Answer to Question #200558 in Sociology for Sel

Question

1. why the distinction between popular culture and high culture is problematic and questionable.

Answer 1

 

Introduction 

           The word cultured implies the meaning of discipline, well-mannered, and civilized. I believe when someone says cultured, it implies the meaning of classy look. It can be said that culture represents high culture as well as popular culture. High culture is usually the culture followed by the upper class. These cultures include conduct, behavior, way of living life, .whereas popular culture, followed by a large group that has a great and trendy impact. The .characteristics of popular culture include trending things such as celebrity style and things that are in demand. On the other hand, popular culture can be defined as a set of customs, beliefs, practices, and objects embodying the most widely shared meanings of a social system encompassing leisure and entertainment, media objects, and linguistic conventions (Fiske, 2010).

           The basic distinction between high culture and popular culture is that; popular culture encompasses just that culture that is widely known, entertaining and simple to comprehend to many young individuals. On the other end, high culture can encompass resurgence art, opera, and classical music. Arguably, the latter is more intellectually challenging, sophisticated, and solely gratifying. Ideally, popular culture is distinct from high culture since popular culture concentrated on combined enjoyment by the public, such as festivities. In contrast, selflessness was associated only with the elevated or the high culture. The structure and class that was upheld and traditions or customs and the institution's old-fashioned religion made the popular culture distinct from the high culture.

           Differences between the two cultures were problematic and questionable, because they led to differences in the class structures; that is, high culture constituted a combination of customs, ideas, ideologies, practices, and trends, which was purposive to the well-educated elite individuals and refined. Contrary to the popular culture, which constituted the culture of common masses and individuals. Besides, the difference was questionable since the advancement of science impacted only a  few of the educated elites of Europe. In the eighteenth century, the revolution process significantly changed the group of intellectuals known as the philosophes. They published the thoughts of the advancement of science and employed in undertaking a drastic reevaluation of all life aspects. The intellectual development led to the understanding that earlier periods focused on using one's intellect only with someone else's guidance. Still, the 18th century was about intellectuals who dared to use their intelligence. There was a new focus on questioning religious truths and values called skepticism (Burke, 2009).

In conclusion, the distinction between popular culture and high culture is problematic because of the difference in the class structure of the two cultures; that is, high culture constituted of a combination of customs, ideas, ideologies, practices, and trends, which was purposive to the well-educated elite individuals and refined. Contrary to the popular culture, which constituted the culture of common masses and individuals.

References

Burke, P. (2009). Popular culture in early modern Europe. Ashgate Publishing, Ltd.

Fiske, J. (2010). Understanding popular culture. Routledge.