Has pop-culture stagnated?

[Mrs. Sawyer]

Also in fashion, a decade ago with Urban Culture there was a huge enthusiasm in Hip-hop gear. In the past few years, fashion taste in urban communities shifted from urban companies to companies like Abercrombie and Fitch, Hollister, Ralph Lauren, etc.

 

[JJJ's Ulcer]

You can't just pick and choose which aspects of pop culture you think stagnated and say that pop culture overall hasn't shifted.

Even in my very first post I said there have been changes in attitude but the surface changes haven't been as big as in previous decades. "As big" is also not the same as "not as all" as I've said as well. The musicians are mostly the same or similar in style, the clothes are mostly the same and even the slang is mostly the same. Sorry that's what I think and I'm not telling you what you should think.

 

[Mrs. Sawyer]

Subjective means an opinion or assumption. It cannot be factual and therefore cannot be proven or disproven.

The argument is not whether change has occurred but whether those changes are major or minor when compared to the latter 20th century.

The argument was if pop culture stayed the same and if America was the same as if was 10 years ago (20 years ago JJJ mentioned in his first post). There have been major changes with both.

 

[Mrs. Sawyer]

Even in my very first post I said there have been changes in attitude but the surface changes haven't been as big as in previous decades. "As big" is also not the same as "not as all" as I've said as well. The musicians are mostly the same or similar in style, the clothes are mostly the same and even the slang is mostly the same. Sorry that's what I think and I'm not telling you what you should think.

Electric cars, smartphones, fashion, and others aren't surface changes? All have been mentioned in this thread.

 

[JJJ's Ulcer]

Also in fashion, a decade ago with Urban Culture there was a huge enthusiasm in Hip-hop gear. In the past few years, fashion taste in urban communities shifted from urban companies to companies like Abercrombie and Fitch, Hollister, Ralph Lauren, etc.

Huh? These brands were all extremely popular a decade ago. Wasn't there even a dumb song that went "I like girls who wear Abercrombie & Fitch" at the time?

 

[JJJ's Ulcer]

Electric cars, smartphones, fashion, and others aren't surface changes? All have been mentioned in this thread.

Sorry Parker, you're right. Pop culture is completely different. Now if you'll excuse me, I'm going to go bang my head into the wall a hundred times.

 

[Mrs. Sawyer]

Huh? These brands were all extremely popular a decade ago. Wasn't there even a dumb song that went "I like girls who wear Abercrombie & Fitch" at the time?

A deacade ago, those were not in urban communities nor did other groups of people wear it as much as they wear it now due to the backlash against gangsta rap in urban communities in the later parts of the decade (due to the growing mentality in the later 00s that "Hip-hop is dead").

Then again, I'll admit that I'm picking and choosing and talking more about my experiences in this one since I'm not an expert in fashion nor do I know much about fashion.

 

[Mrs. Sawyer]

Sorry Parker, you're right. Pop culture is completely different. Now if you'll excuse me, I'm going to go bang my head into the wall a hundred times.

Maybe you'll end up back in the 90s.

 

[Teelie]

This really took off in a matter of hours... pop culture is serious business.

 

[Octoberist]

Huh? These brands were all extremely popular a decade ago. Wasn't there even a dumb song that went "I like girls who wear Abercrombie & Fitch" at the time?

Yeah.

Actually on NPR, brands like Abercromie & Fitch are losing money because of Pintrest. Fashion isn't governed by these companies anymore; it's being controlled by social networking. Kids these days don't care about the brands as much as the previous generation. They care more about individuality or just overall style, so they'll mix and match brands if need be. Whether if it's H&M, Urban Outfitters or even Target.

Like what Chris Hardwicke of Nerdist said, today we're living in a world full of thousands of niche pop cultures not by one. So that's why it's harder to garner the attention of the populous via shared culture.

 

[KRYPTON INC.]

Dear Zod... I actually agree with Chris Hardwick.... Damn.

 

[Octoberist]

GOOD. He's a cool guy. And I root for him.

 

[KRYPTON INC.]

GOOD. He's a cool guy. And I root for him.

A cool guy like Billy Zane or a cool guy like Ceelo Green? t:

Either way, this is a one time event.

 

[Octoberist]

In general I think it's easier to dislike someone remotely famous than liking these days it seems. Or at least on the internet.

If you listen to the Nerdist, I think his interviews with Tom Hanks or Steve Carrell are just amazing. I don't think Chris is super funny but he's personable enough I like how he thinks. Plus, he had to rebuild his career from the bottom up, and I admire his rise from darkness. He's a real life Bane.

 

[Mrs. Sawyer]

I like Chris Hardwicke. I think the problem many people have with him is that he tends to come off as trying to hard. Not that he is a try-hard, but his demeanor and everything comes across as that at times.

 

[Thundercrack85]

I have noticed this as well.

When I look at the eighties, with the hair, bright colored clothing... and what not, I have a hard time imagining it was only a little over two decades ago.

But I think part of that may be a plateau effect.

Technology has a lot to do with popular culture. And our technologies, while still advancing, aren't advancing as radically.

For example, we went from record players, to tape players, to CD players, to MP3 players to... well, better MP3 players.

But it won't stay this way. Emerging technologies will... emerge.

 

[Octoberist]

Sometimes he does. But I value his podcast a lot.

 

[KRYPTON INC.]

I like Chris Hardwicke. I think the problem many people have with him is that he tends to come off as trying to hard. Not that he is a try-hard, but his demeanor and everything comes across as that at times.

That's at the heart of my dislike. I think he comes across as a true sincere fanboy, and he takes care of his friends in his little growing media empire... All good things about the man. But... Yeah, as a comedian he has zero material, timing or talent and he kind of covers that up with a manic self deprecating persona that just cries "flop sweat." He probably would do better as the producer of a show rather than on air talent.

 

[Mrs. Sawyer]

He's actually been pretty funny on @Midnight. He still comes off as trying too hard at times, but he's been a pretty good host and one of the reasons the show got picked up for more episodes that gives Comedy Central the late night 1-2-3 punch of Daily Show, Colbert, and @Midnight.

 

[redhawk23]

I like Chris Hardwicke. I think the problem many people have with him is that he tends to come off as trying to hard. Not that he is a try-hard, but his demeanor and everything comes across as that at times.

Chris Hardwick once sat on my lap and stroked my beard. True story.

He might come off as trying to hard but really he is just superbly hyper.

 

[Octoberist]

I like his interview skills. Or rather, his conversation skills.

 

[KRYPTON INC.]

^Don't remind me. t:

I caved and watched 3 episodes On Demand just to check it out. He was more tolerable than I expected, but he had to up his A game. He's on post Stewart/Colbert on a show where he is also on with some of the quickest and funniest stand up comedians. They, the guests, made the shows I watched though.

 

[redhawk23]

I have noticed this as well.

When I look at the eighties, with the hair, bright colored clothing... and what not, I have a hard time imagining it was only a little over two decades ago.

But I think part of that may be a plateau effect.

Technology has a lot to do with popular culture. And our technologies, while still advancing, aren't advancing as radically.

For example, we went from record players, to tape players, to CD players, to MP3 players to... well, better MP3 players.

But it won't stay this way. Emerging technologies will... emerge.

That's because mp3 that now play video and have internet connection pretty much provide what people want out of a media device. It won't drastically change because it doesn't really need to with advancements now just focusing on efficiency and memory space.

 

[redhawk23]

I like his interview skills. Or rather, his conversation skills.

When I saw him at St. Louis University they kept shutting him down on his material which kept edging into being too risque for the Catholic university's tastes so he just said "f*** it" and started walking around and interviewing people in the crowd. It became a game of name your major and what you would contribute to building a new society after an apocalypse.

Me though, I don't know if I just give a geeky vibe or what but he returned to me several times despite there being literally a couple thousand people there. He questioned me about comics and movies and then later became really fixated on my beard, asking me how long I've been able to grow one. and again at one point during all of this he walked over and outright sat on my lap.

 

[JJJ's Ulcer]

I've noticed a pattern of people born before the 90's thinking pop culture hasn't changed much, but people born from '90 onward talking about how it has and mostly emphasizing technological changes (electric car, smart-phone, streaming movies) to support this. Does that mean us old guys are nostalgic for the 90's as Parker claims, or does that mean you youngsters see a period corresponding with your childhood in a much more distant light?