...part the movies are overly clichéd lies. In reality there are only three groups of people and within those groups are many sub-groups. I don’t much though into sub-groups though, since virtually everyone from the same group gets along. First, the mass majority of an average highschool population; the populars (pops). Yes! That’s right, you didn’t read wrong. Contrary to the beliefs of many, populars are not a select few, but majority of the population. The pops are just as you might expect; crude, annoying, vicious, disruptive, think much too highly of themselves, etc… I would continue, but then this letter would never end. Now, something you may not believe is that they actually get better grades than some of the smarter kids in this school. Not because the pops are by any means smart, but because they actually choose to do the dumb-downed, simplistic work teachers handout now-a-days. Though the schoolwork incredibly easy, pops find it to be increasingly challenging. Popular girls will most likely get pregnant early on and be force to drop-out of either highschool, or college. They will most likely end-up as a stay at home mom, or a cashier at some store, or fast food place. Popular guys will either be a drop-out so they can raise money to support their family, or they will ditch the girl and go on to be a sports star or an actor. Surely there will be a few who change their ways and escape this fate, but not many. The second group of people are within the top percentile of the...
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...WHAT SIGNS OF MOD CULTURE ILLUSTRATE A DOMINANCE OF MASCULINE AND EUROPEAN INFLUENCE SEEN THROUGH THE CREATIVE MEDIUMS OF PHOTOGRAPHY, MUSIC AND FASHION? Danny Lowe A Dissertation submitted in partial fulfilment of the requirement for the award of the degree BA (Hons) Fashion Photography London College of Fashion University of the Arts London Date: 15th April 2012 i Declaration I, Danny Lowe, certify that this is an original piece of work. I have acknowledged all sources and citation. No section of this literature review has been plagiarised. Signed: ….......................................................................................................................... ii TABLE OF CONTENTS Abstract List of Illustrations Introduction Methodology Literature Review Chapter 1: Chapter 2: Chapter 3: Historical and Cultural Contexts – Defining the 'Mod' and Youth Cultures in Post WWII Britain Americanisation – Music, Motives and Movement The Signs of Style iv v vi ix xi xi xvii xxi xxii xxiv xxvi xxviii xxix xxxii Interpretative Analysis Photography: Music: Fashion Conclusion Bibliography Appendix iii Abstract The purpose of this research study is to identify the signs of masculinity and European influence that dominated aspects of 'Modernist', or Mod, culture and lifestyle. The Mod is a British subculture which developed in the 1960's. The first stage of this study involves introducing the subcultural theories attributed to the Mod...
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...When I Grow Up: An Analytical Study of the Interpretations of Children on Pop Culture Elements found in Selected TV Commercials “TV takes our children across the globe before parents give them permission to cross the streets.” - Joshua Meyrowitz BACKGROUND OF THE STUDY Advertising is a form of mass communication strategy created to promote the purchase of a certain product, message, or service in the market. It carries the messages that come to you from the people who pay for the media (Biagi, 2001, p. 227). It is also an act of popularizing something through mass media to attract the attention of the consumers, audiences, or mainly the public for higher sales and marketability. Tracing through the history, evidences of advertising is said to have started thousands of years before when people started trading things for survival. Thus, the rise of technology, industrialization, and capitalism triggered the success of advertising in the heightening state of competition worldwide and in every aspect; from commodities, to people and politics. The industrial revolution, according to some historians, is the root of commercial advertising (Campbell, 2002, p. 387). Because of the continuous occurrence of new products in the market and there is a need to sell them off instantly, businessmen tried the concept of large scale advertising to sell more. Over the time, manufacturers realized that if their products were distinctive and became associated with quality, customers...
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...The popular media I have chosen is 3D technology. The introduction of 3D started back in 1844 with the invention of the stereoscope by David Brewster. It was a device that could make a photograph three dimensional. Ever since then the world has fallen in love with the idea of 3D. Since 1844 there have been eight different incarnations of 3D, from the basic red and blue glasses all the way up to the digital stereoscopic television channels that broadcast in 3D 24/7. Let us fast forward to the “Star Trek” generation. With popular television science fiction programs depicting holographic images popping out for the characters to interact with, came a major push in the 3D department. Until then 3D had been majorly disregarded as it was expensive to use and not many theaters were equipped with the technology. Although previous incarnations of 3D were bulky and awkward, the new innovation of stereoscopic 3D has brought 3D back in a big way. Stereoscopic 3D has made 3D a part of our everyday lives now. No longer is it something that is reserved just for movies. We now see movies, television, and even virtual reality video games all being made into stereoscopic 3D. Soon it will be a basic feature of televisions and computers, much like color is now. Future applications of 3D could even evolve so far as holographic imagery that would have major military and personal uses. It is this writer’s belief that 3D has finally made its way into our everyday life, something that will become as commonplace...
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...questioning whether the subtle and not so subtle insertions of “Disnification” are exploitive feeding on the vulnerability of children with the intention of creating children as future consumers. Thesis: Commercialization of children’s culture is becoming a global issue and in order to make any decisions about whether it should be dismissed as positive or negative is difficult to state unless you take into account various inside and outside factors at play. Understanding the forces playing on this issue such as popular culture is to understand the trends and direction in which society is generally moving. Recognizing too that such processes like commercialization cannot operate in isolation and separate from many parts of society is to identify that indeed popular culture provides the perfect venue for Disney to obtain a more permanent grip on society through the imagination of children and adults alike. Framework and methodology: My framework will firstly discuss popular culture in society today and how it used to be about our values whereas now it just dictates them to us. Children’s culture has changed immensely due to the commercialization that persists today within society....
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...Award did her name spread like wildfire and become the endless discussion topics regarding her quirky, one-of-a-kind taste of fashion and almost everything else, including music video creation. That explains why once her “Telephone” video co-starring with Beyoncé was premiered, Gaga’s obsessive fans and many pop-culture observers began to break it down frame by frame. Surprisingly, it was not the blatant nudity, lesbianism or poison, but the product placement sprinkled throughout the video that garnered viewers’ attention most. The video’s remarkable number of product placements showcases the consumerist culture we are in, where advertisers strive to revitalize and raise public awareness of their brands by incorporating their products into popular music, movies, TV shows and sports besides traditional advertising. The 9-minute video is packed with at least eight different brands, including Virgin Mobile, Monster Heartbeats by Lady Gaga headphones, Hewlett Packard laptop, Polaroid, Diet Coke, Wonder Bread, Miracle Whip, and dating site PlentyOfFish.com. Although the frequency of product placement in this music video has been to a ridiculous level, the way that brands listed above are inserted into each scene is quite coherent. For example, Gaga steals the Virgin cellphone to contact Beyoncé to bail her out of jail. Food brands like Miracle Whip and Wonder Bread feature in the kitchen scene. The production placement in “Telephone” is interesting and worth studying since it shows...
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...Culture Today The purpose of this paper in to inform my readers of the following topics: What culture is, and what popular culture is all about. I will also cover the three major trends that make up popular American culture. Lastly we will cover how popular American Culture affects personal decision making. Culture is the value in an individual or civilization that ascends for an anxiety for what is observed as admirable in arts, communication, custom, academic, quests. Culture to me is made up race, religion, age and gender. Simply culture is your background, your history and what makes you, you. Popular Culture is the total of thoughts, viewpoints, boldness, pictures, and former wonders that are inside the characteristic of a specified culture, Western culture and the evolving worldwide majority. Profoundly influenced by social media, this collection of ideas infuses the day to day lives of the civilization. Pop culture is on the rise; the fashion industry has grown and become a huge seller. We want to wear what the models wear but we do not have model figures. I am a plus size women and I love my curves, I was raised to thank God for what we have and to trust God for what we need. There are consequently many movements in the world as we know it today we will only be discussing the following social, religious and political. Social Culture is made of the type individuals are social groups, and environment in which you surround yourself. Being a military family we are intertwined...
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...One of the greatest concerns of human beings is the effect of different kinds of music in the society. Some persons argue that international music has a more important role than traditional music while the others do not. In my opinion; however, traditional music is an indispensable part of modern life because of the following reasons: Firstly, the scope which traditional music reflects is much wider than international music. In fact, what most international music brings for its audience is just simply about love. For example, “My valentine”, one of the most popular songs in the world, is about love only. Meanwhile, traditional music covers many other more interesting contents ranging from life, culture to nature. Secondly, traditional music is much easier to listen and understand than international music. As national music has been composed in the mother language, from a child to an old person can understand the content and meanings which composers want to convey. In contrast, international music only serves people who know foreign languages, for instance, English, or French, Last but not least, traditional music reflects cultural values of a nation. In my personal opinion, they are valuable experiences such as weather forecast, which ancestors have accumulated for thousands of years. Hence, traditional music is also a priceless asset, which needs to be protected today. In conclusion, I do completely support the argument that traditional music is an integral part of human...
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... | | |Axia College/College of Humanities | | |HUM/176 Version 3 | | |Media and American Culture | Copyright © 2011, 2010, 2009 by University of Phoenix. All rights reserved. Course Description The course provides an introduction to the most prominent forms of media that influence and impact social, business, political, and popular culture in contemporary America. It explores the unique aspects of each medium as well as interactions across various media that combine to create rich environments for information sharing, entertainment, business, and social interaction in the U.S. and around the world. Policies Students will be held responsible for understanding and adhering to all policies contained within the following two documents: • University policies: You must be logged into the student website to view this document. • Instructor policies: This document is posted in the Course Materials forum. University policies are subject to change. Be sure to read the policies at the beginning of each class. Policies may be slightly different depending on the...
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...To what extent has popular music culture challenged dominant gender norms? Critically analyse with reference to relevant literature and examples Traditional dominant gender norms state that women are feminine in appearance, including everything from their hair down to their shoes and of course their demeanour, voice and behaviour. The traditional man would be that who is strong and rugged with a deep voice and who is overtly masculine without a hint of make up or traditionally feminine clothing. It has been decades since these norms have begun to alter and be challenged as both sexes began experimenting with gender and identity through the medium of music. By looking at different music genres throughout the ages I will attempt to show how popular music has broken down social barriers and in my opinion has succeeded in challenging gender norms to a point where the perceptions of what is socially acceptable have been altered. Before delving into the world of rock and roll it is noteworthy that the music industry was like any other business, a typically male environment in which women were not expected to survive. The music industry and specifically the Rock genre were sexually focused from the very early stages, as far back as the 40’s and 50’s. Rock music posed a question of morality and was perceived as shocking and dangerous because of its explicit sexual overtones. An example of these first steps in the scene would be Elvis whose gold, tight outfits and pelvic thrusts...
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...Popular American Culture Daniel Aguilar SOC/105 January 19, 2012 Patrick Brady Popular American Culture What is culture? What is popular culture? As I sat in front of my computer and thought about what this meant, it occurred to me that this wasn’t something I had really put much effort into finding out in the past. What is culture? Carla definition was simple. It’s defined as the shared pattern of behavior and interactions and these shared patterns identify the members of a culture group. Popular culture also known as "pop culture" is something that is a totality of ideas, perspectives, attitudes, and images. Simply put it’s the way we live our lives. Many of us have changed through out the year which is expected, so this is why I chose to go this route with this easy. At my age, as a charming thirty year old male, my trends have changed, so I take you back to the age of twenty-one where my life was everything about image, about the clothes I wore, the music I listened to and even the shows I watched. This was everything in life. First you have the designer clothes I wore such as Sean John pants, Rock-A-Wear shirts, and the air force one shoes, for my fashion incline the Nikes I wore. The type of clothes I wore meant everything. It defined me and who I was and how I wanted to be known as the individual who wore the latest fashion. Not because I wanted people to know I had some money in my pocket, but to let the people around me know that I was well off and...
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...Popular American Culture SOC/105 October 31, 2012 S. C. Culture and Pop Culture The official definition of culture is “the customary beliefs, social norms, and material traits of a racial, religious, or social group” (Webster Dictionary.com, 2012) whereas popular culture is the opposite of high cultural art forms like the opera, historic art, classical music, traditional theater or literature. It includes many forms of cultural communication, including newspapers, television, advertising, comics, pop music, radio, novels, movies, etc. In the beginning of the 20th Century," High art" was the realm of the wealthy and educated classes while popular culture or "Low art" is commercial entertainment for the lower classes. In the 1950s and 60s the gap between them closed with the rise of Pop Art” (Kartha, 2011, p.1). Pop culture is so prominent in society that it is almost impossible to escape its influence. This is especially true in America. As a result of easy access, children absorb huge amounts of information presented by the pop culture world, which influences and shapes their identities. However, not all of it is negative and if parents educate themselves and monitor their children’s activities, pop culture is often a positive influence that helps mold the children...
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...beverage bases for Coca-Cola, the company’s flagship brand, and over 230 other Company soft-drink brands are manufactured and sold by the Coca-Cola Company and its subsidiaries in nearly 200 countries around the world (Coca-Cola Company, 2012). Internationally, Coca-Cola has adopted a global strategy that includes sponsoring professional sports leagues, music artists or groups and the Olympics. For example, the company advertises with the NBA, World Cup Tournaments, the NCAA and popular music groups such as Maroon 5 (Coca-Cola Company, 2012). Coca-Cola pays several million dollars in order to have the exclusive rights to advertise or partner with these events. Although it is an expensive way to advertise, the benefits extend far past the cost of advertising. Millions of viewers worldwide tune into or watch these events and the brand exposure is enormous. Viewers are exposed to the brand and the Coca-Cola brand becomes synonymous with that popular athlete, league or artist. By paying these popular athletes and stars to endorse their products, they influence millions to buy or try the Coca-Cola brand. From there it’s up to Coca-Cola to keep the consumers to continue to use its...
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...Carl Sandburg: The Modernist Writer Modernist literature is a term applied to writings of the 20th century that was different and rejected of the 19th century styles. The Modernist writer such as Carl Sandburg, emphasized modernist characteristics by rejecting the distinction between high, low or popular culture, rejecting formal aesthetics to produce creative and spontaneity work, creating works where the reader did was not bound a fixed point of view or clear morals and impressionism and subjectivity was more present (Holman, 1972). The poem “Grass” by Carl Sandburg is very powerful but short and leaves much for the reader to ponder of how to interpret the subject as it both subjective yet sad. The theme of the poem suggests that grass is used to cover up the destruction of war and the deaths associated with it. That war after war is the same as he continues to name battles and it keeps repeating itself. In the beginning of the poem Carl writes “Pile the bodies high at Austerlitz and Waterloo” (poetryfoundation.org). These wars took place earlier in the 19th century and then later Carl goes onto mention Gettysburg, Ypres and Verdun. Which took place later in consecutive order, this symbolizes that history continues to repeat itself but man fails to recognize the death toll and bloodshed as the grass grows over all of it and then it is forgotten. He demonstrates this stating in two lines “Shovel them under and let me work” after naming each battle. That is...
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...especially to the local black population, playing rhythm and blues records supported by a roster of sponsors. For the style of country and western: As far back the 1930s, mainstream pop played to a national audience, while country and western was most limited to regional radio exposure. Within a few years, local and regional radio stations across the nation were programming country music, especially WSM in Nashville and WLS in Chicago WSM broadcast the popular country-oriented program the Grand Ole Opry, while WLS produced the National Barndance. For the style of mainstream pop: NBC went coast-to-coast with its national radio network in 1928, which was an important step in blurring the regional boundaries of popular culture. Because of this, some pop styles became national, while others kept their regional identities. This can be attributed to network programming: the mainstream pop was heard frequently on network radio. By the early 1950s, the national audience for popular music had largely shifted from radio to television. This meant that radio needed to adapt considerably to survive, and many stations opted for a local or regional...
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