How does popular culture mirror America life? What does it mean to be an American? It is hard question and there may be many answers. Each American has his own point of vies about this question. You can say that being American means to be a citizen of US. Of course, it is true, but it is just a formal answer. The understanding on being American is much more deeper. Mostly it depends on human perception of culture, which surrounds them.
The meaning of the word culture is also rather blurring. From numeric definitions I choose one that mirror the theme of this paper The tastes in art and manners that are favored by a social group. The attitudes and behavior that are characteristic of a particular social group or organization When we say popular we think about something attractive and available to the broad masses. Popular means attributed to ordinary people, adapted to the taste or understanding of common people. So what is the meaning and purpose of popular culture? The study, serious and scholarly research in this field is a recent phenomenon. But sociologists already have a long found materials that describes Americans and American culture.
Such researches usually amuse people and fascinate for what they reflect about the people and the world they live in. Popular culture takes upon itself the role of mirror wherein society can better see itself (American Popular Culture) There are numeric areas of popular culture: food, advertising, films, fads and fashion, drug culture, music and literature, arts, comics, TV and Web, sport and autos, etc. The world is changing and it changes people and their tastes as well. It is hard to believe but long-long times ago there were no TV and people had to find entertainment elsewhere. CBS began TV development in 1937 and moved into the world of color TV. Then there was broadcast companies, sitcoms, commercials, made-for-TV. movies, etc. Nowadays even three-year old child knows how to use the remote TV controller.
Television is a part of popular culture. The writers were reminding us that while much on television may be offensive, television can enhance our lives as well. Imagine sitting in your living room and watching the first man walk on the moon. Unbelievable. Or perhaps you watched the fall of the Berlin wall. Heck, Im blown away when its midnight on Saturday night, and Im watching a world class musician perform. (In Defense of Television) Popular music is a good target for all critics.
Sometimes the reviews on some new Super group or song are more than cruel. But then again, people choose what they like. The main problem of pop-music, I think, that it is short-lived. The tastes of broad masses are very fickle. One of the interesting areas of popular culture is advertising. Dont be surprise. Advertising in full measure descripts the tastes of ordinary people.
Advertising has been described as an institution, a business, an industry, a discipline, a profession, a science, an art, and a talent. It has been defined as news, salesmanship in print, and mass communication. To look at the advertisements of a nation is to view that nation’s tastes and values. Although advertising did not originate in America, this country has probably done more than any other nation to use and foster advertising. It is most likely the most persuasive form of popular culture. (The Yellow Pages Popular Culture) Where is American culture headed? Hard to say because in America many nations and cultures are mixed in one big something in which we live in.
Our culture is unique and seems to me very attractive because many countries adopt some features from our pop-culture. For some inveterate in their prejudices against US countries our culture may seem unusual. But I believe that in future every human on the earth will accept our culture or at least some part of it. Why? Because we live in country of free will and we are free to choose what we like. And the pop-culture is based on the freedom of choice. Our culture is many-sided and complicated and will develop only for better. Bibliography The Yellow Pages Popular Culture, January, 2004.
American Popular Culture, 2005. .