Landman and A Facebook Post

 Before reading about it, I had not considered discrimination as being a part of popular culture. My perspective centered on whether an individual was interested in it or not, and if it was relevant for them. After reading Chapter 19, Popular Discrimination and reflecting on it, my “surface” level perspective changed. Now, I'm beginning to think it focuses around social class, how someone views it, and how the individual views themselves. Rather than being neutral, judgements about popular culture can function as a form of discrimination that reflects on social hierarchy and identity.

     According to Guins and Cruz (2005), implicitly if not directly, popular culture has been denied discriminatory ability, for the concept of critical discrimination has been applied exclusively to high culture in its constraint effort to establish its superiority over and difference from mass or popular culture (p. 215). The two characteristics of popular discrimination are, therefore, those of relevance and productivity and, even though we may separate them from analytical purposes, in practice they are almost indistinguishable (p. 216). Popular discrimination is different from critical discrimination in which popular discrimination prioritizes productivity and relevance (p. 216), such as, does it matter to individuals, and does it function for everyday life? Critical discrimination prioritizes quality and aesthetics (p. 216), such as, does it hold superiority or seniority, and does it align with higher culture standards? This distinction highlights how judgements about taste are more about social positioning and less on content. 

    Over the past week, I encountered an example that illustrates popular and critical discrimination with an individual I recently met. On a Facebook post about a week ago, I posted on my personal timeline, “What, Tommy was fired on The Landman!” “I shake my fist at you Demi Moore!” A week later, the individual posted on my timeline that I shouldn't be saying the ending of the show before “they” watched it. Unbeknown to me, the individual watches the show. 

     What occurred next, I feel is a surprising revelation on how the individual and his cousin views me. His cousin posted a comment saying “only losers watch Landman!” This comment reflects on critical discrimination because it dismisses the show and devalues the individual who watches it. The judgement is trying to assert superiority through taste. The individual then states “she's so blah blah blah, who would think she watches it!” This response shifts the focus from media text to my identity. The individual deems the show inappropriate for individuals perceived to be in the “social class” I am in.  

     Did I feel offended? A little, however, instead of viewing it as a personal slight and taking it down. I kept it up so others will be able to see the false superiority in it. A few days later, I posted another comment asking others for their perspective on season 3. The individual and his cousin didn't comment.

                                              References 

Guins, Raiford and Omayra Zaragoza Cruz. (2005). Popular Culture: A Reader. Sage Publications Ltd. PBF.