Weekly Analysis 2-1

Native American myths are a part of popular culture because they are the beliefs and customs of a particular group within society (Browne, 2005). These myths typically involve ordinary people, animals and places. It is the belief of Native Americans that all these things are divine (Livingmyths.com, 2009). Once such myth is titled White Buffalo Woman. According to Livingmyths.com(2009), “This is a major myth in which a culture heroine presents a code by which to live”.

This myth involves two braves that encounter a beautiful woman clothed in white buckskin. One of the braves realizes the woman is sacred but the other does not. When the unknowing brave approaches her, he is engulfed in a white cloud. When the cloud rises, all that remains are bones and snakes (Livingmyths.com, 2009). The woman goes to the brave’s village and presents the villagers with a sacred pipe and instructs them on the pipe ceremony. As the woman leaves the village, she transforms into a red and brown buffalo calf, a white buffalo and finally a black buffalo (Livingmyths.com, 2009).

As Livingmyths.com (2009) describes it, “The death of the brave within this myth represents material desire and the ceremony of the pipe is about the Native American belief that there must be an exchange of energy between humanity and the world of the spirit, and that this is symbolically achieved by the offering of tobacco to the Directions, and to the Great Spirit”. The smoke rises and reaches the spirit world.

References:
Native American myths (2009). Retrieved May 28, 2009, from http://livingmyths.com/Native.htm
Browne, Ray B. (2005). Profiles of popular culture a reader. Madison, Wisconsin: University of Wisconsin Press.

Assignment 2-2:Icon Analysis

Have you heard of The Beatles, The Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, and The Simpsons? If not, what rock have you been living under? These are truly popular culture icons. They shaped our culture, entangled us in the battle of good vs. evil, and provided us with humor.

According to the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, “The ‘Fab Four’ from Liverpool, England, startled the ears and energized the lives of virtually all who heard them. Their arrival triggered the musical revolution of the Sixties, introducing a modern sound and viewpoint that parted ways with the world of the previous decade.” They inspired the counterculture of “Beatlemania” and shaped the fashion, music, and politics of our culture.

In May 1984, the world was introduced to a group of terrestrial, reptilian brothers; Leonardo, Donatello, Michelangelo, and Raphael. Turtle power took over our imaginations while waging a battle between good and evil. It inspired a television series and three blockbuster movies (tmnt25.com, 2009). These brothers rid the world of small time criminals, crushed evil maniacs, and blasted alien invaders. They have recently celebrated their 25th anniversary and it doesn’t appear that these crime fighting turtles will be fading out of the spotlight. Cowabunga!

In 1989, the world was invaded by a yellow animated, dysfunctional family and twenty years later they are still here. Now the longest-running comedy in television history, THE SIMPSONS immediately struck a chord with viewers across the country as it poked fun of itself and everything in its wake. With its subversive humor and delightful wit, THE SIMPSONS has made an indelible imprint on American pop culture and has become one of television's most iconic families (thesimpsons.com, 2009).

References:
The Beatles. Retrieved May 26, 2009, from http://www.rockhall.com/inductee/the-beatles

The Simpsons. Retrieved May 26, 2009, from http://www.thesimpsons.com/index.html

Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles. (April 2, 2009). Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles Kick off 25th Anniversary Shell-ebration in Native Home: New York City. Retrieved May 26, 2009 fromhttp://www.tmnt25.com/newsroom/2009/04/02/pop-culture-icon-turns-25.

Pontiac: An icon no more

Almost everyone has heard of Pontiac; a brand of General Motors (GM) automobiles that has been around since the 1900’s. Consumers had a love affair with the infamous muscle cars of the early years such as the Firebird, Trans Am and GTO. They could be considered the superheroes of the automobile industry. As Rogers (2009) stated, “It could crash through burning buildings, make a fool of any number of small-town Southern sheriffs, help save the world from giant robots, even take criminals off to jail while engaging in witty repartee with its driver” (para. 1). From “Smokey and the Bandit” and “Knight Rider” to as recently as “Transformers”, they have been immortalized in movies and songs (Rogers, 2009).

The brand has been losing its luster over the years. Consumer tastes have been changing with the times. Gas-guzzling V-8 powered vehicles are no longer desired and the move has now shifted toward more environmentally sensitive cars (Edmunds.com). GM recently announced that it would be discontinuing the Pontiac line. As the old saying goes, “All good things must come to an end” and so the once popular icon has reached the end of its road. Petracca & Sorapure (2007) wrote in reference to popular culture, “the ‘popular’ works of one era can become the ‘classics’ of another” (p 5).

At the end of the 2010 model year, Pontiacs will no longer roll off the production floor. It will live on in the hearts of consumers that will appreciate its value and in museums and songs.
The “death” of Pontiac is a classic example of how something that was once so popular so popular will slowly fade from the spotlight.


References
Petracca, M. and Sorapure, M. (Eds.). (2007). Common culture: Reading and writing about American popular culture. (5th ed.). Upper Saddle River, New Jersey. Pearson/Prentice Hall.

Pontiac History. Retrieved May 23, 2009, from http://www.edmunds.com/pontiac/history.html

Rogers, John (May 2, 2009). Pontiac, pop culture icon, hits end of the road. Retrieved May 19, 2009, from http://news.yahoo.com/a/ap.

Assignment 1-2: What is Pop Culture?

What is popular culture?

Popular culture is our way of life. It is what we know, what we believe, what we like, and what we do. It is a reflection of our past and present, and by studying and understanding popular culture we can learn so much about other social groups, cultures, etc.

An example of popular culture today, is the "Twilight Saga". All four books in the series are best sellers and the movie based on the first book "Twilight" was a box office hit. These books have appealed to a wide audience ranging from tween girls to grown women. I'm not ashamed to say, that at 41, I have read all four books twice. I saw the movie at the theatre and have since watched the DVD 5 times. I absolutely love it and can't wait for next movie based on book two "New Moon" to be released in November.

Reference: http://www.stepheniemeyer.com