Understanding of culture including high culture and popular culturer

Understanding of Culture

Culture is a complex mix of values, beliefs, practices, languages, symbols, and behaviours that are shared among a social group and are passed down from generation to generation.
The term high culture refers to the artistic, intellectual and literary creations that often require a refined taste to appreciate and understand, traditionally associated with the upper class.
On the other hand, popular culture or pop culture includes popular music, television shows, films, books and other forms of entertainment that appeal to the majority population and are widely consumed.

Distinctions between High Culture and Popular Culture

High culture is associated with elitism, requiring an education and certain level of intellect to comprehend its values. It includes activities such as going to the opera, classical music concerts or art galleries.
By contrast, pop culture is considered inclusive. It is less formal and widely accessible, making it comprehensible to people across different age groups and classes. It includes things like pop music, comic books and reality television shows.

Interactions between High Culture and Popular Culture

High culture and pop culture are not mutually exclusive. They interact, influence and sometimes blend into each other. An example of this interaction is the phenomenon of crossover music such as rap versions of classical music.
High cultural forms, due to their socially perceived superior value, may be appropriated by popular culture in order to gain legitimacy or enhance status.
Conversely, elements of pop culture can enter the realm of high culture, particularly when they achieve iconic status, are inherently creative, or become objects of critical appreciation.

Maintaining and Challenging Social Hierarchies through Culture

High culture and popular culture can both represent and recreate social hierarchies. High culture is often used by the privileged classes to assert their superiority over the masses, cementing their higher social status.
Popular culture, while seemingly democratic, can also perpetuate stereotypes and reinforce existing power dynamics by framing certain behaviours or images as ‘normal’ or ‘acceptable’.
However, both forms of culture can serve as a mechanism for social change. They can challenge the status quo by providing platforms for new ideas and critiques of existing social arrangements.

Culture In the Context of Globalisation

Globalisation has blurred the boundaries between high culture and popular culture, making previously ‘elite’ art forms more accessible and introducing new cultural forms from around the world into popular consumption.
The rapid spread of American pop culture globally, known as Cultural Imperialism, has raised concerns about the potential loss of diverse cultures and traditions.
However, the process of globalisation has also facilitated cross-cultural exchange and fusion, leading to the creation of hybrid cultural forms that incorporate elements from different cultural backgrounds.

The Influence of Media on Culture

Media plays a significant role in shaping both high culture and popular culture, influencing what is consumed and how cultural products are interpreted.
In the realm of pop culture, media often dictates trends, fads and public sentiment. At the same time, it is a platform where popular culture is produced, disseminated, and consumed, facilitating the wide-scale proliferation of certain cultural products.
For high culture, media offers a platform to make high art forms more accessible to the public, but it can also commercialise these forms, potentially diluting their original value.