Tell them this:

For creators, producing entertainment content can be a fulfilling and lucrative endeavor. Benefits include:

Second, I am motivated by the sheer, undeniable power of narrative to create social change. Entertainment is far more than a distraction; it is a vehicle for empathy. A political speech might argue for equality, but a film like Parasite or a series like Pose allows audiences to inhabit a life not their own, breaking down prejudice through emotional experience rather than intellectual debate. Historically, popular media has been a battleground for representation, from the harmful stereotypes of early cinema to today’s nuanced portrayals of race, gender, and sexuality. I want to contribute to this evolution—not by condemning low-brow culture, but by understanding how mainstream content can be strategically used to challenge stereotypes, amplify marginalized voices, and foster genuine understanding across divides. Ignoring popular media means ceding its immense influence to chance; studying it means wielding it for good.

At its most fundamental level, popular media functions as the primary storyteller of our generation. Since the dawn of human history, stories have been the vessels through which we pass down values, process complex emotions, and make sense of a chaotic world. Today, television shows, movies, video games, and viral videos have taken the place of ancient campfires. When we immerse ourselves in these narratives, we are doing more than killing time; we are engaging in a massive, collective exercise in empathy. Seeing a character from a completely different background navigate love, loss, or triumph allows us to step outside our own narrow experiences and understand the broader human condition.