Introduction
Popular culture plays an imperative role in individuals’ daily lives. Actually, popular culture encompasses a wide assortment of ideas. For instance, texts, products as well as practices are aspects enjoyed by many people.
In general, popular culture refers to both the conventional and contemporary observations as well as beliefs that make up the daily lives of human beings. Moreover, culture enables individuals to understand the whole way of life of the society.
In other words, culture encompasses all arts of a society including meals, work, religious convictions, sex, family as well as sports. Presently, the mass media has influenced the way people live in the society. Additionally, for a culture to be defined as popular, it must be liked by a large number of people.
Stuart Hall asserts that the transformations in the balance and social forces throughout history have increased reformations among people who in turn embrace the popular traditions (Storey, 1994). In fact, it is true that the changes in the societal equilibrium and forces form the basis for popular culture.
Importance of popular culture
Popular culture continues to revolve around its containment and opposition. For instance, considering the popular traditions experienced in the eighteenth century, new independent ways of life have sprung up (Storey, 1994). Madonna’s debut in the early eighties had significant impacts on the popular culture. The activities of Madonna have shown the importance of fashionable lifestyle.
For example, the pop star continued to transform lifestyles using music. Most of the new lifestyles range from fashionable arts to attitude. The changes brought about by Madonna had significant influence on the way of life such as the revolutionizing dressing style.
For instance, Madonna’s Midwestern plaid and cow girl-inspired dressing style influenced many people to abandon the leggings and polka-dot patterns as well as laced skirts that were common in the early eighties to embrace the new fashionable trends.
Further, in the traditional societies, most people believed that females should not be powerful as the male counterparts (O’Brien & Szeman, 2010). Madonna’s attitudes that there is no difference between men and women have enabled changes in the attitude.
The beliefs of Madonna have encouraged the development of culture that freed women from traditional bondage. Therefore, it is evident, that Madonna’s pop career has proved vital over the years.
In the modern society, the presence of media plays important role in transforming peoples’ cultural lifestyles. In essence, the huge number of images that are shown in the televisions, music and movies are imperative aspects of media that influence the culture of the conventional societies (Durham & Kellner, 2006). Like many music artists, Madonna continues to influence peoples’ culture through the application of music.
In other words, people adore as well as place great worth on Madonna’s adorations and attitudes. Madonna has been on the forefront in swaying the tendencies experienced in the ever-changing cultures of the entire society. For example, Madonna is always at the forefront in enhancing the development of fashion, arts and cultural trends (Tomaselli, 2012).
Additionally, Madonna has been using videos to influence the lifestyle of many people. For instance, using video that portrays an escalating tendency in the Asian culture has influenced the American way of life.
Moreover, the portrayals of the eastern cultures using videos have changed the cultural beliefs of the mainstream society. Further, Madonna has changed a number of cultures that perceived masculinity as well as toned bodies as the foundations of beauty.
Stuart Hall claim that culture form the foundations for struggle (Storey, 1994). Based on this notation, Madonna utilized the high status in the music industry to influence the peoples’ culture by shaping the trends and standpoints of ideals. In addition, the pop star played a major role in enabling the abandonment of cultures that perceive women as dependent on the males and the manners in which the women ought to behave.
In fact, Madonna uses most of the ambitious views as well as body images to influence the popular culture. Madonna has propelled a trend that recognizes women as autonomous beings who do not depend on the males for survival.
Further, the pop star has developed a style that enabled control of male with some sense of authority. As such, the popular culture is influenced in a way that females are also able to control men. Moreover, through Madonna, a strong woman who is autonomous and powerful as well as not dependent on men for survival is depicted.
Conclusion
Generally, popular culture refers to the activities that are common among the mainstream society. In this regard, Madonna has been able to influence the popular culture through arts such as fashion. Further, media has played a major role in changing the societal lifestyle.
Moreover, the struggles amongst different genders of the society are major aspects of popular culture that end up changing the way of life. Popular culture is advanced by prominent and popular individualities. Moreover, popular culture is distinguished by the magnitude of the masses that it affects.
References
Durham, MG & Kellner, DM 2006, Media and cultural studies, Blackwell Publishing, Malden, MA.
O’Brien, S & Szeman, I 2010, Popular culture: a user’s guide, Nelson Education Ltd, Birchmount Road, Toronto.
Storey, J 1994, Cultural theory and popular culture: a reader, Harvester Wheatsheaf, Maryland.
Tomaselli, KG 2012, “Alter-egos: cultural and media studies,” Critical Arts, vol.26 no.1, pp.14-38.