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I am not sure that “wait, wait… don’t tell me” (a 50s radio show) had more impact than Hanna Arendt because of show’s popularity. In 200 BC leaflets with Alexa
by atmosx 3y ago
I am not sure that “wait, wait… don’t tell me” (a 50s radio show) had more impact than Hanna Arendt because of show’s popularity.
In 200 BC leaflets with Alexander the Great gossip stories were heavily requested and consumed. I don’t believe they affected western civilization as much as Euclidean geometry.
Broadly speaking pop culture has a short lifespan. Does not seem to be that interesting or impactful in the long run.
For example we have many articles complaining that we live in an era of incredible artistic ugliness where most works of art produced will hardly endure 50 years. They might be wrong (although I see where they are coming from, contemporary arts currency is shock not awe or beauty, it is a byproduct of the post modernist, high-tech society).
On the other hand, po culture surely helps to explain many aspects of the current civilization and problems of the day. Are these problems interesting? Maybe, to the extend that is interesting to know how they made tea in China 1200 years ago or who would be the Emperor’s wife.
- tzs 3y ago> I am not sure that “wait, wait… don’t tell me” (a 50s radio show) Are you sure that's the show you are thinking of? The only show with that name I can find is from 1998-present [1]. [1] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wait_Wait..._Don%27t_Tell_Me https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wait_Wait..._Don%27t_Tell_Me!
- pvg 3y agoPop culture doesn't just concern itself with the trivial and there's plenty of high culture is long-surviving pop culture. Alexander gossip? We've got that: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alexander_Romance https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alexander_Romance More recent previous pop culture - Shakespeare, Dickens.
- atmosx 3y agoThat is true. The fact that something is popular doesn't say much about quality. I stand by my point though: Euclidian geometry affected our civilisation more than Alexander novels. ps. I have a hard time putting these authors next to Buffy and Madonna. Maybe I'm wrong, time will tell I guess.
- bazoom42 3y ago> Broadly speaking pop culture has a short lifespan. Because if it turns out to have a longer lifespan we stop calling it pop culture. E.g. novels, opera, Shakespeare etc.