Signs Of Life In The Us Analysis

The book Signs of Life in the U.S.A focus how American pop culture can be a huge part of our education journey. Our culture has so many highs and lows that it affects our everyday life without us knowing, for example the essay from Amy Lin, a student from UCLA argues about Mattel’s most popular toy the, Barbie. She argues that toy’s giant marketing schemes, the lack of culture, and the promotion of materialism is damaging the future generations . When reading this essay it shows American culture of materialism and greed. With this negative bad example it teaches Americans to become greed and self centered which changes our pop culture. However, pop culture can have a positive effect on our lives, for example the essay from Rose Sorooshian,
a student from California State University, Northridge, explains the social and cultural conditions of the popular AMC show The Walking Dead. Rose states one of the reasons why the show is so popular among Americans is because the show is centered towards a diverse audience,, viewers can also relate to economic struggles that the characters are going through, and viewers can enjoy the idea of a post apocalyptic world. With this example it shows that Americans thrive on hardships and will do everything they can to get out of their struggles, this results in a positive impact on America's pop culture. I agree with the quote from the book “far from being a mere recreational frivolity, a leisure activity that our society could easily dispense with, popular cultural entertainment today constitutes the essential texture of our everyday lives. ” The reason I agree with the quote is because, I do not know where I will be without pop culture. I am guilty to admit but, as an American youth I use American pop culture every single day of my life even if I do not realize it. While, reading a quote that standed out to me was “ From the way we entertain ourselves to the goods and services that we produce and consume, we are enveloped in a popular cultural environment that we can neither do without nor escape, even if we wanted to. T see this, just try to imagine a world without cloud, TV, movies, sports, music, shopping malls, or advertising.” I do not know about you guys but, these simple everyday things we take advantage of is still a huge part of my life, and the idea of not having them makes me scared. American pop culture is such a factor of our lives without it our world would be very different.