Impact Of Technology On Popular American Culture

The relationship between culture and technology is very complex and

has formed an influential metamorphic circle. Technology and culture are two
elements that influence each other in every way with the development and
change over time. This influence has been significant in the 20th century as
the latest developments in industrial, communications and engineering
around the world have reshaped popular culture in America.
Popular culture is basically defined by the interaction between
individuals in their daily actions. Dressing styles, the usage of jargons,
salutation rites and the diets that individuals consume are all illustrations of
popular culture. There are various commonly decided fundamentals
encompassing popular culture. For instance, it includes most of the modernday facets of our lives. These facets, on multiple occasions, are subjected to
quick modification, particularly in an extremely technical biosphere in which
persons are brought together by ubiquitous mass media (Berlatsky).
However, on the downside, the rapid advancements in technology have also
exposed people to its wrong utilization. This way the developments of
technology have made both positive and negative impacts on popular culture
of America.
Advancement in communication technology, in particular, brought
with it bulk creation. The appearance of effectual methods of
communication, be it through television, telephone or commercial

letterpress, all of these features contributed to the development of

popular culture in America.
During the early 20th century, the print business, which is an important
element of pop-culture, produced detailed newspapers and journals, along
with episodic stories. Newspapers obliged as the finest outlet of information
for a community with a rising awareness of communal and financial matters.
The thoughts articulated in printing press originated a widespread dialogue
on all kinds of subjects. Powered by additional technical development,
popular culture was significantly influenced by the evolving systems of mass
media during the course of the 20th century. Movies, transmission radio and
TV all had a thoughtful effect on American pop-culture. Hence, the mass
media and the incessant development in communication technology have all
been substantial features in the creation of American popular culture.
Multiple examples from the 20th century make it clear that
development of technology before, during and after the technological
revolution has significantly altered the pop-culture of America. The
transformation of simple villages into modern cities and sprawling outskirts
has shown prominent impact of technology on American culture. The
technology that has made a drastic change in the pop-culture of America is
Television. Whether we accept or not but since the inception of television it
has played a big role in how society of America functions and how the culture
has been shaped. During the post-world war II period, in 1948-1949,

American families made television a must-have item by bringing the

information and entertainment of the world into their cosy living rooms
across the country. This drastically changed the way Americans used to
interact with one another and spent leisure time.
Rapid changes in communication technology have revolutionized the
lifestyle and choices of an average American today. We exist in a period
where approximately everybody has a portable private computer. Individuals
connect through text more than they call and films are watched on displays
much lesser than the televisions. Technology has become so unescapable
that it has trickled into approximately every junction of American pop-culture
(Chase and Benoit, P.57).
The advancement in communication technology has also brought with
it some adverse effects. One example in this regard is of online shopping
where ordering online from stores has now become a fashion and time
saving strategy instead of making at home or walking down to the store. This
trend has significantly changed the way Americans used to live and has also
affected the labor force by increasing unemployment (Smulyan , P.846).
Another role communication technology played in changing the views
of Americans was in the area of advertisements or commercials.
Commercials that are played during any television program simply indicate
the type of society and culture a person is living in (Hamilton P.442). This,
however, initiated a huge racial discrimination between white Americans and

black Americans as the commercials focus more on white Americans.

Another example of how television through advertisements altered American
lifestyle is the never ending commercials of fast food supply usually fixed to
be aired at dinnertime which increased the major problem of obesity among
white Americans in particular (Black and Fleron, P.252).
Similarly, automobiles when launched by the white Americans
introduced the phenomenon of social status in the culture of America. After
the invention of automobiles with gas powered engines, they became the
mainstream and it allowed the manufacturers to come up with different ideas
and innovation which with the passage of time stamped in the popular
American culture that a person with an automobile or the one who could
afford to drive an automobile will be determined as wealthy and have a
strong social status (Hodson, Franklin and Steiner, P.953).
Through my learning and experience it was found that there is a
diverse opinion of researchers on the influence of advancement in
communication technology on popular American culture. Regardless of
whether it has more positive effects or negative, they all consider technology
an influential factor that has significantly changed the dynamics of popular
American culture.

References
Berlatsky, Noah. Popular Culture. Detroit: Greenhaven Press, 2011. Print.
Chase, Edward T. and Emile Benoit. "The Issues And Challenges Of Air
Transportation: The Impact Of New Technology". Technology and Culture 5.1 (1964):
57. Web.
Smulyan, Susan. "Discovering Science And Technology Through American History".
Technology and Culture 35.4 (1994): 846. Web.
Black, Cyril E. and Frederic J. Fleron. "Technology And Communist Culture: The
Socio-Cultural Impact Of Technology Under Socialism". Technology and Culture 20.1
(1979): 252. Web.
Hamilton, Shane. "A Companion To American Technology (Review)". Technology and
Culture 47.2 (2006): 442-443. Web.
Hodson, Joel, Wayne Franklin, and Michael Steiner. "Mapping American Culture".
Technology and Culture 34.4 (1993): 953. Web.