After incessant monsoon rains and patchy network, the weekend was kind enough to allow me a movie. Nothing extraordinary, a basic film and this is not a review.

There is a scene where a young corporate professional, probably the youngest among the leads, is constantly harassed by her old boss. One day, she snaps. She slaps him across the face and quits her job. For a moment, it feels like she reclaims power. Probably many women watching felt that slap land with some satisfaction.

My only reaction was: why does she have to quit? Why is the boss not being held accountable? What is HR doing while something like this happens on the work floor? Why does the cost of harassment always fall on the one harassed?

In real workplaces, this is not far from truth. Survivors often step away to protect their dignity and sanity, while harassers slip into the next boardroom, unchanged and unchallenged. Even when committees, HR policies, or legal mechanisms exist, the fallout tends to land harder on the victim than the perpetrator. Careers stall, reputations are questioned, and choices narrow.

I started thinking of pop culture more broadly. We often hear people say, “this film has a bad influence,” and we also hear filmmakers defend themselves by saying, “movies only reflect society.”

So what is pop culture really doing here?

At times, it is a mirror. It reflects the reality many recognize. Women do often quit toxic workplaces. Systems do fail to hold powerful men accountable. Audiences feel seen in that reflection, and there is value in that recognition.

But pop culture can also be a map. It can chart the possibilities of what should be. A version of that same story could have ended differently: the system backing her, the boss being removed, accountability placed where it belongs. That would not just be idealismit would be aspirational storytelling.

The truth is, films, shows, music, even memes constantly shift between mirror and map. Sometimes they show us who we are. Sometimes they teach us who we could be. And the balance between those two is what gives pop culture its power.

What do you think - should pop culture keep reflecting our realities, or lean harder into re-imagining them?