nature of pop culture Flashcards
what is pop culture produced and sold for?
for mass consumption on a global scale by business corporations that are motivated by profit
what does it provide people with?
a sense of identity and inclusion
certain practices and beliefs are shared by the majority of the people to create?
large scale acceptance, understanding and experience
what is it a term to describe?
used in early 19th century to describe the ‘culture of the people’.
what makes things a pop culture?
has a worldwide appeal/following and the 4 distinguishing characteristics of PC can be applied
what is the opposite of PC?
high culture, which referred to cultural pursuits such as opera, drama, ballet and literature
what did the high culture activities attract?
those from privileged socio-economic backgrounds.
these activities considered superior, more intellectually rigorous and required high costs (hence the term, ‘high culture)
some sociologists argue that the explosion of popular culture resulted in?
high culture becoming outdated and redundant
what concerns existed about high and pop culture?
concerns in the past that pop culture is a rebellion or in opposition to high culture.
what do they claim?
They claim the past two centuries have been dominated by a debate about the evil effects of pop culture and concede that it is time to start accepting the modern way of life.
Explain how the process of industrialisation contributed to the growth of pop culture
The ability to mass produce led to increased urbanisation, industrialisation and emergence of consumer-driven society. The idea of creating a ‘culture for the masses’ was mostly a by-product of the industrial revolution.
our distinguishing characteristics of PC
- Associated with commercial products and paraphernalia
- Develop from a local to a global level
- Achieves widespread consumer access
- Is constantly changing and evolving
what is a fad?
enerally something that is short lived - a ‘craze’, such as the Rubik’s cube or bell-bottom jeans
what is meme?
according to Richard Dawkins, is a unit of culture that spreads from one person to another. He described it as an idea, belief or behaviour that spreads throughout a culture. Catchphrases and urban myths are examples of memes that are transmitted from one generation to the next
what is trend?
a pattern of behaviour that occurs over a given period of time e.g. fashion such as wearing skinny jeans, but does not necessarily mean it’s a pop culture.
