Mass culture: the main characteristic

Mass culture in modern society plays an important role. On the one hand, it facilitates the integration of cultures, and on the other, makes it easier to understand their elements. This is a contradictory and complex phenomenon, despite the characteristic simplicity that the products of the mass culture possess.

Mass culture: the history of the emergence

Historians have not found a common point on which their views on the exact time of occurrence of this phenomenon could converge. However, there are the most popular provisions that are able to explain the approximate period of the emergence of this type of culture.

1. A. Radugin believes that the preconditions for mass culture were available, if not at the dawn of the emergence of mankind, then certainly during the birth of Christianity, when the book "The Bible for the Poor" was widely distributed, which was intended for a wide audience.
2. Another position implies a later emergence of the mass culture, where its origins are associated with European literature of the 17-18 centuries. At this time, widespread detective, adventure and adventure novels due to the large replication.
3. In the literal sense, according to A. Radugin, it originated in the USA in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. He explains this by the emergence of a new form of arrangement of life - a massivization, which found reflection in virtually all spheres: from political and economic to household.

Proceeding from this, it can be assumed that the impetus to the emergence of mass culture was the capitalist view and mass production, which was to find the same scale implementation. In connection with this, a phenomenon such as stereotyping has become widespread. Identity and stereotypedness are the bright basic characteristics of the mass culture, which have spread not only to everyday objects, but also to views.

Mass culture is closely connected with the process of globalization, which is carried out mainly through the media. This is especially evident at the present stage. One of the most striking examples is yoga. Yogic practices arose in ancient times, and Western countries had nothing to do with this. However, with the development of communication, an international exchange of experiences began, and yoga was accepted by Westerners, beginning to take root in their culture. This has negative characteristics, because a Western person is not able to understand the depth and meaning that Indians understand by doing yoga. Thus, there is a simplified understanding of another's culture, and phenomena that require a deep understanding are simplified, losing their value.

Mass culture: signs and main characteristics

Its content has a daily nature of purpose. It is determined by the daily events, needs and aspirations of the majority of people. Mass culture is contrasted with the elite culture.

• It implies a superficial understanding that does not require specific knowledge and is therefore accessible to the majority.
• Stereotype is the main feature of the perception of the products of this culture.
• Its elements are based on emotional unconscious perception.
• It operates with average language semiotic norms.
• Has an entertaining direction and is manifested, more in an entertaining form.

Contemporary mass culture: "pluses" and "minuses"

At the moment, it has a number of shortcomings and positive signs.

For example, this type of culture allows to interact closely with a large group of members of society, which increases the quality of their communication.

Stereotypes, generated by mass culture, if they are created on a truthful classification, help a person to perceive a large flow of information.

Among the shortcomings is the simplicity of cultural elements, the profanation of foreign cultures and the tendency to remake (the re-creation of once created and recognized elements of art in a new way). The latter tends to suggest that mass culture is unable to create something new, or is capable of, but in small numbers.