How Does the Line Between High and Pop Culture Become Blurred?

2013 Words5 Pages
bulb-icon

Recommended: Distinction of culture between popular, high and mass culture

In this essay I intend to explore what is meant by the terms popular culture and high culture. I will also look at how the relationship between these two terms has become distorted and blurred over time. In order to reinforce what I am saying about popular and high culture I will be using a range of examples from the music industry to show how the line between high culture and popular culture has become ambiguous. I will also call upon the work of John Storey to give my work an academic foundation. Although Storey is the main academic I will be looking at, I will also include references to a number of other academics who have written about popular culture and high culture.

The term ‘popular culture’ is a particularly difficult one to define. The word ‘culture’ alone is, according to Ray Williams, “one of the two or three most complicated words in the English language” (Storey; 2006, 1). Popular culture must also be a term that is equally hard to define. Popular culture is an ambiguous phrase in cultural theory. In its simplest form: popular culture can be seen as the culture of the working class and minority cultures such as; folk and youth culture.(Brooker; 2003).

Popular culture is often referred to as being produced by the mass media ‘for’ the public, who are seen as consumers. An example of this would be the television programme ‘The X Factor’. The X Factor is produced by a large television company which is owned by a multi millionaire music mogul. The programme is shown extensively throughout the winter months, when people favour staying indoors to going outside. The concept of the show is that it entices people in during the first couple of week. This is done by showing the contestants’ auditions. The reason for t...

... middle of paper ...

...nment. Oxford. Wiley-Blackwell.

• DiMaggio, P. (1992). Cultural Boundaries and Structural Change: The Extension of the High Culture Model to Theater, Opera and the Dance, 1900-1940. Chicago. University of Chicago Press.

• Storey, J. (2003). Inventing Popular Culture: From Folklore to Globalization. Oxford. Blackwell Publishing Ltd.

• Storey, J. (2006). Cultural Theory and Popular Culture: An Introduction. Oxford. Prentice Hall.

• Strinati, D. (1995). Introduction to Theories of Popular Culture. New York: Routledge.

Websites:

• http://www.bbc.co.uk/aboutthebbc/licencefee (Last Accessed: 21st March 2011)

• http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Susan_Boyle (Last Accessed: 21st March 2011)

• http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bohemian_Rhapsody (Last Accessed: 21st March 2011)

• http://www.journoblog.com/2010/05/cultural-differences (Last Accessed: 21st March 2011)

Show More
Related

  • Superman; the mythic representation of cultural reality shifts in truth, justice and the American way

    1804 Words  | 4 Pages

    Zizek, S. (2006). From Reality to the Real (Vol. Cultural Theory and Popular Culture: A Reader). (J. Storeys, Ed.) Harlow: Pearson.

    Read More

  • Rock And Roll Impact On Culture

    956 Words  | 2 Pages

    Although considered the day Rock ‘n’ Roll was born, many other events in American history have given foundation to this much loved idea. Rock ‘n’ Roll is much more than just music, rather it is the movement which underlines cultural imperialism. Rock had been promoting a culture of comfort and freedom from social constraints as well. Although the style of ‘Rock music’ is easily adaptable into many different sounds, it is still thoroughly identified by its definingly amplified rhythm. The sudden worldwide popularity of rock and roll resulted in an unparalleled social impact. Rock ‘n’ Roll influenced lifestyles, fashion, attitudes, and language in a way few other social developments have equaled. The social impact is so large that rock stars are worshipped worldwide. In its early years, many adults condemned the style of music, placing a stigma on its name, and forbid their children from listening and following its ways. Many considered Rock ‘n’ Roll culture as a bad influence to all people, but as the genre aged and the now not-so-young crowds had matured, Rock was respected and

    Read More

  • An Analysis of the Media and Culture Issues of Society

    3042 Words  | 7 Pages

    The issue of the relationship between the mass media and the popular culture has always been a controversial issue in social sciences. The political economists insist on the role of the media industry in the creation of this phenomenon of the twentieth century. Though, advocates such as John Fiske, argue that popular culture is actually the creation of the populous itself, and is independent of the capitalist production process of the communication sector. Basing his argument on the immense interpretive power of the people, Fiske believes that the audience is able to break all the indented meanings within a media message. He also believes- by giving new meanings to that specific message they can oppose the power block that is trying to impose its ideology to the public. Consequently, this anarchistic activity of the audience creates the popular culture as a defence mechanism. Even when we accept Fiske’s ideas, we can not disregard the manipulative power of the media and its effects on cultural and social life.

    Read More

  • The Great Gatsby: America in the 1920s

    2392 Words  | 5 Pages

    Epstein, Dan. 20th Century Pop Culture: The Early Years to 1949. Philadelphia: Chelsea House Publishers, 2001. Print.

    Read More

  • Essay On Popular Culture

    1170 Words  | 3 Pages

    “Culture” is a term that over the years, has taken many forms, served many purposes and has been defined in a variety of contexts. At the rise of the industrial era, inhabitants of rural areas began to migrate to cities, thus starting urbanization. As this new era began to unfold, urbanization, mass production, and modernization became key ingredients in the transformation of culture. As more people became literate and the production of mass media such as magazines, pamphlets, newspapers etc. increased, many had the option and desire to identify collectively – popular culture began to rise. Popular or “mass” culture can be described as a “dynamic, revolutionary force, breaking down the old barriers of class, tradition, taste, and dissolving

    Read More

  • Nicholas Garnham - The Cultural Industries

    2442 Words  | 5 Pages

    Garnham, Nicholas. 1987. "Concepts of Culture: Public Policy and the Cultural Industries." In Studies in Culture: An Introductory Reader, ed. Ann Gray and Jim McGuigan. London: Arnold, 1997, pp. 54-61.

    Read More

  • Pop Culture as an Expression of Society

    643 Words  | 2 Pages

    Pop culture is the modern lifestyle which is countenanced and recognized by society, the cultural patterns that are common within a population. The general opinion is that pop culture is a useful expression of society and the prevailing environment, as pop culture is the culture which is followed by the majority, and therefore reflects society.

    Read More

  • Rap Music's Influence Upon Teenagers

    1389 Words  | 3 Pages

    Popular Culture. Ed. John Woodward, Farmington Hills, MI: Thompson Gale, 2005. 138-140.

    Read More

  • Popular Culture Analysis

    1114 Words  | 3 Pages

    There are many ways to define popular culture. Many individuals have grappled with the question what is popular culture? And how to critically analyze and deconstruct the meanings. Looking at the root words of popular culture is where to begin. Raymond Williams states ‘popular’ means: “well liked by many people" or “culture actually made for the people themselves (Storey, p.5). This is part with the word ‘culture’ combine to look at how the two words have been connect by theoretical work within social and historical context. John Storey approaches popular culture in six categories, they are as followed: “Popular culture is simply culture that is widely favoured or well liked by many people”, Popular culture is “the culture that is left over after we have decided what is high culture”, Popular culture is “mass culture”, “Popular culture is the culture that originates from ‘the people.” and “Popular culture as a site of struggle

    Read More

  • Pop Culture And Popular Culture

    581 Words  | 2 Pages

    Popular culture can be defined as the general accepted culture in society. Anyone can learn about what is the generally accepted culture in America because it’s usually advertised in music, books, fashion, literature, schools and the mass media to name a few. In the book images of color, images of crime, chapter 1 shows how Indians have been negatively affected by popular culture throughout the years. However, I would say that many races have been affected by popular culture to the point in which the identity and the heritage of different culture is rapidly disappearing.

    Read More

  • Cultural Industries – Theory Assignment

    692 Words  | 2 Pages

    The dominant traditions have an important role to many economies in terms of assessing change and continuity that involves the growth of prosperity and employment in the cultural industries. The process to determine the best solution may be complicated and tiresome as controversy surrounds these traditions. Profit generating and control may be the main reasons of these approaches, but they also carry an important characteristic in how society understands “the relationships between culture, society and economy.” (Hesmondhalgh, 2007, p.6) Many compare and contrast on whether political economy or cultural studies approaches are more useful towards the study of media and popular cultural. If both approaches can get past their differences, perhaps they may have the potential to work in harmony together in achieving the same goals.

    Read More

  • Popular Culture Affect Gender and Sexuality

    1374 Words  | 3 Pages

    In the beginning, the relationship between everyday culture and mass media culture are closed but there are some difference between popular culture and traditional culture. The traditional culture is known as ‘high culture’ which refer to literature, art, music etc. However, popular culture is the produced by mass media, may know it as low culture. People used to entertainment or relaxation. It shared and spread rapidly in groups, communities, societies and so on. Some people may say popular culture help us to understand more about the world because of the globalization factor.

    Read More

  • Analysis Of John Fiske Popular Culture

    1180 Words  | 3 Pages

    The purpose of this essay is to firstly explain what John Fiske means by ‘popular culture lies not in the production of commodities so much as the productive use of industrial commodities’ (Fiske, J. 1990 p.28). Secondly this essay will go on to compare Fiske’s interpretation of popular culture to MacDonald’s theory of mass culture.

    Read More

  • Pop Culture Is A Reflection Of Social Change

    1293 Words  | 3 Pages

    Pop culture is a reflection of social change, not a cause of social change” (John Podhoretz). It encompasses the advertisements we see on T.V, the clothes we wear, the music we listen too, and it’s the reason Leonardo DiCaprio has not won an Oscar yet. It defines and dictates the desires and fears of the mainstream members of society; and it is so ingrained into our lives that it has become as natural as breathing. Moreover, adults never even bat an eyelash at all the pop culture and advertising that surrounds them since it has become just another part of everyday life. Pop culture is still somewhat seen as entertainment enjoyed by the lower class members of society; but pop culture standards change over time. A notable example of this is the sixteenth century author, William Shakespeare, since his works were considered pop culture, entertainment that could be enjoyed by everyone, but now they are considered literary classics. While pop culture encompasses most aspects of our lives, its influence is most obvious through each generations reaction to media,

    Read More

  • Difference Between Mass Culture And Popular Culture

    788 Words  | 2 Pages

    What popular culture and mass culture are, their significance to society and how they are consumed are very multifaceted questions that have been subject to wide debate is the fields of Sociology and Cultural Studies. Many theorists have chimed in on the debate to answer these questions. Two notable theories on this topic are that of Dwight MacDonald in his work “A Theory of Mass Culture” and John Fiske in his work “Popular Culture”. MacDonald argues that mass culture is a phenomenon that is detrimental to society. He believes that although mass culture is something that produced “by and for human beings” that is ultimately is what leads to the loss of individuality and individual thought and expression in favor

    Read More

More about How Does the Line Between High and Pop Culture Become Blurred?

Open Document