(GROUP 2) CEArts 1 – Philippine Popular Culture
Lance Christian M. Cabrera Tristan Corvera
Deneilyn Gabo Nicole Imee Ege
Pere Dane Villalobos Yver Ivan Yonder
Mass Culture Written Group Task
A. Ideas and Concepts.
From the article, look for the following terms/expressions and give your understanding of what it
means.
Kitsch
Kitsch is art or cultural product imitation of poor quality and cheap. For example, poor style or poor
taste. In some case the culture or product widespread thus, the population become further exposed to
the said culture making it seem sentimental and even an inside joke to some.
Gresham's Law in Culture
Gresham's law in culture states that the line between folk culture and high culture separated
what we call the common people and the aristocrats. People who are clustered to those of folk culture
sees high culture as the standard of living and an indication that they are now allowed to enjoy some
advantages that only the elites can avail. But as the common people persevere to reach or taste even a
fraction of the aristocrats privileges they trampled the boundary of folk culture and high culture that is
now what we commonly call as mass culture. Mass culture is basically for the mass, a culture without
limitations and concrete standard. Often described by the elites as barbaric and absurd. And so, to
somehow try to regain boundaries the upper classes began to capitalized the eagerness of the common
people for acceptance, but only to dominate them politically and make money out of a false or
somehow fake high culture they sell for the common people.
Homogenized Culture
A homogenized culture is a compact culture that is not influenced by modernity. A homogenized
culture is a view of social globalization that is retained as one of its fundamental characteristics,
disseminating a wide range of social images through traditions, thoughts and values, not as physical
objects. It hints at a reduction in social differences due to widespread use. It is a culture ideology that
has been sustained or a lack of cultural diversity.
Academicism
Academicism, according to MacDonald, is a kind of a fake "high art" that mimics the qualities of
high art but does not require the same intellectual engagement on the part of the consumer. In other
words, Academicism masks elitists' quality in their culture so that people can see it as high culture,
making people believe that their fake high culture appears to be genuine and difficult as they portray.
Avantgardism
Avantgardism, is a way developed by the High Culture to oppose the Mass Culture; a complete
opposite of Academicism that competes by imitation. Avantgardism simply refuses to compete, instead
it introduces a new compartmentation of culture, on the basis of an intellectual rather than a social
elite.
B. Opinions. As a group, form your own opinion on the following statements. Do you agree or
disagree? Why? You may give examples to concretize your claim/s.
1. Some scholars say that popular culture is a weapon of consumerism because if "forces people to
buy a particular product /avail of a certain service just because it is popular or trendy. People buy
because they want to become part of a group and be considered "in"
Our group's opinion agrees towards the question: "Some scholars say that popular culture is a
weapon of consumerism because it "forces people to buy a particular product avail of a certain service
just because it is popular or trendy. People buy because they want to become part of a group and be
considered "in"" because in this modern day era, the economy needs to compensate the needs of the
people not just by their needs but also their wants. People or should we refer to them as consumers,
tend to have a bandwagon mentality where in, their desire to purchase a commodity that can make
them get into or to get someone’s approval. There are many factors that affects the consumers ideal
reason as to why they tend to do this. Several factors include: influence (may it be from peers, family,
office mates), media, pop culture, and many more. Though people, social animals they can be, can be
influenced by the slightest of things, for they want to be belong, they want to have common grounds
between others, they want to be accepted as a member of the society. This makes the economy of the
world to grow and to progress.
2. A homogenized culture as a result of popular culture is a danger to individualism. Popular culture
has a tendency to unite people together and create a shared set of values and beliefs; therefore, by
doing so, people lose their sense of individuality because they become like the others -they become
homogenized.
There were mix opinion regarding the question: A homogenized culture as a result of popular
culture is a danger to individualism. Popular culture has a tendency to unite people together and create
a shared set of values and beliefs; therefore, by doing so, people lose their sense of individuality
because they become like the others - they become homogenized". Popular culture unites people with
common ideas and beliefs. Some of us believe that media will truly affect the way people portray
themselves. Social media in one way can be a medium for the dissemination of ideas that involves
popular culture that is now trending in our era. It is true that popular culture unites people together in a
way that they share commonality but do remember that every person is a unique creation. We all have
our shared common ideas but popular culture cannot make all people lose their individuality. There will
always be a black sheep in every herd. There are people who tend to go with "the swim of things" but
there are always people who try to swim oppositely in the river's current.
