By Eric Jost

I'm sad to say that this will be this "Culture Voyeur" last column. After a year and a half of playing media watchdog, it's time to move on to new adventures.

Since beginning my column in October 2008, pop culture and the world at large has changed in so many ways. Lady Gaga rose up from nothing to become the new high priestess of pop, challenging preconceived notions of femininity and sexuality. Domestic violence and its consequences played out like a soap opera thanks to Chris Brown. Jersey Shore proved that Americans really do enjoy watching train wrecks.

And, oh yeah, the US elected its first black President.

Pop culture is often seen by academics, journalists, and other "grown-ups" as trivial and somewhat insignificant. What impact does Britney Spears have on society? Who cares if there is LGBTQ representation on Battlestar Galactica? What they fail to realize is that, more than history and politics (which do inform and are a part of culture), pop culture is the most accurate and current reflection of society. This doesn't mean that we're all going to start speaking Na'vi or worshipping Stephenie Meyer; but when a piece of art or a performance resonates so deeply that it's absorbed by the masses, it holds more significance than we can even begin to imagine.

I continue to firmly believe that, much like the National Mall, pop culture provides us with a site for activism and civil engagement. With the exception of presidents and the occasional civil rights leader, the majority of politicians are soon forgotten once they're out of office. Unless it has been responsible for some monumental social change, legislation does not always provide an accurate gauge of America's sentiments or what will stand the test of time. What our society remembers and hangs onto the most is celebrity and pop art. To Kill a Mockingbird was published in 1960 and yet high schoolers still read it today. All in the Family is heralded as groundbreaking despite having premiered in 1971. And Madonna is continuing to make waves after twenty-seven years in the business.

Whoever says pop is banal doesn't understand pop's deeper meaning.

As we've seen in the past year and a half together, this is why it's important to speak out against homophobic and sexist lyrics; cry foul when a television network fails to air a pro-choice ad alongside a pro-life ad; and question the racist undertones of Oscar-nominated football films. Because pop does more than just provide us with a reflection of ourselves, it has the power to advance society forward — positively and negatively. What was more influential in advancing LGBTQ rights: Will & Grace or the Human Rights Campaign? Although they would probably disagree, I would say it was a straight gal and her gay best friend making straight viewers laugh week after week.

What's amazing to me is that pop culture in the 21st Century is truly reflective of our shared beliefs — and that's because we have the ability to influence it more than ever before. The collective voices of writers, artists, activists, and bloggers are telling the powers that be what we want to hear, and ever so slowly, we're being heard. Change might happen gradually, but it does happen — and it happens because of us.

So thank you all for taking this journey with me. I will be delving into new projects that I will soon be announcing on my website, www.eric-jost.com. Thanks and peace and love to you all.