Culture And Religion: Religion And Popular Culture

Kayleigh Liu
Paper #1: Methods Reflection
HIS286J – Religion and Popular Culture
Culture is a way of life that allows a diverse group of people to interrelate with one another. It is usually passed down from one generation to the next by communication and imitation. The term itself has a set definition, but it normally relates to the behavior, beliefs, values, and symbols that are accepted by a group of people. Culture can also be used to describe the time period and events in history. In the sense of what was deemed as popular during a specific stage in time and its impact on the culture surrounding it. Micro-historian have been dissecting and interpreting the meaning of popular culture and the courses of action that lead up to the events.

A prime example of the bias nature in self-proclaimed elitists can be seen in English artist John White’s drawings in the 16th century. During this period of time, the new world has just begun gaining momentum and he was sent to serve as an artist. White is a colonist who is very fascinated by foreigners and was researching the Algonquian people. He began to describe them as more animalistic and more in touch with the natural world and uncivilized beings. The natives don’t seek for materialism and only need enough for their survival. White envied that characteristic, which he himself imposed on the native people, and wishes to see that in his European people. White’s fascination with popular culture masks an underlying element of material component, which are the hidden economic and social influences. This same statement goes for German philosopher Johann Gottfried Herder. Herder believed that geography alone has a large impact on the formation of the natural economy of people and shaping their customs and society. In the text, Reflections on the Philosophy of the History of Mankind, Herder states that the ways of life is sought and earn happiness meaning to have an active and striving for practical everyday needs. Scholars like Herder had to study the lives of others, non-Europeans, because

The main religion in medieval Europe is Christianity and every other religion is considered to be offensive and wrong. According to Herder, the environment and location plays a huge role in someone’s culture and mindset. As seen in popular culture analysis, it is understandable that because of the geographic region and the events that take place, it can easily manipulate a whole society. It is very hypocritical of the religious figures that publish the folklores full of demonic creatures and yet they’re the ones trying to suppress it. This calls for the ‘Triller Effect’ in which the elite are the ones controlling the content, but still showing supernatural elements to the public and trying to suppress and profit from it at the same time. The elite is trying to colonize the popular elements and form their version of normal civilization. Since religion is such a big factor in everyone’s lives regardless of social status, it becomes rather easy for the clergy to start controlling the situation. It seems clear that the church abuse their power throughout the course of history. As seen in The Play of Sacrament translated in Non-Cycle Plays And Fragments Non-Cycle Plays And Fragments could be considered as propaganda towards the hatred of Judaism. The pre-modern fascination of the play displays the evil and misfortune of Judaism. The use of The Play of Sacrament manipulates the social status and