Media And PopularCulture

8 Pages 1965 Words

be anything that isn’t categorised as high culture. Academics and members of certain social groups look down on anything termed popular culture as dumbed down entertainment for the masses and something that isn’t worthy of reading. These people attack popular culture as being vulgar and brash, they say its texts are insignificant culturally and that they are only superficial forms of entertainment. Popular culture on the other hand strives to include all forms of entertainment and cultural texts. Raymond Williams defines popular culture in four basic points; 1, its well liked by many people, 2, inferior kinds of work, 3, its work that deliberately sets out to win favour with the people and 4, culture actually made by the people for themselves. So lets take these points and use them to see if they can define ‘The Simpsons’ as popular culture. Ok then point 1, something that’s well liked by many people, well ‘The Simpsons’ certainly is that. Its takes up one of the highest positions in the ratings charts, which are published in the ‘Radio Times’ magazine as well as on their website. These figures can also be obtained from the BBC’s site, and American audience figures are freely available on the web. During this summer the ‘Auntie’ screened a Simpsons night, an evening dedicated to the show, something which is very rare and sho...