Types of culture

Question 1

High Culture

Answer 1

• Cultural products and activities which have a high status
• Products represent the highest achievements of humanity
• Seen as superior to other forms of culture by some
• Often appreciated by those with a high level of education and social upbringing
• Enjoyed by the elite of society
• Said to be the ‘self-consciousness’ of society
• Examples: Shakespeare plays, opera, ballet

Question 2

Consumer Culture

Answer 2

• It is argued we have a consumer culture due to the increasing availability of and emphasis on the consumption of goods
• In a consumer culture, consumer goods are widely available and excessive consumption is acceptable
• Shopping is a leisure activity in its own right
• ‘Conspicuous consumption’ - where individuals consume branded goods in an attempt to construct an identity and gain status in the eyes of others and is now the norm
• This is encouraged and reinforced by the advertising industry and celebrity culture
• Examples: Gucci, Louis Vuitton, Apple

Question 3

Subcultures

Answer 3

• A subculture is a minority group who share values, norms, beliefs and dress codes etc which mark them out as different from the dominant culture which they exist alongside
• Sometimes they are opposed to the dominant culture and consequently they may experience hostility and discrimination
  In the UK there are subcultures based on
• Age
• Political beliefs
• Ethnicity
• Religion
  A culture with many subcultures is culturally diverse
• Examples: Hippies, goths, BTS fans

Question 4

Popular culture

Answer 4

• Refers to cultural activities enjoyed by the majority of the population
• Some would argue these are more shallow activities and are therefore inferior to high culture
• ‘Mass culture’ is sometimes used to represent this perceived shallowness
• Some feel it is manufactured, fake and a form of brainwashing or ‘dumbing down’
• Some writers such as Bordieu (1984) argues the distinction between high and popular culture and how worthy they are lies in the power of the group who access them - high culture is the culture of the higher classes economically and isn’t necessarily better
• The media is credited with creating and spreading popular culture
• The distinction between popular and high culture is slowly breaking down
• The media gives everyone access to activities formerly seen as high culture and raises the status of formerly working-class activities
• Examples: Watching TV, playing football, going to the cinema

Question 5

Global culture

Answer 5

• Refers to the growing trend of culture becoming universal
• Where brands, food, films and other cultural products are identical across many different countries and cultures
• National cultures lose their distinctiveness
• This is linked to the trend of globalisation
• Globalisation - The world becomes more interconnected and activities in different countries influence each other
• McLuhan (1964) We now live in a global village that has been driven by multinational industry, travel, a globally accessible media and the internet.
• A number of sociologists have noticed the emergence of global culture
• Cultures can no longer be seen as separate
• What happens in one society is increasingly connected to others
• In remote parts of the world, global culture can still be found
• Examples: McDonalds, Microsoft, Nike