Pop Culture Speech
Pop Culture Speech
Most of us have heard of the concept “imperialism,” defined as the practice of one country extending its powers over the territory, political system or economic life of another country. Yet, we would never imagine that imperialism could affect us in this lucky country, especially in the form of popular culture. Never would we even conjecture the overall harmful motives of the dominating superpower, after all it assumedly is the ‘protector of democracy and human rights.’ But really, we have gradually become accustomed to living within the safe precincts of a bubble of oblivion. Let us assess the foundations of popular culture and the significant role it plays in society. The usual place to start is in our living rooms where the whirring television voices its ideologies and opinions. I’m sure Orwell would agree.
Being one of the most influential tools of popular culture, the television blares out advertisements, TV series, films and whatnot. Over the years I have seen it as a mere entertainment source for convenience, but now my perception of the TV box has altered to a censored money-making machine. Let’s take a look at tonight’s TV agenda, shall we? Prime time to late night shows from various channels involve Grey’s Anatomy, Women’s Murder Club, NCIS, Home and Away and The 7:30 Report. As you can see, the majority of our shows are American. Why?
TV channels are not merely there to strive for sky-rocketing ratings. Nor are they there to increase profits for multi-national corporations where millions of dollars are poured into advertisements during prime-time, but they are there to indoctrinate society with a government’s values and false dreams. Thus, advertisements which seem to harmlessly persuade us into buying goods are in fact a pre-text to successfully divert our attention away from “reality,” such as governmental corruption or gratuitous coups. Television shows attempt to thrill and relax us where we are then more lenient
Most of us have heard of the concept “imperialism,” defined as the practice of one country extending its powers over the territory, political system or economic life of another country. Yet, we would never imagine that imperialism could affect us in this lucky country, especially in the form of popular culture. Never would we even conjecture the overall harmful motives of the dominating superpower, after all it assumedly is the ‘protector of democracy and human rights.’ But really, we have gradually become accustomed to living within the safe precincts of a bubble of oblivion. Let us assess the foundations of popular culture and the significant role it plays in society. The usual place to start is in our living rooms where the whirring television voices its ideologies and opinions. I’m sure Orwell would agree.
Being one of the most influential tools of popular culture, the television blares out advertisements, TV series, films and whatnot. Over the years I have seen it as a mere entertainment source for convenience, but now my perception of the TV box has altered to a censored money-making machine. Let’s take a look at tonight’s TV agenda, shall we? Prime time to late night shows from various channels involve Grey’s Anatomy, Women’s Murder Club, NCIS, Home and Away and The 7:30 Report. As you can see, the majority of our shows are American. Why?
TV channels are not merely there to strive for sky-rocketing ratings. Nor are they there to increase profits for multi-national corporations where millions of dollars are poured into advertisements during prime-time, but they are there to indoctrinate society with a government’s values and false dreams. Thus, advertisements which seem to harmlessly persuade us into buying goods are in fact a pre-text to successfully divert our attention away from “reality,” such as governmental corruption or gratuitous coups. Television shows attempt to thrill and relax us where we are then more lenient