Chapter 9Chapter 9Popular Culture and Intercultural Popular Culture and Intercultural

CommunicationCommunication

Created By: Stephanie Butler, Joshua Gregory, Jeremy Little, Marya Moreno, Jessica Rivas, Rachelle Vargas

What is Popular Culture?What is Popular Culture?

Mediasupported

Financiallydriven

ChangingInterests

Mass Appeal

SocialEntertainment

High CultureHigh Culture

Cultural activities that are Cultural activities that are believed to reflect upon the believed to reflect upon the elite or wealthy. elite or wealthy.

Framed as Framed as internationalinternational due to their timelessness due to their timelessness and ability to be enjoyed by and ability to be enjoyed by many other culturesmany other cultures

Universities even devote Universities even devote courses, programs and courses, programs and even entire departments to even entire departments to study the aspects of high study the aspects of high culture.culture.

Classical BalletClassical Ballet

SymphonySymphony

Great LiteratureGreat Literature

Fine ArtFine Art

OperaOpera

Classical MusicClassical Music

High Culture ExamplesHigh Culture Examples

Low CultureLow Culture

Cultural domains that Cultural domains that are not considered high are not considered high culture. These activities culture. These activities are not considered elite.are not considered elite.

Now framed as “Popular Now framed as “Popular Culture”Culture”

Viewed as for the people Viewed as for the people by the people. by the people.

Modern DanceModern Dance

Music VideosMusic Videos

Books/MagazinesBooks/Magazines

Graffiti Graffiti

CelebritiesCelebrities

FashionFashion

Low Culture ExamplesLow Culture Examples

Importance of Popular Importance of Popular CultureCulture Commonalities in “pop” Commonalities in “pop”

culture bring people together culture bring people together with similar interest.with similar interest.

Helps people from around Helps people from around the world visually see other the world visually see other cultures in action.cultures in action.

““Pop” culture helps to Pop” culture helps to educate the world on the educate the world on the similarities and differences of similarities and differences of other cultures.other cultures.

Through technology, people Through technology, people connect/keep in touch with connect/keep in touch with other cultures of the world. other cultures of the world.

Critics of Pop Culture define Critics of Pop Culture define it as “dumbing down” or it as “dumbing down” or low culture:low culture:

The media has increasingly neglected its The media has increasingly neglected its responsibility to provide people with what they responsibility to provide people with what they need to know in order to better not only their own need to know in order to better not only their own lives, but society as a whole, in favor of blowing lives, but society as a whole, in favor of blowing out of all proportion the trivial, the voyeuristic, and out of all proportion the trivial, the voyeuristic, and the sensational. Giving people what they want is the sensational. Giving people what they want is not necessarily a good idea when they choose to not necessarily a good idea when they choose to turn away from knowledge and issues that are turn away from knowledge and issues that are important and that actually have a major impact important and that actually have a major impact on our lives and instead retreat into fantasy and on our lives and instead retreat into fantasy and make-believe. make-believe.

Popular Culture is Popular Culture is consumed through:consumed through:

Magazines, movies & television, music, sports and Magazines, movies & television, music, sports and technology.technology.

Through these out lets, the process of encoding and Through these out lets, the process of encoding and decoding, which relays a certain message to people, decoding, which relays a certain message to people, and in turn people interpret that message.and in turn people interpret that message.

People extract different things from popular culture, People extract different things from popular culture, and what one person likes another person doesn’t. For and what one person likes another person doesn’t. For an example: Football is a popular sport amongst men, an example: Football is a popular sport amongst men, but not all men like to watch or play football.but not all men like to watch or play football.

MagazinesMagazines Magazines publish imagery and Magazines publish imagery and

articles of popular celebrities, articles of popular celebrities, actors, artists, cosmetics and actors, artists, cosmetics and accessories which are often accessories which are often attributes of popular culture. attributes of popular culture. These images are interpreted These images are interpreted differently by every reader. differently by every reader.

Magazines are designed to Magazines are designed to appeal to certain demographics, appeal to certain demographics, through the use of imagery and through the use of imagery and language.language.

Each magazine creates a reader Each magazine creates a reader profile, which allows it to appeal profile, which allows it to appeal to a specific group of readers.to a specific group of readers.

Movies / Movies / TelevisionTelevisionVarious movies and Various movies and television shows provide television shows provide outlets for the outlets for the consumption of popular consumption of popular culture.culture.Movies such as Twilight, Movies such as Twilight, are major staples in the are major staples in the Pop-culture realm, and Pop-culture realm, and are well known, across are well known, across the world.the world.News and entertainment News and entertainment shows, such as Access shows, such as Access Hollywood, Hollywood, Entertainment tonight, Entertainment tonight, MTV and VH1; premier MTV and VH1; premier and discuss all elements and discuss all elements of popular culture which of popular culture which makes it difficult to avoid makes it difficult to avoid consuming it.consuming it.

MusicMusic

Misery – Maroon 5

Popular culture in music consists of a variety of genres: Rap, R&B, Country, Latin, Pop and Rock

The different genres allows each individual to subscribe to the particular music that they enjoy listening to.

SportsSports

An aspect of popular culture entertainment.An aspect of popular culture entertainment.Consumed by attending sporting Consumed by attending sporting

events and watching them on events and watching them on television.television.

Technology: Technology: Internet, Twitter & Internet, Twitter & FacebookFacebook

Technology has become Technology has become the fastest method for the fastest method for consuming popular culture. consuming popular culture. Any and all information is Any and all information is at the user’s fingertips.at the user’s fingertips.

Social websites, such as Social websites, such as Twitter and Facebook, Twitter and Facebook, allows for immediate allows for immediate consumption of popular consumption of popular culture. A variety of topics culture. A variety of topics flow between these flow between these websites about any and all websites about any and all elements of popular elements of popular culture. culture.

Western dominance in Popular Culture Western dominance in Popular Culture consumptionconsumption Popular culture is a main aspect of the western world and has great Popular culture is a main aspect of the western world and has great

influence. The popularity of these products between the United influence. The popularity of these products between the United States and other countries, creates an imbalance of culture States and other countries, creates an imbalance of culture sharing:sharing:

United States is rarely exposed to popular culture from other United States is rarely exposed to popular culture from other countriescountries

What the US is exposed to is rarely absorbed into our pop What the US is exposed to is rarely absorbed into our pop cultureculture

Mass media outlets used to present popular culture, allows the Mass media outlets used to present popular culture, allows the West to dominate the rest of the world, as well as the capitalism West to dominate the rest of the world, as well as the capitalism used to produce these mass media outlets. used to produce these mass media outlets.

Through these outlets, other countries are encouraged to adapt Through these outlets, other countries are encouraged to adapt to western popular culture.to western popular culture.

Other countries are more willing to accept and receive the West’s Other countries are more willing to accept and receive the West’s standards and production of popular culture.standards and production of popular culture.

““A characteristic of the production of a popular culture under A characteristic of the production of a popular culture under advanced capitalism is the increasingly complex character of its advanced capitalism is the increasingly complex character of its circuits, as the culture industries incorporate the popular circuits, as the culture industries incorporate the popular commercial entertainments of subordinate groups into new, commercial entertainments of subordinate groups into new, mass-marketed commodities.”mass-marketed commodities.”

Quiz – Multiple ChoiceQuiz – Multiple Choice

1)1) Which statement best describes the recent Which statement best describes the recent tensions in Western social systems regarding the tensions in Western social systems regarding the distinction between high and low culture:distinction between high and low culture:

a)a) There is no changeThere is no change

b)b) The distinction between high and low culture has begun The distinction between high and low culture has begun to break downto break down

c)c) Tensions between high and low culture are higher than Tensions between high and low culture are higher than ever beforeever before

d)d) There was never a distinction between the twoThere was never a distinction between the two

Quiz – Multiple ChoiceQuiz – Multiple Choice

2)2) What of the following is not one of the four What of the following is not one of the four significant characteristics of popular significant characteristics of popular culture:culture:

a)a) It is produced by culture industriesIt is produced by culture industries

b)b) It is everywhereIt is everywhere

c)c) It is the same as folk cultureIt is the same as folk culture

d)d) It fills a social functionIt fills a social function

Quiz – Multiple ChoiceQuiz – Multiple Choice

3)3) Which of the following is not a component Which of the following is not a component of cultural imperialism:of cultural imperialism:

a)a) Cultural dominationCultural domination

b)b) Media imperialismMedia imperialism

c)c) Critique of global capitalism and modernityCritique of global capitalism and modernity

d)d) Language identityLanguage identity

Quiz – Multiple ChoiceQuiz – Multiple Choice

4)4) Who made the observation that Who made the observation that stereotypes are connected to social value stereotypes are connected to social value and social judgements about other groups and social judgements about other groups of people?of people?

a)a) Film studies scholar Richard DyerFilm studies scholar Richard Dyer

b)b) Academicians Horace Newcomb and Paul Academicians Horace Newcomb and Paul HirschHirsch

c)c) Communication scholar Dreama MoonCommunication scholar Dreama Moon

d)d) Poet and essayist Matthew ArnoldPoet and essayist Matthew Arnold

Quiz – Multiple ChoiceQuiz – Multiple Choice

5)5) Which of the following might not be a Which of the following might not be a reason a person would resist a popular reason a person would resist a popular culture activity:culture activity:

a)a) Historical referenceHistorical reference

b)b) Represents a stereotypeRepresents a stereotype

c)c) Referral from a friendReferral from a friend

d)d) Profit level of a large corporationProfit level of a large corporation

True / FalseTrue / False1)1) Cultural texts are the same as cultural identities. Cultural texts are the same as cultural identities.

2)2) Popular texts have to win over the majority of Popular texts have to win over the majority of people to be “popular” people to be “popular”

3)3) Reader profiles are portrayals of readership Reader profiles are portrayals of readership demographics prepared by magazines demographics prepared by magazines

4)4) Avoiding certain forms of popular culture is one Avoiding certain forms of popular culture is one kind of resistance. kind of resistance.

5)5) The impact of Western media on popular culture in The impact of Western media on popular culture in other countries is generally appreciated and other countries is generally appreciated and encouraged. encouraged.

References:References:

““Dumbing Down: Or The Banalization of Culture”. Dumbing Down: Or The Banalization of Culture”. http://nomuzak.co.uk/dumbing_down.html. Retrieved March 12, http://nomuzak.co.uk/dumbing_down.html. Retrieved March 12, 2011.2011.

Traube, E.G. (1996). The Popular in American. Traube, E.G. (1996). The Popular in American. Annual Annual Reviews of AnthropologyReviews of Anthropology, 134. , 134.

Quiz AnswersQuiz Answers

Multiple ChoiceMultiple Choice

1)1) BB

2)2) CC

3)3) DD

4)4) AA

5)5) CC

True / FalseTrue / False

1)1) FF

2)2) FF

3)3) TT

4)4) TT

5)5) FF