Assignment 1-3: Journal Article Analysis
The article I chose to critique is “Pop Culture and the Economy,” written by Don Cusic and Gregory K. Faulk and published in The Journal of Popular Culture. The article is probably aimed more at the student of popular culture though most people would find it an interesting read. The authors give an in-depth look at how popular culture affects the economy. They break pop culture into segments and report their findings in terms of how much each segment grossed on an annual basis. They include stats and graphs and pie charts to further illustrate the impact of each of these different popular culture segments on the economy.
Cusic and Faulk identify two different sectors of popular culture as information; and arts, entertainment, and recreation. They further divide these two sectors into smaller segments. For example, the arts, entertainment, and recreation sector includes cable TV; film; broadcasting; sound recording; and newspapers, periodicals, and books. These segments combined generated $180 billion in 2004. It represented around 32% of the total dollars generated from popular culture. The information sector encompasses published works (magazines, newspapers, and books), films and video, music and other recordings, broadcasting, and satellite and cable TV industries. This sector represents 68% of the total popular culture industries and generated $385 billion in 2004 (Cusic, Faulk, 2009).
The authors include a table that reflects the 1998 through 2004 annual gross dollars by sector and by category within the sector. The table is enlightening in that it lists some of the categories not obvious such as fitness centers, spectator sports, zoos, museums, and parks. There is additional information on the major players within the individual categories. One interesting fact is that, in the arts, entertainment, and recreation sector, live entertainment is a bigger draw (Cusic, Faulk, 2009).
The style of this article is very fact-based and the pie charts and tables include a descriptive analysis of the data. It seems very thorough as far as facts and figures. The flow is more or less tiered with the authors speaking to the individual sectors and then dissecting each in facts and figures about the individual categories and their contributors. The article lacks any real, apparent conviction from the authors about the reasons behind why people spend more in one category than another. They do not really delve into the fact that one sector may be more profitable because it touches people in a real way. The only reference to a definition of popular culture is a very short, canned answer: “Cultural products are identified as those that directly express attitudes, opinions, ideas, values, and artistic creativity. They provide entertainment or offer information and analysis” (Cusic, Faulk, 2009).
The article Pop Culture and the Economy, though a very well presented work, could have had a broader appeal had it been expanded to include the reasons behind the figures presented. Giving examples of top films or popular music, or historic events that may have impacted the economic aspects would have given the reader a better picture of the icons’, heroes’, and stereotypes’ affects on how much money each category grossed. The facts and figures though show us that popular culture is not just a phenomenon. It is as much a part of each of us as is our DNA. The true question the article poses is “Does popular culture drive the economy or does the economy do the driving?”
References
Cusic, D. & Faulk, G. (2009). Popular culture and the economy. Journal of Popular Culture.
Friday, September 18, 2009
Tuesday, September 15, 2009
Weekly Written Analysis 5: Consignment Shops
Thirty or forty years ago, it was considered embarrassing if your friends found out that you were wearing the hand-me-downs of an older sister. But today, it is almost considered chic to create ensembles from clothing obtained from consignment shops and resale shops. It seems that the nation’s commitment to recycle has carried over even into the fashion world.
Here is how it works. The consignee opens an account at the consignment shop for a nominal fee. The consignee then brings in clothing they wish to sell. The cosigner inspects the clothing to make sure that all the clothes are relatively in style, in season; free of stains, and that the garments do not smell nor have broken zippers or missing buttons. If accepted, the consigner prices the garment according to the label, perceived value, and appeal of the garment. If sold, the consigner generally keeps 30% of the selling price (Picariello, 2007).
Plato’s Closet is a highly popular consignment shop for teens. It is the perfect solution to the young person who wants to be in style but is limited by a tight budget. The chain is now nationwide and operates as a franchise. The franchise-owner gets 5% of weekly gross sales but must have substantial assets (over $125,000) to obtain the franchise. Many franchise-owners report double-digit annual increases (Own a Plato’s Closet, 2009).
There are many one-owner, one-establishment shops. Some of the ones in the central Ohio area include Three Belles, Déjà vu, One More Time, and The Dress Code. All have a pleasant and welcoming atmosphere and a helpful staff. Some of these establishments pay outright and others the 70% cut, as mentioned above. Some use a graduated resale price, periodically reducing the selling price every week or two. The smart shopper can stalk the items they desire and decide when to come back for “the kill.” Most of the central Ohio consignment shops do not take undergarments or lingerie. Purses, belts, jewelry, and shoes, however, are big sellers.
I, for one, am in heaven. I no longer feel the need to hang on to clothing year after year because I paid top dollar. I can recycle the things I no longer wear and get new ones at a fraction of the cost I would pay in a department store.
References
Own a Plato’s Closet. Retrieved on September 15, 2009 from http://platoscloset.com.
Picariello, G. (2007). Consignment shops: More popular than ever. Retrieved on September 15, 2009 from http://associatedcontent.com.
Here is how it works. The consignee opens an account at the consignment shop for a nominal fee. The consignee then brings in clothing they wish to sell. The cosigner inspects the clothing to make sure that all the clothes are relatively in style, in season; free of stains, and that the garments do not smell nor have broken zippers or missing buttons. If accepted, the consigner prices the garment according to the label, perceived value, and appeal of the garment. If sold, the consigner generally keeps 30% of the selling price (Picariello, 2007).
Plato’s Closet is a highly popular consignment shop for teens. It is the perfect solution to the young person who wants to be in style but is limited by a tight budget. The chain is now nationwide and operates as a franchise. The franchise-owner gets 5% of weekly gross sales but must have substantial assets (over $125,000) to obtain the franchise. Many franchise-owners report double-digit annual increases (Own a Plato’s Closet, 2009).
There are many one-owner, one-establishment shops. Some of the ones in the central Ohio area include Three Belles, Déjà vu, One More Time, and The Dress Code. All have a pleasant and welcoming atmosphere and a helpful staff. Some of these establishments pay outright and others the 70% cut, as mentioned above. Some use a graduated resale price, periodically reducing the selling price every week or two. The smart shopper can stalk the items they desire and decide when to come back for “the kill.” Most of the central Ohio consignment shops do not take undergarments or lingerie. Purses, belts, jewelry, and shoes, however, are big sellers.
I, for one, am in heaven. I no longer feel the need to hang on to clothing year after year because I paid top dollar. I can recycle the things I no longer wear and get new ones at a fraction of the cost I would pay in a department store.
References
Own a Plato’s Closet. Retrieved on September 15, 2009 from http://platoscloset.com.
Picariello, G. (2007). Consignment shops: More popular than ever. Retrieved on September 15, 2009 from http://associatedcontent.com.
Saturday, September 12, 2009
Weekly Written Analysis/ Assignment 4-1
Games People Play
It’s funny what we as a society consider entertainment. When I was growing up, we had board games and card games and games of our own invention, the latter of which required that we use our imaginations. It is different today though. Video games arrived on the scene and the rest, as they say, is history.
The vast array of video games, most of which are violent or far-fetched, is a testament to the fact that we prefer fantasy over reality and, in the rare event we choose reality, we want it to be spruced up a bit. The average child aged 8-12 spends 13 hours every week playing video games. In the 13-18 age bracket, 14 hours are spent each week (Bradenburg, 2008). Many of the games kids are playing are of a violent or negative nature. The violent ones include Halo, Grand Theft Auto, and Kill Nazis. And, on the negative side, there is Homeless Sims.
Back when video games were first introduced, there was a single game called Pong. The object was to hit a little cyber-ball back and forth until someone missed. Then came Pac-Man and we guided him through a maze of ghosts that would eat him if we were not fast enough. The Mario Brothers let us navigate them through dangerous obstacle after dangerous obstacle. Each level gave us a new feeling of elation as we conquered them and moved on to the next world. But that apparently became too boring.
The industry quickly reacted and added the elements of violence and fantasy. I found this odd though in light of the fact that there was such a push to “pad” the world. Disney tamed Disney World and Pirates of the Caribbean became more like It’s A Small World. The Saturday morning cartoons of the past (Bugs Bunny, Road Runner, etc.) were deemed too violent and replaced by a plethora of kinder, gentler animation.
It seems that violence is still around though. The video game industry reaches more kids than the Saturday morning fare of the past. It would seem that, when money is involved, our values go out the door.
References
Bradenburg, M. (2008). Interesting Statistics About Video Games. DIY Father. Retrieved on September 9, 2009 from Google.com.
Games People Play
It’s funny what we as a society consider entertainment. When I was growing up, we had board games and card games and games of our own invention, the latter of which required that we use our imaginations. It is different today though. Video games arrived on the scene and the rest, as they say, is history.
The vast array of video games, most of which are violent or far-fetched, is a testament to the fact that we prefer fantasy over reality and, in the rare event we choose reality, we want it to be spruced up a bit. The average child aged 8-12 spends 13 hours every week playing video games. In the 13-18 age bracket, 14 hours are spent each week (Bradenburg, 2008). Many of the games kids are playing are of a violent or negative nature. The violent ones include Halo, Grand Theft Auto, and Kill Nazis. And, on the negative side, there is Homeless Sims.
Back when video games were first introduced, there was a single game called Pong. The object was to hit a little cyber-ball back and forth until someone missed. Then came Pac-Man and we guided him through a maze of ghosts that would eat him if we were not fast enough. The Mario Brothers let us navigate them through dangerous obstacle after dangerous obstacle. Each level gave us a new feeling of elation as we conquered them and moved on to the next world. But that apparently became too boring.
The industry quickly reacted and added the elements of violence and fantasy. I found this odd though in light of the fact that there was such a push to “pad” the world. Disney tamed Disney World and Pirates of the Caribbean became more like It’s A Small World. The Saturday morning cartoons of the past (Bugs Bunny, Road Runner, etc.) were deemed too violent and replaced by a plethora of kinder, gentler animation.
It seems that violence is still around though. The video game industry reaches more kids than the Saturday morning fare of the past. It would seem that, when money is involved, our values go out the door.
References
Bradenburg, M. (2008). Interesting Statistics About Video Games. DIY Father. Retrieved on September 9, 2009 from Google.com.
Saturday, September 5, 2009
Weekly Written Analysis 3-1
Beer has become the icon of good times in our culture. Through movies, songs, and advertisement, we are convinced that beer is a necessary ingredient to the formula of having fun, relaxing, or just coping. And the amount of fun or relaxation we can expect is relative to the way in which beer is served. If the expectation is either solitary or a small gathering, then a six-pack will do. But if there is to be a larger gathering, then a keg is needed. Wikipedia defines draught beer as “filtered beer that has been served from a pressurized container, such as a keg or a widget can” (Draft Beer, Wikipedia, 2009). Most of us have attended parties or social functions where a keg of beer was the center of attention.
In the movie Old School, the characters are men in their thirties who stumble upon the chance to relive their college “hay days.” They start a fraternity and Frank, a recovering alcoholic played by Will Ferrell, gets drunk from draught beer he guzzles from a keg at one of their frat parties and goes streaking in a drunken state (Old School, Wikipedia, 2009). At the frat party, the beer keg once again was the center and icon of “fun.”
If we look at one of the current top hits in Country music, Billy Currington’s lyrics state that “God is great, beer is good and people are crazy (Currington, 2009). The song implies that whatever life throws your way, it is possible to overcome it with a little faith and a good draught beer at your local bar. In the song, Currington goes on to unfold his tale of inheritance via the old man with whom he shared his life experiences over a draught beer in a bar. The old man later dies and leaves his fortune to the narrator of the tale. Who then leaves a six-pack as a memorial on the old man’s grave (Currington, 2009).
On their Bud Light website, Anheuser-Busch effectively creates a party atmosphere. As the web-surfer enters the site from the home page, the user hears the sounds of a party with a reminder that you have to be 21 to enter (Bud Light-Official Home of Drinkability, 2009). While this is a vain attempt at promoting responsible drinking, the company does well to create an ambience via the Internet.
References
Bud Light – Official Home of Drinkability (2009). BudLight.com. Retrieved on September 5, 2009 from www.budlight.com.
Currington, B. (2009). People Are Crazy. Retrieved on September 5, 2009 from www.cowboylyrics.com.
Draught Beer (2009). Wikipedia. Retrieved on September 5, 2009 from Wikipedia.com.
Old School (2003). Wikipedia. Retrieved on September 5, 2009 from Wikipedia.com.
Beer has become the icon of good times in our culture. Through movies, songs, and advertisement, we are convinced that beer is a necessary ingredient to the formula of having fun, relaxing, or just coping. And the amount of fun or relaxation we can expect is relative to the way in which beer is served. If the expectation is either solitary or a small gathering, then a six-pack will do. But if there is to be a larger gathering, then a keg is needed. Wikipedia defines draught beer as “filtered beer that has been served from a pressurized container, such as a keg or a widget can” (Draft Beer, Wikipedia, 2009). Most of us have attended parties or social functions where a keg of beer was the center of attention.
In the movie Old School, the characters are men in their thirties who stumble upon the chance to relive their college “hay days.” They start a fraternity and Frank, a recovering alcoholic played by Will Ferrell, gets drunk from draught beer he guzzles from a keg at one of their frat parties and goes streaking in a drunken state (Old School, Wikipedia, 2009). At the frat party, the beer keg once again was the center and icon of “fun.”
If we look at one of the current top hits in Country music, Billy Currington’s lyrics state that “God is great, beer is good and people are crazy (Currington, 2009). The song implies that whatever life throws your way, it is possible to overcome it with a little faith and a good draught beer at your local bar. In the song, Currington goes on to unfold his tale of inheritance via the old man with whom he shared his life experiences over a draught beer in a bar. The old man later dies and leaves his fortune to the narrator of the tale. Who then leaves a six-pack as a memorial on the old man’s grave (Currington, 2009).
On their Bud Light website, Anheuser-Busch effectively creates a party atmosphere. As the web-surfer enters the site from the home page, the user hears the sounds of a party with a reminder that you have to be 21 to enter (Bud Light-Official Home of Drinkability, 2009). While this is a vain attempt at promoting responsible drinking, the company does well to create an ambience via the Internet.
References
Bud Light – Official Home of Drinkability (2009). BudLight.com. Retrieved on September 5, 2009 from www.budlight.com.
Currington, B. (2009). People Are Crazy. Retrieved on September 5, 2009 from www.cowboylyrics.com.
Draught Beer (2009). Wikipedia. Retrieved on September 5, 2009 from Wikipedia.com.
Old School (2003). Wikipedia. Retrieved on September 5, 2009 from Wikipedia.com.
Sunday, August 30, 2009
Weekly Written Analysis 2
It seems that every day, bars are being set higher and higher. The speed limit keeps getting higher, athletes break records, and shopping centers are themed villages a la Disney World. The communication arena is no exception.
The iPhone is the newest, sleekest kid on the communication block. It allows the user to talk, send text messages, listen to music, take videos (and edit them right on the iPhone), play your favorite video games, keep track of your schedule, get directions via a GPS system, and surf the web. And, if that was not enough, it offers a convenient touch screen with which to do all of this. It is also reportedly twice as fast as other application devices (www.apple.com, 2009).
Facebook is a popular social network available on the internet and now it is possible to access Facebook via a cell phone such as an iPhone. Friends of mine recently convinced me to set up a Facebook profile complete with a wall. I was immediately overwhelmed by 30 or 40 “friend” requests. Now, the same friends are trying to convince me to add this to my cell phone.
Where will it all end? There are an estimated 30 million people using Facebook (www.facebook.com, 2009). The number of people over 35 doubled between March 2009 and May 2009 (www.insidefacebook.com). The largest segment of the population using Facebook seems to be the baby boomers (www.insidefacebook.com, 2009). We are sending and gathering information at a speed much faster than we can absorb. It scares me a little to think that all this personal information is floating around in cyberspace or, worse yet, that someone is compiling it for a project yet unknown.
The iPhone is the newest, sleekest kid on the communication block. It allows the user to talk, send text messages, listen to music, take videos (and edit them right on the iPhone), play your favorite video games, keep track of your schedule, get directions via a GPS system, and surf the web. And, if that was not enough, it offers a convenient touch screen with which to do all of this. It is also reportedly twice as fast as other application devices (www.apple.com, 2009).
Facebook is a popular social network available on the internet and now it is possible to access Facebook via a cell phone such as an iPhone. Friends of mine recently convinced me to set up a Facebook profile complete with a wall. I was immediately overwhelmed by 30 or 40 “friend” requests. Now, the same friends are trying to convince me to add this to my cell phone.
Where will it all end? There are an estimated 30 million people using Facebook (www.facebook.com, 2009). The number of people over 35 doubled between March 2009 and May 2009 (www.insidefacebook.com). The largest segment of the population using Facebook seems to be the baby boomers (www.insidefacebook.com, 2009). We are sending and gathering information at a speed much faster than we can absorb. It scares me a little to think that all this personal information is floating around in cyberspace or, worse yet, that someone is compiling it for a project yet unknown.
Friday, August 28, 2009
Thursday, August 27, 2009
Three Icons that Have Influenced Me
Hi. The three icons that I chose are the Statue of Liberty, Julia Child, and Bill Monroe. The Statue of Liberty graces the harbor near New York City. Julia Child was an American-born wanna be French Chef. And Bill Monroe was the creator of Bluegrass music.
The Statue of Liberty is a symbol of our freedom. It was given to the U.S. by the French as a centennial commemoration of our independence as a country. Julia Child is an icon representing French cuisine done American style and also, on a greater level, the idea that simple ingredients when put together just right, yield extraordinary results. Bill Monroe is known as "The Father of Bluegrass Music" and, as such, pioneered a whole new genre of music.
These symbols have influenced my life in different ways and at different times. The Statue of Liberty has always meant "hope" to me. When my mother would tell of her grandparents coming to the U.S. from Germany and seeing the Statue in the harbor, I wondered how it made them feel. It must have been a sight to behold, representing promise of a new life. As a child, I watched Julia Child on television with my mom as she would effortlessly create yet another masterpiece out of common ingredients. Over the years I realized that these cooking lessons we watched were also applicable to other areas of our lives. If we learn to appreciate and combine the simple things, the results are always incredible.
Bill Monroe epitimizes Bluegrass music. He invented it and started a whole new craze in the Appalachian area. Today, many famous Bluegrass artists (and some not so famous like our family band) measure their own music by his. He had a gift and wasn't afraid to try something new. To me, his example shows us all that there are niches out there to be found and filled.
The Statue of Liberty is a symbol of our freedom. It was given to the U.S. by the French as a centennial commemoration of our independence as a country. Julia Child is an icon representing French cuisine done American style and also, on a greater level, the idea that simple ingredients when put together just right, yield extraordinary results. Bill Monroe is known as "The Father of Bluegrass Music" and, as such, pioneered a whole new genre of music.
These symbols have influenced my life in different ways and at different times. The Statue of Liberty has always meant "hope" to me. When my mother would tell of her grandparents coming to the U.S. from Germany and seeing the Statue in the harbor, I wondered how it made them feel. It must have been a sight to behold, representing promise of a new life. As a child, I watched Julia Child on television with my mom as she would effortlessly create yet another masterpiece out of common ingredients. Over the years I realized that these cooking lessons we watched were also applicable to other areas of our lives. If we learn to appreciate and combine the simple things, the results are always incredible.
Bill Monroe epitimizes Bluegrass music. He invented it and started a whole new craze in the Appalachian area. Today, many famous Bluegrass artists (and some not so famous like our family band) measure their own music by his. He had a gift and wasn't afraid to try something new. To me, his example shows us all that there are niches out there to be found and filled.
Monday, August 24, 2009
Popular Culture Blog
Popular culture is the essence of life as we know it. It is the stuff by which we measure our normalcy. Popular culture encompasses many things including art, music, literature, past times, hobbies, religion, food, transportation, and almost everything else we interact with every day. We can be either advocates or adversaries of a popular culture phenomenon but we are affected, nonetheless.
In my current job as a Research Data Coordinator with Abbott Nutrition, I work in the Research and Development Division. One would think that this would not require any knowledge or application of popular culture but it does. As a service organization, we are wise to study our market (now a global one) and find out what it is that would improve the lives of our customers through nutrition. Today’s customer is much more savvy and expects not only a trusted infant formula or adult nutritional beverage, they want attractive packaging that is convenient, easy to open, and earth friendly. Knowledge about trends in popular culture allows us to meet or exceed these expectations. It also gives us a common ground with which we can connect with the customer, our peers, and our vendors.
For my artifact, I have chosen a periodical table of instant messaging abbreviations. This artifact represents the new era of communication that is faster, sleeker, and more fun. There are now many acronyms that a person writing an instant message can use to speed up the tedious work of typing a message. This comes in handy especially on the tiny keyboards of cell phones. Some of these abbreviations are more casual and some are now widely accepted in the work place.
Sunday, August 23, 2009
SWDYT of IM?
Through the ages man has developed ways to communicate. These ways have included gestures, speech, drawing in the dirt or on cave walls, drums, dance, the written word, telex, fax, and the cell phone.
The current method of choice is the cell phone. It allows the user to talk, send text messages, pictures, and videos. Texting has become the most popular but the tiny keyboards are not conducive to long messages. Therefore, born out of necessity, are abbreviations that the texter uses to speed up the messaging. Above is a periodic table that lists some of the more common abbreviations. There are also a number of website dedicated to compiling these abbreviations.
SWDYT (So what do you think) about IM (Instant Messaging)?
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