Week 6: Time moves fast.

Hello and welcome to week four!

It's been a crazy week and almost Spring Break. Recently, Chico had gradfest for the graduating seniors, which made things feel a lot more real that my time here is almost at a close! I've been feeling more excited and a little scared as the weeks passed, but really shocked at how fast the time flies. For any first or second years reading, enjoy your time!

For this week's blog post, we are going to be talking about crowdsourcing and crowdfunding, specifically in pop-culture and social media. 

These days, it feels like fans and everyday people have more power than ever. Whether it's bringing back a canceled TV show, helping an independent artist fund their next big project, or raising money for an important cause. 

Crowdsourcing and crowdfunding have completely changed the way pop culture and social media function. Fans aren’t just passive consumers anymore—they have real influence. Whether it's convincing studios to change a character design (Sonic the Hedgehog), bringing back canceled TV shows (Brooklyn Nine-Nine), or funding an independent creator’s dream project on Patreon, audiences are shaping the entertainment industry like never before.

But with that power comes some challenges. Crowdsourcing can sometimes lead to misinformation or mob mentality, where half-truths spread faster than facts. Crowdfunding, on the other hand, can be risky—not every project delivers what it promises, and some even turn out to be scams. The key to making these systems work is accountability and transparency. As audiences, we need to do our research, support credible creators and causes, and make sure our voices are being used to build something positive rather than just fueling internet outrage.

Despite the positives and negatives, these are beneficial to connecting us to our favorite celebrities or media that we are consuming, who seem so out of reach. But what do you think?