Chapter 1: The Social Organization of Popular Culture Robert Wonser Fall 2011

Social Organization of Pop Culture Lesson Overview The Sociological Imagination Some notes about pop culture What is popular culture? –Popular? –Culture? Why culture is important Pop culture as a collective activity Interpretive communities Producing and consuming popular culture Three Approaches to the Sociology of Media and Popular Culture

The sociological imagination Sociology examines how diverse forms of sociality take place. It is the study of what people do together Studying music is no different from studying collective organization or labor relations—indeed we could study these things in the context of music production! The sociological study of popular music has not always been common. After the “cultural turn” sociologists began to follow the advice of the Frankfurt School and the urban ethnographers of the Chicago School, who were pushing for a wider definition of culture as a broad way of life. The “sociological imagination” refers to the ability to connect, individual and social forces, and biographical and historical issues.

It follows In linking the study of pop music with the study of society we ought to focus on three questions: –What is the structure of a particular musical social world and how does it differ from and compare to other actual and possible forms of social organization? –What are the key features of this musical social world, and what is its unique position and relation with greater historical processes? –What are the defining characteristics of men and women engaged in these musical social worlds and what goes on in their day to day lives?

Sociological theory and music cultures Culture is intended as a way of daily life, not “high” culture. Contemporary ways of life are called by some constructionists “postmodern.” A postmodern culture is one in which one’s way of life is less grounded in traditions and certainties and more in choices and doubts. Postmodern culture is marked endless availability of choice, endless stimulation, the explosion of consumption and consumerism, and the increased interconnectedness of the globe. Music cultures reflect these characteristics and their study allows us to understand greater cultural and social trends.

What is Popular Culture? Popular culture refers to the aesthetic products created and sold by profit- seeking firms operating in the global entertainment market. Popular culture = popular + culture So, what does popular mean? So, what does culture mean?

Popular 1) culture that is well-liked (demonstrated through sales) 2) icons or media products that are globally ubiquitous and easily recognized the world over 3) commercial media that is thought to be trivial, tacky or lowest common denominator; mass culture 4) belonging to the people; folk culture

Culture To the Humanist: –works and practices of intellectual and artistic activity To the Social scientist: –a particular way of life, whether of a people, period, a group, or humanity in general To the Sociologist: –a mode of living in the world as a social being, as represented by the practices, rituals, behaviors, activities, and artifacts that make up the experience of everyday life.

Culture Culture then is richly symbolic, invested with meaning and significance. The meanings attributed to culture are never simply given but are the product of human invention, socially constructed and agreed upon among a demonstrably large number of society’s members. Finally, for culture to be sensibly understood it must be embodied in some kind of recognizable form.

The Importance of Culture Culture’s importance cannot be overstated It is the lens through which we view the world around us Is represents humanity’s unique ability evolve not just biologically but on it’s own terms through the use of symbols, arts, technologies and other artifacts humans make Culture is a memorate (memory template) of the artifacts of a particular group of people have made in their history and continue to make in order to evolve. We create an emotion (rather than rational) connection to the memorate itself which is used as a template for evaluating life and people. Culture is the primary template through which our worldview is formed, where does this template come from? Culture shapes thoughts and behaviors (Sapir-Whorf Hypothesis)

Levels of Culture Level Examples perceived to Occur at Each Level HighShakespeare, James Joyce, Emily Dickinson, Bach, Mozart, opera, symphonies, art galleries, Chanel perfumes, Frontline, NPR, PBS Midnewspapers, Harry Potter, Oprah, CNN, public museums, jazz, Bob Dylan, Time magazine Lowtabloids, Jerry Springer, American Idol, Howard Stern, infomercials Budweiser, 50 Cent

Pop culture is intrinsically linked with youth culture (often used as a synonym) –Youths had more free time, cars to be mobile and schools separated youths from their parents and allowed them to associate with each other and create their own culture. –A post-war affluence, subsequent baby boom, considerable buying power  the ability to shape trends in fashion, music, and lifestyle through such power. –Became a widespread social reality in the 1950s –Popular trends makers’ were usually young –As youths age they don’t discard their pop culture; it becomes cultural nostalgia –Main difference: pop culture trends carry over and become pop culture more broadly and no longer only considered a part of youth culture

Popular Culture as Collective Activity Howard Becker’s Artworlds (1982) Artworlds are networks of participants whose combined efforts create movies, novels, musical compositions, comic books, advertising and so forth. ‘scenes’ –‘When an artist creates they create with the conventions and modalities of a scene in mind –This is learned, sounds like a ‘generalized other’ in Mead’s terms –ex: jazz as improvisational Division of labor –Ex: closing credits on a movie

Some notes about pop culture Pop culture is never the product of a solitary artist but always emerges from a collective activity generated by interlocking networks of cultural creators. Popular culture is produced, consumed, and experienced within a context of overlapping sets of social relationships.

So, which opinion is correct? Bieber is Awesome! Nah, Bieber sucks! Meaning, interpretation and value are not ultimately decided by the creators of media and popular culture (though they do have some input), but by its consumers. Cultural objects are multivocal because they say different things to different people.

Interpretation Audiences draw on their own social circumstances when attributing meaning and value to popular culture. These meanings are patterned according to persistent systems of social organization structured by differences in socioeconomic status, nationality, race, ethnicity, gender, sexuality, religion, or age. These are called interpretive communities Though, often a dominant ideology reigns

Interpretive Communities Shape our tastes, likes and dislikes For example: many African Americans (not all of course) are more likely to report listening to jazz, blues, soul, and r&b music than whites who are more likely to attend classical music concerts, opera performances and arts-and-crafts fairs. Do you like the same stuff as your parents? –38% of senior citizens (65 and older) go online or use computers, but 95% of teenagers do What are the reasons for such differences? –Ex: digital divide

Media, with other people Remember, most media is consumed in the presence of others as collective activities Could you imagine a concert, movie, etc with no one else present? Ex: book clubs, televised events, MMORPGs, viewing parties

Collage, Bricolage, and Pastiche Collage – a term taken from the domain of modern painting, describing a picture or design made by gluing pieces of paper or other materials onto a canvas or other surface. –By clever arranging of materials the artist can create strange or witty effects not possible with traditional painting techniques Many pop culture spectacles from early vaudeville to The Simpsons are created by a collage technique –In Vaudeville, it’s a collage of acts – from skits to acrobatics –The Simpsons uses diverse elements from different levels of culture in the same episode to create similar effects of a collage Bricolage – a type of collage that emphasizes disproportion, parody, and irony –The Goth lifestyle is an example, featuring implicit references to themes of horror, difference and vampirism in an essentially ironic juxtaposition against the mainstream culture

Pastiche refers to an admixture of elements in a work or spectacle intended to imitate or satirize another work or style –Pastiche describes pop culture well, which is essentially a pastiche of spectacles, fashion, fads, and other accouterments that together give pop culture its distinct character. Finally, nostalgia allows pop culture to sustain itself because of pop culture’s emotional nature. People react nostalgically to the pop culture symbols and works of their eras. –Ex: Elvis, Disney movies, Beatles, disco dancing, Barbie dolls, punk clothing etc. By clinging to their memories people have made it possible for pop culture to perpetuate itself

Producing and Consuming Popular Culture Who does what? Distinctions between cultural consumption and production are blurring (ex: youtube mashups) The tools of pop culture making are being democratized The creator’s control of how enterprising consumers actually make use of cultural objects in the real world is diminishing 1966: Adam West’s portrayal of Batman was intended to be serious, not campy.

Three Approaches to the Sociology of Media and Popular Culture Functionalist approach illustrates how culture “functions” as the social glue that generates solidarity and cohesion within human groups and societies Contemporary collective rituals—hs football games, local parades and pep rallies, award ceremonies—forge emotional bonds of recognition, identity, trust, commonality within communities and other social groups Pop culture provides the source material for consumers to communicate with strangers –Band T-shirts

Three Approaches to the Sociology of Media and Popular Culture Critical approach maintains that the ascendance of certain kinds of popular culture can be explained primarily in terms of their ability to reflect and reinforce the enormous economic and cultural power of the mass media industry (and broadly capitalism itself). A top-down form of domination that we actively seek out and enjoy in our subjugation Have you ever wondered why movies or music seem derivative and predictable?

Three Approaches to the Sociology of Media and Popular Culture Interaction approach emphasizes the power that informal processes like word-of-mouth and peer influence enjoy in the cultural marketplace Consumer tastes are deeply affected by those around us Why were initial Friday ticket sales high but low later Friday and Saturday?

Conclusion and Reflection Understanding pop culture is a way of understanding society. –For example, in what ways do your musical choices highlight your social position in terms of things like class, age, race, gender, identity, etc.?