I like how Dr. Bezio defined leadership as coming up with mutual goals through story-telling using narratives of history, and how this ties to popular culture. Pop culture is more than entertainment, it shows patterns in the values of society, past and present (and future).
It’s interesting to think that the pop culture we consume today, much of which is considered “low culture,” could be so influential in the future. I always assumed that people like Shakespeare and his works were just as influential during their lives as they are now, but obviously that is not the case. I think about this in comparison to the famous example of how an artist’s paintings are more valuable after their death. I have thought about that in terms of artists throughout history, but never in terms of artists now. For example, when rap/music artists die, such as Mac Miller, XXXTentacion, and JuiceWorld, their listens/streams tend to increase significantly.
Also, as a major MCU nerd, I was so excited to see Black Panther. When I saw the movie in theaters, it was immediately my favorite Marvel movie, but I had no idea how culturally significant this film would become. As the first film starring a black superhero, it was amazing to see the celebration of black heritage and identity and to see the cultural movement that this film sparked feels like we are making history. Being in this leadership class and being able to analyze pop culture like this is really fascinating. Instead of thinking about T’Challa’s character of just an awesome Marvel hero, we can see him as a cultural icon that inspired a shift in world culture. It is good to see that Chadwick Boseman left such a beautiful legacy.
I think the way that one centuries low culture becomes the next’s sophisticated culture is really interesting and has a lot to say about the way our society views the poor and the young. I had never thought of how when artists today die their music becomes more popular. I think noticing this is really interesting in terms of figuring out what we will value moving forward.
I dont know too much about Shakespeare, but it was really interesting for me to learn as well that during the time that he produced the plays, they were considered very much “low culture”, when today it’s so highly regarded in our society. It’s interesting to try to think about what works that many consider r”low culture” may be considered “high culture” one day. I also really liked the point you brought up about that when artists/musicians die, their art gets more attention. This also relates back to the point about Shakespeare, as now that he is dead and once he died, his plays became even more popular.
Your post got me thinking about what will be considered “high culture” in the future and whether our current definitions will change. For example, symphonies and theater become less formal and more accessible to more people in recent years, changed the experience completely. I wonder what will happen in the next few decades in response to this.
I think the comparison you make about the valuation of specific artists’ works increasing after their death and cultural impact is extremely true. For example, after Kobe Bryant passed away last year there were a ton of people selling his autographed things for extreme prices on eBay. I personally think the practice is despicable, but it shows the cultural impact he had and how people are willing to spend money on his works.