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How has traditional values been modernized in pop culture?
Hello! Thank you for your inquiry. It is my understanding that you are interested in information regarding the change of American values from traditional to modern as a result of pop culture. In short, American values have changed significantly in regard to how we perceive happiness, relationships, safety, success and morality. These changes are often brought on by our interaction with society and mass media. Below is an in-depth analysis of these changes amongst pop culture.
OVERVIEW
Over the decades, American society has seen a significant shift in the values and morals held. The most notable changes have been in American's level of happiness, fears and safety, relationships and success. While many of these changes are now displayed through pop culture, it is important to keep in mind that pop culture is likely to have influenced these changes rather than adapted to them.
The theories are proven by the resources gathered by our team, which were obtained from academic databases, trusted media sites and articles reviewing studies published in scholarly journals. Pop culture is defined as popular culture that is delivered through mass media, which today includes radio, television, newspapers, magazines, social media and internet. Below is a discussion of the changes in modern values that parallel each other both in American communities and the media.
MODERN HAPPINESS
Over time, modern American society has seen a rise in wealth, life expectancy and education. However, Americans are experiencing high rates of anxiety and depression. In a recent study, it was found that the happiness level in America is only a 7.3 out of 10. It is believed that these changes have occurred because society has become obsessed with the media, especially social media. Over indulgence of the media can result in the need for comparisons, social/community disconnect and information overload. Additionally, many are dealing with an internal struggle and guilt when trying to achieve personal happiness. This is widely due to the belief that citizens should also be making positive contributions to communities.
Furthermore, exposure to celebrity lives has made personal happiness even more difficult. According to a study conducted by the British Psychological Society, the perception of personal happiness generally resembles the lifestyles of celebrities such as Kim Kardashian and Ryan Gosling. Many view happiness as being synonymous with extroversion, wealth, high social statuses and healthy living.
Modern happiness also differs greatly amongst age groups. Young adolescents and young adults tend to have higher rates of happiness than those who are older. A study printed in the journal of Social Psychological and Personality Science suggests that the decline of happiness in older adults are a result of a gloomy generation passing on their negative views and cultural shifts that affect everyone on some level. Other researchers suggest that a decrease in happiness has risen from the higher expectations but a stagnant, never-changing reality. Other factors that have been considered but not yet substantiated is the low marriage rates, breakdown of personal relationships and income inequality.
MODERN SENSE OF FEAR AND SECURITY
Author Barry Glassner claims that Americans are living in the safest time in human history, yet we live in constant fear. Even though this may be true, clash of civilizations has sent Americans into a state of alarm with fears that international peace will soon come to an end. While fear of security has plagued many societies before, media has elevated these fears with fear-mongering. For example, a young lady by the name of Jen Senko detailed a change she noticed in her father after his exposure to radio and media coverage that promoted anger because of reports claiming that an increase in the immigrant population was limiting job for Americans. Senko reports that her father's demeanor quickly changed from a compassionate, culturally-sensitive guy to a hateful and judgmental individual who was fearful that immigrants were about to steal his job.
To better understand American fears, Chapman University conducted a study to determine what Americans are most afraid of. Chapman University's study found that an alarming 70% of American citizens were afraid of one or more of the following:
Researchers have theorized that the media does indeed use fear-mongering to leverage those who are in power or those who stand to earn a substantial amount from such events. While this has not been proven through hard data, many suggest that it is no coincidence that many people vote politically, based on who they feel can protect them the most from their fears. In addition to fear-mongering, American citizens are bombarded with violent shows displaying heinous criminal acts through television programs such as Law & Order, Criminal Minds and Investigation Discovery.
MODERN RELATIONSHIPS
Presently, America is experiencing the lowest rate of marriage than any previous generation. Despite the low marriage rate, marriage is still seen as the one measure of success to a healthy, sustainable relationship. The problem arises not from marriage itself. They stem from a change in views regarding relationship, love and people. Aziz Ansari and Eric Klinenberg published a study identifying that majority of people in today's time are seeking what is called "compassionate" love. The need for "compassionate" love has resulted in more people remaining single to find their "true" soulmate.
Feminism has also been named as a culprit in the disruption of marriage. A woman's ability to gain both cultural and financial advancement without a mate or marriage has been seen as a motivation for women to procrastinate dating. Moreover, today's society has greatly devalued marriage and is commonly viewed as outdated. Younger generations tend to define love as a feeling rather than a commitment, which inadvertently caused relationships to lack stability because feelings often change. Social media also plays a huge role in the disconnect amongst relationships. With the rise of dating sites, communications have become impersonal and fosters a culture that depends highly on "hook-ups."
MODERN SUCCESS
The American dream has been greatly associated with success in the U.S. Success will always be associated with the need of food, productivity and innovation. However, the views of the American dream have changed greatly. In the past, success was simply measured by the effort put forth, whether one failed or achieved their goal. Today's society views action as a success only if the outcome is a favorable one. In fact, success is more commonly associated with ownership of materialistic things such expensive cars, stylish clothing and extravagant homes.
A recent survey found that 78% of Americans no longer believe in the American dream. This is largely due to the ability to own land or a home decreasing significantly over the past few years. For many, home ownership has become unobtainable due to the following reasons:
MODERN CONCEPT OF MORALITY
For those who grew up in earlier generations, right and wrong were thought to be black and white. It was defined as actions that one can and cannot do. As time has progressed, so has the concept of morality. Modern society now views right and wrong as a blurred space that is mainly defined by whether one's actions are self-serving or not and if these actions affect others.
Perhaps, the biggest change in morality is the views on sexual behavior. As media displays content that is heavily dosed in a sexual nature, views have become more relaxed. Views that have changed the most in regard to sexuality include same-sex relationships, fornication, children outside of marriage, divorce and polygamy, although polygamy still has an overall low acceptance rate. The only conduct that did not see a significant difference in views is those of adultery.
MODERN CONCEPT OF HOME AND COMMUNITY
Technology plays a significant role in the shaping of views regarding home and community. In a poll conducted by a research group, many felt that technology has decreased feelings of isolation as well as improve their quality of life. However, technology has also been shown to decrease face-to-face communication and encouraged people to spend less time as a family unit. This is mainly due to the increased use of mobile devices and increased time spent browsing the web.
CONCLUSION
To sum up, modern American values have seen a significant change over the past few decades. These changes involved levels and perceptions of happiness, sense of security and safety, morality, success and relationships. Happiness and sense of security appear to have the most significant changes that are mainly driven by mass media. On the other hand, dating and relationships are also taking a significant plunge due to technological advancements and generational perceptions changing on these subjects.
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