Analysis of culture: Paradigms Benefits Limitations

High and Pop Culture High Culture – appeals to the elite Needs knowledge, education, $ to participate comfortably Insider status Pop Culture – widespread - the activities, products, services that appeal to middle and working class – Mencken’s “Boobisee” Everyone = insider

Pop Culture Fashion – longer lasting – music, sports (soccer in Am) Fad = temporary – but wide spread Object – beanie babies, Pokemon Activity – silent raves, body piercings Idea – New Age, crystals, raw foods Personality – celebrity

Culture Change Invention –new stuff- technology Discovery – better/changed understanding Diffusion – spread of ideas/culture to culture – Culture Lag – some parts change more quickly than others – thus catch up/disruption– Technology (material) often faster than non-material (norms) - Ogburn

Global Culture Flow of goods, info, people BUT still we use cultural lens & not equal distribution Cultural leveling v Cultural Imperialism

Symbolic Interactionist Focus – acquiring the culture – learning the symbols, language, values, norms of the group – sense of belonging Creation of shared reality; negotiation of social realities Re-interpretation of reality Creation of cultural changes

Money - -- arbitrary means of exchange – then becomes an end in itself and something we use to assign worth All can be bought and possessed – increases cynicism and prices relationships Simmel – material and non material culture takes on a meaning of its own

Structural Functionalist Idealism – creation of shared values that bind people together Cultural Universals – Traits that are part of EVERY culture Stabilizes and meets needs of the society – brings continuity, harmony Biological – food/procreation Instrumental – law/education ‘ Integrative – religion/art

Examples Pop culture as glue - holds diverse groups together – Superbowl; Olympics Dysfunctions – pop culture might undermine core values Glorification of drugs/violence in media

Critique Focus on stability and societal needs Overemphasis on shared values Underemphasis of embedded structures like inequalities of class, race, gender

Social Conflict Materialism Cultural tensions and changes Values and “scarce goodies” created by & controlled by the powerful for their benefit Values and norms perpetuate social inequalities Symbolic capital False consciousness

Examples Pop culture promotes consumption of commodities – we need STUFF! Marketing of culturally acceptable values and behaviors – control Think any Disney movie

Critique Perpetuation of inequalities is revealed. Highlight inevitability of change and tension Underemphasis of factors that unify

Sociobiology – Wilson Biology creates culture EX Sexual Double Standard Male reproductive strategy Female reproductive strategy

Critique Little scientific support –significance of learned behavior Evolutionary emphasis Concerns about social Darwinism being revived

Post Modernism - Baudrillard Culture as simulation of reality Hyper- reality Symbolic capital substituted for real power Simulated reality – absence of what is significant or meaningful ---Virtual

Critique Focuses on complexity & diversity of culture – the layers; variety of theories Lacks clear clarity of how we then understand culture – while dismissing other ideas More cynical or pessimistic

Impact of culture (subculture) Culture as constraint Culture as freedom