How High Culture Affects Popular Culture in Society Today
- Fashion magazines have long been responsible for making high fashion accessible.Thinkstock Images/Comstock/Getty Images
One area in which high culture has a direct impact on popular culture is fashion. Trends in fashion begin with renowned designers coming up with new ideas and concepts, which they then display at fashion shows. These clothes are far too expensive for the general public to acquire. Fashion designers who work for more easily accessible clothing lines then pick up on the current trends and recreate them for the popular culture market. The trends also appear in fashion magazines, which the general public can easily access. Not only clothing, but trends in hairstyle, make-up and accessories also start in high culture and then trickle down to the popular culture market. - Sushi is an example of a food now known to popular culture.Photos.com/PhotoObjects.net/Getty Images
High culture also impacts food trends in popular culture. In high culture, people are more apt to experience expensive restaurants and chefs that are on the cutting edge of experimenting with food. The trends in this arena gradually make their way to more affordable restaurants and become popular culture trends. Often there are also global influences, as traveling to other countries is more common in high culture. Examples of this influence include sushi bars, tapas and even the familiarity of espresso drinks. - Art museums have become more accessible for the general public.Jupiterimages/Brand X Pictures/Getty Images
Art is another area in which high culture affects popular culture. Often, people who are not part of the upper class of society do not have access to art. However, art museums and community art programs have begun to lower costs, integrate with public school programs and generally make themselves more accessible. This is an example of high culture directly impacting popular culture, as the awareness of art forms and the ability to experience art becomes more of a normal occurrence in popular culture. - The internet bridges high culture and popular culture.Hemera Technologies/AbleStock.com/Getty Images
Since the year 2000, the Internet has made the link between high culture and popular culture much closer. Where in the past, people needed money and access to an urban area to experience high culture, now they are able to log on to the Internet and view the latest fashions, read about current restaurant trends and see images of famous paintings. The Internet blurs the line between high culture and popular culture and suggests that the line may disappear in the future.
