Mix it Up Ch.1-4

In the first chapter of Mix it Up David Grazian offers a description of pop culture. He gives four different definitions of pop culture. It can be culture that is well liked and successful, or well known and iconic, or generally consumed, or considered to belong to the people. He explains that popular culture can transcend its moment in history to be rediscovered and reinvented in later generations. Popular culture is created through social context.

In the second chapter, Grazian discusses the functionalist approach to pop culture. He explains that a functionalist approach emphasizes how the symbols, rituals, and practices of pop cultures production and consumption can bring people together by creating social solidarity and group cohesion. Unfortunately, there are also negative effects, such as the sexual objectification of women and the glorification of celebrity exploits.

The third chapter takes a critical approach to pop culture. In this chapter, Grazian discusses the power of cultural industries. Advertising and marketing of major brands is everywhere, and has become an integrated part of society. The popularity of cultural aspects such as food, music, and media serve to increase the profits of mega corporations. These corporations often outsource to nations where cheap, unfair labor is available, or use intimidation tactics to control their employees. This creates a dark side of culture that is often hidden from the masses. Popular culture controls society, defining how people should live. Under the critical approach, the only purpose of culture is to generate profit.

In the fourth chapter, Grazian explains the interaction approach to popular culture. Under culture is spread and made popular through social networks. One of the greatest ways in which culture spreads is by word-of-mouth. Pop culture can be consumed collectively under subcultures and social organizations.

I enjoyed how contemporary the book was, having been released this year. It allowed me to connect with the issues and references that Grazian was using, and in this way I was better able to understand his points. I particularly enjoyed his discussion about cultural spread through social networks and word-of-mouth. This type of creation of pop culture can be seen everywhere. A film becomes popular when people begin to talk about it, or a new technology catches on, or people donate large sums of money because someone like Stephen Colbert told them to. We find out about music, fashion, and news from our peers, and in an increasingly connected world, the spread and development of culture is faster that it has ever been.

For discussion, I would like to talk more about the critical approach to culture. Grazian raises a multitude of important issues in the third chapter that outline the problems with pop culture. Our culture is used to fuel mega corporations, who's main goal to generate the largest possible profit, often at the expense of ethics. The question I would like to ask is why does our society tolerate such actions even though we see the moral problems associated, and what would society look like if such a system did not exist?