General Influences of Popular Culture

To better understand how

Popular Culture can influence people,
let us look at the concept of “Cultural
Studies”.
Key ideas of “Cultural Studies”:
The media represent ideologies
of the dominant class in a society.
Because media are controlled by
corporations (the elite), the
information presented to the public is
consequently influenced and targeted
with profit in mind. The media’s
influence and the role of power must
be taken into consideration when
interpreting a culture. (West and
turner, 2010)
Influence of Popular Culture
“Pop culture involves the aspects of social life most actively
involved in by the public. As the ‘culture of the people’, popular culture is
determined by the interactions between people in their everyday
activities: styles of dress, the use of slang, greeting rituals and the foods
that people eat are all examples of popular culture. Popular culture is also
informed by the mass media.” (Delaney, 2007)
Sources of Popular Culture
• Mass Media
• Ex: Television, Radio, Books, Video Games, Internet
• Leisure / Experience
• Ex: Sports (Basketball, Volleyball, etc.)
Types of Media
• Traditional Media
• Also known as old
media
• Media established
before the advent of
digital media
• Examples include TV,
radio, newspapers,
magazines.
• Non-interactive
Types of Media
• New Media
• Means of mass
communication using
digital technologies.
• Examples include
internet websites,
streaming services,
virtual reality, email,
and social media.
Leisure / Experience
• Experience: something that happens to somebody, or an event that
somebody is involved in.
• Leisure: Enjoyable activities.
Culture as leisure?
• According to F. R. Leavis, culture is
not simply a leisure activity.
• Culture controlled by capitalists are
potentially manipulative.
Is Popular Culture created by the people?
On Hegemony:
“Hegemony refers to the influence, power, or dominance of one
social group over another. Gramsci contended that audiences can be
exploited by the same social system they support (financially)….
Dominant groups in society manage to direct people into complacency.
Consent is a principal component of hegemony. Consent is given
by populations if they are given enough “stuff” (e.g., freedoms,
material goods, and so forth). Ultimately, people will prefer to live in a
society with these “rights” and consent to the dominant culture’s
ideologies.”
Storey, 2015
https://philosophynow.org/issues/64/Pop_Culture_An_Overview
Introducing Communication Theory: Analysis and Application by West
and Turner (2010)

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