Folk vs. Popular Culture

Conflicts

Chapter 4

• The influence of Europe, the US and Japan in global popular culture makes many people feel threatened.– Ex. France’s govt. subsidizes the French film industry

and sets limits on foreign music on the radio

Cultural Landscape• The imprint of people on

the land-how humans use, alter and manipulate the landscape to express their identity.

• Examples;– Architecture of buildings– Methods of tilling the soil– Means of transportation– Clothing and adornment– Sights, sounds and smells of

a place

• The widespread distribution of businesses and products creates distinctive landscape stamps around the world.

• What are some other examples of businesses that can be found around the world?

Convergence of Cultural Landscapes:

• Borrowing of idealized

landscape images blurs

place distinctiveness.-right Las Vegas, Nevada-below

Toronto, Canada

Convergence of Cultural Landscapes:

• Reterritorialization of popular culture occurs when an aspect of popular culture is modified to adapt locally– Ex. Japanese baseball, European Hip Hop– Why would folk cultures resist?

• Syncretism-a fusion of old and new to create a new cultural trait.– The examples below are foreign foods that have been

modified to fit American tastes.

Brazil, the McCalabresa is a hamburger-sized slab of pepperoni on a bun. Quebecois McDonald's patrons can get McPoutine. Greece, burgers in pita bread with yogurt sauce, tomato, lettuce & onions Greek Mac. Israelis get to enjoy McShawarma and McCabe. Japan Tamago Double Mac—two beef patties, pepper sauce, bacon. and a poached egg. Pakistanis McChutney Burger and Poland's McKielbasa.”

Placelessness: the loss of uniqueness in a cultural landscape – one place looks like the next.

• This “California Ranch” with all rooms on one level takes up a larger lot and has encouraged urban sprawl.

• Commonly built in the 1950s and 1960s, this style of home is an good example of maladaptive diffusion since it was intended for the year round living of southern California.

Diffusion of Golf• What does a

golf course need?

• Where/Why could it be problematic?

Issues with Uniform Landscapes

• What problems result from:– Uniform landscapes (popular culture)

• Increased demand on natural resources• Additional pollution• Lose of folk culture

Western Control of Media

• Why is it problematic?– Loss of folk culture– Control the message