Danesi, M. Popular culture:
Introductory perspectives. Lanham, USA: Rowman and Littlefield.
·
'Modern-day pop
culture [...] is a mass culture, spread widely through the mass media and mass
communications technologies. Pop culture would not have become so widespread
without the partnership that it has always had with the mass media.'
A considerable amount
of literature has been published on popular culture (Fiske 1998; Storey 2012; Strinati
2004). This paper will focus on popular culture: exploring the difficulty
through high culture, folk culture, mass culture, Americanisation, mythology
and semiology, popular art, popular music, popular discrimination and aesthetics.
Over the past decade,
culture has played a huge role of developing separated groups which reflects
status of mass (Williams 1976). This status held qualities of morality and
respected hierarchies, different classes being introduced as an instrument of
structure. In the modern day, these communities and moralities are lost to
become more individualised creating an isolated, alienated structure of life. Therefore,
the boundaries of high culture and folk culture is broken up to form mass
culture; everyone is equal. Mass culture is an important component towards
popular culture. This is through the outbreak of commercialisation (Strinati
2004).
On the contrary,
Willliam (1983) argues the conflict between high culture developing through popular
culture. For instance, the example of Shakespeare is now perceived as high
culture, but in the 19th century Shakespeare was in high demand
therefore was classed as popular culture. One of the most significant
developments of popular culture is through commercial culture. Popular culture
is a manipulative process to persuade individuals to follow the set trend at
the time. Storey (2012) discusses the notion of Americanisation. Americanization
is the process of popular culture being developed through cultural historical
events taken place; black civilisation right movement, gay and lesbian rights
movement, women’s liberation movement. Cultural movements are an increasingly
important area of understanding which has developed societies to be more
equivalent.
This theory is argued
by Rosenburgh (1957), who discussed that Americanisation is not responsible for
mass culture. His research showed that people attended classical music event,
perceived as high culture, more than attending a baseball game event, which is
perceived as popular culture. This shows that perhaps there is still this
diversity in America of classification.
Barthe (1968) suggest
that myths are a system that communicates the meaning in popular culture. Semiology
is applied to mythology; myths being perceived as a factual system, when in fact,
meanings are up for interpretations. This leads to issues about meaning, what
people recognize and what they communicate from a set piece. On the other hand,
could the piece have a hidden meaning that people assume there is no meaning.
The concept of myths addressing an objective output but in fact it is
subjective. Semiology is influenced through ideology, the concept of everyday
life. The idea creating meaning of what people know.
Barthes (1968) then
stems this idea of Myths having a double function: making the consumer
understand something and imposing it on us. Connotation is activated through
existing cultures; this then leads to counter myths. An example of counter
myth, is perhaps a younger audience perceiving a pop music image as something
free and expressive however an older audience could perceive it as
manipulation. The meaning is also encouraged by the context of publicity, where
the image is placed. The relation between semiology creates the image to appear
as eternal, however the problem with historical quality is myth will become
forgotten and lost.
Barthes (1915-1980) discusses
the mythological theory behind popular culture being influenced by a role
model. Traditionally the idea of hegemony was introduced in Hollywood through
the understanding of heroes and villains. The ideology of following a certain
type of leadership, what is perceived good and bad. This relates to popular
culture, as in the modern day, people need the idea of the perfect, heroic role
model of making things right in human affairs. Barthes then argues the use of
mass media and how that impacts ethics of happiness juxtaposed with pleasure.
The ideology of pleasure acting a main role in popular culture.
Walter Benjamin (1973)
suggest the post-modernist theory in popular culture and art. An example of
this is through works of Andy Warhol’s multi print of Leonardo Da Vinci’s
famous painting, the Mona Lisa. The painting has been introduced into the
commercial industry the process of silk printing creating a reproducibility
quality. Consequently, the painting has been turned into humour. This process
has then lead into the economy acting as a commercial role of advertisement.
The conflict between popular art is the concept of disrespect towards the
initial painting; the respect of the art is lost through the commercial
advertisement to gain income.
The post-modern theory
then stems to the history of popular music, which is established through trend.
Goodwin (1991) refers to post-modernist
music being developed through technological approach which therefore creates
pastiche contemporary music; promotes texts it steals from. This is addressed
as sampling. However African American
Cultural theorists, Cornel West (2009) argues the claim of pastiche through
responding, how rap has developed into a genre from pulling aspects from the
past and present. It is a part of black underclass youth which is forced to
take a cultural role in the political heritage of the American society.
Fiske has researched
into the use of musical genres becoming out of trend is perhaps due to popular
discrimination. Popular discrimination resonates through aesthetics. Aesthetics
is a disciplinary system; what is popular today may not be popular tomorrow. This
idea refuses to recognise the cultural barrier produced from social positions.
Aesthetics requires critic control responding to trends. Perhaps something is
in trend due to a youthful audience being introduced to that set of aesthetic.
The educational approach of high culture is not introduced therefore is lost.
This then relates to art being introduced in education which creates respect
and awareness which therefore leads to a commercial understanding. This
awareness of art therefore produces a commercialise culture through popular
art.
Bibliography
Harison, R (1998) Mass
Communication: Living in a Media World.
Striate, D (1994) The Introduction
to Theories of Popular Culture second edition, New York:
Rutledge
Storey, J (2012) Cultural
Theory and Popular culture an introduction sixth edition, Pearson
Friske, J (1998)
Understanding Popular Culture, New York: Routledge
Danesi, M (2012) Popular
Culture: Introductory perspectives, New York: Rowman and Littlefield
Rosenburg, B (1957) Mass
culture: The popular Arts in America, New York: Macmillan
Barthes, R (1968) Elements of
semiology, New York: Macmillan
Benjamin, W (1973) The work of
art in the age of mechanical reproduction, in Illumination, London,
Fontana
Goodwin, A (1991) Popular music and
postmodern theory, Cultural studies
West, C (2009) Black
postmodernist practises, Harlow, Pearson Education
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