Pop culture is the common ground that connects people of a culture in terms of behaviors, personal tastes, and values. This includes everything from music, movies, and fashion, to foods, fads, literature, and travel destinations that are ingrained in a particular culture. Pop culture is both a reflection of our society, and a method of shaping it. It crosses all boundaries of education and wealth, connecting people from all walks of life. Regardless of your general tastes or your position in life, at some point in time, everyone has watched and loved “The Breakfast Club”, read “The Outsiders”, hummed along to Journey’s “Don’t Stop Believing”, and voiced a loud “NOT!” at the end of a fictitious sentence. In modern times, it’s these things that connect us more than any language or religion ever could- it’s the language of pop culture.
I personally am a pop culture fanatic. The first time I watched the movie “High Fidelity”, I thought that John Cusack’s music-obsessed character had been modeled after my life, as my entire brain functions in song lyrics. I’ve traveled across the country to see concerts, visit the Rock n Roll Hall of Fame, go to the now deceased CBGB’s, and visit various locations of pop culture folk lore. Last month I traveled three hours to attend a horror movie convention featuring 80’s teen heartthrobs Corey Haim and Corey Feldman, and just last night I spent my Friday evening at the local theatre watching the film “Choke”, drove home blasting the buzz-band The Gaslight Anthem, and returned home to read new best-selling novel “Don’t You Forget About Me”. Pop culture consumes every aspect of my life, it IS life, and I don’t know who I would be without it.
Pop culture affects everyone, and it is essential to understand it in order to do business, as it represents what is important to the people, and essentially what sells. I personally work for CCS, a company which produces custom skateboards and clothing for the teen market, and it is necessary to understand the trends in order to succeed. The sport of skateboarding itself is a fad, so without pop culture, my job as I know it simply would not exist. In order to further grow the company, one must understand the world of skateboarding, the founders and current athletes who have made the sport what it is, the features teens are looking for in a skateboard, and the fashions that go along with it. In the four years that I have worked there, the company has doubled in popularity and profit, due to the trends in pop culture, and those who have understood those trends and made use of them in a business context.
While there are countless artifacts in the world of pop culture, in my opinion, music is the most powerful. A specific example of a pop culture artifact would be the song “American Idiot” by Green Day. This song is a reflection of American culture, signifying a growing distrust in the government, dissent of the people, and an overall reflection of politics in the United States. This song marked a battle-cry against the Bush administration, and opened the eyes of the younger generation, encouraging them to take a stand against a “nation controlled by the media.”
Though this song blatantly spoke out against the government and any citizen with a Republican “redneck agenda” who condoned President Bush’s actions, the song became huge, hitting the airwaves on pop radio stations across the nation. Despite coming from a punk rock background, “American Idiot” amazingly allowed Green Day to break down the barriers and get their message out on soft-rock stations across the nation, grabbing the attention of millions of conservatives with their radical ideas positioned between subdued love songs. “American Idiot” spoke out and said what other songs were too afraid to, and America took notice, sending the song to the top of the charts. The song was not only a reflection of America’s ideals, but also helped to shape them as well.
Green Day: "American Idiot" (live)
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4 comments:
Brandi.....your description of pop culture was very solid and interesting. I also share interest in music although I am more of a rock/indie music lover! I can't drive anywhere in my car when I'm alone without the stereo blasting! I'm sure people look at me like i'm crazy!
Brandi,
I found your blog very informative and interesting. It amazes me that my kids would understand it completely and yet the older generation - of which I am a part of - have our own music interests, which I am positive our parents shook their heads at us whenever we were singing the lyrics too! Enjoyed your perspetive very much.
Brandi, when I read your blog, I must say that I was very impressed with your popular culture interest and description. I, too, am part of an older generation and music is very much a part of who I am, although the music of my younger days, such as Journey and REO Speedwagon, may be a bit different, they are all about inspiring and teaching or sending out an important message to many listeners around the globe. Thank you for your insight, I enjoyed reading your blog very much.
I think your article was very well written. It flowed very nicely. Green Day's song was a great example of pop culture. American Idiot challenges the way I think of America.
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