In my opinion, popular culture isn’t truly culture as there is no diversity, no defining elements that make a society unique. It’s a means for Westernization more than anything, and a way in which those of status (in the typical use of the word status, not the sociological sense) can reinforce their dominant ideologies of what should be the goal of every person… wealth, power, and prestige (as Max Weber deducted back in the late 19th and early 20th centuries). Everyone feels pressure that has been created by this ‘pop culture’ to be important in the world, while fitting into what is deemed popular. What I find intriguing is that here in North America and northern Europe (where pop culture is so prevalent), there is a major emphasis placed on personal attainment and status within the society, while areas of Asia, Africa and South America (where the North American phenomina of ‘pop culture’ isn’t so present) focus on group goals and the society as a whole, or connectedness if you will. I think that says a lot about the influence of something that shouldn’t be considered culture. I feel it sort of strips us of our true culture… the different elements we bring from our heritage and history, and how we go about our daily lives. Now, since this so called pop culture is literally everywhere, from print media, to TV, on the internet, books, news papers, journals, music, film, and even food (McDonalds… Starbucks) it’s kind of hard to escape it… blanketing our world with meaningless things that have been created to enforce a sort of uniform ‘culture’. I’d like to turn on a TV and see something that enriches my knowledge of the world… especially since we live in a society that claims diversity.

I rambled again…