Important Notes for Lesson 4: Culture

1. What is Culture?

 Culture is the entire way of life for a group of people, including both material and symbolic
elements.
 It serves as a lens through which people view the world and is passed down from one
generation to the next.
 Culture includes knowledge, beliefs, arts, laws, morals, customs, and other habits acquired by
humans in a society.

2. Characteristics of Culture

 Shared and valued: Culture consists of actions, ideas, and artifacts that individuals in a society
share.
 Historical phenomenon: It originates through innovation and spreads through diffusion.
 Regional phenomenon: Different geographical areas develop distinct cultures.
 Patterned behavior: Repetition of approved behavior creates structure.
 Subject to change: Culture evolves over time.
 Integrated and continuous: Culture connects past, present, and future.
 Symbolic: It is expressed through symbols, language, and gestures.

3. Functions of Culture

Provides knowledge and behavioral patterns for survival.

Ensures biological continuity through reproduction.

Helps control natural forces to satisfy human needs.

Establishes peace and order.

Acts as an adaptive strategy for societal challenges.

Shapes personality development.

Enables communication through language.

Defines standards of right and wrong.

Creates a sense of identity and belonging.

Connects individuals to their past and heritage.

4. Components of Culture

Material Culture: Physical objects (e.g., tools, machines, buildings, art).

Symbolic Culture: Ideas and beliefs (e.g., values, norms, language).

Language and the Sapir-Whorf Hypothesis

Definition: Language shapes thought and influences perception.

Example:

Eskimos and Snow: Eskimos have multiple words for different types of snow, shaping their perception of
it.

Traffic Lights: The meaning of a red light depends on context (stop in traffic, warning in electrical
devices).

American vs. British English: Words can have different meanings (e.g., "eggplant" in the U.S. vs.
"aubergine" in the U.K.).
Word Creation: "Cheeseburger" makes sense, but "lettuceburger" does not because of cultural linguistic
patterns.

5. Cultural Values and Norms

Values: Shared beliefs about what a group finds desirable.

Norms: Rules governing acceptable behavior.

Folkways: Common customs that ensure social interaction (e.g., shaking hands when greeting).

Mores (More-rays): Norms with strong moral significance (e.g., prohibiting stealing).

Taboos: Norms so deeply ingrained that breaking them causes disgust (e.g., incest, cannibalism).

Filipino Cultural Values:

Pamahiin (Superstitions)

Bayanihan (Cooperation)

Fatalism (Belief in fate)

Pakikisama (Harmony)

Paggalang sa matatanda (Respect for elders)

Utang na loob (Debt of gratitude)

Fiesta fever (Love for celebrations)

Hospitality

6. Social Control and Sanctions

Sanctions: Rewards or punishments for following or breaking norms.

Social Control: Mechanisms that encourage conformity to norms.

7. Different Ways of Viewing Culture

Ethnocentrism: Judging other cultures based on one’s own (e.g., thinking eating insects is "weird").

Cultural Relativism: Understanding cultures in their own context rather than judging them.

8. Variations in Culture

Multiculturalism: Encourages cultural diversity rather than assimilation.

Dominant Culture: The most powerful culture in society.

Subculture: A distinct group within a larger culture (e.g., skaters, gamers).

Counterculture: A group that actively opposes the dominant culture (e.g., hippies in the 1960s).

9. High, Low, and Popular Culture

High Culture: Associated with the elite (e.g., opera, fine art).

Popular Culture: Associated with the masses (e.g., pop music, social media trends).

10. Cultural Change

Technology: A major factor in cultural change.

Cultural Diffusion: The spread of cultural elements between societies (e.g., fast food chains expanding
globally).

Cultural Leveling: When distinct cultures become more similar.

Cultural Imperialism: The dominance of one culture over another through media and consumer products
(e.g., Hollywood movies shaping global fashion and behavior).

11. Takeaway Points

Culture shapes how we perceive the world.

It acts as a filter influencing our reality.

Culture is inherited from ancestors and recreated through social interaction.

Let me know if you need any further explanations, Christine! Good luck with your quiz!

Jot Down Notes: "What is Pop Culture?"

Definition of Culture
Culture includes values, ideas, arts, entertainment, beliefs, customs, and social behavior shared by large
segments of society.

Definition of Pop Culture

Pop culture is culture produced for mass consumption.

Short for "popular culture."

It is considered the opposite of "high culture", which is for the elite.

What Does Pop Culture Include?

Toys and games

Fashion fads

Trends in magazines

Gossip about famous people

Television shows

Movies

Video games
Souvenirs (e.g., ticket stubs)

Posters of celebrities

Why Should You Care About Pop Culture?

It has strong connections to education, mass communication, and society’s ability to access knowledge.

It influences everything from fashion to food packaging.

Many people have a reality TV show they secretly enjoy or a pop song they secretly love—this reflects its
deep personal and cultural impact.

Pop culture represents both what we love and what we fear about mass media.

Important Definitions in Pop Culture

Zeitgeist (Spirit of the Times)

"Zeit" = time; "Geist" = mind.

It reflects the general mood and culture within a nation.

Examples of Zeitgeist in Different Decades

1980s – Belief in the power of money and various ways to spend it.

1970s – Peace, love.

1950s – Post-war euphoria.

1920s – Frivolousness, avoiding seriousness.

Fad vs. Trend

Fad – A short-lived interest in an aspect of culture.

Examples: Pogs, marbles, platform shoes.

Trend – Lasts longer than a fad and affects a larger number of people.

Examples: iPods, baseball hats.

Icon

A person or image that is widely recognized and admired.

Examples: Madonna, the Golden Arches (McDonald's).

The Rules of Pop Culture

Do not challenge currently accepted values (the "status quo").

Reinforce the dominant social, political, and economic system.

Example: Certain pop culture products promote political systems.

Reflect the current desires, hopes, and fears of society.

Example: Not all families in the 1980s were like The Cosby Show, but it reflected societal aspirations.

Influence public responses and personal reflections on various issues.

Example: High-profile trials (e.g., O.J. Simpson) shape public perception.

Top Global Companies That Influence Pop Culture (2013)

According to Forbes’ Best Global Brands, 2013:

Apple ($104.3 billion)

Microsoft ($56.7 billion)

Coca-Cola ($54.9 billion)

IBM ($50.7 billion)

Google ($47.3 billion)

These companies shape global pop culture through advertising, media influence, and branding.

Key Takeaway

"If it isn’t popular, then it isn’t culture."

Pop culture is everywhere—it influences our everyday lives, from the shows we watch to the clothes we
wear.

Understanding pop culture helps us recognize its effects on society, identity, and trends.

These are all the notes from the entire file without omitting anything. Let me know if you need any
refinements, Christine!

Jot Down Notes: Popular Culture and Literature

How Artists Think

Some artists focus on creativity and self-expression rather than public opinion.
Others prioritize commercial success and making money.

Pop Culture Theories

Gender Theories

Marxism & Hegemony

Cultural Liberalism

Liberal Pluralism

Mass Society Theory

Cultural Industry Theory

Globalization of Culture

Interactionism

Popular Culture & Gender

Gender Stereotyping
Exploitation of the Female Body

Sexual Debauchery

Homophobia

Body Image Issues

Perpetuating Patriarchy

Gender Stereotypes in Pop Culture

Films, Internet, Music, Literature, TV, Toys & Animation, Celebrities

Gender Stereotypes in Films

"If you’re single, you’re doomed!"

"Marriage is the ultimate happiness!"

"The Alpha male vs. The weaker sex!"

Deconstructing Gender Stereotypes in Films

Challenging traditional gender roles in cinema.

Gender Stereotypes in Advertising

Housewife stereotype in homecare product ads

Female body exploitation in male-targeted ads

Stereotyping beauty in beauty product ads

Stereotyping masculinity in substance abuse ads

Ads Against Gender Stereotypes

Promoting plus-size models and more inclusive representation.

Gender Stereotypes in Toys & Animation

Certain toys reinforce traditional gender roles.

Gender Stereotypes in Music

Song lyrics and music videos often promote gender biases.

Pop Culture, Cultural Marxism & Cultural Hegemony

Cultural texts must be analyzed in relation to their historical conditions.

Dominant Culture Theory (Bourgeoisie vs. Proletariat).

Key Thinkers in Cultural Hegemony

Antonio Gramsci (1891-1937) – Cultural hegemony: domination by the ruling class.

Louis Althusser (1918-1990) – Ideology as a material practice.

Frank Raymond Leavis (1895-1978) – Cultural products hold socio-political power.

Hegemony in Pop Culture

American culture’s dominance in global pop culture.

Culture as controlled by the dominant class.

Globalization of Culture

Culture spreads worldwide through media, technology, and commerce.

Cultural Liberalism & Liberal Pluralism

Cultural Liberalism
Advocates for freedom of speech, expression, and belief.

Respects individual and cultural differences.

Opposes uniform socio-cultural norms.

Backed by democratic laws and human rights.

Liberal Pluralism

Supports limited political control and capitalism.

Encourages diversity and media representation.

Universal Declaration of Human Rights

Article 16 – Equal marriage rights.

Article 18 – Freedom of thought and religion.

Article 19 – Freedom of opinion and expression.

Postmodernism
There is no absolute truth; all opinions are relative.

Social structures (power, gender, economy, culture) are human-made constructs.

Key Thinker: Slavoj Žižek (1949 - )

Marxist and cultural critic

Theories on ideology, psychoanalysis, and mass culture

Theories of Mass Society & Cultural Industry

Mass Society Theory – Examines how individuals function in mass consumer societies.

Cultural Industry Theory – Explores how media and culture are controlled by corporations.

Symbolic Interactionism & Globalization

George Herbert Mead – Developed symbolic interactionism, which examines how culture shapes human
interactions.

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