Baseball As A Popular Culture

When you think of the word “culture” what comes to mind? In our daily lives, we often hear of the phrases “pop culture”, “culture shock” and “cultural icon”. However, many of us are not exactly sure what culture is or how it applies to us. Whether we understand it or not, each and every one of us has cultural influences that help shape us into who we are. Many people throughout history have interpreted and defined culture in different ways. According to author and sociology professor Chris Jenks (2005), sociologists and anthropologists generally agree that culture “…generates a concept which, at one level, provides a principle of unification for the peoples of the world, through time and across space”. Jenks continues to write that culture

Being at a major league baseball game is my “happy place”. Getting all dressed up in my teams’ colors, seeing them live with a look of intensity on their face when things aren’t going well, and the crowd coming alive when a home run is hit is what truly makes it summer for me. Like the Deaf culture, baseball can be seen as a popular culture since it has a rich history, traditions, and norms that people abide by. One tradition that has been in place for over 100 years is the song “Take Me Out to the Ball Game” that is played during the seventh inning stretch of every game. This is a song that instantly makes a person think of baseball and is a signature part of a classic major league baseball

I have been a part of a choral group since my freshman year of high school. I never considered it to be a culture, but as stated in the article “What Is Culture, Exactly?”, author Nicki Lisa Coke, Ph.D. (2018) tells us that music is considered a material culture since it is made and used by humans. Ironically, material culture comes from “…the non-material aspects of culture. In other words, what we value believe, and know, and what we do together in everyday life” (“What is Culture?”, 2018). Being in choir has helped me express myself without fear and has taught me how to listen and work together with others. Each song we sing tells a story and everyone plays a part in being spot-on and giving their full effort to convey that story to an audience. Although I have not been in choir with a deaf individual, choir reminds me of Deaf culture because both have a strong cultural value of collectivism. In an article published by PEPNet (2004), we read “Deaf people consider themselves members of a group that includes all Deaf people. They perceive themselves as a close-knit and interconnected group”. In other words, both the choir culture and Deaf culture strongly embrace being in the company of others and working with them towards a common goal. Both cultures emphasize the importance of the individual being a part of the group instead of being independent and