Culture and popular culture Merriam-Webster (2012), defines culture as the customary beliefs, social forms, and material traits of a racial, religious, or social group; also: the characteristic features of every day existence (as diversions or a way of life) shared by people in a place or time. Popular culture can be described in several ways, such as high culture or folk culture, visible, and persuasive. According to Petracca and Sorapure (2007), popular culture encompasses the most immediate and contemporary elements in our lives—elements which are often subject to rapid changes in a highly technological world in which people are brought closer and closer by the ubiquitous mass media.
Three trends
Three trends that are followed daily in popular American culture are social media, media sources, and politics. Social media uses the Internet that enables an extensive number of people the means to communicate. Examples of social media are Facebook, YouTube, Blinklist, and Digg. These different sites allow people share the latest fashion trends or fitness plan to drop 10 pounds in 10 days. These websites also lets the individual’s blog, share photos, and videos, as well as comment and vote on articles that have a significant meaning to that person. Media is the next trend similar to social media; however, dissimilar. Different types of media consist of TV, Internet, movies, press (magazines and newspapers), and the radio. We see these and hear these sources broadcasted every day at home, in the car, and at work. We see or