Popular Culture

What is popular culture? Culture in and of itself can be described as the characteristics of a particular social, ethnic, or age group. Petracca and Sorapure (2007) define popular culture as "the shared knowledge and practices of a specific group at a specific time." The two differ in the sense that culture is generally associated with "refinement and intellectual superiority." (Petracca, Sorapure, 2007). Popular culture is constantly changing to match the ideals of the common people. Items of popular culture most typically appeal to a broad spectrum of the public. It is very hard to escape the influences of popular culture.

One of the newest trends in popular American culture is the fascination with reality television. There used to be a time when people would never think of having an "unscripted" reality show on T.V. But for the past few years, most channels have at least a few reality shows in their regular lineup. People are lining up for auditions to be featured on these shows. It is certain that in the future, when people are writing about the popular culture of today's America, reality television shows will be discussed.

Another popular trend at the moment in American popular culture is the social networking obsession. It seems that just about everyone has either a Twitter or Facebook account. And those are just the two most popular aspects of social media. People use these outlets to let the world know what is happening in their life at the moment. It is easier than ever to update your distant family members or long lost friends on your current state of affairs. People no longer feel the need to call and tell someone news when it is so much easier to update your status and tell hundreds of people at once.

Right now, a huge trend in popular culture that I have been seeing is the need for a "smart phone." Smart phones are phones that are capable of connecting to the internet and email accounts without the need for a computer. People use these devices to keep connected, often with their social media account.

People are affected every day with different forms of popular culture. We are influenced by the media we consume and the people we associate with. I have been documenting different ways I consume popular American culture the past few days and have found that while I don't engage in social media or even television media too often, I am still influenced. I try not to watch too much T.V. and hardly ever buy a magazine, but I am an avid movie watcher. I see the trends on the movie screen and am influenced to follow them. While I am not usually one to jump on a fashion bandwagon, I am still somewhat influenced by the stars in the movies I watch and the styles they wear. Seeing the trends on the stars of today can influence what type of clothing I may want to try and wear; or even seeing someone I dislike following a new trend can influence