Popular Culture – The Orbital

The public’s obsession with Diana is as exploitative as the paparazzi who killed her. The final shot of series four of Netflix’s The Crown shows Emma Corrin as Princess Diana, a slow zoom bringing her wide, tear-filled eyes into prominence. It’s a haunting image, unpleasant to watch. In many ways, the whole series is. And yet we just can’t stop ourselves. Dianamania is back with a vengeance. Diana: The Musical was just released on Netflix (to a critical battering of possibly unrivalled ferocity), Spencer has recently hit the big screen, Rowing Blazers are re-releasing ‘iconic’ Diana fashion moments. Maybe it’s the upcoming 25th anniversary of her passing – is 25 years long enough that any semblance of respect goes out the window? It would seem so. With each year that passes, the ...

All day, every day, our lives are permeated by facts and knowledge of others than ourselves. We spend hours of our time checking Twitter and Facebook, updating, liking and reading about other people’s lives. But how much of what actually matters do we absorb? How many young people prefer to spend their time online checking up on celebrities and football, on films and music, and yet barely notice anything of significance that appears on their feed. I am not saying that as young people we should be disregarding these things which make essential elements of our culture, but surely there should be a more even balance? I feel that many of my peers care too little about what is happening in the wider world, as they remain ignorant towards the world around them. Occasionally, events can filter...

Tag: Popular Culture

The Diana Dilemma