The Pop Culture Self Robert Wonser SOC 86 Fall 2013

Lesson Overview The link between music, identity, self, and the life course The concept of self The concept of identity Music as a symbolic resource for biographical work

Music as a tool for reciprocal socialization Socialization is not one-way, but instead reciprocal Family members socialize one another into multiple roles. This is a form of role-making. A role is a part an individual plays within a social setting. Music is a powerful tool for role-making and an important component of youth culture.

Music as a tool for reciprocal socialization - continued Children experience popular music also as a way of learning about their parents ’ culture. Similarly, adolescents experience music to extend childhood. Adults often experience rock ‘ n ’ roll to relive childhood. Music aids in parenting, especially in bonding with children. Music also serves a leisure space and as a tool for religious, moral, and historical socialization.

Music is a Socializing Force Music is not a direct cause of social problems, but a socialization agent. In what ways has music served, and is music playing a factor in your socialization? Has music ever served as a tool for bonding in your family? In what social contexts do you see popular music as a potential source of social problems?

Conspicuous consumption: the case of Hot Topic Music-related merchandise has grown massively in volume and choice. The chain store Hot Topic has a vast catalogue: a system of commodities available for the presentation of the musical self. In purchasing these commodities many customers are arguably more interested in impression management than authenticity.

Displaying or Presenting the Self Presentation of self in everyday life. Impression management - a goal-directed conscious or unconscious process in which people attempt to influence the perceptions of other people about a person, object or event; they do so by regulating and controlling information in social interaction (Piwinger & Ebert 2001, pp. 1–2). It is usually used synonymously with self-presentation, in which a person tries to influence the perception of their image. How does something like popular culture help us to accomplish our self presentations?

Music as a commercial technology Music is used in a variety of contexts, for a great variety of functions. When we understand music as a means to an end we can conceptualize it as a form of technology. In this sense, music is often used for the commercialization of human feelings. Emotion work Hochschild’s term for the work required to manage one’s emotions as part of their job How is music related to emotions?

Music as a commercial technology: the case of holiday music Music serves well the purpose of creating a holiday ambiance. This contributes at least in part to the maintenance of public order and the growth of the world ’ s economy. Yet Christmas music is not the only type of commercial “ functional ” music. Consider wedding music, workout music, store muzaak, etc.

Community Music is a form of communication: a creation of community. The formation of polity—another word for political community—is grounded in discourse. Discourse is a term referring to the whole of communicative exchanges taking place amongst people. Discourse is not only made of talk and words, but also musical sounds. Music is effective in producing both a sense of self and identity as well as a sense of communal inclusion—though participation—to community. What does wearing your favorite bands t-shirt allow for?

Community: Dora and children Dora ’ s audience is composed primarily of infants, toddlers, and other pre-school- aged children and young elementary school-aged children; girls and boys. The key ingredient of Dora ’ s recipe for success is repetition: the core of ritual. By partaking in Dora’s rituals children participate to the creation of a mediated form of fellowship. Singing with Dora is a “ sacred ceremony that draws [children] together in fellowship and commonality ” (Carey 1992:18).

Reflection Community is made by people in interaction. As John Dewey (1916:5) explained “ society exists not only by transmission, by communication, but it may fairly be said to exist in transmission, in communication. ” What role do ideologies of technological reproduction and performance play in different musical genres? In what other ways is American Idol truly American? What other musical rituals are at the center of community-formation?

Music and the Self Genetic factors play only a minimal role in the psychosocial development of a person Our socialization takes place instead through various interactions throughout the life course Music plays an important factor throughout the life course for self and identity development, as well as an anchor for telling the story of one ’ s self

The self The self is an important factor in cultural sociology because it highlights human agency Agency can be understood as human will and the meaningfulness of being The self comes into being through reflection The self is a process of being a subject and an object of human action The subject, or knower, is referred to as the “ I ” The object, or known, is referred to as the “ me ”

Identity The self is a process, and identities are shapes the process takes throughout the life course. Identities are therefore typifications of the self A social identity is assigned to an individual by other people A personal identity is constructed by an individual in relation to how he/she views him/herself in relation to others A situational identity is a momentary identity which changes from social setting to setting

The life course A life course is a temporal trajectory of individual experiences. It is rather difficult to identify fixed life stages. Interactionists examine how individuals assign meanings to their progression through life: Holstein and Gubrium (2003: 836) write that: “ (1) age and life stages, like any temporal categories, can carry multiple meanings; (2) those meanings emerge from social interaction; and (3) the meanings of age and the course of life are refined and reinterpreted in light of the prevailing social definitions of situations that bear on experience through time. ” The life course is therefore about the becoming of self.

The becoming of self Music provides a set or symbolic resources for the definition and reinterpretation of identities. In other words through music we continuously self ourselves into being. For existential sociologists the self can be seen “ as a unique experience of being within the context of contemporary social conditions, an experience…marked by an incessant sense of becoming and an active participation in social change ” (Kotarba 1984, p. 223). Middle-aged North Americans work with a self built to some degree on the meanings provided by rock ’ n ’ roll

Experiences of self Experience of self, in relation to music, common in the lives of baby boomers show that; Musical resources for self-construction are increasingly available through electronic media Music serves to shape and convey feelings of love and intimacy Music facilitates parenting Music serves as tool for the moral development and political involvement of self

Discussion / Exercise Music serves an important function in biographic work and the development of self and identity How important is music in the lives of adult figures you know? How do musical tastes change throughout the life course? Write down your favorite 5 artists/songs and why you like them.