Can sociology explain american idols appeal

Cults, a word derived from culture, are also considered counterculture group. Skinny jeans, chunky glasses, and T-shirts with vintage logos—the American hipster is a recognizable figure in the modern United States. Based predominately in metropolitan areas, sometimes clustered around hotspots such as the Williamsburg neighborhood in New York City, hipsters define themselves through a rejection of the mainstream.

As a subculture, hipsters spurn many of the values and beliefs of U. While hipster culture may seem to be the new trend among young, middle-class youth, the history of the group stretches back to the early decades of the s. Where did the hipster culture begin? In the early s, jazz music was on the rise in the United States. The hipster movement spread, and young people, drawn to the music and fashion, took on attitudes and language derived from the culture of jazz.

Unlike the vernacular of the day, hipster slang was purposefully ambiguous. In the s, U. Photo courtesy of William P. By the s, the jazz culture was winding down and many traits of hepcat culture were becoming mainstream. A new subculture was on the rise. They were writers who listened to jazz and embraced radical politics.

They bummed around, hitchhiked the country, and lived in squalor. The lifestyle spread. Women wore black leotards and grew their hair long. As the Beat Generation faded, a new, related movement began. It too focused on breaking social boundaries, but it also advocated freedom of expression, philosophy, and love.

It took its name from the generations before; in fact, some theorists claim that Beats themselves coined the term to describe their children. Although contemporary hipsters may not seem to have much in common with s hipsters, the emulation of nonconformity is still there. In , sociologist Mark Greif set about investigating the hipster subculture of the United States and found that much of what tied the group members together was not based on fashion, musical taste, or even a specific point of contention with the mainstream.

Much as the hepcats of the jazz era opposed common culture with carefully crafted appearances of coolness and relaxation, modern hipsters reject mainstream values with a purposeful apathy. Young people are often drawn to oppose mainstream conventions, even if in the same way that others do. Ironic, cool to the point of noncaring, and intellectual, hipsters continue to embody a subculture, while simultaneously impacting mainstream culture.

As the hipster example illustrates, culture is always evolving. Moreover, new things are added to material culture every day, and they affect nonmaterial culture as well. Cultures change when something new say, railroads or smartphones opens up new ways of living and when new ideas enter a culture say, as a result of travel or globalization. There are two ways to come across an innovative object or idea: discover it or invent it.

Discoveries make known previously unknown but existing aspects of reality. In , when Galileo looked through his telescope and discovered Saturn, the planet was already there, but until then, no one had known about it. When Christopher Columbus encountered America, the land was, of course, already well known to its inhabitants.

For example, new foods such as potatoes and tomatoes transformed the European diet, and horses brought from Europe changed hunting practices of Native American tribes of the Great Plains.

Inventions result when something new is formed from existing objects or concepts—when things are put together in an entirely new manner. In the late s and early s, electric appliances were invented at an astonishing pace. Cars, airplanes, vacuum cleaners, lamps, radios, telephones, and televisions were all new inventions. Inventions may shape a culture when people use them in place of older ways of carrying out activities and relating to others, or as a way to carry out new kinds of activities.

Their adoption reflects and may shape cultural values, and their use may require new norms for new situations. Consider the introduction of modern communication technology, such as mobile phones and smartphones. As more and more people began carrying these devices, phone conversations no longer were restricted to homes, offices, and phone booths.

People on trains, in restaurants, and in other public places became annoyed by listening to one-sided conversations. Norms were needed for cell phone use. Some people pushed for the idea that those who are out in the world should pay attention to their companions and surroundings. Material culture tends to diffuse more quickly than nonmaterial culture; technology can spread through society in a matter of months, but it can take generations for the ideas and beliefs of society to change.

Sociologist William F. Ogburn coined the term culture lag to refer to this time that elapses between when a new item of material culture is introduced and when it becomes an accepted part of nonmaterial culture Ogburn Culture lag can also cause tangible problems. The industrial economy of North America was built on the assumption that the resources available to exploit and the ability for the environment to sustain industrial activity were unlimited. The concept of sustainable development did not enter into the public imagination until environmental movement of the s and the Limits to Growth report of the Club of Rome in Today it seems easier to imagine global catastrophe as a result of climate change than it does to implement regulatory changes needed to stem carbon emissions or find alternatives to fossil fuels.

There is a lag in conceptualizing solutions to technological problems. Exhausted groundwater supplies, increased air pollution, and climate change are all symptoms of culture lag.

Although people are becoming aware of the consequences of overusing resources and of neglecting the integrity of the ecosystems that sustain life, the means to support changes takes time to achieve.

The integration of world markets and technological advances of the last decades have allowed for greater exchange between cultures through the processes of globalization and diffusion. Beginning in the s, Western governments began to deregulate social services while granting greater liberties to private businesses. As a result of this process of neo-liberalization, world markets became dominated by unregulated, international flows of capital investment and new multinational networks of corporations.

A global economy emerged to replace nationally based economies. Today, many Canadian companies set up offices in other nations where the costs of resources and labour are cheaper.

When a person in Canada calls to get information about banking, insurance, or computer services, the person taking that call may be working in India or Indonesia. Alongside the process of globalization is diffusion, or, the spread of material and nonmaterial culture. While globalization refers to the integration of markets, diffusion relates a similar process to the integration of international cultures. Middle-class North Americans can fly overseas and return with a new appreciation of Thai noodles or Italian gelato.

Access to television and the internet has brought the lifestyles and values portrayed in Hollywood sitcoms into homes around the globe. Twitter feeds from public demonstrations in one nation have encouraged political protesters in other countries.

When this kind of diffusion occurs, material objects and ideas from one culture are introduced into another. Hybridity in cultures is one of the consequences of the increased global flows of capital, people, culture, and entertainment. Hybrid cultures refer to new forms of culture that arise from cross-cultural exchange, especially in the aftermath of the colonial era.

On one hand, there are blendings of different cultural elements that had at one time been distinct and locally based: fusion cuisines, mixed martial arts, and New Age shamanism. On the other hand, there are processes of indigenization and appropriation in which local cultures adopt and redefine foreign cultural forms. As cultural diasporas, or emigrant communities, begin to introduce their cultural traditions to new homelands and absorb the cultural traditions they find there, opportunities for new and unpredictable forms of hybrid culture emerge.

Music, fashion, technology, and values—all are products of culture. But what do they mean? How do sociologists perceive and interpret culture based on these material and nonmaterial items?

Functionalists view society as a system in which all parts work—or function—together to create society as a whole. In this way, societies need culture to exist. Cultural norms function to support the fluid operation of society, and cultural values guide people in making choices.

By focusing on the function that culture plays in maintaining the stable equilibrium of society as a whole, functionalism can often provide interesting insights into cultural activities that seem irrational and bizarre on the surface. Bronislaw Malinowski described the way that the Trobriand Islanders of New Guinea used magic at each stage of preparation in fishing.

From a rationalized, calculative point of view, magic ritual has nothing to do with the ability to catch fish. Fishing is a practical activity. However, as Malinowski pointed out, fishing for the Trobriand Islanders was also a risky and uncertain activity. It was dangerous, weather was unpredictable, the whereabouts of fish variable. Magic provided the fishers with a sense of control over their environment and a sense of confidence that enabled them to venture out into the dangerous waters day after day.

It provided a stable pattern of meaning that empowered the fishers to bring back an essential food resource. Functionalists argue that cultural practices play a similar role in modern societies. The game of hockey for example, in which highly skilled men and women chase a disk of rubber around a frozen sheet of ice risking injury and expending energy for nonproductive purposes, is on the surface of it, an irrational and crazy activity. Hockey is both, practically speaking, useless and yet clearly a highly valued activity.

As Durkheim argued with respect to religious rituals and totems, when people come together and focus their attention on a common object—in this case, a disk of rubber— thoughts and feelings pass back and forth between them until they take on a supra-individual force, detached from individuals themselves.

A pre-rational collective consciousness emerges that provides the basis for group solidarity or a moral sense of group togetherness. In addition, many people point to the latent functions of hockey in that it provides an outlet for energies that might otherwise be directed to negative activities; it provides the basis for the cultivation of the self in the pursuit of excellence; it provides important lessons on the value of team play; and it provides an exercise activity that contributes to the health of the population.

As many Canadians know, it is often easier to get a good physical workout when you are chasing a puck or a hockey ball than it is to convince yourself to go out into the cold to go for a jog or to do another repetition down at the gym. Symbolic interactionism is a sociological perspective that is most concerned with the face-to-face interactions between members of society. Proponents of this theory conceptualize human interactions as a continuous process of deriving meaning from both objects in the environment and the actions of others.

Every object and action has a symbolic meaning, and language serves as a means for people to represent and communicate their interpretations of these meanings to others. Those who believe in symbolic interactionism perceive culture as highly dynamic and fluid, as it is dependent on how meaning is interpreted and how individuals interact when conveying these meanings.

A symbolic interactionist approach to fashion for example would emphasize that fashion is a language that we use to interpret who others are and communicate who we are. Clothing fashions in particular represent an extremely intricate language of interpersonal communication, as anyone who has gone shopping with a friend for clothes is well aware.

Georg Simmel noted that, while extremely transitory, the establishment of fashions always has to contend with two seemingly contradictory tendencies—the desire of individuals to fit in and conform to what is fashionable and the desire of individuals to stand out as individuals. Being fashionable involves a highly nuanced negotiation between these two poles. Critical sociologists view social structure as inherently unequal, based on power differentials related to issues like class, gender, race, and age.

For a critical sociologist, culture is seen as reinforcing and perpetuating those inequalities and differences in power. Some norms, formal and informal, are practised at the expense of others.

After Confederation in , women were not allowed to vote in federal elections in Canada until and it was not until that they could vote in provincial elections in Quebec. Women had been able to vote, as property owners, prior to Confederation. It was not until and that Canadians of Japanese, Chinese, and South Asian origins were permitted to vote.

Native Canadians, who had been able to vote in some regions up until , had their rights revoked and were not permitted to vote federally again until In each case of discrimination, it was dominant cultural attitudes toward the subordinate groups that served as the rationale for refusing them the franchise. Because of prevailing paternalistic and racist attitudes, it was argued that aboriginal people would somehow be more susceptible to manipulation by politicians than other Canadians.

A key focus of cultural analysis in critical sociology is the critique of ideology. An ideology is a set of ideas that serve to support, justify or conceal existing power relationships in society. Classical liberalism for example is a set of ideas that emphasize the freedom of the individual to pursue his or her own self-interest without the interference of others, or of the state, unless the individual impinges on the right of others to do the same.

As in all ideology, there is a kernel of truth in liberalism. However, to the degree that liberalism supports not only personal freedoms but also the property rights of corporations, it is clear that it is an ideology that perpetuates the power of capital. By focusing on the individual—individual rights, individual self-interest, individual responsibility—liberalism also makes it difficult to see that power structures are not the product of individual initiative but of historical, structural inequalities based on class, gender, race, and colonization.

In the liberal culture of capitalism, we continue to strive on an individual basis toward the promise of success, which perpetuates the belief that the wealthy deserve their privileges. We began this chapter by asking what culture is. Culture comprises all the practices, beliefs, and behaviours of a society. Because culture is learned, it includes how people think and express themselves.

While we may like to consider ourselves individuals, we must acknowledge the impact of culture; we inherit thought language that shapes our perceptions and patterned behaviour, including about issues of family and friends, and faith and politics. To an extent, culture is a social comfort. After all, sharing a similar culture with others is precisely what defines societies.

Nations would not exist if people did not coexist culturally. There could be no societies if people did not share heritage and language, and civilization would cease to function if people did not agree to similar values and systems of social control. Culture is preserved through transmission from one generation to the next, but it also evolves through processes of innovation, discovery, and cultural diffusion.

We may be restricted by the confines of our own culture, but as humans we have the ability to question values and make conscious decisions. No better evidence of this freedom exists than the amount of cultural diversity within our own society and around the world.

The more we study another culture, the better we become at understanding our own. Sapir-Whorf hypothesis the idea that people understand the world based on their form of language. What Is Culture?

A society is a group of people sharing a community and culture. Culture generally describes the shared behaviours and beliefs of these people, and includes material and nonmaterial elements.

Our experience of cultural difference is influenced by our ethnocentrism and androcentrism. Elements of Culture A culture consists of many elements, such as the values and beliefs of its society.

Culture is also governed by norms, including laws, mores, and folkways. The symbols and language of a society are key to developing and conveying culture. Pop Culture, Subculture, and Cultural Change Sociologists recognize high culture and popular culture within societies.

Societies also comprise many subcultures—smaller groups that share an identity. Countercultures reject mainstream values and create their own cultural rules and norms.

Through invention or discovery, cultures evolve via new ideas and new ways of thinking. In many modern cultures, the cornerstone of innovation is technology, the rapid growth of which can lead to cultural lag. Technology is also responsible for the spread of both material and nonmaterial culture that contributes to globalization.

Theoretical Perspectives on Culture There are three major theoretical approaches toward the interpretation of culture. An interactionist is primarily interested in culture as experienced in the daily interactions between individuals and the symbols that make up a culture.

Critical sociologists see culture as inherently unequal, based on factors like gender, class, race, and age. The American flag is a material object that denotes the United States of America; however, there are certain connotations that many associate with the flag, like bravery and freedom.

In this example, what are bravery and freedom? Rodney and Elise are American students studying abroad in Italy. When they are introduced to their host families, the families kiss them on both cheeks. Where he is from, unless they are romantically involved, men do not kiss one another.

This is an example of:. Most cultures have been found to identify laughter as a sign of humour, joy, or pleasure. Likewise, most cultures recognize music in some form. Music and laughter are examples of:. Elements of Culture 6. The notion that people cannot feel or experience something that they do not have a word for can be explained by:. Pop Culture, Subculture, and Cultural Change Your year-old grandmother has been using a computer for some time now.

As a way to keep in touch, you frequently send emails of a few lines to let her know about your day. She calls after every email to respond point by point, but she has never emailed a response back.

This can be viewed as an example of:. Some jobs today advertise in multinational markets and permit telecommuting in lieu of working from a primary location. This broadening of the job market and the way that jobs are performed can be attributed to:. Theoretical Perspectives on Culture A sociologist conducts research into the ways that Hispanic American students are historically underprivileged in the American education system.

What theoretical approach is the sociologist using? The Occupy Wall Street movement of grew to be an international movement. Supporters believe that the economic disparity between the highest economic class and the mid to lower economic classes is growing at an exponentially alarming rate.

A sociologist who studies that movement by examining the interactions between members at Occupy camps would most likely use what theoretical approach? What theoretical perspective views society as having a system of interdependent inherently connected parts?

In January , a study published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America presented evidence indicating that the hormone oxytocin could regulate and manage instances of ethnocentrism. Delaney was based upon the principles of the Sapir-Whorf hypothesis.

Pop Culture, Subculture, and Cultural Change The Beats were a counterculture that birthed an entire movement of art, music, and literature—much of which is still highly regarded and studied today. The man responsible for naming the generation was Jack Kerouac; however, the man responsible for introducing the world to that generation was John Clellon Holmes, a writer often lumped in with the group.

Popular culture meets counterculture as Oprah Winfrey interacts with members of the Yearning for Zion cult. Barger, Ken. Barthes, Roland. New York: Hill and Wang. Darwin, Charles R. London: John Murray. DuBois, Cora. Oberg, Kalervo. Smith, Dorothy. Toronto: University of Toronto Press. Sumner, William G. New York: Ginn and Co. Elements of Culture Lipset, Seymour Martin. New York: Routledge, Chapman and Hall. McRoberts, Kenneth. Toronto: Oxford University Press.

OED Online. Oxford University Press. Passero, Kathy. Statistics Canada Languages in Canada: Census. Catalogue no. Swoyer, Chris. Zalta, Winter. Times Colonist Victoria, B. Women pickier than most in Canada on romance. Weber, Bruce. Westcott, Kathryn. Minneapolis: University of Minnesota Press. Bosker, Bianca. Greif, Mark. Ogburn, William F.

Scheuerman, William. Zalta, Summer. Theoretical Perspectives on Culture Elections Canada. Simmel, Georg. Chicago: University of Chicago Press.

Figure 3. Skip to content Main Body. Learning Objectives 3. Differentiate between culture and society Explain material versus nonmaterial culture Discuss the concept of cultural universalism as it relates to society Compare and contrast ethnocentrism and xenocentrism 3. Elements of Culture Understand how values and beliefs differ from norms Explain the significance of symbols and language to a culture Explain the Sapir-Whorf hypothesis Discuss the role of social control within culture 3.

Pop Culture, Subculture, and Cultural Change Discuss the roles of both high culture and pop culture within society Differentiate between subculture and counterculture Explain the role of innovation, invention, and discovery in culture Understand the role of cultural lag and globalization in cultural change 3.

Theoretical Perspectives on Culture Discuss the major theoretical approaches to cultural interpretation. Experiencing new cultures offers an opportunity to practise cultural relativism. Nowadays, many signs—on streets and in stores—are multilingual. What effect does this have on members of society? What effect does it have on our culture?

Making Connections: Careers in Sociology The Evolution of American Hipster Subculture Skinny jeans, chunky glasses, ironic moustaches, and T-shirts with vintage logos—the hipster is a recognizable figure in contemporary North American culture. Photo courtesy of William P. Gershwin Fund Collection, Music Division, Library of Congress By the s, the influence of jazz was winding down and many traits of hepcat culture were becoming mainstream. Section Quiz 3.

This is an example of: culture shock imperialism ethnocentrism xenocentrism 5. Music and laughter are examples of: relativism ethnocentrism xenocentrism universalism 3. The biggest difference between mores and folkways is that: mores are primarily linked to morality, whereas folkways are primarily linked to being commonplace within a culture mores are absolute, whereas folkways are temporary mores refer to material culture, whereas folkways refer to nonmaterial culture mores refer to nonmaterial culture, whereas folkways refer to material culture 9.

The notion that people cannot feel or experience something that they do not have a word for can be explained by: linguistics Sapir-Whorf ethnographic imagery bilingualism Cultural sanctions can also be viewed as ways that society: establishes leaders determines language regulates behaviour determines laws 3. Dostoevsky style in film; American Idol winners medical marijuana; film noir country music; pop music political theory; sociological theory The Ku Klux Klan is an example of what part of culture?

Counterculture Subculture Multiculturalism Afrocentricity Modern-day hipsters are an example of: ethnocentricity counterculture subculture high culture This can be viewed as an example of: cultural lag innovation ethnocentricity xenophobia This broadening of the job market and the way that jobs are performed can be attributed to: cultural lag innovation discovery globalization Short Answer 3.

Examine the difference between material and nonmaterial culture in your world. Identify ten objects that are part of your regular cultural experience. For each, then identify what aspects of nonmaterial culture values and beliefs that these objects represent. What has this exercise revealed to you about your culture?

Do you feel that feelings of ethnocentricity or xenocentricity are more prevalent in U. Why do you believe this? What issues or events might inform this? Elements of Culture What do you think of the Sapir-Whorf hypothesis? Do you agree or disagree with it? Cite examples or research to support your point of view.

Media dictates what clothing people buy, what hairstyle to have, and what activities to do. We idealize fictional characters, actors, and people we will never meet. We integrate parts of their fictional being into our lives. These characters did not gain popularity due to nations loving the books, but due to hype. The media hypes books that promote…. Chapter eight discusses the values and principles that are expected of the media.

The public values these standards however there are issues that arise when attempting to meet these standards. Chapter eight outlines ten subjects or areas and their importance: media freedom, media equality, media diversity, truth and information, social order and solidarity, cultural order, the meaning of accountability…. The real America is the reality that people are living in. What is true and happening shapes the real America. The real America now is being connected to other people through the internet and social media.

Donald Trump is the current president of the United States of America.