Pop culture: your voice?

[WhoaitsZ]

pop everything is everywhere.

music, tv, books, movies, fashion trends, even pets and friends.

how much do you resist? how much do you go with but don't want to admit?

[WhoaitsZ]

I'm pretty anti-pop, period. however, i like what i like and i'm not going to put one thing cuz it would make me pop-like.

for the most part almost all pop music bugs the hell out of me, most sitcoms are awful (i can't begin to tell you how many times i wish a mad gunmen would go berzerk in thee cafe on Friends and blow them to hell), I use to like malls but now all i see are sheep living for the current trends.

it's driving me coocoo!

so. what do you think?

PS: I know we are all hypocritical by saying "i'm anti-pop" because we'll end up laughing once o feeling kind of cool when a certain song comes on. it's natural, just admit it.

like i like Shakira.

a nd her music

[krwlz]

im going to agree man, i hate pop music with a passion (this includes most of todays country) i read what i read, not what someone else wants me to read! Pop Culture can just FUCK OFF!

[Magpie0001]

Pop is for cattle. Fuck them all.

[Charlatan]

While I have an inate distaste for Pop, I find it utterly facinating.

Pop music: mostly hate it at the time but I find (like a nasty fungus or a jingle) it grows on you...

Pop movie: who doesn't love mainstream film to some extent?

Pop Books: I can't say that I go for all mainstream lit... I'm more into speculative fiction, which can easily be classified as POP

Fashion: Jeans and t-shirt... very pop and classic. I can do without lables on my clothes. Why do people feel the need to be a walking ad for designers/retail stores (ie Tommy Hilfinger, Gap, Roots, etc.)

Pets: Pop pets? Like a dog or a cat? Who doesn't like that? If you are implying "trendy" pets like Sugar Gliders and Ferrets well that's not really Pop is it? They aren't mainstream enough.

Friends: I don't have any friends so I guess I'm not all that pop(ular).

[WhoaitsZ]

Pets: Pop pets? Like a dog or a cat? Who doesn't like that? If you are implying "trendy" pets like Sugar Gliders and Ferrets well that's not really Pop is it? They aren't mainstream enough.

sorry, i've gotten used to talking to a few pet people. a lot of dorks own pets for status symbols. so, any have any different pets? snake/llama/prarie dog/ spider/scorpion?

[Halx]

music? I dont even know what 90% of the new music is nowadays
movies? I'm down!
tv? I only watch sports
books? I dont read books, but I do know a couple that I wish i had time to do so
fashion? I think my answer to the next one can answer this one too
friends? I have none!

[sixate]

I hate pop music. Don't watch anything other than sports on TV. I watch a lot of movies. I only read shit that I'm interested in learning. All of my friends like pop bullshit. They all go out to clubs and get into that scene. I never go with them. I'd rather go to the gym or hang by myself. I'm not religous and I don't drink and do drugs or smoke. I think that makes me anti-pop. Everyone that knows me says that they don't know anyone that's anything like me. I hate animals so no pets for me. Shakira sucks and she's ugly as hell. Britney Spears is hot as fuck, but she's a no talent waste of life. I don't even know what fasion is. I wear what's comfortable to me.

One last thing. I wear a T-Shirt that says *NSUCK!
I'll be a happy man when I find one that says MTV sucks.

[ARTelevision]

My contention is our entire mental environment is one single seamless popular culture superstructure. There is no escaping it. We have preferences consisting of particular subsets of it, but it is all popular culture.

Nearly no one agrees with this view. I'm aware of this. I believe that can change. I can see us comprehending our predicament in an instant of cluefulness!

[rogue49]

It depends on my mood or whim.
If I like it fine, if I don't then I don't.
I don't let the media define what I like and what I don't.
But I also don't let some silly idea of idealism or hipness either.

I am what I am. (a GDI, a God Damn Independent)

I like my crude, I like my sophisticated
I like my mainstream, I like my offbeat.
You really can't categorize anything I do.

PBS or "friends"
The Matrix or "la cage aux folles"
Linkin Park or Tangerine Dream
Anne Rice or Carlos Castenda

And I dress to please, me or the lady.

[Loki]

Originally posted by ARTelevision
My contention is our entire mental environment is one single seamless popular culture superstructure. There is no escaping it. We have preferences consisting of particular subsets of it, but it is all popular culture.

Nearly no one agrees with this view. I'm aware of this. I believe that can change. I can see us comprehending our predicament in an instant of cluefulness!

that perspective depends on your definition of popular.

For instance, lets take music as an example. In recent times there were originally a few major styles of music:


Alternative (vocal, drums, and an emphasis on guitar(s))

Pop (beat, often an electronic melody, and an emphasis on vocal),

Rap (Beat, sometimes an electrionic rhythm, with a very strong emphasis on vocal)

Techno (very strong emphasis on beat and electronic rhythm,
vocal optional).


From those styles, multidunious types of music came around. For instance, Dance, a blend of Techno and Pop, and Hip-Hop, Rap spliced with a little Pop and a little Techno, and hundreds more.

Anyway, each of these styles may be defined as popular (i.e. listened to by many people) and so would therefore be subsections of popular music. But, if taken on a relative scale, pop was a whole lot more popular than any of the other styles... So wouldnt pop alone constitute Popular music?

If we move away from Popular music, and have a look at popular culture, is something like uh, adult babies a part of popular culture, compared with something like, say, drug (ab)use, or Fashion? If so then you are definitely right, because there is nothing that is not popular =)


Personally, i view something before i decide if i dis/like it. For instance, i really liked a song by Dido, Hunter i think its called, and thats pop, isnt it? =)

[seretogis]

I think what is even more interesting, is that while there is a large amount of people that are pop-fanatics, there is probably an equally large number who are anti-pop-fanatics. Both groups are ironically driven by the pop culture machine, just in different directions.

I, on the other hand, like what I like, and dislike what I dislike. Whether or not something is on MTV or not doesn't really have a bearing on whether or not I like it. At least, not as far as I know.

[Memalvada]

Originally posted by Loki
Personally, i view something before i decide if i dis/like it. For instance, i really liked a song by Dido, Hunter i think its called, and thats pop, isnt it? =)

Hey, I like that song too, and I usually hate pop.

I feel most people are goddamn sheep. There are so many people I know who only drink and smoke just because it makes them look 'cool'. Many people I know go and hang out at bars and other places like that on fridays and saturday nights just to be seen. PATHETIC!!!!

Lately, I have been more tolerant towards pop. I have to blame my GF... she's turning me all soft, and happy, and just encourages me to go with the flow... In terms of music, I have begun to accept a lot of pop crap, like Nsync and even the backstreet boys im so ashamed to admit to this.... i used to tease one of my friends who liked boy band music.... but I still hate Britney Spears, Christina Aguilera and the likes.

With fashion trends... I say F*ck fashion... I wear whatever i like, and whatever I feel makes me look good. I dont care what other people are wearing, i dont care if it is a brand name or a cheap knock off.... I just dont care.

Originally posted by ARTelevision
My contention is our entire mental environment is one single seamless popular culture superstructure. There is no escaping it. We have preferences consisting of particular subsets of it, but it is all popular culture.

Nearly no one agrees with this view. I'm aware of this. I believe that can change. I can see us comprehending our predicament in an instant of cluefulness!

I'll go along with this.
Just because you don't like 'pop' music, or fashion, or what have you, doesn't mean what you do like isn't part of the pop culture framework.
To define onself as 'outside of pop' shows the importance of said culture in the first place; can't be anti- if there hain't no pro-.

[MSD]

I do whatever I want, listen to whatever I want, dress however I want, and sometimes it crosses into pop culture, sometimes it goes against it. I resent the fact that a bunch of kids who the mobs of shep think look good get as muhc money as they do, but I can't doanything about it. I don't wear clothes with big logos on them, I don't listen to most of what's on MTV, but I don't avoid anything specifically because it's pop culture. I'm going to do my own thing, I don't care what people label it, it makes me happy.

[afraidofninjas]

trying to be anti-pop culture is just simply another aspect of pop culture. Everything that envelops us is pop culture... I watch what interests me, I don't really care what people classify it as... you can see alot about our culture from the lowest common denominator of crap.

[ARTelevision]

Ok now, I have hinted that there are things to do once one has these realizations.

I see there are a few of you who are willing to consider the possibility that we are helpless and immersed in a media mindscape that does our thinking/living for us.

That's how it starts...

[WhoaitsZ]

Originally posted by ARTelevision
Ok now, I have hinted that there are things to do once one has these realizations.

I see there are a few of you who are willing to consider the possibility that we are helpless and immersed in a media mindscape that does our thinking/living for us.

That's how it starts...

indeed. that is simply scary.

i always wonder.... why do people want to emulate sheep?

are people so tired when when they come how that they rather follow than lead?

sometimes i will. everyone does... but just going with the flow is ludicrous.

[apetaster]

The biggest pop star that I have an interest in is Norm Abram (New Yankee Workshop.) I suppose he's part of pop culture, whatever that is, but at least what you see is what you get. I try to emulate him a lot, but then again, he's kind of a teacher in that regard.

Whenever I see some big boobied girl on MTV that I have never seen before (usually walking through my family room) I have to ask my wife who that is - usually I have never heard of them. The older I get the less music radio and TV I choose to expose myself to.

[nefarious]

pop music? i consider it ear-candy .. the only pop i like is j-pop

tv? all i watch is history, science, health .. oh .. and spice channel ^_^

books? only poetry books, manga. .. and new age weirdness

movies? anime for me .. only .

fashion trends? following the fashion trends seems to require lots of money .. something i dont care to spend it on ..

pets? .. how would that be defined as pop culture? .. i'll stick to Dogs .. always have loved em. .

[BulletBob]

I am not anti pop by any means. I think it's great that people can make a living off their art. I like all different kinds of music, read all different kinds of books and watch many different movies. I follow fashion trends relatively closely. Saying something sucks without giving it a chance is just limiting yourself from a learning experience.

[buffto]

well, i gave country music many, many chances. It just isn't going to happen with me. The only country music i don't hate is more than 30 years old. I'll just stick to my rock music.

[DonnChadh]

Pop music: If its not decent Indie/Rock/Metal then it dosn't interest me, and by decent I mean not Linkin Park/Papa Roach/Limp Bizkit and the like.

Pop movie: Usually go see the latest movies, if I remember, as long as they're not cheese movies.

Pop Books: Since I've exhausted most of the well known authors who write Sci-Fi and Fantasy I tend not to be reading pop books, since I either already read them, or they don't interest me. Example - Lord of the Rings, first read when I was 8, and I've read it 3 times since.

Fashion: Black Jeans, usually Black T-shirt, Black Trainers, all unbranded or not clearly branded if possible. (tho my last 3 pairs of trainers have been Nike, purely cos they seem to be the only ones that do completely black trainers)

Pets: Can't really atm, would be unfair on it where I am, but I'll probably get a cat when I'm living somewhere better.

Friends: Got plenty of those, even tho I am a bit of a loner.

[raeanna74]

I guess I would say that I'm anti pop for the most part. I only listen to or read or wear what I want to and what fits my personality. If it happens to be pop then it's ok with me. Mostly though I like classic rock, classic movies, and old books. I enjoy a huge variety of music and listen to what strikes my mood - which includes sometimes listening to gospel, heavy metal, classical, opera, blues, bluegrass, etc. The only thing I haven't got a taste for is rap and especially the new white rap. I do admire the artists ability, I could never do that, but I don't enjoy listening to it. It grates on me no matter what mood I'm in. Basically I pay attention to what I want to. If it happens to be pop fine and if not then if someones' got a problem with it I just don't give a rats ass. It's my choice.

[World's King]

I fallow pop culture. I may not agree with or like any of it but I do fallow it.

[brandon11983]

I abhor Abercrombie and all that wear it with every ounce of my being. Pop "music" and all those that listen to it should be drug out into the street and shot. American Idol is a fucking joke. Ever notice how you don't see any up and coming death metal groups on the show? Probably because they would impale that Simon fuck when he voted them off. I'm not much of a sports buff, although I will always love the Cubbies!! I usually watch a lot of TechTV, Comedy Central, Discovery Channel, fuse, and HBO. Pets? I have 3 yr. old dalmatian.
Clothing? I usually wear Nike shoes, American Eagle jeans and shirts, Lucky jeans, Ralph Lauren, and cK. I know AE is sort of poppy, but it fits me well and is reasonably priced.

[seretogis]

Originally posted by brandon11983
I abhor Abercrombie and all that wear it with every ounce of my being.

Some of those Abercrombie guys ...... nevermind.