How is pop culture like religion?

         When I think of religion, I think of a group of people with similar beliefs and morals coming together to perform rituals and traditions. Religion forms a sense of community because similar beliefs bind people together. This is similar to pop culture because people who are "fans" of something in common will also form a community. For example, Comic Con is an event every year that provides a similar outlet as religion. It gives people a place to congregate and bond over their passion for a specific type of pop culture. It also gives people similar beliefs to beliefs to bond over, because people are fans of the same televisions shows and movies. Lastly, it gives people something to do together, forming a community, similar to how religion forms a congregation. It gives people a sense of belonging because they are a part of something larger than themselves. Also, pop culture impacts people even at very young ages. As children, we watch shows, listen to music, and go to movies that all serve the purpose of teaching us lessons, which is partly the purpose of religion. The adverb "religiously," shows that pop culture fills a part of peoples' lives that is similar to what we typically think of as religion. For example, people may watch a particular show or follow a band religiously. This photo is from Comic Con, and it shows a group of people gathering to be around others who love something in common. If you look closely, you can see their facial expressions are excited, and some even appear to be yelling. People are dressed up as the characters from the movies. This is similar to religion because it shows that people who have a common passion have come together to share it with each other, and it even seems like people are worshipping their favorite characters.