The popular culture of society is that which is embraced and admired by a large number of people. The traditions and customs of a particular group constitute culture. According to Little (2016), the term “pop culture” refers to artifacts and human expressions that come from the creative efforts of ordinary people and circulate among people according to their interests and preferences. In modern society, popular culture is an ongoing phenomenon. Culture is innovative because it demonstrates the capacity of the human imagination to go beyond what is provided, solve problems, and produce innovations (Little, 2016). It is the driving force and reflection in shaping our culture. It can be seen in the clothes we wear, the music we listen to, the movies we watch, and even the cars we drive.
The most interesting concept from the reading is that some people never stop looking for the latest and greatest in pop culture and fashion. It is because they read cheap novels and various current affairs magazines, watch fashion shows and hip-hop, and watch popular movies and TV shows. They find high-culture works to be poor, difficult, and outdated. For instance, an example from music is opera, regarded as high culture, and audiences typically exceed retirement age. Pop culture and parts of high culture are believed to have grown together.
Another interesting concept from the reading is postmodern culture. It is because this form of culture appears after modern culture, and various kinds of mash-ups of high and low become more common, like pop music composed from recycled samples of original hooks and melodies. Both popular and high cultures have had a great impact on people. For instance, an example from TV movies is that men are portrayed as romantic people who interact sexually with as many women as possible, and women are portrayed in fashion catalogs, TV, and magazines as attractive.
In conclusion, pop culture combines all aspects of culture, including its ideas, beliefs, and attitudes. The media, for instance, TV, is my choice of an item of culture. It is a major driver of popular culture that directly connects to the two concepts above. People listen to opera and hip-hop on TV. The media heavily influence today’s society, and many people aspire to imitate the famous people they see. Through TV, people can move from fashion trends quickly, promoting postmodern culture.
Reference
Little, W. (2016). Chapter 3. Culture – Introduction to Sociology – 2nd Canadian Edition. Pressbooks. Web.