Culture of Poverty

The culture of poverty is a social theory that describes the poverty as a cycle. Supported by Oscar Lewis, it emphasizes the idea that poverty tends to spread to the next generation. However, it mainly focuses on the black underclass and why they remain poor. According to Oscar Lewis, this is because of their value system, which he believes is unique from everyone else. He came to this conclusion when examining the ambition and character of those who grow up in poverty. Their mindsets and behaviors are what prevent the next generation, and the generation after the next from evading the underclass. This is why young black boys from poor home who are blessed with talents, either in sport or academic, sometimes make wrong decisions that cause them to remain in the underclass.

You all should know Devone Bess, founder of Bessfriend and Dolphin’s wide receiver. Growing up he can be associated with living a life of an underclass because he had an absentee dad and was raised by a single mother and an uncle who was a drug dealer. He worked really hard to remove himself from his situation. He won a football scholarship to Oregon State. However, he lost that scholarship after he was sentenced to 21 months in prison for possessing stolen good, which by the way, a friend had put in his car. Though Devone had a value system (ambitious and a good character), those that surrounded him did not and this almost hinder him from socially mobilizing from his social class.

the chain of social cultures

This week I will be discussing the forces and institution that help shape popular culture

Popular culture is the cultural activities or commercial products reflecting or aimed at the tastes of the general masses. After listening to Mrs. Basi’s explanation, I can say that there are two forces and two institutions responsible for each.

From a culturist view, high culture helps in shaping popular culture. High are a separated group of wealthy elite that place significance in appreciating classical art, music, and literature. The Elite theory is believed dearly by this group. Herein, because they hold economical wealth and policy-planning networks, they control the resources that the masses receive. 

For example, our government leaders control the laws, budgets, and projects that are accepted by the elite. When the masses see the elite, there is the desire to want to behave like the elite. So the mass culture often emulates them. 

The other institution is the media and the force they use is the Consumer culture, which is our pursuit of a materialistic lifestyle where we buy, buy, buy.  The media uses advertisement to shape what the mass believe, wear, eat, visit, and drive. 

The media is responsible for why you’d prefer oreo cookies to other kinds of cookie, or why you’d rather shop at Wal-Mart rather than target, or why you would hate Kim Kadashian and love Justin Bieber, or why you’d love a Burkin over every other hand bags.

Mead I Say

When examining symbolic interactionism, it is easy to fall for the guise that it a psychology theory. However, thoroughly scrutinizing the theory, one will observe that it’s all sociology baby. Symbolic interaction, according to Mead, is the study of how individuals interact with symbols that surround them.

                       Examining socialization is key to really accept the justification. Mead famously quoted, ‘the inner “I” must become the social me,’ to explain primary socialization. Herein, an infant is able to see his actions in terms of its effects on others. Sociology comes alive in the second stage of socialization, secondary socialization, because it moves beyond the family into a wider society. The child learns how to operate as a member of society.

 He experiences judgments, stereotypes, and universal symbol. He exhibits societal influences as he interacts with others. Furthermore, he takes on the roles, gender identity, gender roles, sanctions, values, and norms of the culture. And when lots, and lots of individual are grouped under this observation there’s sociology, which is the study of the relationships around us and how it affects our behaviors and attitudes.