Abstract "This four page undergraduate paper examines Harris Glenn Milstead who achieved popculture fame as Divine and was born in Towson Maryland on October 19, 1945. The writer points out that he became an actor signer and cult figure primarily because of his professional relationship with the film director John Waters. The writer notes that as Divine, Milstead starred in several films and was perhaps best known for being a part of the regular cast and crew of the troupe, The Dreamlanders, which helped push him into mainstream popculture. The writer details that Divine and The Dreamlanders were featured in many of John Waters' films such as Polyester, Pink Flamingos, and Hairspray.
From the Paper "Glenn Milstead, who achieved pop culture fame as "Divine," was born in Towson, Maryland on October 19, 1945. He became an actor, signer, and cult figure, primarily because of his professional relationship with the film director John Waters. As Divine, Milstead starred in several films and was perhaps best known for being a part of the regular cast and crew of the troupe, The Dreamlanders, which helped push him into mainstream pop culture. Divine and The Dreamlanders were featured in many of John Waters' films such as "Polyester", "Pink Flamingos", "Hairspray", "Lust In The Dust", and "Female Trouble"."
Abstract This paper examines how ?Eastern religion?, also alluded to as "Eastern mysticism" and "mysticism" and the occult, along with magic and its many off-shoots, have had a considerable influence on American popculture over the past few decades. It looks at how movies, books, and music all have been touched and enhanced by mysticism and its cousins.
Outline
Introduction to Eastern Religion, Eastern Mysticism and Magic
The Beatles and Transcendental Meditation: Rock Superstars Dipping into an Ancient Mysticism to find Peace in a World Drenched in Chaos and Materialism
Martin Scorsese and Eastern Mysticism
Harry Potter's Magic as a Mystical Force in PopCulture
From the Paper "For many people who came of age and got into rock music in the 1960s and 1970s, and perhaps smoked some marijuana and even experimented with LSD, their interest in eastern religion and mysticism began with the Beatles? fascination with ? and association with ? the Maharishi Mahesh Yogi. It was John Lennon and George Harrison, in particular, who embraced the Maharishi in the late 1970s and early 1980s, in the town of Rishikesh, deep in the Himalayan foothills of northern India. The media clamored for photos of the Beatles hanging out and drinking in the good vibes of this holy man in white robes who preached peace through self-awareness and higher consciousness through meditation."
Abstract Rap Music has a great effect on our popculture and race today. In fact, since the music of Elvis, various forms of music have pushed the limits of tolerance and decency in popculture. According to some critics, rap has done this to an extent that cannot be disregarded in terms of social standards. This paper reviews the rap music genre, while also taking into consideration the impact it has on popculture. The paper asserts that, while it is true that some rap artists have broken rules and norms not only in their music, but also in their lifestyles, it is also true that other rap musicians attempt to use their art for social uplift in popculture.
From the Paper "During the 1920s, urban street jive was a form of speech developed in Chicago ("Getting"). According to some historians, this is the tradition at the root of rap music as it exists today. In its current form, rap music emerged in New York City, courtesy of a Jamaican immigrant, Clive Campbell, or DJ Kool Herc, as he is also known. During the 1970's, Campbell developed this art form by mixing music from two records on two separate turntables. The beat created in this manner was accompanied by Campbell speaking to match the rhythm of the music. The first hit in this genre was created by the Sugarhill Gang in 1979, and entitled "Rappers Delight.""
Abstract This paper provides an insight into dolls, Theodor Adorno, popculture and how they all tie together. The objective is to describe how Theodor Adorno's views on popculture would apply to today's mass production of dolls, doll's images and the market for dolls in general. Through reviews of Adorno's work, it looks at how a correlation can be made that tie the many aspects of the doll making industry to the expectations of society.
Outline
Introduction
Adorno
Mass Production
Dolls
How Would Adorno Look at Dolls Made Today?
The Doll -- A Historical Function
Function in Recent Popular Culture Conclusion
From the Paper "To understand the modern doll industry, we must also understand the art or science of mass production. Adorno may tell us that the capitalist way of life was built on a foundation of mass marketing and mass production even though that can not provide culture. To have mass production, a system needs factories and places to sell the goods produced by those factories. Capitalism, however, is not easily satisfied with a few places, it requires an ever increasing number of plants and malls to satisfy its voracious appetite. Consider how today there is still a need for more places to build and sell the mass produced nothingness, dolls and doll houses are but one example. The current trends systematically erase resources and even history by building new shopping malls on historic battlefields or whatever land is available."
Abstract The paper refers to Jib Fowles' work "15 Basic Appeals of Advertising" that shows how advertisements are making emotional appeals to their audience, are becoming increasingly abhorrent and are based on an manipulative use of audience appeal. The paper also looks at the ideas of Allan Bloom who implies that popculture is manipulating and destroying the inspiration, the passion, and the artistic drive of today's youth. The paper explains Bloom's belief that popculture has arisen from our culture of salesmanship by its appeal to the irrational and subconscious instincts of youth.
From the Paper "Society has given rise to a culture of manipulation. The messages that cultural movements or cultural languages such as advertising give rise to is, to put it bluntly, a veritable brainwashing of American society for the sake of profit, with a particular emphasis on American youth. The manipulation is rooted in a systemized attempt to capture the minds or imagination of America, in order to influence them to ascribe to certain values which are not based on morality, but on sales and product appeal."
Abstract The question, What is popular culture and how does it relate to Eastern and Western societies? is an apparently simple query that conceals a complex range of social cultural and economic aspects. This essay examines this question, beginning with a provisional definition of popular culture and an attempt to distinguish it from other cultural forms such as high culture and mass culture. The thesis is argued that popular culture is, in its fundamental elements, a commercial culture that is dependent to an extraordinary degree upon the mass media as a technological vehicle for its messages and products.
Abstract This paper focuses on the 'physical arts' found in the popular culture of the Caribbean. Specifically, this paper argues that popculture was and is a form of transgression against external control - specifically European control. Of especial interest, the paper looks at Haiti, for in Haiti - thanks to Aime Cesaire - an appreciation developed for how culture could used as a means of breaking the shackles of European control.
From the Paper "When one assesses popular culture in a Caribbean nation such as Haiti, what becomes apparent is that popular culture is far more than a means of cultural expression; it is, in a very real sense, a tool of defiance - a mode of transgression. This paper will focus upon the use of popular culture throughout the Caribbean as a way of breaking the shackles of European, colonial oppression. In particular, special emphasis will be placed upon Haiti, for this small nation is an especially good example of how a vigorous popular culture can work to ensure freedom and the perpetuation of racial and cultural distinctness."
Abstract In this article, the writer notes that culture has many forms, through which one could define the way one lives, the way one interacts and how one perceives things. Further, the writer maintains that one is molded by cultural elements that evolve as society faces the developments of time. The writer explains that what is considered "popculture" mostly refers to various elements in society that are most often portrayed in art, music and television. The writer focuses on the trend of reality TV. The writer concludes that one could therefore evaluate that popular culture has given birth to a not general or abstract display of people's beliefs, attitudes and emotions in the modern period. The writer claims that reality TV shows are a representation of the culture of people, a repetition of cultural pattern that may be presented in a modified manner depending on how it is perceived and accepted by the public viewers.
From the Paper "Reality TV was mostly popular beginning 2000. Many shows were created wherein participants compete with each other in real-life situations. Other shows just simply displayed the daily home activities of an individual or group of individuals. Such shows are not scripted and do not involve professional acting. Thus, what the participants portray on the screen is real and spontaneous. Because of this, Reality TV became a hit because it portrays attitudes or behavior and actions that are reflection of what is being practiced in the real world. The fact that viewers patronize the show, it could lead to a conclusion that they can relate to what they see on their television screens. This could be an indicator of the public's familiarization of patterns of culture which is found in these reality television shows."
Abstract This paper discusses how from the wide range of materials teachers can use in the classroom, popular culture is one of the best sources. It looks at how students enjoy working with popculture that they are familiar with and how some of them think that such materials are less intimidating than heavy textbooks. It shows how with appropriate use and organized application, the pop icons can be remarkable teaching tools in the classroom and how reading sources and mass produced resources are widely available in all seasons, giving teachers plentiful options.
Outline
Introduction
Popular Culture in Language (Literacy) Class
Popular Culture in Science Class
Popular Culture in Mathematics Class
Current Applications
From the Paper "Similarly to the Batman research, the Teletubbies research was also conducted to find out how the popular series enhanced the toddlers? motivation to participate in classroom activities, on following instructions. The children's motivation throve after they knew they had to create Tubby custard. Following instruction was no problem, as long as they knew they would get the cake done. The movie provided them the basic environment, a familiar imaginary land, where they could work with their imagination. They might realize that without learning the language their Tubby project wouldn?t work."
Tags: mathematics, science, language, teletubbies, internet
Abstract The western world, most notably the United States, is a massive producer of what is commonly called "popular culture", that is, culture that is easily accessible to large audiences of people. This paper analyzes the ways in which western popular culture has managed to penetrate the Japanese marketplace. The paper focuses on the globalization of culture, the perversion of the internet, western television and western movies. It concludes with remarks and observations. For the most part, the paper focuses on American popculture. However, influences from European sources are also discussed.
From the Paper "Staying in the music realm, Japanese popular culture has managed to turn one of the icons of "normal culture" (Beethoven) into a Japanese popular culture event. This happens each New Year in Japan, when hundreds of amateur choirs spend months of rehearsal and join in singing Beethoven's Ninth Symphony (The Chorale). For weeks before the event, Japan's NHK television network dedicates entire programs to explain the meaning of Schiller's "Ode to Joy" and how to pronounce the words (Kazyuki, 1987)."
Abstract The paper discusses how technology is capable of enhancing the blind's perception of popular culture and their interaction within it. The paper then shows how the blind will still be unable to experience the Information Age schema of popular culture in the same kind of depth with which a sighted person can. The paper adds that the difficulty the blind have in accessing this information is only likely to get worse as popculture continues to evolve around the increasingly rapid intake and processing of new, visual information.
From the Paper "There is little denying the reality that popular culture is, in contemporary society, largely shaped by new developments in technology. It is an "environment of accelerated change, where the evolution of technology has become the primary force behind pop culture (Rudman, 2006). For the majority of people, the intersection of technology and popular culture can seem so seamless and ubiquitous as to be unnoticeable. Most, especially the younger generation, have fully adapted to a world of YouTube videos, blogging, virtual worlds, and 24-hour cell phone access.However, the fact that popular culture has become mired in technology, like the Internet, which can be a fundamentally visual medium, can present significant challenges for individuals who are blind or sight impaired."
Abstract This paper analyzes the relationship between cultural semiotics and animation within the context of anthropology. It specifically looks at the use of animation in pop-culture devices such as advertising and marketing material. The paper also discusses the complexity of animation, as a system of communication and the use of semiology in artistic endeavors, such as communication.
From the Paper "The level of communication taking place within contemporary animation is often equated to the subtext within semiotic constructs. Beasley and Danesi describe this sub-textual transfer of meaning as being connotative in nature and often relying on associative chains where meaning or signifier is established through storylines (104). Barthes clearly provides the theoretical foundation upon which animators, as indicated by Beasley, Danesi, and Ohmann, develop their unique language constructs that both rely on cultural associations with meaning as well as develop new cultural queues that became part of the popular folklore such as Red Bull's business man and pigeon animation. Yet, other researchers argue that contemporary animation is nothing but a retelling of existing myth that resonates culturally with the societies."
Abstract This paper examines the role of lawyers in popular culture and relates the themes of "To Kill a Mocking Bird", "Presumed Innocent", "12 Angry Men", and "A Few Good Men" to Steven Vago's theories in his 1997 book "Law and Society".
Abstract This paper presents a research proposal to identify identify pertinent traits that characterize effective leaders in various societal settings. Specifically, the proposed research identifies the relationship, to the extent that it exists, between organizational culture and societal culture; identifies what leadership styles have been identified as most effective in terms of achieving organizational goals and promoting organizational citizenship behaviors while balancing the needs of the workers involved; identifies identify relevant cross-cultural issues that may affect leadership styles in an increasingly multicultural society; and, determines how leadership styles vary from culture to culture around the world based on the larger society in which they exist.
Outline:
Chapter 1: Introduction
Statement of the Problem
Aims and Objectives
Significance of the Study
Rationale of the Study
Chapter 2: Review of Related Literature
Chapter 3: Methodology
Description of the Study Approach
Data-Collection
Sample
Setting
Ethical Considerations
Evaluative Action Plan
Instruments/Measurements
Chapter Summary
Chapter Four: Results and Presentation of Findings
Chapter Five: Discussion, Implications and Recommendations
From the Paper "This mixed methodology is congruent with many social researchers who emphasize that a review of the literature and analysis of the situation through such studies represents a more robust approach than either used in isolation from the other. According to Zikmund, this study method is "an exploratory research technique that intensively investigates one or a few situations similar to the researcher's problem situation" . Moreover, given the enormous demographic changes the United States has experienced in recent years, this investigation represents a very timely enterprise that may provide some useful insights into the relationship between community and organizational culture in successful companies today."
