Introduction to Popular American Culture
American Popular Culture
Austin R. Lee
SOC/105 Introduction to Popular American Culture
March 28, 2012
Hilary Hicks
American Popular Culture
The Purpose of this paper is to define the term “Popular Culture” as well as identify major trends in American popular culture. After identify major trends in American Pop-culture the paper will go on to analyze the impact that each trend has on personal decision making.
In order to define the term popular culture a person must first understand the meaning of the word culture. Many people believe that culture refers to the upper elite of society. However these people are simply confusing being cultured with culture itself. Culture is a general term referring to the values, artifacts, customs, and institutions of a particular group at a particular time. Popular Culture is just a term that refers to the currant culture in a given area. The study of both popular culture as well as culture in general is extremely important because it allows our society to identify potentially harmful trends in American popular culture.
Popular culture is everywhere. Everyone is completely surrounded by Pop-culture everyday all the time and if a person is to look closely, some interesting trends may become apparent. Some trends are harmless and yet they are consistent trends, such as the downloading of games, movies, and applications to cell phones. On the other hand popular culture has been known for having a severe impact on the self-image of the young, particularly young girls. Each of these trends impacts the daily decisions of a separate group of people but at the end of the day each trend effects millions and has a lasting impact on the American people.
A person may download a specific game to his or her cell phone because his or her friend has it. This is just one very small scale example. However, it is amazing how fast a small scale example can become a cultural icon, if just for a short time. A perfect example of this is the
Austin R. Lee
SOC/105 Introduction to Popular American Culture
March 28, 2012
Hilary Hicks
American Popular Culture
The Purpose of this paper is to define the term “Popular Culture” as well as identify major trends in American popular culture. After identify major trends in American Pop-culture the paper will go on to analyze the impact that each trend has on personal decision making.
In order to define the term popular culture a person must first understand the meaning of the word culture. Many people believe that culture refers to the upper elite of society. However these people are simply confusing being cultured with culture itself. Culture is a general term referring to the values, artifacts, customs, and institutions of a particular group at a particular time. Popular Culture is just a term that refers to the currant culture in a given area. The study of both popular culture as well as culture in general is extremely important because it allows our society to identify potentially harmful trends in American popular culture.
Popular culture is everywhere. Everyone is completely surrounded by Pop-culture everyday all the time and if a person is to look closely, some interesting trends may become apparent. Some trends are harmless and yet they are consistent trends, such as the downloading of games, movies, and applications to cell phones. On the other hand popular culture has been known for having a severe impact on the self-image of the young, particularly young girls. Each of these trends impacts the daily decisions of a separate group of people but at the end of the day each trend effects millions and has a lasting impact on the American people.
A person may download a specific game to his or her cell phone because his or her friend has it. This is just one very small scale example. However, it is amazing how fast a small scale example can become a cultural icon, if just for a short time. A perfect example of this is the