Andy Warhol once said, “In the future, everyone will be famous for fifteen minutes”. This quote is highly characteristic of popular culture in society. What Warhol was saying is simply that no matter how popular something becomes it tends to lose its appeal, eventually being replaced by something else in an ongoing cycle that never ends. When thought of in this way, it’s quite easy to see how popular culture has become thought of by some as nothing more than a simple act of entertainment for absolutely no purpose except to please the masses. Although a good amount of popular culture in today’s society is just nonsense made for one’s own enjoyment, it is both valuable and beneficial to society. Popular culture is valuable and beneficial to American society because it influences inventions and social ideals, influences unity in society, and teaches moral lessons to society. Popular culture has had a large influence in the creation of inventions in society. An electronic, an experience, or even a thought that pops into someone’s mind could have been inspired by something seen on television. Star Trek (a science fiction TV series) has become known for contributing in the inspiration of multiple inventions in modern society. For instance, in a scene from Star Trek: The Original Series, in an episode titled “The Apple” Spock steps in the way of poisonous darts to save Captain Kirk, thus resulting in Spock falling to the ground. Kirk used his communicator to order a retreat. It
Star Trek is a franchise that has been around for a very long time; it has been turned into books, movies and a television series. Television is one of the world 's most influential pieces of propaganda. Whether it is being used to promote the next president, sponsor the newest upcoming athlete, or tell you about your favorite show, television is used to influence the world and how we perceive it. The popular television show aired for the first time in 1966 and throughout the years has seen many important events in its lifetime. Societal issues that were present in Star Trek, such as racism, sexuality, war, and scientific theories, continue to appear in today’s mainstream culture, even decades after the show came to an end.
In ours’, it’s everything from MTV hits, to Breaking Bad to Miley Cyrus. But historically, pop culture derived from the lower classes and the “low” culture, the exiled counterpart to “high” culture. High culture was considered to compose of art, literature, and classical music created by and for the most prestige. Over time “pop culture” slowly began to replace the phrase “ low culture,” pop culture or low culture was defined by what it wasn’t; elegant, refined, high culture, than rather by what it was. Mass culture. The masses looked for entertainment and distraction, soon enough it was assumed for pop culture to simply just amuse. However, pop culture can never be dismissed as being “just” entertainment or for “only” amusement.
Popular music is often one of the best lenses we have through which to view our own cultural orientation. Many of the artistic and experimental shifts in popular music have mirrored changes in our own society. For instance, the emergence of Elvis Presley as a public figure would signal the start of a sexual revolution and the growth in visibility of a rebellious youth culture. Similarly, the folk and psychedelic music of the 1960s was closely entangled with the Civil Rights, anti-war and social protest movements. In this regard, we can view popular music as an artifact through which to better understand the time and place in which it is produced. In light of this, the state of popular music today may suggest troubling things about our society.
Today popular culture has a substantial effect on our lives. It can affect what we wear, what music we listen to, or even how we behave. Many people decide what clothes to buy depending on what is in style or what celebrities are wearing. The same happens when people choose what movies to see or what music to download. While pop culture may seem harmless, it exposes people of all ages to sex, drugs, and violence. Children and teenagers all over the world are watching these shows or listening to these types of music. They take what they hear or see and develop bad habits or make poor decisions. Popular culture including movies, music, and franchises mostly has a negative effect on countries who import it.
Our second essay is a response to the readings from the Chapter “Is Pop Culture Actually Good For You?” and should include specific references to the text when appropriate. You may also develop the essays with examples from your own lives or other courses you may have taken that covered similar themes. In other words, personal experience is o.k. to use as evidence in your essay, but keep in mind that this essay is primarily a response to a text. You must use at least one of the texts as the “they say” to your “I say.”
Celebrity culture is a mixture of good and bad for society because it makes people complacent with issues that are wrong just to stay in the public eye, like whitewashing and sexism but also can help fight against those issues. For example, most shows are filled with straight, white guys as if other people, like POC, LGBT and women don't exist. Even if a show is centered around a women, the show is about there relationship with men, or has a romantic dynamic to it. Also, female celebrities are controlled by ageism where they are deemed “unworthy” or “too old” once they hit a certain age while men can be expected to continue acting and being in the spotlight far older than women would ever be allowed. Like how Scout Durwood states in “Pop Culture-
In class, we begin discussing the impact of the advancement of television content and the way different topics were used to influenced their audiences. Star Trek was a science- fiction television series that aired in the 60’s that was iconic for the metaphorical storyline that was often exude through different characters’ plot that focused on social issues such as poverty, economic status, race and religion. Gene Roddenberry used different character as representation of actual in everyday society, he focuses on issues that were current during that time and successfully address them in the delivery of his show. I found this particularly clever because this allowed him to remain the sole creator of his show and deliver the content that he wanted
The idea of pop culture has many different opinions surrounding it. Some people believe that it’s a God sent to us, others think it's the devil. Chris Hedges and Melissa Ames both have opposing opinions on this topic. Hedges, in “American Psychosis,” discusses that pop culture is bad because we focus too much on superficial topics and not enough on the real problems in our world. Whereas, Ames, in “Engaging ‘Apolitical’ Adolescents: Analyzing the Popularity and Educational Potential of Dystopian Literature Post-9/11,” suggests that pop culture is a unique tool that you can use to understand politics and our world’s problems. Both authors struggle to convince their peers to believe their ideology and they both have unique ways of doing so. By
In conclusion, there is both reluctance and openness towards whether pop culture should be studied at an academic level. Pop culture has a value in sociology, the interests of students and a lack of resistance from students and professors. There are more positive resources that support pop culture as an academic study than there are ones of reluctance. From the evidence stated in above paragraphs, it is evident that there is much support for a new form of
Being a celebrity has now become a culture. Even though those who are a part of society may not get to meet those who are famous or infamous there is still a need to be entertained. In the past this entertainment came from men and women who achieved something great, now it comes from them being involved in entertainment such as reality television programs, and those who are just simply famous. The author, Marcus S. Levy, questions the enigma why society is entertained by those who entertain us. The possibility entertainment is an addiction for people the same way drugs or alcohol is. Levy shares his thoughts on how society is entertained by the entertainers and the shift of whom are considered to be entertainers of today. This source is biased
In the article, “What Is Popular Culture and Why Study It,” Deanna Sellnow describes to one the importance of pop culture in our world today, how it shapes people’s identities, and the reasons they should be aware of our culture today. Whether people realize it or not, Sellnow says that pop culture screams at them from every angle of their lives. Although pop culture can be the things seen and heard in one’s surroundings, it is most prevalent through media. Movies, magazines, and music are all examples of mediated popular culture that is cheap entertainment for the enjoyment of the mass population. Many people are influenced when they tune in to the messages these things are sending. Some of these messages may challenge
Music in America has been on the decline since the turn of the millennium. Recent popular musical genres such as rap and hip-hop have promoted sex, violence, profanity, and drug abuse. Artists such as Drake, David Guetta, and Nicki Minaj have missed the mark when it comes to good music. Music is supposed to make people feel something, to take people on a journey. In this sense, music draws a certain parallel to the trajectory of America. When times were good in America, music seemed to be good. Recently, bad music has influenced the mentality of American youth and made them unstable and insecure. Music that has a positive, uplifting message has the power to help.
What do you get when you add together 13 number one hits, 17 Grammys, and over one billion albums being sold across the globe since his first solo debut? As soon as the assignment was given and I found out it was going to be over pop culture of, course my mind went straight to the King of Pop himself... Michael Jackson. The true impact Michael had on pop culture may never be surpassed. Jackson has touched the lives of many through his music, his actions and so much more. His legacy will live forever. Michael Jackson was one of the most influential artists in music history. He had such a passion for music ever since he was young producing songs like “ABC,” which was one of his most top hit songs. He definitely impacted pop culture on his
There is no disputing that society is influenced by its choices of entertainment. Some ways in which people are influenced are positive, but others are harmful. In the society we live in, the harmful ways always outnumber the positive. If we gravitated toward the positive forms of entertainment a little more often than the negative, then our society would have fewer problems. Popular music has a negative effect on society and endorses a lack of creativity.
What pops into your mind first when you think of popular culture in today’s day and age? The latest dirt on celebrities or the latest iPhone release? The latest controversial issue or the latest iTunes hit? Regardless, pop culture encompasses all four of these concepts and many more, which consume the world we live in each and every day. Think about education. At first thought, your mind may not make the connection between the newest Taylor Swift song and the highest ACT score, but the linkage between the two becomes undeniable when you dive deeper. Ponder this: each day millions of kids walk into school buildings across the United States, each of them glued to a little slice of pop culture, a.k.a. their phone. And each day these millions