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The true face of popular culture: How does it affect our lives?
In modern society, the influence of popular culture on people's lives is everywhere. From movies and music to fashion and popular media, these cultural elements shape our values, attitudes and behaviors. Although the definition of popular culture may vary according to region and social class, it is essentially the dominant cultural expression in a society and plays a key role in the thoughts and daily interactions of its members.
Popular culture consists of the practices and beliefs shared by people that are dominant at a particular time.
The formation of popular culture is closely related to the historical background of society. The 19th century was a critical period in the gradual formation of popular culture. The Industrial Revolution at that time began to change the way literature and entertainment were consumed and gave the general public access to more entertainment options. With the increase in literacy, the prosperity of the publishing industry and the improvement of transportation, people's demand for literary and artistic works increased rapidly, which further promoted the dissemination of popular culture.
Many scholars define popular culture as "residual culture," that is, what is left after we have decided what high culture is. This means that some seemingly vulgar cultural products have gained favor when there is strong demand. Common pop culture categories include entertainment (e.g., music, movies, television), news, sports, fashion, and technology.
Popular culture refers to culture that is widely accepted by the general public and has a clearer positioning in a specific social context.
Entering the 21st century, especially with the rise of digital media, the forms of popular culture have become more diverse. The emergence of social media has not only changed the way consumers access cultural content, but also promoted discussions and exchanges on various cultural trends. Nowadays, film and television works can spread quickly on the Internet, and holding online discussions on film and television works has become a new trend.
Word-of-mouth communication and information processing on the Internet make individuals' understanding and response to popular culture more diversified.
However, popular culture has also received many criticisms. Some critics believe that popular culture is merely a commercial tool designed by the upper class elites to safeguard their own interests, and that such cultural products are often highly homogenized and lack authenticity. Marxist scholars like Adorno and Horkheimer pointed out that this cultural homogeneity gradually reduces the individual's ability to think about culture and makes the masses increasingly passive.
When analyzing today's popular culture, scholars not only focus on its commercialization process, but also begin to explore the impact of this culture on social structure and power relations. For example, theorists have noted that many works of popular culture, while promoting a certain ideology, do not necessarily truly represent the voice and interests of the masses.
Popular culture is not only a phenomenon of entertainment and consumption, it is also a field of struggle between different power structures in society.
Another aspect worth noting is how poor communities and marginalized groups convey their unique cultural views and demands through popular culture. These groups are not only consumers of culture, but also creators of culture. Their creations sometimes subvert the concepts of mainstream popular culture and prompt deeper discussions and understanding in society.
In popular culture, many major popular elements emerge precisely because of the backlash and innovation from the bottom of society.
Finally, the influence of popular culture extends to personal branding and corporate marketing strategies. In today's society, the boundaries between individuals and brands are becoming increasingly blurred, and many celebrities and brand companies are using social media to build their influence. In this cultural environment, consumers' choices are often driven by celebrity effects and social trends, which forces everyone to redefine their identity and status through constant consumption.
Faced with the influence of popular culture, we need to think: In this rapidly changing culture, are we brave participants or passive observers?
