I think that pop culture not only influences those that pay attention, but is also influenced by the newer generations breaking in. For instance, in the 1950's you would NEVER EVER even imagine to see two women kiss at an awards show like Britney Spears and Madonna did at the MTV movie awards or a show about 4 women and their quest to find love through many sexual partners in New York City. We are all becoming more and more accepting of the lifestyles and choices people make because "Pop culture" is getting us to open our minds and lower our expectations of how things should be rather than how they could be. In the essay by Samuel L. Jackson, he describes how we are allowing different races play different parts without the obvious stereotype tied to the actor by their ethnicity. "When the studio heads look at a script now, they can see their friend Juan or they can see their friend Kwong or they can see their friend Rashan. So all of a sudden you see a different look in the movies, as they reflect the way this younger generation producers and studio executives live their lives." (Jackson 455) Popular Culture is challenging the traditional view different races by having them play an everyday person. Not just what their origin would stereotype them as.
For years, we've slowly but surely allowed more and more challenges to tradition. From the most minor, to the most off the wall. Challenging the topic doesn't always come across in the best way, and though the media tries to put different races into different parts other than the stereotypical, we will still see others in the "typical" form they are viewed as. I think it's a good thing that we are able to have shows that show people of different views and lifestyles and have them be more and more accepted into society. However, no matter how many shows or movies are put out there to sway the world into acceptance, there is always going to be that underlying stereotype and subliminal message. For example, the show "Queer eye for the Straight guy" is about a bunch of homosexual men giving fashion and interior design advice to hopelessly unfashionable straight men. Though the acceptance of the show is for the homosexual men and putting them in the light of the guiding savior, they are still looked at as the stereotypical gay man. All about fashion and flamboyancy, which is not how ALL of them are. Regardless of the stereotypes, pop culture will continue to challenge and slowly adjust the old traditions to get people to learn to either accept or live with the changing times.
For years, we've slowly but surely allowed more and more challenges to tradition. From the most minor, to the most off the wall. Challenging the topic doesn't always come across in the best way, and though the media tries to put different races into different parts other than the stereotypical, we will still see others in the "typical" form they are viewed as. I think it's a good thing that we are able to have shows that show people of different views and lifestyles and have them be more and more accepted into society. However, no matter how many shows or movies are put out there to sway the world into acceptance, there is always going to be that underlying stereotype and subliminal message. For example, the show "Queer eye for the Straight guy" is about a bunch of homosexual men giving fashion and interior design advice to hopelessly unfashionable straight men. Though the acceptance of the show is for the homosexual men and putting them in the light of the guiding savior, they are still looked at as the stereotypical gay man. All about fashion and flamboyancy, which is not how ALL of them are. Regardless of the stereotypes, pop culture will continue to challenge and slowly adjust the old traditions to get people to learn to either accept or live with the changing times.
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