Popular Culture Flashcards
Define
Popular Culture
Culture generally associated with “the massess”, which has an association with commercial products, widespread access to consumers, a historical growth from local to national to global acceptance, and is consistently changing and evolving.
Define
High Culture
High culture is largely characterised by its exclusivity, being granted value by the difficulty of ‘appreciating’ it properly. This leads to its association with wealth and social status, as well as with high class individuals.
Define
Folk Culture
The products and practices of relatively homogeneous and isolated small-scale social groups living in rural locations - it is often associated with tradition, historical continuity, sense of place, and belonging
What are commercial products?
Commercial products are simply products which can generate profits. Examples commonly associated with popular cultures include merchandise, clothing, toys, physical media like records and CDs, and themed items like makeup palettes. Sometimes, a popular culture itself can act somewhat as a commodity, in cases like films where one has to pay to access them at all.
Why are popular cultures associated with commercial products?
Popular cultures tend to be associated with commercial products because they are commercial in nature themselves, and these products also serve to spread the pop culture.
How do commercial products assist the growth of a popular culture?
Commercial products can assist the growth of a popular culture by promoting it, funding its growth, and allowing individuals to shape their identity around it. By buying merchandise from a favourite band, for instance, an individual simultaneously helps that band’s members support themselves, advertises it to those around them, and self-identifies as a fan of the group.
How does a popular culture move from a local to a national to a global level?
A popular culture moves from a local to global level gradually, and is often changed by the process. In many cases, this involves its characteristics becoming more generalised and detached from any localised elements. In the case of a franchise like Star Wars, on the other hand, the growth is usually facilitated by it having very universal elements from early on, and spread happens rapidly through word of mouth as popularity snowballs
What are the factors that impact access to popular culture?
Age, Class, Location, Race, Gender, Sexuality
To what extent can institutions influence popular cultures?
Institutions are able to influence popular culture through their institutional power to a fairly significant extent. As they can control, to some degree, what popular cultures their citizens engage with, they are able to shape popular cultures both directly and indirectly.
Why do popular cultures need to continue changing and evolving?
Popular cultures need to continually change and evolve in order to remain relevant and keep their widespread appeal. Therefore, they need to constantly and intentionally update themselves to fit with the popular consciousness, as well as with other contemporary elements of popular culture.
Describe the factors contributing to the wide acceptance of Star among diverse cultural groups.
Factors include universal appeal of the narrative, lack of overt controversial or political elements, family-friendly nature, and adherence to Joseph Campbell’s monomyth.
How did Star Wars expand its audience from local to global levels?
Through translations, localizations, and a recognizable, predictable format that appealed to diverse cultural groups.
How do parents contribute to the acceptance of Star Wars among younger generations?
By introducing the franchise to their children, taking them to see new releases, and passing on nostalgic connotations associated with the series. The films are designed to be enjoyed by children
and teenagers, with limited graphic violence and disturbing themes.
Describe some reasons why a group might
reject Star Wars.
Reasons include finding the story tedious, disagreeing ideologically with perceived messages, having religious issues with the conept of ‘the force’, or simply not enjoying the series.
Why do some long-time fans of Star Wars lose interest in the series over time?
They may begin to ‘see the cracks’ in the storytelling, disagree with specific production choices, or consider newer installments as ‘non-canon’ and refuse to engage with them.
Do political reasons play a significant role in the rejection of Star Wars by certain groups?
Political reasons often lead to large
groups rejecting a popular culture, as political issues can divide people into distinct ‘camps’. However, the franchise generally avoids controversial themes and sticks to acceptable political and moral statements, making significant issues rarer.
Define the shift in perceptions of Star Wars
over time.
Star Wars has transitioned from being seen as a niche, ‘nerdy’ interest to becoming more
mainstream, with references to the series being common in day-to-day conversations. Newer Star Wars films have faced criticism for their level of polish, with some fans feeling disconnected due to a perceived shift away from the original series’ charm. Accusations of ‘nostalgia baiting’ to compensate for weaker storytelling have been common. At the same tie, the original series has been romanticised by nostalgie.
Describe the impact of Disney’s acquisition of the Star Wars franchise.
Disney’s ownership has led to a focus on catering to oberserved fan preferences in recent releases,
with the introduction of commercial characters like ‘baby Yoda’ influencing how the public views Star Wars.
How has nostalgia contributed to the increased value of Star Wars over time?
Nostalgia has played a significant role in the growing value of Star Wars as each generation that grew up with the franchise grows up and shares it with their own family, leading to a larger market for related commercial products.
Define the impact of nostalgia on media and
popular culture.
Nostalgia in media and popular culture is a cyclical phenomenon where each generation looks back on the media of their childhood with fondness, leading to a rise in nostalgic content.
Describe the impact of Star Wars-themed
products
The use of Star Wars symbology in
advertising, tie-in products, and other media has become more common as the franchise has grown in significance in popular culture, appealing to nostalgic feelings.
Star Wars-themed products contribute significantly to the profit of the franchise owners by catering to a large audience and allowing the sale of rights for their use.
Define the concept of constructing gender in
media
Constructing gender in media involves presenting ideas of masculinity and femininity in line with societal norms, such as portraying a princess as beautiful and passive, saved by a courageous prince, or a girl who fights as unlike ‘most girls’.
Define the concept of deconstructing gender in
media
Deconstructing gender in media involves challenging present norms of masculinity and femininity, often by subverting expectations or presenting non-stereotypical characters.
Explain the relationship between construction and deconstruction of gender in media.
Media can simultaneously construct and deconstruct gender norms to varying degrees, sometimes even within the same characters or representations. The Marvel Cinematic Universe, for instance, features capable and independent female characters, but they are often still sexualized and treated differently due to their gender. Deconstrucion often happens in response to observed construction in contemporary media, and what one person considers deconstruction may also seem like construction to another.
