Graduate work: Pop culture WeaVeR ChApToR 2

Traditions of pop cultural studies

Frankfurt

sought to create a critical interpretation of society in general that moved from economics to the cutlural realm
pop culture is a pit of quicksand ready to ensnare the masses. But was written in germany during the rise of the nazis
Adorno and Horkheimer-The manipulations leads to a society where " sustained thought is out of the question, no scope is left for the imagination. The majority of people are helpless.
Benjamin-Saw popular culture had more potential beyone nazi manipulation.

United States cultural Criticism

Gilber Seldes major playa-litarary critic, should not be held to the standards of high are, but could produce outstanding works on its own terms. He saw high culture and pop culture as being essential to american life.
Seldes two major writing themes

Seldes has a faith in the potential of the people. "the public does accept a lot of third radte stuf that it does not care for, but that is no proof that they will not take anything better
Before the 80's popular culture could only be experienced in the now, there were no reruns, they were available for a short time, unlike a painting. Immediate experience.
Seldes, films often uplift and inspire.
Robert Warshow 40, 50's writer, could experience the immediate experience of popular culture at its best in movies.

Soviet Union and Canada

Mikhail Bakhtin, literary critic, believed the power of revolutionary change can be found in the nature of language and the culture of the people. , no one could control the meaning of words. For people to uphold any revolutionary values they had to abandon all authoritative claims to language and culutre.It was by the use of these grotesque actions that people questioned the ttasted and culute oft those in power, and sent a message that all people were equal.
Marshal McLuhan, the medium is message "it is the medium that shapes and controls the scale and form of human associaition and action. amost everything we experienced was mediated through some form of mass communication, like film, tv or radio, and it transformed how we interact with the world ." the technology of film acts like a prosthetic that is altering the whole human condition right down to our nervous system and consciousness. "

The Birminham Tradition'

Hoggart, stumbled upon a western world theme, to live is to consume nad to have fun at any cost, even if it means working at a meaningless job in ordeer to enjoy two weeks out of the year during vacation time.
Williams;cutlure was undergoing a revolutionary change do to technology. Mass communication came to dominate the way in which people communicate and see the world, and presented problems for democracy, where there is always a potential for exploitation or the presenting of only one perspective.
Stuart adopted Antonio Gramsci's notion of hegemy, that modern societies do not maintain power through brute force but through persuasion. If power is not a matter of military might or police brutality than how is power maintianed, through institution of culture such as school and mass media. Schools and mass media outlets became conduts through which the people were persuaded that those inpower wer the legitimate heirs to rule.

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