Art [Philosophy Short]

Popular Culture

Popular culture is a very diverse subject. The existence of it depends on us. When we consume a movie or soundtrack, we take in the values and messages the product conveys us.  Who controls popular culture?

Big business and global reach does. Huge internet & TV campaigns are profit driven ingredients that form our society. Hollywood movies are pushed in your face while independent ones (Usually better) take some digging around to find. Popular culture also makes the brand have more value than the material. for example a t-shirt could be worth £10, add a well reputable logo and your looking at £20.

 Popular culture has many downfalls. Women especially are pressurized to look and act in a certain way. Magazines gloss there models to make them look super outstanding, however much of it is misleading and inevitably Photoshop. Men also feel this kind of pressure but not as much as women. Popular culture also attempts to push away sub-types. People that have individuality suddenly don't fit in with the main population. They get represented as abnormal and lower classed.   

Its obvious that the dominant intake of what you hear and see will be big budget propaganda. You cant get away from eye catching billboards or silly phone alerts. Its a form of precise brainwashing. When you don't study media, you rarely notice it.

Previously mentioned before you need to view society as a wheel. It turns and turns as the years go by. However things do not develop they just change to suit the culture's needs. Small businesses are loosing out on profits because of the hard line barrier big business has placed on them.

When a small business gets to big for its boots, over comes a conglomerate. "Disney" for example to buy out all the assets and gain for there own. The world has invisible leadership from primate companies that recycle now for the next.

The hardship of life is that Popular culture is the mainframe of society. We have to abide by it to fit in and be accepted. Popular culture is the religion we have all subconsciously signed up to, How much of what you wear is based on commercial idealism? or How much of your point of view or actions are based on a celebrity's life style. 

Art can also be popular culture, "Fan-Art" can help companies out greatly. When you post your fan art your also posting the brand and further boosting there ad campaign. The internet allows us to upload and suddenly we become marketers for the elite.

Campaigns such as #SoloSelfie - By Beats (Taking a selfie with headphones on) actively make us participate in helping them promote there brand but disguising it with the status you gain by society  when you own a pair. "wow I want some" "Sick! Get me a pair". 

There is no "Opt out" of popular culture.