This scarcity created a "monoculture." When M A S H* aired its finale, over 100 million Americans watched the same . When Michael Jackson released Thriller , it was an inescapable global event. Popular media served as a societal glue, offering shared touchstones for conversation.
: Through a process called "cultivation," repeated exposure to certain themes—such as specific beauty standards or the glorification of wealth—can make these concepts seem like the only "normal" way to live.