Pop culture has always been a part of our society, and as the years progress, it is becoming a more prominent aspect of our lives. This is largely due to its humorous, engaging, or inspiring qualities, as it keeps us always coming back for more. Many people tend to advocate for the advantages and disadvantages of pop culture and, more specifically, the content that is being consumed. Sure one should watch movies for enjoyment, read a book to relax, or listen to music when stressed, but should also do these to learn. Learning everyday skills as an individual is an important part of being human, otherwise, how would we grow and help society progress? One of these important skills is being financially literate.
If it wasn’t for being educated in finance, many businesses and industries would not be even close to where they are today. Let’s take a look at the ABC’s show Shark Tank, a show where millionaires/billionaires will negotiate over different companies, which are commonly presented by their founder. The “Sharks,” aka the investors, will use their knowledge in finance to adequately choose whether or not they want to make an offer for a potential investment. This investment can come in many, many different combinations, usually involving the amount of money and percentage of the company being requested by the Shark. How the Sharks obtained their financial knowledge, whether it was through their college degree, starting their own business, or reading books, is a part of what helped them arrive at being successful investors.
This idea can also be applied to the entrepreneurs who have come on Shark Tank to pitch their ideas. Although many of these individuals have most likely not yet arrived at what they consider their success, which is probably why they are looking for an investment, most of them have at least some sort of financial literacy that helped them turn their idea into a business.
One of the best parts of gaining financial knowledge in this day and age is that it does not need to be a dreadful task if one is not interested in the subject, since it can be made interesting. Take Shark Tank itself, for example. The different ideas that entrepreneurs present are engaging to watch, and listening to how the Sharks negotiate not only can be entertaining, but very informative as well! After all, getting to watch negotiations made by some of the most famous investors can teach one a lot about how to be responsible with their money, no matter one’s financial status.
