TYPES OF CULTURE
Main focus is on the production and consumption of mass culture
The culture of ordinary people. United ordinary rural people, but the division of labour associated with industrialisation threatened this.
The culture of the elite. Defined in literary terms be academics such as T.S. Elliot and F.R. Leavis, who though that it could only be appreciated by an elite minority. They feared commercial mass culture would destroy 'real' culture, and so undermine the position of the elite who create and transmit it.
The Mass Society, brought about by mass production and mass consumption. Traditional thinking was replaced by scientific thinking and folk culture was replaced by mass culture.
Mass culture, not like folk from ordinary folk, but a commercial product imposed on the masses, who can only choose to buy or not buy. This culture was identified by left wing critics in the thirties, included Hollywood films, popular music and pulp fiction.
Critics of Mass Culture
'The Defenders of High Culture', described above, worked in English Literature. They criticized mass culture from an elitist right-wing position.
Left wing criticism has been more influential in sociology. Marxist writers known as the Frankfurt school, fled the mass society of Nazi Germany and witnessed mass society based on mass consumption in the USA. They condemned the brutal totalitarian society in Germany, but also the liberal political system of capitalist America. They said that advertising and the mass media created a mass culture for profit, which reinforces the false consciousness of the working class.
AN EVALUATION OF THE MASS CULTURE APPROACH
The Function of Popular Culture
Some functionalists say that popular culture can have an integrative effect, like soap operas, royal weddings and public events being broadcast, and help include immigrants in a multicultural society.
Working Class Culture, Resistance Through Rituals
Sociologists from the CCCS said that groups within working class didn't always accept the dominant ideology found in mass culture. Sometimes resist in symbolic way. This contrasts with Hoggart's view, that mass entertainment was destroying a supportive working class culture.
Postmodernist criticism
Rejects the existence of mass culture but says also class domination has also gone. Now, people choose to consume whatever cultural products they want (and can afford). Hoggart regretted how the radio stopped working classes singing round the piano. In postmodern society new technologies have encourage people to produce as well as consume cultural products, eg footy fanzines.
CONCLUSIONS
Postmodern position on mass culture has not been accepted without challenge.
Orthadox Marxist view, that result of economic forces, has been challenged, first by neo-Marxists, then by postmodernist sociologists.
Many people still think we still capitalist, and making choices about cultural products doesn't change it.
Home made/street popular culture is often incorporated by capitalism to remove its threat and to make money.
Extra Information
Identify two differences between mass and folk culture
Folk culture is from traditional rural society. Mass culture is a modern, urban phenomena.
Folk culture is produced. Mass culture is consumed.
Folk culture is produced by families and societies, mass culture is produced by capitalism
Assess the view that capitalism produces a mass culture
This assumes that it does.
Mention the Frankfurt School
Say how the elitists thought mass culture threatened high
CCCS work on culture as resistance can also be included.