POP CULTURE 1945-1960

KARAOKE AND POP CULTURE IN GENERAL

        Let’s talk about karaoke and its popularity in our society.  It’s a cultural icon that is designed to be entertaining and to connect socially.  In much the same way we, as consumers, will buy the read the newest issue of People to see what our stars are doing (and wearing), or read our friend’s feeds on Facebook, both are meant to enlighten and maybe assist in making sense of the world we inhabit.   When we begin to bias our perceptions based on cultural icons, however, is when we do a disservice to ourselves and others.

            I love karaoke.  I love that I can get up and sing a song without worrying about how good I sound.  I love it when my friends do the same, and I wildly applaud them regardless of how good (or bad) it actually is.  I like to think of karaoke as an equalizer in terms of ability or the need to perform.  If there are stereotypical aspects of it (possibly the “ringer” with the golden voice, or the picture of Japanese businessmen doing their rendition of “Free Bird”), it’s not meant to harm.  Karaoke knows what it’s meant to do—to connect people together in a non-threatening, unbiased way.  A lot of pop culture is also designed like this as well—we buy products that are wildly popular (Air Jordans), we watch hugely successful television programs (Breaking Bad), we talk about issues (the demise of DOMA, Obamacare) that are relevant to the time in which we live.  In all of these examples, we want to be included in the conversation surrounding us, for that is essentially our nature: we are social animals.  Pop culture has the capacity to connect us in ways that other social way may not.  The problem is when you attempt to stereotype others based on false misperceptions in when you get yourself into trouble.

            I again read the other day that people on welfare should have to be drug tested before they get their government checks, because, “ ‘I’m paying for this! I support people who just lazy and don’t want to get a job!’ ” This diatribe was published on my Facebook feed and was “liked” by numerous people.  The message did not contain any factual information, and did not verify itself by one reputable news source.  Yet, there it was, in all its fictional glory, and that’s where the problem lies; when did we cease understanding that many facets of pop culture are inaccurate?  When we use facets pop culture to stereotype groups of individuals is when we negate people to caricatures.  The poor in our society are not lazy and the majority work at menial jobs that pay only minimum wage.  It is wrong to present a fictional representation of who you think different groups in society are, just as it is wrong to think that gays and lesbians are godless sinners or that Muslims are all terrorists.  We need to understand the importance of pop culture in our lives, but also recognize that a great deal is of it is make-believe; I don’t think that buying my son a pair of Air Jordans is going to make him a basketball star, as I don’t believe that my gay friend is going to hell.  It’s just that simple.

            So long live karaoke, and have fun with the simplicity of it being able to break down social barriers among vastly different groups of people.  It is pop-culture fun at its finest, but it is not reality.  Let’s remember that all people are unique and let’s applaud their distinctiveness instead of putting them into a box someone’s told you they should be in.  

SUPER SPARKLY MALE SAVIOR...ISN'T THAT WHAT WE WOMEN WANT?

       The heroine in the story is a quiet loner who secretly dreams of meeting the perfect guy—one she is “destined” to be with.  She moves to a new school, where she feels alone and isolated.  She meets the mysterious boy, who seems aloof and uninterested.  Through a series of traumatic events, he comes to her aid where they get to know each other on a more intimate level.  He harbors a deep dark secret, and as he finally confides to her, she understands and accepts him as only she could.  But wait!  Something happens that forces them apart and their love is tested. He leaves, and she is alone and heartbroken.  She cannot survive without his love in her life.  She is put in danger and he returns just in the nick of time for her salvation.  He declares his undying devotion and they live happily ever after knowing they were destined to be together.

            I have just described all three novels of the Twilight Book series written by Stephanie Meyer.  There is the shy girl who feels isolated and alone.  There is the mysterious boy with the secret only he can share with her.  She is put in harm’s way, and he swoops in to rescue her at just the right moment.  He feels that he needs to save her from his past, and he goes away, only to be reunited together when they realize that they were meant to be together.  He saves her repeatedly, and his love transforms her into the person she was meant to be, and they ultimately live (or in the Twilight books, unlive) together for all time.  Plot settings and ancillary characters may vary, but it is the same romantic trope that has been tested and tried over and over again.  The same could be said with the series of books called “The Caster Chronicles”, written by Kami Garcia and Margaret Stohl.  Oh, sure, the heroine in these books is the supernatural one, but the theme is the same: there is a male hero saving the day and proving his true love and devotion to the heroine.

            And you know what?  Millions of teenage girls EAT. THIS. UP.  I mean, let’s face it: wouldn’t it be great if there was that one and only someone that could sweep us (meaning the female persuasion) off our collective feet and make all of our dreams come true?  And here’s why this is so wrong:  IT DOESN’T HAPPEN.  Nope, not at all.  There are no knights in shining (or sparkly) armor that will come and take us away to bliss.  Yet, young adult authors keep churning these types of books out, because there is a huge market for this kind of monomyth.  It doesn’t matter if the hero is really a vampire, witch, or even a zombie. “He” will always save the day.  So, what type of message are we sending to our young and highly impressionable girls?  Do we really want to consciously impart that only a male savior will make their problems go away?  Do we really want them to believe that true love is “predestined” if only you wait and pray long and hard enough?  Do we really want them to believe that only a boyfriend can be their savior and defend them from the big, bad villains in their lives? 

      Realistically, this type of romantic genre is not a new thing (can you feel me, Jane Eyre?).  And here’s another fact:  it works.  I have to admit, I read the Twilight series of books (for curiosity’s sake, honest!) and when I read the last one, “Breaking Dawn,” I was astonished how disturbing they actually were—come on, Edward delivers his own child while Bella lay dying by the birth, and then rescues her again by biting her to get their child out, thereby making her immortal?  I think the most offensive plot point is the one where Jacob sees Bella and Edward’s child for the first time and is “imprinted”: meaning, in werewolf speak, this child is predestined to be with him (and how creepy this was—a grown man looking at a baby and seeing his future with her).  When the Twilight movies premiered, there were hordes of tweens and their mothers waiting in line to get tickets.  “Twi-moms” even have websites devoted to the Edward Cullen and Bella Swan love story (Goodale, 2010).  It’s insane, and you really have to wonder what these grown women are thinking.  That this type of love story actually happens, even on a non-supernatural level?  And, by our mass acceptance and consumption of this type of romantic unreality is the message we handing down to our female future selves?

            I personally want to see the Young Adult books were the girl saves herself.  I want to see novels that present difficulties and life struggles in which the girl addresses honestly and realistically.  I want to read where the girl doesn’t need some type of mythical male champion to ride in to make her life better, and that she understand it is only up to her to make it alright.  I want to see her be her own savior, because, that’s real life folks.  And, I’m sure there are books out there right now that are written just like that…but who’s reading them?

References

Goodale, G. (2010, June 28). Twilight Moms: Why Women are Draw to Teens' "Eclipse". Retrieved from Christian Science Monitor: http://www.csmonitor.com/

OH KARAOKE! MAKE MY DREAMS COME TRUE!

      It’s a Friday night.  You are the shy, introverted friend who your friends dismiss as having “no life.”  Unbeknownst to them, you have harbored a dream of being a professional singer, yet lack the confidence to do so.  On this particular night, you decide to take the leap and go out with your friends for some drinks.  After several mojitos, you decide to break free from the social barrier you have erected for yourself, and you take the stage to sing “I Dreamed a Dream” from Les Miserables.  And the audience goes….wild!  In the stands is a record producer, and he grabs you and says, “That was amazing!  You are a star, and I can make you one!”  He pairs you with another struggling singer—let’s call him Landon (how very unconventional that sounds), and “Landon” helps you to get to that superstar shot on a national televised audience.  And, because of him, you rock!  But oh, Landon’s star is fading, and even though he is going through troublesome times, you decide to put your stardom on hold to help him.  And guess what?  He overcomes his demons and both of you perform to the millions who love you, because, well….he was your savior, wasn’t he?

            Come on.  Karaoke, my personal cultural artifact, was NEVER designed to be a star-vehicle.  It was primarily designed to have a good time and relax with your friends during a stressful workweek.  Karaoke means “empty orchestra” (Karaoke's History, 2013).  It’s not meant to make you the next Kelly Clarkson and what’s his name from the first season of “American Idol.”  Its purpose is simply meant as a social diversion, regardless of talent or capability.  Look, I have been personally singing on stage for the majority of my life, and never once did I think I would be “discovered” during my PROFESSIONAL performances, let alone when I was letting loose during an alcohol-fueled rendition of “Sweet Home Alabama.”  It just doesn’t work that way.  If I, for instance, had the dedicated desire to make it as a professional singer, I would certainly not use Karaoke as the means to an end. 

            So here’s to Romantic Monomyths in all of their glory:  Wow, how great it would to have a male savior see the talent in me!  How awesome it would be to help him overcome his demons so that we could succeed and be famous together!  And how very, patently, and ridiculously false this is to those of us who have a shred of talent and use that ability simply to connect with others on a social level?  We all use our abilities and talents as we see fit, and that’s ok.  We stand and fall on that, and that is the way it should be. 

Yeah, right.

References

Karaoke's History. (2013). Retrieved from KaraokeKanta.net: http://www.karaokekanta.net/

JOURNAL ARTICLE ANALYSIS: DEXTER-- HERO AND SERIAL KILLER FOR THE MASSES

      I recently read an article written by Ashley Donnelly in the Journal of Popular Culture entitled, “The New American Hero: Dexter, Serial Killer for the Masses” (Donnelly, 2012).  She made the compelling argument that many of today’s contemporary anti-heroes such as the “loveable” serial killer, Dexter, is indicative of today’s need to have a vigilante type of hero that fulfills our traditional needs of justice.  In light of the events of 9/11, I tend to agree with her.       

            Why is the Showtime series, “Dexter,” watched by millions every week?  He clearly kills and dismembers at his discretion, for his own purposes.  Donnelly states that “Dexter” has fan pages on social media websites and an entire cottage industry of products that are wildly popular.  And let’s face it: Dexter is the epitome of a sociopath: “a person displaying anti-social behavior with a lack of empathy for others coupled with abnormal moral conduct” (Sociopath: Sociopathic Personality Disorder, 2011).  Dexter is certainly that—he kills amorally, but he also has an absolute code of right and wrong.  Dexter metes out punishment to those he feels have crossed accepted boundaries within our society. In turn, he consciously reinforces what is “good” and “bad” and delivers justice in our place.

            Donnelly states in typical horror genre, the “killer” was usually represented as a “malleable manifestation of social anxieties”, depending on what was occurring socially during a given era (Donnelly, 2012).  When one thinks of how the monster has typically been identified, it was clearly abnormally different than what a “normal” person, and therefore, could be easily identifiable.  Today, our social anxieties have radically changed since 9/11, because “abnormal” can look just like us.  It is that sense of collective uncertainty that has altered our perceptions of what a killer has traditionally been.  Dexter serves as American’s desire for unforgiving justice, and Donnelly aptly describes Dexter embodying the vigilantism we may subconsciously desire.  In short, we embrace Dexter simply because he is able to do what most of us will not: he delivers an absolute and deadly justice to those in our society who have committed wrong. 

            In summary, Dexter is a fascinating character, and one in which millions have identified with on some level.  Dexter serves as an anti-hero that has no moral center, but conforms to society at the same time.  We can identify and sympathize with Dexter because of his tragic past, and understand the reasons why he kills, and at times applaud him doing so. The majority of us will never be able to understand why someone would pilot planes into the World Trade Center, or be a suicide bomber on a bus full of innocent people.  The monster that we once could easily recognize is no longer certain.  Dexter, while clearly a monster, is “our monster” and he serves our desires for justice and revenge in today’s uncertain world.

References

Donnelly, A. (2012). The New American Hero: Dexter, Serial Killer for the Masses. Journal of Popular Culture, 45(1), 15-26. doi:10.1111/j.1540-5931.2011.00908.x

Sociopath: Sociopathic Personality Disorder. (2011). Retrieved from DepressionD.com: http://depressiond.com/

THE RISE OF THE YOU TUBE CELEBRITY

The Rise of the YouTube Celebrity

            Once upon a time, there was a boy who was just like a lot of us.  He dreamed for a better life for himself and his mother.  He taught himself to sing and to play the drums, and his mother thought he was so talented, she made a video of her son.  And, as sheer luck would have it, that YouTube video of this 12 year-old performing made him a world-wide sensation (Scaggs, 2010).  A YouTube video of a typical kid had the ability to make him into a celebrity; it’s interesting how You Tube is like the online version of Karaoke: a person can sing a “cover” of a song, with varying results.  The difference with YouTube is that, if one is talented (and lucky) enough, you can become like the subject of this story—Justin Bieber.

            YouTube allows anyone to upload a video in much the same way as Justin Bieber’s mother did.  Founded in 2005, the website has grown by leaps and bounds, and Google purchased it to the tune of 1.65 BILLION dollars (Feldman, 2007).  In Justin’s case, he became a teen pop sensation and a multi-millionaire.  YouTube also has the ability to further the “cult of celebrity” our society seems to demand. YouTube now broadcasts Justin’s his recent run-ins with the law, and depending on who you talk to, Bieber is either a hero for overcoming his circumstances through sheer talent, or he is another spoiled celebrity who has too much money and not enough discipline.  So where is our interest in seeing videos of the person selflessly donating their time to work in a soup kitchen instead of looking at Justin’s mug shot?          

            There is something sad about the way in which anyone’s life nowadays can be viewed, analyzed and dissected in today’s celebrity-saturated world.  Celebrities like Justin Bieber have their every move broadcast if they are “famous” enough.  In no small measure to websites like YouTube we can “create” stars, but we cannot change the nature of their selfishness. No matter how the media wants to spin a celebrity’s life, it cannot change the individual.

            Look, I have no idea what Justin Bieber is really like.  Although he has recently done some questionable things, he might also dole out soup to the homeless, or volunteer for a suicide prevention hotline.  The sad thing is that’s not what we, as a culture, really want to know:  We would rather focus on this:

                

             

“Beliebe” it.

 References

Feldman, B. J. (2007, October 15). YouTube: What is It and Why Use It? Retrieved from Surf Net Kids: http://www.surfnetkids.com/

Scaggs, A. (2010, April 29). Welcome to Justin Bieber's World. Retrieved from The Rolling Stone: http://www.rollingstone.com/

KARAOKE PERFORMERS: ONE OF THE FEW POSITIVE STEREOTYPES

Karaoke Performers: One of the Few Positive Stereotypes

            Image the following scenario: You’ve had a tough week.  The boss has been horrible, your deadlines were not met, your significant other has dumped you.  All you want to do is have a little fun with your friends and forget about the troubles you have experienced through the week.  So, what to do?  Why not go to a karaoke bar and let loose with your favorite rendition of “Sweet Home Alabama” or “Born in the U.S.A.” while downing a few brewskis (or cocktails)?  Here’s the thing:  even though you may be as tone-deaf as they come, you will probably feel better, at least for a while.

            I’ve just described a common stereotype of the typical karaoke setting: a group of individuals who, while having imbibed (possibly) a few too many, sing (however badly) karaoke.  They may also encourage their friends, or even audience members, to participate.  In a way, karaoke is the social instrument used as a bonding agent for certain groups of people.  I’ve also described a ritual that, I am sure, has been performed millions of times, regardless of whether you are male or female.  Karaoke becomes the glue that combines a need to relax socially into a good time.

            Karaoke, by its explicit interaction between performer and audience, creates a way for social groups to bond.  And, as there may be ritualistic elements associated with Karaoke, it can provide a common ground as well.  In fact, I just read an article on CoolMomPicks.com that listed the best karaoke songs to sing for certain group settings: “best karaoke songs to show off rapping skills;” “best karaoke songs if your performance can make up for your lack of singing skills;” even “best karaoke songs if you are hugely pregnant” (Cool Mom Staff, 2012).  Although the article was written somewhat tongue-in-cheek, it did accurately convey that groups with commonality can be associated with songs chosen by an individual for a group.  And, in accordance with the nature of karaoke, one of the few positive stereotypes in our society today is that it is almost universally understood that performers can’t sing, and this is not a bad thing!  That’s the beauty of karaoke: although it may be a way to connect socially across differing spectrums, the fact that one is tone deaf is not looked upon with disfavor; in fact, it is usually a given this is so.

            So, what does this tell us about the true nature of karaoke?  We (including myself), assume that those who participate cannot sing, and that…is…ok.  Does karaoke have the ability to make one more comfortable in a social setting due to the above fact?  Is it because we, as a culture, simply want to connect and have fun with others?  Or is it the fact, for an evening, we put aside our troubles and simply enjoy life?  I think it’s a combination of all of the above: it “makes you happy doing it” (Young, 2009).  That assumption may also be a stereotype, but at least it is one that does not negate a person as an individual due to a perceived lack of musical ability.

Karaoke—rock and roll on!

References

Cool Mom Staff. (2012, June 8). The Best Karaoke Songs for Any Occasion. Retrieved from                              CoolMomPicks.com: http://coolmompicks.com/

Young, R. (2009, December 10). Why is Karaoke so Popular? Retrieved from Examiner.com: http://www.examiner.com/