Popular culture

What is popular culture

As popular culture It is called the set of artistic and folkloric manifestations that emanate directly from the system of beliefs, values ​​and traditions of a people. As such, the concept of popular culture It arises as a distinction against official or elitist cultural expressions, created from the tastes and interests of the dominant classes.

In this sense, the popular culture It originates as a response to official culture, since both represent different social sectors, as well as different tastes and interests, according to authors such as Mikhail Bakhtinscholar of popular culture in the Middle Ages.

As such, the popular culture It is characterized by being a product fundamentally created and consumed by the popular classes, fundamentally composed of individuals of low social extraction, that is, from the common people or the plebs.

The popular cultureFurthermore, it is considered one of the distinctive factors of the identity of a nationsince it embodies the cultural values, traditions, belief systems and customs that express the uniqueness of the people that make up a country.

Some examples of popular culture are musical expressions such as jazz (especially in its beginnings), reggae, rap or rock, as well as graffiti, comics and fantasy, black and science fiction literature.

Popular culture and mass culture

Although popular culture and mass culture are terms that are usually used as equivalents, this use is incorrect. The popular culture It is a compendium of artistic and folkloric manifestations that emanates directly from the people, and is rooted in the traditions, values ​​and beliefs of the people, and has been transmitted from generation to generation for decades or even centuries. The mass culture, on the other hand, is that created by the cultural industry, produced on a large scale and aimed at the general public. As such, it uses marketing and advertising for its promotion and to maximize its profitability. Hence, unlike expressions of popular culture, mass culture is a standardized product, produced for the taste of the majority.

Popular culture and elite culture

The popular culture and the elite culture They are considered opposing factors within the cultural manifestations of a people. In this sense, the elite culture It is made up of the most academic and erudite artistic expressions, aligned to the tastes of the most dominant, wealthy and educated social classes. Some elite artistic manifestations are opera, classical music, ballet, among others. On the contrary, the popular culture It is a response to the erudite culture, which comes from the common people and is fed by their system of values, beliefs and traditions.

See also: Cultural values ​​and Types of culture.