Understanding Popular Culture, Trendsetters, and the Spread of Culture

Culture: What is it, Who Creates Trends, And Who Decides What is Popular? Throughout time, humans have developed new trends in styles, habits, and ways of life that eventually became defined as culture. Music is one just one element affected by all individuals of a society; not just by one class. Radios, TVs, and celebrities are just three of multiple promoters of certain albums and styles. How is popular culture defined? http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/populartculture Popular cultural is generally thought of as "cultural activities or commercial products reflecting, suited to, or aimed at the tastes of the general masses of people." A dominant type of pop culture is music. Using myself as an example, I find that music is a very important cultural product that I feel compelled to keep up with on a daily basis. Listening to the radio in the car is a must on the way to and from school. Like many others, I often catch myself humming or singing a recently heard tune and eager to mention it to someone close by. I feel as though music has allowed me to connect instantaneously with others. In a way, keeping up with the latest songs and artists is a hobby.

I acknowledge that individuals while having freedom of choice, must choose from what is available, Even so, I still feel that the greater influence comes from the purchasing power. Fortunately for music lovers, technology has made it easier to share and research music regardless of age, education, economy, location, and ethnicity. I believe that individuals, representing all classes, define culture through explosions of preferences, which create new trends. Technology is accessible and affordable to people of all walks of life, allowing individuals to easily share their favorite songs with one another from all around the world. I think that because of the convenience of this sharing it is possible for the consumers to express their tastes through the Internet, creating an awareness of the product and influencing others' preferences. Inevitably, this communication results in increased purchases. That purchasing or lack of purchasing will influence the artists and producers livelihood and future. Who creates trends in music? I believe that regular everyday people in a community create new trends in music by downloading songs from multiple sources including online or phone apps such as iTunes. Just by tapping a button, one can conveniently pick and purchase one of the millions of songs available. From there, customers share their favorite tunes with one another by playing them. For example, whenever I find a song that I am especially fond of, I tell my friends about it and let them listen to it on my phone.

Despite the numbers, not all artists make it in the world; they rely on their numbers of customers. TV, commercials, radios, and other sources that promote certain albums, however it all boils down to the opinion of the public. I think that today's technology has made it a lot easier to spread the word and opinion of thousands of people from all around the world. I enjoy the ability to have my own taste of music with many options available online and through other sources that are easily accessible. I believe that the use of iunes and other music storage Sources are today's main sources for music exposure. Who makes them spread? Listening to the radio on the way to school has always been a cheerful way of starting my day. Flipping through channels, I get to decide whether l'm in the mood for country, pop, or older music. Sometimes I'm in the mood to just cruise with backround music, and others times I like to jam going up the mountain. Sometimes I become so fond of certain songs, that I go home and buy them. This is just one example of how our electronic sources intluence our opinions. My thoughts are that the TV, radio, and iTunes are just a few sources used to spread the word of the "popular". I think that teens are vulnerable individuals who simply long to fit in. So when they hear a spokesman over the radio talking about how "cool" a certain song is, they tend to listen.

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These outlets of influences spread the Word and knowledge of "new trends. Define our culture. There is no question in my mind, that the United State's music culture is a melting pot full of diversity and different genres and style. There is no specific style that represents our taste in music. It seams to me that this results from our diverse heritage and residents. There are certainly different groups of people who listen to certain types of music such as rap and country, however I do not believe that one genre specifically represents America. However, I find that certain styles of music are generally associated with specific locations around the world. Here in the South, I find that country and bluegrass music is very common. These are not the only two genres of this location, however they stand out the most. I personally enjoy listening to multiple types of music including Christian, Country, Disney, and Pop. It is not possible to pick one that I absolutely cherish more than the others. Is it defined by us or by others?

http://www.learnersdictionarv.com/definition/Culture According to Merriam Webster, culture is defined as, "the beliefs, customs, arts, etc., of a particular society, group. place, or time". As in music, I believe that we as individuals define the culture of the society in which we live, not others. We do so on a daily basis through the way of which we live. I am the person that I have become, because of my past experiences and the way that I have been raised. As I continue to grow, I will develop even more as a person and create my own style and opinions in life. Others might disapprove or approve my preferences, however I decide who I am and will become now and in the future. My sOciety has and will continue to modity me as I mature and am exposed to different elements from around the world. I regard myself as a person of substance, and I hope I will not be negatively influenced by immoral trends. So, in the end, I feel that our society dictates and defines our culture be cause we create the culture out of our preferences.

Work Cited:

1. "Popular Culture." Dictionary.com's 21st Century Lexicon. Dictionary.com, LLC. 21 Sep. 2014. "Culture."
2. Culture. N.p., 2014. Web. 21 Sept. 2014.

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