THE MEDIA HELPS TO PERPETUATE NEGATIVE IMAGES IN POPULAR CULTURE

The Media helps to perpetuate negative images in popular culture

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Date Popular culture according to Andersen and Francis in their distinguished book , Sociology : Understanding a Diverse Society , entails the beliefs , practices and objects that are part of every day 's traditions (Andersen M and Taylor H , 2001 . It therefore comprises of culture produced through the mass media like popular music and films magazines , mass marketed books and newss all of which are easily accessible . The mass media comprises of the print media , television

radio as well as the Internet . This will focus on how the media has perpetuated negative images in the popular culture

Popular culture differs from high culture in the sense that unlike the high culture that is specific to certain classes of people , popular culture is mass produced and mass consumed . Popular culture plays a very significant role in shaping people 's consumption patterns or trends in today 's society (Andersen M and Taylor H , 2001 . Culture can be defined as a people 's way of life , their beliefs , behavior , values and norms and it varies across racial and economic lines . It is transferred from one generation to the next

Max Weber who is one of the fathers of sociology made important contributions in enabling the understanding of the society that we live in . He coined the word `verstehen ' to refer to people 's deep understanding of the meanings assigned or rather given to symbols (Glass J , 2005 . Culture entails the giving of symbols meaning in which people must first have a deeper meaning of what the symbols are and the meaning they are given if they are to understand another culture apart from their own . In to understand another culture one must have a deeper understanding of the symbols in a given society as well as the meanings to those symbols

Socialization can be defined as the process where expectations of the society or culture are passed on from one generation to the next . It is this process that provides people with a sense of belonging or identity Socialization sees people internalize the expectations of the society which they adhere to or follow blindly . The family is the first socialization agent . As infants grow into adults they are groomed with values , beliefs and expectations of their society . Language which is vital in the communication process is taught to children in their families . Children also learn at a young age what is expected of them in terms of gender roles and responsibilities . Other important values that children learn from their families include education where children from literate parents tend to value education while the opposite is true (Dr Perrino R , 2006 . Schools are agents of socialization too . As children leave their families for school they interact with fellow classmates and teachers all of whom influence their mindset or perceptions . Varying schools socialize their children in varying ways and this is largely affected by racial as well as social backgrounds . Religion...