter will take the pop culture road less traveled.
3. Putting the “fun” back in fandom: How many fan communities do you belong to that have lost the plot, devolving into boring arguments about what’s canon, who is the bigger fan or worse, non sequitur flame wars? Fandom is all about the huge embarrassment mixed with love that being a fan can provide, and then being able to mock the very thing you love. If that’s not the joy of fandom, then what is? (Apart from slash fiction, natch.) Popshifter will take the “dumb” out of fandom and make it enjoyable again.
4. Forgoing the latest for the greatest: Being hip (or heaven forbid, a “hipster”) is dreadfully overrated and most likely a lonely existence. Not that there isn’t some great new pop culture fodder out there, but which sounds more appealing: listening to some boring critic blather on about the “next big thing” or becoming immersed in the careers of real artists? There are many bands, movies, books, or what-have-you unfairly overlooked in favor of what’s trendy. Popshifter will focus on those facets of pop culture that deserve a second glance.


Jewelry box made by my Australian penpal
Redd Kross art inspired by Vicki Berndt

5. The death of irony and the rebirth of sincerity: Not that sarcasm and wit don’t have their place, but watching that old movie you love for the zillionth time should evoke joy, pathos, or the feeling that if only for 90 minutes, the world is a better place. If a work of art, no matter how lowbrow, makes you feel this way, then you should share that feeling. Popshifter is for everyone who is tired of feeling guilty for caring about pop culture.

What Popshifter is NOT about:

1. Celebrity gossip: There are plenty of magazines, TV shows, and websites that provide ample coverage of Hollywood scandals. Therefore, Popshifter will refrain from doing so.
2. Politics: Although political issues can certainly be germane to a discussion of pop culture, Popshifter is not a political webzine.
3. Pretentious content masquerading as critical analysis: Popshifter is not the place for PhD dissertations. Popshifter is also not the place for bitter English grads to exact their vocabulary vengeance upon bands about whom they, frankly, know nothing.

Bobo & Snertie Version 2.0

A Note From the Editor…

When in doubt, think of “The Bobo and Snertie Factor”: Some of you may remember those Scholastic Book Club catalogues you’d get in the late 70s/early 80s, where you could order issues of Dynamite and Bananas or sticker books and “Hang in There, Friday’s Coming” cat posters. At one point, my best friend acquired this poster. For some odd (but surely hilarious) reason, we dubbed the puppies “Bobo and Snertie.” At her slumber party in 1983, we stayed up all night watching MTV, giggling about Duran Duran, and inserting “Bobo and Snertie” into every joke like budding conspiracy theorists.

Another guest at the party was a couple of years older than us and clearly much cooler. (In her mind.) At one point, she snapped and berated us for being silly and immature. We were mortified because all we wanted to do was impress this person. In retrospect, I think she was a humorless turd. I mean, moms get annoyed at giggling sleepovers; it’s totally uncool for a teenager to have the same reaction.

A few months ago, a couple of (male) friends of my husband came over and spent at least two hours giggling and quoting from the animated show Metalocalypse to the extent that I started to feel a bit of sympathy for the teenager at that infamous slumber party. Then I realized that when you stop thinking dumb crap like “Bobo and Snertie” is funny it means you are a humorless turd. And I don’t ever want to be a humourless turd.