| October 2004 Missouri Regional Newsletter p.3 |
| Pop Culture Thoughts |
| Popular Culture: Shaping and Reflecting Who We Are
An Essay by Billy Wilson Phi Theta Kappa Director of Honors Programs Have you ever tried to escape popular culture - to give up Oprah and not rush out to read the books she recommends; to turn off your favorite DJ or talk radio station on the way to work? Have you ever refused to engage in small talk about the next Survivor castaway or about who killed Jon Benet? Can you resist the tailgate party at the big game on Saturday? Can you boycott the homecoming dance, where you could dress in elegance, or the masquerade party, where you could be anything from an Osmond to an Osbourne? If so, you are fighting popular culture - and you have probably already lost the battle! Few among us ever really escape popular culture - those who don't know that wrestlers and action heroes can be governors; who don't care what Nicole Kidman wears to the Oscars; who are not turned on by an XKE or a 350 Z; who can't tell hip-hop from punk rock; who haven't a Clue who killed Colonel Mustard in the library or how many degrees Kevin Bacon is separated from Queen Latifah; who don't know Calvin Klein from Calvin Coolidge or Shaquille O'Neal from Allie McBeal; who are convinced that Siberian tigers don't live in Las Vegas and don't realize that Neverland is just outside of Santa Barbara! The few who escape the popular culture phenomena may live simpler lives - but they probably have a lot less fun. Their lives might even be "D-U-L-L-dull" as Barney Fife would say (or was it Gomer Pyle?). Dr. Ray Browne, the father of the academic study of popular culture, says that popular culture includes "all aspects of our daily lives that are not narrowly academic and are free from the elitist standards which dominate the fine arts." Dr. Joan Fedor, a member of Phi Theta Kappa's Honors Committee, adds that popular culture often incorporates "the boldest sights and sounds of society." Dr. Fedor's definition emphasizes not only the word "bold," but also the word "society," stressing that popular culture becomes part of our shared beliefs and values. Popular culture is often bold because of those responsible for it. Some purveyors of popular culture, such as Bob Marley or Ellen Degeneres, are often restless, with causes that cry out for recognition. Others, like James Dean, are merely rebels - perhaps even "rebels without a cause." Stars like Madonna, television's Fonzie, Cher and Britney Spears might also fall into this category. Some, like Janis Joplin, Prince, and Michael Jackson simply march (or dance) to the beat of a different drum. Whatever drives them to create the "bold sights and sounds," they make a name for themselves in popular culture, and also in the history books. Historians say that Elvis Presley was at the forefront of the "youth movement" in America and that Bob Dylan helped shape America's conscience during the Civil Rights Movement. These same historians argue that certain pop culture events were "epochal," in that they helped to define the times or change attitudes and values. One such event was the raunchy and defiant Woodstock; another was Elvis' first appearance on The Ed Sullivan Show, which some see as a symbol of the establishment's acquiescence to rebellious youth and its music. But popular culture is not always rebellious, confrontational or bold. It can be a purring pussycat as well as a roaring tiger - unifying as well as divisive. Consider those two characters from the Andy Griffith television show: Barney, the wiry caricature of police incompetence, and Gomer, the good-hearted hick. Why do we know them? Because, at any given time, we can find on our 80 channels a rerun of the exploits of Andy, Opie, Barney, Gomer, Aunt Bee and Floyd the Barber. Boomers and children alike find comfort in the eternal Mayberry, just as we find comfort in the ageless Mickey Mouse and Yuletide celebrations accompanied by Bing Crosby's "White Christmas." Generations find common ground in the popular culture of today as well. When high school and college students flock to see The Lord of the Rings trilogy, their teachers are often occupying seats in the same theater. Parents are standing in the same lines as their sons and daughters for an autograph from Michael Jordan, Venus and Serena Williams or Julia Roberts. Adults are discussing Harry Potter books in book clubs just as their pre-teens are reading them. And today's youth can look forward to sharing this popular culture with their children, because, like Mayberry and Mickey, Michael Jordan and Harry Potter may be "keepers" for generations to come. continued on page 4 |