David O. Week 2

After reading the article entitled: “Adventures in Media, and Cultural Studies: Introducing the Keyworks”, by Douglas M. Kellner and Meenakshi Gigi Durham, the thought that popped into my head was the compare and contrast I have made between individualistic and collective cultures in previous classes.  I have read many articles comparing different cultures in more specific respects, comparing the western cultures and ideologies (meaning the U.S. and Uk), with eastern or Asian cultures and ideologies.  What better example of this would be the show “The Apprentice” and how fame is portrayed in it.  This show brings into light how much stress is put on money, investing, and individual needs and desires as well as socio-economic status here in the west.  This obviously is in contrast to many eastern beliefs which center more upon a more collective approach involving family, religion, and traditions.  These authors argue that there is “no pure entrainment that does not contain representations, often extremely prejudicial, of class, gender, race, sexuality and myriad social categories and groupings” (14) From page 34 and on, the authors discuss how western capitalism is becoming globalized, this I found interesting because many articles I have read in other classes discussed how collective cultures are becoming more individualistic.  In the “Apprentice” for instance there is little to now talk about family, religion, rituals or cultures.  It almost seems like culture is inexistent in the show, but in reality that is a western characteristic.  But how does this relate to pop-culture?  Many ways… one being the fact that this show started here in the U.S. and there are several seasons of the show in the U.K. in recent years. Now that this example of our individualistic is becoming popular across the Atlantic, it will probably become popular over the Pacific as well, all it takes is some time.   Pop-culture is now part of the billion dollar industry like Viacom CBS, Disney, ABC and the many more listed on page 27.  In my opinion this redlines the meaning of the political economy we live in, in some respects there is also a cultural economy measured in dollars and cents.