Written Analysis 1: Popular Belief, Myth and Icon

Due Date February 28, 2016

            I have chosen social media and the effects it has on relationships. The reason I have chosen this topic is that social media over the last ten years has played such a significant role in the interaction of people and networking. It has made what would have been extremely difficult communication, extremely easy and basically at your fingertips.

A theory that applies to this topic is popular belief. It is popular belief that social media is inevitably a positive thing. In fact, it can be a very positive thing. It allows people to communicate in ways that would have been impossible to do so just 10-15 years ago. Families have been reunited with long lost children, parents, or other family members. High school loves have rekindled relationships that would have been impossible before. It has allowed people from all over the world to connect in ways that would never have been imagined.  It would seem the idea of networking would be an overall positive experience.

The purpose of social media is to network with people and to connect. Ironically, in doing so, it has also caused a disconnect in people and relationships. The ability to connect and share information with others has caused a false sense of intimacy. Meaning, relationships that are built or conducted over social media may seem realer than what they are, and can lead to issues in the relationships that actually exist in ones everyday life. It has lead to people spending an absorbent amount of time living a “virtual” life, opposed to real life and missing out on very important moments that can’t be recreated.

Applying the theory of popular belief to this topic provides insight to how people allow social media to affect their lives. Automatically assuming that social media is a positive thing based on popular belief; however, that is not always the case. With most anything there are both positive and negatives. The positives are being able to communicate with long lost friends and family. Networking with employers for future career opportunities and even promoting a business if you have one. On the negative side, it can lead to valuable time being spent on social media comparing oneself to the lives of others, having conversations with people that are not appropriate based on certain circumstances and an overall distorted sense of reality.

Icon Analysis

Due Date February 25, 2016

Three contemporary icons are Mark Zuckerberg, Lebron James and Kim Kardashian.  I have chosen each of these individuals as their names are prominent in the media currently. They are each famous for a very different reason in popular culture. Facebook is something that I use every single day and a reason why I chose Mark Zuckerberg. Although I'm not an avid basketball fan, being from Ohio, I am quite familiar with Lebron James. As for Kim Kardashian, I just recently visited her store "Dash" in South Beach Miami a few weeks ago! 

Mark Zuckerberg is the CEO and co-founder of one of the largest social networking sites, known as Facebook. Facebook began as a social networking site for college students. In 2006, it expanded to anyone over the age of 13 years old. The ability for anyone to set up a profile and network via social media took off and since that time has only expanded. Facebook is not only used for personal networking. Business' also use Facebook to create pages to promote their business and service their customers. There are many communication options available via the site, such as chat, video call, voice calls, gifts and even a marketplace. Facebook is one of the most widely used popular culture icons across the world. 

Lebron James is a professional NBA basketball player for the Cleveland Cavaliers. He lived and attended school in Akron Ohio, which makes him a very popular athlete in the state of Ohio. In 2010, James left the Cavaliers to play for the Miami Heat. He played for 4 years, reaching the finals each year. In 2014, he returned to his home state to play for Cleveland Cavaliers a second time. Lebron James is often considered the "Michael Jordan" of current times. 

Kim Kardashian is a reality star who has expanded her brand into many other areas that have helped to make her an iconic figure in popular culture. She is the daughter of a wealthy attorney who was associated with the infamous O.J. Simpson and Nicole Simpson murder case. In 2007, Kim along with her family members appeared as part of the reality television show "Keeping Up with the Kardashians." This reality television show is still currently being recorded. Along the way, Kim has become an entrepreneur, actress and model. She, along with her sisters have opened a fashion boutique in Miami, Los Angeles and New York, named Dash. She is currently married to Kanye West, another popular icon in the music industry. 

Reality Television

Popular Culture Blog

Due Date February 21, 2016

What is popular culture and what does it mean to you?

Popular culture can be anything from music, fashion, television, verbal expressions, art, literature, ideas, attitudes, etc. Popular culture is heavily influenced by media and very prominent in western culture. To me, it means trends or what is trending. It's the "in" thing or what everyone is doing or watching. Social media aids in passing along the trends very quickly. It takes very minimal time for trends or fads to be adopted across the country and in some cases even the world. 

Why is an understanding of popular culture relevant to you in a business environment and in your present and future career? 

Popular culture is relevant in a business environment because it's important for a business to know what is being expected from customers based on the influences around them. Being aware of what is considered popular culture and what is trending by society will help a business in their marketing, sales, and supply aspects.  The services and/or products that are being offered to customers must be competitive with the expectations of society. 

In my present career as an Online Banking Consultant; advanced applications, online technology and services are imperative. We must keep up with the competition and offer what is expected. Advanced technology to assist our customers in making their banking more efficient and reliable is one of the most important roles in banking currently. In my future career, the technology aspect of popular culture would be the most relevant. 

What would you consider to be an example of a pop culture artifact? And why would you choose it?

An example of a pop culture artifact would be reality television. I chose this topic because it is everywhere on almost every channel. Channels that once were geared towards music, learning or home improvement are now flooded with reality shows and it's become quite addicting to society. It's like taking a peek into people's lives from the comfort of your own home.