Growing up, we rely on our parents to teach us the ways of life. Not only that, but they show us how to dress, how to speak, what is considered good or bad, and help us determine how we see ourselves. As children, our parents were our guardians, teachers, and caretakers. Unfortunately, once we grow up we stop depending on our parents to teach us ways of life and start relying on the media instead. In the 21st century, mass media is the information tool for all human beings in the world. It teaches us how to dress, how to look and act, what is identified as good or bad, and how to think. The extent of society's dependence on mass media determines how closely the world is connected to each other. With such a dependence on mass media, it is questionable whether mass media really influences our lives for the better or hinders them for the worse. The influence of the mass media promotes not only products, but moods, attitudes, and determinations about what people should believe is and is not important. In today's society, we as individuals spend a lot of time with mass media. Supported by Nielsen's State of the Media: The Social Media Report 2012, in July 2011 US consumers spent a total of 430.4 billion minutes on the Internet while in July 2012, just one year later, we spent 520.1 billion of minutes, with an increase of 21% (Barozzi 2012). As part of the population's 21% increase in media use in a single year, young people represent the majority of that population. Today's young people represent the past and future culture of society. They also represent the target group to which the mass media attribute such an important role. Because this group includes individuals whose minds are still underdeveloped, who are dealing with low self-esteem… middle of paper… outbursts, people, fads and trends that capture the public imagination […] and also used to describe current cultural trends and past cultural trends that have achieved lasting status” (Glynn 2008). Strongly influenced by the mass media, this collection of ideas permeates the daily life of society. Today's popular culture is created by acceptable behavior, appearance, or whatever fashion trends exist. As a result, it is subject to heavy criticism from individuals who do not follow the fashion accepted by society. Fashion trends don't necessarily have to be about clothing or even hairstyles, they can also be about accessories. Examples are hula hoops, silly scrunchies, rainbow hoops, and even brightly colored hairstyles. The media takes popular culture and exploits people's ability to become aware of their own cultural values, beliefs and perceptions through the desire to be accepted.