Drexel culture/society/activity- Garba

In this book “Everything Bad is Good for You” Johnson explains how the thing that is making us smarter is what everyone thinks is making us dumber. That thing is “popular culture.” Popular culture plays a big role in this society and it does have an effect on us especially in a college like environment where there are many different aspects that can change our lives, from diverse cultures to activities.
As a student in Drexel, I believe that the college’s culture/activity/society is making us smarter. I do not sit in my room and study all day long and stare at a book, but instead I go out and see what’s out there for me. As Johnson stated in his book that “reading books chronically under stimulates the senses” when we can be doing something more productive like playing a video game or watching television and analyzing what is going on in the show or attending an event and learning what lies behind it.
One event I attended in Drexel that I believe makes us smarter is an event called “Garba.” This event is an Indian dance festival where we dance around a statue of a goddess to offer our prayers to her. The way that it impacts us is that it allows Hindus to practice their culture in a society that is diverse. Even though we live in America, we still hold onto our culture. This does not only make us closer to the same race as us but also connects our inner selves and with the goddess herself. This event allowed me to come out from my room and leave the books aside for some time, so I can go out and interact with others. Another way this event had an effect on us is that not only do we attend the event for enjoyment but the songs that are sang have meaning towards the festival, so it allows us to analyze the meaning which requires our minds to think. This would be an example of what Johnson states about video games that “it’s about finding order and meaning in the world, not just about playing to have fun.”