It may not come as any surprise that society is greatly influenced by present-day social media such as Instagram, Twitter, and Snapchat. Celebrities have mass amounts of followers; they put their daily lives on the Internet for us to all see, and we all catch onto the latest fads. This is not a new concept, however. For as long as one could imagine, that is how long members of society have been influenced by pop culture. Through the examination of three approaches, the Functionalist, the Critical, and the Interaction, we are able to further understand how pop culture and mass media affects each and every one of us.
The Functionalist Approach explains our obsession with mass entertainment by explaining their social use which generates solidary …show more content…
46) Unlike the Functionalist Approach, this approach points out the darker side of pop culture: it’s dominance in society, it’s consolidated ownership, it’s creation of stereotypes, and it’s ability to mold human minds. This approach is focused greatly on the idea of consumerism. Through the use of pop culture and mass media, popular consensus is formed. The mass media industry puts out the belief that every member of society needs to have the latest trends, that we can all live like celebrities, and that we must be our best possible (physical) self. Because of these stereotypes, trends and fads rise up, society always dishes out cash and energy to follow such trends. The social consequence of their popularity is more psychological than anything, as it is the fact that these trends will create a world that is very superficial and that desires style over substance. An example of the Critical Approach is the company Apple. While it is true that Apple creates very good and long-lasting products, they are overpriced and constantly coming out with new versions that do not change much from the previous one. Through the use of advertisement and the belief that society “needs” the new product, society makes a mass movement from the older version to the newer version of said item, thus continuing to provide the company …show more content…
Because of this known fact, it can be said that social interaction is the building block of society. This approach takes it down one notch compared to the Critical approach, as the Interaction Approach is concerned with interpersonal communication and micro-level processes. Through the use of social networking, trends and fads become publicized. While word-of-mouth helps to generate popularity amongst certain media and fads, it can also create a mass rebellion or dislike of the different media and fads. Society is in constant flux; as members tend to follow what is in the now. The social consequence of their popularity is that it creates a very blurry line between marketing and reality. This means that people who are hired by an agency to promote products of some sort may do so amongst their friends and families, thus making it difficult for the friends and families to distinguish good conversation and product marketing. An example of the Interaction Approach has to do with Netflix shows. When a friend or family member watches a show that they deem as good, they will recommend it to somebody else. Through this, the show gains followers and thus popularity. In no time, a show could possibly end up being a top hit because of social
The Functionalist Approach explains our obsession with mass entertainment by explaining their social use which generates solidary …show more content…
46) Unlike the Functionalist Approach, this approach points out the darker side of pop culture: it’s dominance in society, it’s consolidated ownership, it’s creation of stereotypes, and it’s ability to mold human minds. This approach is focused greatly on the idea of consumerism. Through the use of pop culture and mass media, popular consensus is formed. The mass media industry puts out the belief that every member of society needs to have the latest trends, that we can all live like celebrities, and that we must be our best possible (physical) self. Because of these stereotypes, trends and fads rise up, society always dishes out cash and energy to follow such trends. The social consequence of their popularity is more psychological than anything, as it is the fact that these trends will create a world that is very superficial and that desires style over substance. An example of the Critical Approach is the company Apple. While it is true that Apple creates very good and long-lasting products, they are overpriced and constantly coming out with new versions that do not change much from the previous one. Through the use of advertisement and the belief that society “needs” the new product, society makes a mass movement from the older version to the newer version of said item, thus continuing to provide the company …show more content…
Because of this known fact, it can be said that social interaction is the building block of society. This approach takes it down one notch compared to the Critical approach, as the Interaction Approach is concerned with interpersonal communication and micro-level processes. Through the use of social networking, trends and fads become publicized. While word-of-mouth helps to generate popularity amongst certain media and fads, it can also create a mass rebellion or dislike of the different media and fads. Society is in constant flux; as members tend to follow what is in the now. The social consequence of their popularity is that it creates a very blurry line between marketing and reality. This means that people who are hired by an agency to promote products of some sort may do so amongst their friends and families, thus making it difficult for the friends and families to distinguish good conversation and product marketing. An example of the Interaction Approach has to do with Netflix shows. When a friend or family member watches a show that they deem as good, they will recommend it to somebody else. Through this, the show gains followers and thus popularity. In no time, a show could possibly end up being a top hit because of social