Mass Individualism? Mass Produced Culture in Western Society

However, in contrast to the pessimistic model of popular culture provided by mass culture theory, there exists a body of thought that defines popular culture and Americanisation in a much more positive way. Instead of arguing that mass culture limits the ability for people to define themselves, scholars such as Hebdige have proposed that cultural products actually help us define ourselves within our society. And, not only does the volume of these products allow for an incredible potential amount of diversity within a mass culture society, but it also allows citizens to communicate their cultural standpoint to each other in a language that is more or less understood by the rest of society. Trends and cultural “labelling” are a good example of such a phenomenon.

If one were attempting to be part of a cultural clique such as (what is known in popular culture to be) the Goths, there are certain cultural rules that one has to obey, such as (stereotypically) enjoying heavy metal music and wearing a lot of black clothing. Without mass consumerist society, and the availability of cultural products to the bulk of the western world, this sort of cultural identification via style and music would not be possible. Instead, it can be argued that the individual cultures created by each person would be stifling to social networks. Without cultural products to help define ourselves in a way the rest of society can understand, it would be far more difficult to interact in a social group with other people, especially in a society as racially diverse as Canada. The cultural industries provide to society an ability to build an image that, while not entirely ones own, can be highly individualized, and allow us to more easily identify with like-minded individuals.

While it is more likely that the bulk of society will argue that mass consumerism, Americanisation, and the mass production of culture are negative attributes in our modern society, it is my opinion that this is not that case. While it is necessary to concede that pseudo-individualism is part of popular culture and not necessarily a very positive one, it is also important to realize that it is an excellent facilitator of social roles. Cultural products make it far easier for people to identify with one another, which is arguably the most positive trait of a mass consumerist society. The elitist point of view that high culture is being ignored in favour of popular culture arguably omits this powerful point. It is likely that popular culture and mass consumerism have reached their pinnacle of popularity not only because of the ease of acquiring these products and the way in which advertising motivates such consumption; but in the way it makes it possible for everyone to achieve some sort of cultural identification.

In conclusion, while Americanisation and mass produced cultural products can hurt society through the degradation of appreciation for high art and through the production of pseudo individualism, there are may positive points related to mass society that make it a necessary part of our globalizing world. The ability for a cultural affinity to be so readily available to so many people makes it possible to identify with individuals that share the same cultural niche. This ability provides a much easier way to create social circles and to define oneself in a method which society can understand and appreciate.