The distorted mirror of the media. Constructing the image of society in Polish popular media. An "in memoriam" analysis of Michał Grzechynia

This chapter examines the construction of social imagery in Polish popular media, drawing on and expanding the research conducted by student Michał Grzechynia (who passed away in 2025) in his bachelor’s thesis devoted to the television series “Świat według Kiepskich”. Written in memoriam, the study reflects on the enduring relevance of his insights into media representations of society as a form of “distorted mirror,” shaped by creative intentions, the logic of mass culture, and broader socio-historical contexts. The article explores the mechanisms through which popular media employ exaggeration, grotesque, linguistic stylization, and cultural archetypes to produce simplified yet symbolically powerful images of social groups and processes. The analysis underscores the cultural responsibility of media creators and highlights the significance of popular culture as a space of social diagnosis, interpretation, and symbolic negotiation.