And how many times would you care to have seen pictures of him, or heard anything about him? Probably zero. So it isn't exactly entirely voluntary, right?
I can't know that I wouldn't care if I haven't heard anything. I do not desire that level of disconnection from culture, merely the ability to control my participation. Which is actually rather easy, I'm finding. Perhaps when my kids get to be teenagers I'll find it a bit more of a challenge, but then, I doubt that's exactly what you mean. (I certainly don't desire that level of disconnection from my family!)
I chose to learn what I did about the guy because I encountered an friend's histrionic dislike of the singer and was curious.
So yes, entirely voluntary.
Now, if you'd like to argue that I was "forced" to encounter information by talking to someone I know, then you're going beyond even trying to make victimization out of exposure to media and just showing yourself to long for a hermitage. :)
Of course. It is important and useful to be a part of society, be conversant with the issues of the day, etc. The author's point seemed to simply be that constantly being conversant with popular culture is capable of becoming a timesink.
How many times would I care to read about yet another 'Facebook is evil!' 'Down with The Man!' 'We're sheep who are being lived by Big Corp' idiotic 'privacy' drivel? None, and yet they show up quite regularly here. I just accept that that's the price to pay to, you know, participating in a broader community where not everybodies ideas and interests are going to 100% overlap with mine, and I skip those articles. Or are you suggesting that any time you run across something that you do not want or are not interested in is somehow a symptom of a general decline in control of our lives, caused by technology?
I have, to the best of my knowledge, never either seen or heard Justin Bieber. I have not made a conscious effort to avoid his face or his music; I just don't consume a lot of mass media.