Popular Culture Quiz!

1. Define the term popular culture

2. What is the difference between ‘popular culture’ and ‘high culture’

3. What are the 4 distinguishing characteristics of popular culture?

Depth Study 1: Popular Culture

S: Students develop an understanding of the nature of popular culture.

• Identifying the distinguishing characteristics of popular culture as:

1. Being associated with commercial products2. Developing from a local to a national to a global

level3. Allowing consumers to have widespread access

to it4. Constantly changing and evolving

What is Popular Culture?

• Complex concept, difficult to define because…

• Popular Culture is an aspect of society that appeals to the majority of the population.

• These past-times, activities or forms of entertainment communicate certain practices and beliefs that are shared and have large-scale acceptance.

List various forms of contemporary ‘popular culture’.

Examples of Popular CultureDef: mainstream/mass consumption, prime-time, associated consumer

goods (e.g. fashion, dvds, websites, show-bags, spin-off shows etc). Constantly changing. Occurs at a

Examples:- (social networking/internet) E.g. Facebook, Myspace, Twitter- (pop music) E.g. Michael Jackson/Madonna/Lady Ga Ga - (rock and roll) E.g. Elvis, ACDC, Pink- (Teen Movies) E.g. Rebel Without A Cause, American Pie- (Reality Television) E.g. Sylvania Waters, Big Brother, Master

Chef, Jersey Shore, The Block- (Soapies/drama) E.g Home and Away, Neighbours, Desperate

Housewives- (Barbie)- (Japanese Anime) E.g. Astro Boy, Sailor Moon, Pokemon, Kill Bill?

High Culture

Characteristics of High Culture:

- Only accessible to some/few/minority

- Limited access due to socio-economic status/cost, location and social status

Examples:

- Opera, Ballet, polo, rugby v’s NRL.

Today the boundaries between high and

popular culture are blurred…* Why?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wk7kBPUvwQs&NR=1&feature=fvwp

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5AKZDk5EALI

Swan Lake, Australian Ballet 2012http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3c5Yz7XyUfI

Black Swan (2010)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5jaI1XOB-bs

Four Features of Popular Culture

In order for something to be considered a ‘popular culture’ it must fulfil the following 4 features:

1. Being associated with commercial products

• Profit is a key motive of popular culture.

• Commercial products include: accessories, upgrades, magazines or other paraphernalia

• Commercial products ensure the perpetuation of popular culture (constantly changing and evolving).

‘Pop’ Music

• Music Video’s

• Lady Ga Ga Telephone (2010)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EVBsypHzF3U

http://blog.ajchristian.org/2010/03/15/counting-the-brands-product-placement-in-lady-gagas-telephone/

2. Developing from a local to a national to a global level

• For something to be popular it has usually to be developed at a local level.

• After success on a local scale the phenomenon usually moves to a national level and then a global level.

Can you think of a example?

3. Allowing consumers to have widespread access to it

• Without people…a popular culture cannot exist!

• Various factors affect access to pop culture:

- Environment- Affluence (socioeconomic status)- Technology- Institutional power ???? What does this

mean

4. Constantly changing and evolving

• In order to satisfy consumers, popular cultures need to adapt to society’s changing trends and preferences.

• Change can also be stimulated by it’s producers= in order to create a need= generate profit! E.g. Mac phenomenon! Barbie!

Activity!Instructions: In small table groups of 3-4 you have been allocated a number

(1-8). In small groups you are required to create a A3 poster outlining how your selected phenomenon is a form of ‘popular culture’.

I.e. How does the phenomenon meet the 4 characteristics of popular culture?

Allocations:1. (social networking/internet) E.g. Facebook, Myspace, Twitter2. (pop music) E.g. Michael Jackson/Madonna/Lady Ga Ga 3. (rock and roll) E.g. Elvis, ACDC, Pink4. (Teen Movies) E.g. Rebel Without A Cause, American Pie5. (Reality Television) E.g. Sylvania Waters, Big Brother, Master Chef, Jersey

Shore, The Block6. (Soapies/drama) E.g Home and Away, Neighbours, Desperate Housewives7. (Barbie)8. (Japanese Anime) E.g. Astro Boy, Sailor Moon, Pokemon, Kill Bill?9. Mc Donald’s

Alternative options (Harry Potter, Surfing, Bollywood, Disney, The Simpsons, Vampire film etc)

Exploring Australian Popular Culture:

• Log onto the internet and go to:

culture.gov.au (Australia’s Cultural Portal)

Select one of the articles:- Australian rock music- Australian popular television- Australian jazz mainstream

Focus Q: Explain how the chosen form of entertainment represents ‘popular culture’ using the 4 features of popular culture.