The elevator doors opened on the 23rd floor, and I was immediately greeted by the friendly face of my new boss, Mrs. Johnson. She was a middle-aged woman with a kind smile and a no-nonsense attitude.

Popular media is no longer a sector of culture. It is culture. It shapes our language ("I'm on my villain era"), our politics (the Joker incel debate), our relationships (shipping real people), and our inner lives (comfort shows as emotional anchors).

Moving from watching a story to living inside of it.