Topic 2 : The Media, Globalisation And Popular Culture Flashcards
What do we live in now and what is it due to
McLuhan - We live in a global village (not separated by distance or time)
The world is being exposed to the same information through the media and pop culture
THIS IS DUE TO GLOBALISATION
Marxist view on globalisation of culture
Globalisation of media and pop culture ensures that everyone is distracted and becomes a homogenised group
Lords of the global village profit off of it
Pluralist view on globalisation of culture
Globalisation of pop culture from places like America is because it is a popular form of media - so much choice due to globalisation that people consume whatever media they want - encourages new thinking and democracy
Postmodernists view on globalisation of culture
Globalisation of cultures and media means people can choose what media they consume and construct their identity from a range of cultural sources
Popular vs high culture
Everyone worldwide accessing the same media has LED TO a globalisation of popular culture
Popular culture - less intelligent, trivial (pop music)
High culture - more intelligent, status, respected (ballet, art)
Strinati
PM
Globalisation has led to a weakening between pop and high culture
People can pick n mix from all cultures
High culture products (mona lisa) are popularised
Crothers
Factors that have promoted globalisation:
1. Relationships across the world - sharing of ideas and concepts (EG yoga is now westernised)
- Goods and capital flowing 24/7 - people working for the same MNCs LEADS TO a knock on effect (EG 2008 financial crisis was even worse because we are all connected so all affected)
- Global has become local - speed of communication (EG we instantly know about international news - becomes our ‘local’)
Marcuse
Globalised popular culture imposed by mainly American MNCs - masses are exploited by pop-culture:
They pay to consume pop culture they don’t really have choice over
Pop culture content promotes passive consumption and dumbed down information - we become uncritical of dominant ideology - FCC
Marxist - Kellner
Global media and pop culture promotes lifestyles which people base their identity around (usually originated in USA)
LEADS TO cultural homogenisation through consuming same products and services
Marxist - Sklair
Western media spreads pop culture to the world which means their IDEAS are spread to the world
LEADS TO acceptance of dominant ideology of western capitalist society - culture-ideology of consumerism
What does the globalisation of media LEAD TO according to Marxists
Fenton - LEADS TO cultural imperialism (American values imposed on non western cultures)
Dominant ideology is accepted, RC continue to make money
Criticisms of Marxist view on globalisation and pop culture
Strinati - no such thing as mass culture, we are all individuals with different tastes - no single culture held by majority
= We are active thinkers
Livingstone - mass culture does engage audiences in challenging ideas
= presents many different views to generate discussion (EG LGBT)
Tomlinson (pluralist) - cultural hybridisation not imperialism (we can choose what to accept and reject)
New media - we can choose
Baudrillard
Media saturated society - understanding of reality is shaped by media
Distorted view of reality - hyperreality which LEADS to simulacra (what is in the media doesn’t relate to the real world)
Strinati - what do we define ourselves with
We define ourselves in relation to hyperreality - we will buy things because the media tells us to and we wont consider anything (like quality or usefulness) but the status it gives us online
Is globalisation important for postmodernists
Globalisation is vital as it increases choice available - people can choose thier lifestyles
Catalysed by social media - fluid identity
Globalisation of media and popular protest - Thomas
Burmese repression ignored by global mass media in 1988
2007 when it happened again people used technology to inform the world so pressure was put on the Burmese government
Effects of global media on local cultures
Global products are adapted to suit more local tastes
EG Hollywood adapted in India to Bollywood
Cohen - people do not abandon their own culture they hybridise them with other cultures
AO3 of postmodernist view
CAGE is still important - overestimates change
Choice is not available to everyone - digital divide
Fuchs
Participatory culture
Involvement of users in the creation of culture and content
CREATES democracy
EG blogs used to speak out against media, YouTube content
Marcuse - how do media companies encourage conformity
Commodity fetishism - obsession and overreliance on products (turke)
False needs - believing we NEED products, ones that require replacement
Conspicuous consumption - some brands have more meanings than others - status
Marcuse and Adorno
Aim of the MM is to indoctrinate people and make the world a homogenous culture - where capitalist values are normal and we live in a FCC
AKA cultural imperialism
Effects of cultural imperialism - Destruction of culture
American brands seen as more desirable - replace rich cultures with a dumbed down homogenous culture
Kellner - it is about sameness not individualism
Effects of cultural imperialism - Barber
Extremism on the rise - they see American culture as a threat to people’s relationships with God
Attacks on the west seen as justified
Americanised culture leads to more global risk??
Effects of cultural imperialism - Fuchs
Unhealthy influence over governments by media
Governments and MNCs work together to keep each other happy - undermines democracy
