The Top 10 Cultural Events, Trends, and Takeaways from 2016

To find a year with considerable social, economic, and political consequence, look no further than 2016. While the past 12 months have been defined by sadness, tragedy, anger, and despair, from Black Lives Matter protests to the Orlando nightclub shooting, non-political events also made significant cultural and social contributions. Looking beyond partisanship and controversy, and in no particular order, here are the 10 most consequential cultural moments and pop culture trends of 2016 and the lessons they bring for the new year ahead. 

(Source: NBC)

1. 2016 Rio de Janeiro Olympic Games

In light of political fragmentation and instability, the Olympic Games offered an opportunity to diverge from turbulent narratives for two weeks of unified and cordial competition. The US sent one of its most diverse teams yet, with notable firsts: Simone Manuel became the first African-American woman to win a gold medal in an individual Olympic swimming event and Ibtihaj Muhammad became the first Muslim-American Olympian to compete wearing a hijab. While issues of bigotry and prejudice were thrust into the spotlight throughout the year, cultural diversity continues to grow. Although race relations and inclusivity will remain contested, the gradual transition, encapsulated by this year’s Olympians, gives hope for a more diverse future – a future embraced by athletes of all colors and backgrounds. Negative and divisive racial rhetoric may persist, however, it’s undeniable that society is expanding and gradually becoming more inclusive and accepting of others.  

(Source: CNN)

2. Celebrity Deaths

The end of every year is traditionally marked with a “In Memoriam” tribute celebrating the lives of those who passed away. However, even the supposed normality of memorial failed to prepare us for the loss of multiple cultural legends and icons throughout 2016. Individuals such as David Bowie, Muhammad Ali, Alan Rickman, Harper Lee, Prince (and many more), were seen as pioneers and titans in their respective arts as well as figures of unity that drew people together in recognition of entertainment and cultural influence. While their deaths left many distraught and further cynical of life’s purpose, they also highlighted the existence of a state beyond politics and partisanship. Many having spent their lives fighting against the very lines of divisions that emerged this year, it was ultimately their deaths that forged images of solidarity extending beyond ideology in respect of legacy, high achievement, and inspiring hope in the face of adversity. 

(Source: BP Global)

3. Evolution of Social Media as a News Outlet

Degradation of corporate media in the public eye has continued over the past twenty years, culminating in a collapse of trust during this year’s presidential election. As news networks faced scrutiny and skepticism, social media rapidly rose as a more succinct form of communication. With more people receiving information from media sites such as Facebook and Twitter, social media’s growth in legitimacy illustrates a shift in preference of both medium and content. Trump’s presidency will likely deviate from traditional press and media relations, with the new president communicating directly through social media more often than his predecessor did so. Social media sites are no longer simply for social networking, but are quickly becoming outlets and means necessary for rapid digital communication and maintaining awareness of global relations, events, and conflicts. 

(Source: The Medical Futurist)

4. Pokémon Go

Becoming the biggest mobile game of 2016 and of all-time, Pokémon Go revolutionized casual gaming by encouraging user interaction through exploration and adventure. Its simple addictive gameplay drew in millions around the world, bringing together traditional Pokémon fans and first time trainers caught up in the wave of excitement - it dominated casual and professional conversation for half the summer and popularized desires for virtual and augmented reality gaming. Extending beyond repetitive gameplay, Pokémon Go represented the opportunity for unity through entertainment and became a worldwide cultural point of interaction and understanding in light of turbulent geopolitical events.     

(Source: KPBS)

5. Hamilton

First emerging as a small, unique, and original musical in early 2015, Hamilton’s popularity caught fire in 2016 after making its Broadway debut late last year. The musical, written by Lin-Manuel Miranda, inspired audiences and critics alike and brought a new flair to American history by utilizing modern performance arts. More so than any other musical and form of entertainment, Hamilton’s focus was to teach and educate the audience about a period of American history that often falls by the wayside in light of larger historical moments. Its rise in popularity and status as the epitome of high quality Broadway entertainment illustrates the opportunity and success that can emerge from creating brilliant art while integrating cultural and historical themes to present past experiences in a new, electrifying interpretation. 

(Sources: TIME, Mirror, Bazaar)

6. Meme Culture

The rise of user-generated content, particularly in the form of memes, plastered 2016 with digital content meant to express both funny and serious events in instantaneous creations incorporated into pop culture. From the death of the Cincinnati Zoo gorilla, Harambe, to the appropriation of past creations such as Pepe the Frog into political symbols, memes exploded by not just acting as examples of relatable entertainment, but also as a form of socio-political commentary. Much like how Snapchat pioneered instantaneous communication and Twitter popularized concise information spreading in 140-character tweets, memes encapsulate complicated and polarizing issues in self-contained pieces of media that transcend racial divisions and class boundaries by appealing using a universally understood concept – humor. As the world becomes increasingly circuitous and complex, it may be media, measured not by complexity, but by spontaneity and comicality, that breaks through the noise and strives for greater unity and empathy. 

(Sources: The Atlantic, Empire, Disney)

7. Diversity in the Arts – Animation

In light of a hectic and chaotic year in both politics and mobile entertainment, many often overlook the steps made in film – most notably in animation. Marked by strong examples of technical and digital mastery, 2016 was also a significant year for animated films in large for the messages they contained and introduced. Films such as Zootopia acted both as a fun, family film, while also being social commentary on diversity and prejudice in society. The animated films presented were not simply a deviation from traditional messaging, but a reflection of greater cultural diversity that extends beyond western culture, in films such as Moana and Kubo and the Two Strings. With the issues of cultural diversity and social inclusivity becoming more prevalent in everyday conversation, look for an evolution in storytelling and new messaging in the years ahead. 

(Source: TV Guide, Chicago Tribune, EW)

8. Rise of Late Night Entertainment

With the expansion of politics in everyday life, the boundary between entertainment and politics became more blurred than ever during the recent election. The frenzied and unusual campaign gave entertainers, particularly Late Night hosts, new material and power, especially during a time of increased skepticism of traditional media. Hosts, such as Stephen Colbert and Seth Meyers, saw their traditional late night comedy evolve into focused political commentary through humor and satire. New stars, such as Trevor Noah, drew in diverse audiences and greatly expanded platform reach and digital content by conducting multiple high profile political interviews, with individuals such as President Obama and notable social media figures such as Tomi Lahren. With Trump’s presidency, not only can we expect an increase in late night commentary, but it may become one of the new focuses of communication through utilizing humor and satire to engage social and political conversation and debate. 

(Source: EW, The Wrap, YouTube)

9. Simplicity of Virality

As technology has become increasingly accessible, the barriers to virality have fallen considerably. Lower production limitations and new popularized methods for communication, such as live videos, create the opportunity for rapid sharing of new trends and moments. Ordinary people, such as Chewbacca Mom and Ken Bone, were able to break into everyday conversation because of content creation’s greater versatility - the near instantaneous transmission of information and ideas allowed for the spread of viral challenges, such as the Mannequin Challenge and Water Bottle Challenge, and encouraged virality through participation. While virality remains unpredictable, social media sites’ desires to extend and expand the use of instantaneous forms of communication in the future means it has never been easier to find an audience, share an idea, and spread content by encouraging interaction. 

(Source: Inland Politics)

10. Populism and Change

I would be remiss not to mention the presidential election, having covered it all year. That being said, the cultural implications of 2016 extend beyond Trump’s victory or the success of BREXIT – they deal with the fundamental idea of “when there is change (cultural, social, or technological), there will always be pushback.” Populism is not solely a partisan or political issue, but a cultural process that describes those who simply want to see a better future but are doubtful of the status quo. We must be able to both learn to accept change and progress as well as come to understand the natural uncertainty and fear the new and unknown create. To truly move forward, it’s integral to remove ourselves from our social, political, and cultural bubbles and learn to experience through the eyes of another.

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Erwen (Alex) Zhu is an intended Business Major at the University of California Berkeley and writes as a millennial voice for marketing, social media, entertainment, politics, and cultural impact.

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