Abstract
So much of what we (as a society) experience in pop culture is an advertisement for the life we should be living and the life we want to attain. Of course, the solution to our problem is usually in the form of some product or service we need to buy, and then the problem is solved for now. Books like “Can’t Buy My Love” show how advertising changes how we think and feel about our lives, particularly women. In this paper, we explore how media, i.e., TV, movies, and music, can also tremendously impact culture. Essentially, it is through media that we sometimes create our values, beliefs, and ideologies. Media, however, is not always wrong, as there are positives as well. No matter how we feel about the messages through media, the influence is strong. One of the shows that profoundly impacted culture, particularly with women, was the Oprah Winfrey Show. The show spoke about personal and professional growth. While a subset of people already followed these topics and spirituality, the show catapulted these topics to the forefront of culture. Another show that had a significant impact in the past when it took place, and still has an influence, is “Sex and the City.” The show was a trailblazer as it expressed the idea that women in their 30s and 40s could aspire to and want something other than traditional marriage and children.
Presenters
Colette TracyProfessor, Psychology and Business, National Louis University, United States
Details
Presentation Type
Paper Presentation in a Themed Session
Theme
KEYWORDS
Media and Pop Culture, Meda and Society, Media and Values
