richard.miles@leeds-art.ac.uk
_ Looking at a number of theorists.
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Analyse what the difference is between high culture, low culture, throwaway culture and mass culture.
The social function of popular culture.
Raymond Williams - described it as one of the most complex words in English language. Process of intellectual production. Can refer to art. Very difficult to define.
Marx
A way of thinking about the world from the philosopher Karl Marx. Philosophical way of thinking about the world.
We live in a captialist society, with capitalist labour regulations. All forms of culture, art, design, in some way are a direct reflect on our condition.
Marx concept of Base / Superstructure
Base > produces individuals and art and thinking about the world, law, politics, religion, produces culture. Capitalism producing Capitalism society would be a crude analysis.
Its arguable that not only is culture a product of capitalism.
Base of society, industrial capitalists and workers. On top of that forms the entirety of the rest of the system, the army who shoot at you. systems of ideology such as religion.
Culture is produced by the material reality of the world.
4 definitions of 'popular' Raymond Williams
- Well liked by many people
- inferior kinds of work
- Work deliberately setting out to win favour with the people
- Culture actually made by the people themselves
Where do we draw the distinctions and what politics and values lead to those distinctions?
Caspar David Friedrich (1809) 'Monk by the Sea' Why is this high culture. Pretentious themes like looking into 'existence' whereas a more kitsch look like on the right makes you not.
E.P. Thompson - Famous Marxist historian "the making of the english working class"
Working class - - - Bourgeois
Very clear class divides that started to emerge. Particularly because there was mass factory work, very clear who was the workers and who were the bosses. Very clear who was rich and poor. Physically, class separations in manchester. Working class areas, working mens clubs. Affluent areas with bars etc.
The rich people had time to swan about and watch films, poetry. Culture always has in history been produced by the rich.
Independently, or organically a working class culture started to develop. At first for profit, a first for culture. Working class, for working class. Entrepeneurs going round selling satirical magazines, musicals start to come into play. Almost entertaining themselves and making livings off each other, helping each other but in segregation.
Matthew Arnold (1867) 'Culture & Anarchy'
One of the first who tried to define culture. Attempt to define culture and what is great about culture. Said that culture is the most important things in the world, about perfection, thinking, achievements of mankind.
Culture serves to minister. Basically saying new culture, popular mass culture is a bit iffy and should go back to what we know and what he thought worked in the past.
Thought anarchy should be thought of as a synonym as rebellious upstart working class, who tried to invent a culture of their own.
Culture > Anarchy
High culture > Low culture
"Now issuing from it's hiding place to assert and Englishmans heaven born privilege to do as he likes, and beginning to perplex us by marching where it likes, meeting where it likes, breaking what it likes."
Leavisism - F.R. Leavis & Q.D. Leavis - Mid 20th century
Real member of the elite, upper class.
Repressed, common sense attitude to popular culture in this country.
Growth of capitalism, industry around pop culture, Hollywood, forms of popular music etc. Sees that gradually, throughout 20th century, world has been on a slow decline towards the 'gutter'. Feels a beautiful moment and shared culture of beautiful art, beautiful music, intellectual fabric was in the past. Society has become more and more developed, more mass produced and more segregated.
For Arnold and Leavis popular/mass culture represents a threat to authority.
FRANKFURT SCHOOL - Critical Theory
1923 - 33 till they were shut down by the Nazis. First people to seriously engage from a radical perspective, this study of popular culture in the 30s.
Institute of Social Research, University of Frankfurt.
Experiences height of culture, Radio City Hall, Hollywood, Radio plays etc.
"All mass culture is identical"
Similar to movies, cars, horror films, effectively the same thing, with recurring themes. Similar to identical.
Popular Culture v Affirmative Culture
What happens to society when it soaks in all tis mass culture? "The irresistible output of the entertainment and information industry carry with them prescribed attitudes and habits, certain intellectual and emotional reactions which bind the consumers more or less pleasantly to the producers and, through the latter, to the whole. "
Society stops us revolting, keeps us in line. Similar to psychoanalysis and advertising.
'Culture Industry'
e.g. X Factor - 'Joe' mournful music in the background Personal backstory, tragic story, in need of redemption. X Factor is all he has, not good at anything else etc.
Through investment in making icons of radical ideas, people actually doing radical ideas maybe goes down. They get their buzz through just buying the radical merchandise to half-heartedly pledge their support.
Engaging with bands because you like other similar bands. Chain of consumption, without any active engagement of your mind. Adorno on 'popular music'. Getting opinions from magazines which are also making money off you
Docile.
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