Why is Popular Culture Widely Distributed Diffusion of

Why is Popular Culture Widely Distributed? Diffusion of pop housing, clothes, and Food

Pop Housing • Rapid diffusion of pop culture depends on people having a lot of $ to acquire the material possessions associated w/ pop culture • Ranch house popular in 50 s and 60 s- requires large lot and encouraged urban sprawl • Split-level popular 50 s -70 s • Contemporary style w/ low pitched roofs and shed style popular 50 s -70 s

Ranch

Split-Level

Contemporary

Pop Housing • Since 1960 s, neo-eclectic styles have dominated • pop housing has demonstrated that differences in homes vary more with time than place. • Mansard- 2 nd story has shingles and walls slope up to roof. • Neo-Tudor- steep pitched gables and timber/plaster exterior • Neo-French- dormer windows w/ round tops and high-hipped roof • Neo-Colonial- popular but never dominant

Mansard

Neo-Tudor

Neo-French

Neo-Colonial

Pop-Clothes • In MDCs, clothing reflects occupation rather than environment. High incomes allow people to keep up with fashions • Jeans became popular in 1960’s as teens wore them. traditionally low-status workmen’s clothes. • Under communism, jeans became valuable as people in communist countries were exposed to pop culture but couldn’t consume the products ($400 black market) • (Guns vs butter) • Now Levi’s are available around the world, but losing popularity in USA

Pop-Food • Consumption of alcohol and snacks in large quantities is characteristic of pop culture societies. The type varies by region • Bourbon in the South, Rum on E. coast, Whiskey in North. Pork rinds in South, popcorn and chips in North. High consumption due to income and advertising • Spatial distribution of wine production shows that environment plays a role in both pop and folk food customs • Wine and coffee tasters can tell where the stuff was grown by taste.

TV • Watching TV is the most popular leisure activity in MDCs, and it is the most important mechanism by which pop culture is diffused. • The diffusion of TV from US to world took 50 years, while Internet took only a decade • Pattern of private commercial stations in the West, uncommon elsewhere • LDCs manage TV through governmentcensorship, but it is easy to hide a satellite

Why does Globalization of Culture Cause Problems? Threats to Folk Culture Environmental Impact of Pop Culture

Threats to Folk Culture • Pop culture as a threat to folk culture- when people turn away from folk to pop, they also may turn away from traditional values. • The diffusion of pop culture from MDCs can lead to dominance of Western perspectives. • In Africa, Asia, urban business/gov’t leaders wear suits while the rest of the pop does not. • In Middle East, fundamentalist Muslims oppose the widespread adoption of Western clothes, especially women

Threats to Folk Culture • Pop culture threatens the traditional subservience of women to men embedded in many folk cultures. However, pop culture has led to the exploitation of women as well, especially in LDCs. Increased prostitution, sex tourism • Leaders of some LDCs consider the dominance of pop customs by MDCs as a threat to independence. The threat is posed by the media, news-gathering organizations, and TV • Japan- S and E Asia, UK- Africa, USA- Latin America, Europe • Leaders of LDCs view the spread of TV as a new method of economic and cultural imperialism on the part of the MDCs, especially the USA

Threats to Folk Culture • American TV presents American social forms and beliefs, like social mobility, relative freedom for women, glorification of youth, and stylized violence. These themes may conflict with and drive out traditional social customs • LDCs fear western news more than entertainment. The diffusion of information around the world is dominated by news gathering companies AP and Reuters. News sources then buy the stories, pictures, and video from these agencies. • LDCs rely on gov’t owned agencies for news gathering

Threats to Folk Culture

Impact on Environment • Pop culture on environment- for many pop customs the environment is something to be modified to enhance participation in a leisure activity or promote the sale of a product (golf)

Environmental Impact