The Politics of Culture

In their introduction, “The Politics of Culture”, Julie Rivkin and Michael Ryan introduce the modern definition of culture as an extension of the prominence of language and the arts in society, the earlier definition of the term.  Specifically in traditional, high society, individuals were considered sophisticated to be educated in particular, classy arts.  The modern concept of culture has significantly evolved to include the actual behavior which groups identify with, carry out, and sustain.  An intriguing idea that Rivkin and Ryan suggest is that both extremes of society use culture as a way to represent and respond to society – culture as domination for the rulers, culture as resistance for the rebels.  Those in the upper-class use mediums, such as the media, to maintain order and control, while those in the lower classes use their expressive behavior to set them apart and react against those in power.

One of the most important points that Rivkin and Ryan present is Pierre Bourdieu’s belief that “...culture is a way of distinguishing between positions in the social hierarchy”.  Each group within a society actually consists of its own, discernible “culture”, influenced by unique backgrounds, environments, education, etc.  Today’s idea of American popular culture, as depicted to other countries through television and film, incorporates the emphasis on independence, beauty, equality, and money.  Although certainly not all Americans behave the same way or believe in the same ideas, the majority culture needs the majority of the population to be yanked in a common direction, driven by a common thought.  Alternatively, culture is also the expression of one’s self, when movements against the popular beliefs and trends occur, usually by the lower-class or individuals with less authority over the majority.  The politics of culture is, in itself, a paradigm of what is and what is not.

As we discussed the chapter in class, the most interesting topic became Rivkin and Ryan's notion of the "above" and "below" cultures -- the idea that people are placed in certain levels of the social hierarchy based on the culture that they take part in.  We took a look at the artists that we now consider popular rappers: Jay-Z, Snoop Dogg, and Eazy E.  Does their participation in the economic realm of high society actually contradict their initial motives for creating complex rhymes?  Following this notion, if these rappers can be considered to be in the "above" culture, do we then put Bach and Beethoven in the "below" culture?  Indeed, pure classical musicians and fans alike would not be able to participate in the urban culture, and vice versa.  Depending on the context, all individuals can be deemed both "above" AND "below" -- where we place ourselves and what defines "above" and "below" can be relative.  No doubt, modern-day mass media constantly and implicitly encourage the more-prominent "above" culture in this social hierarchy.

Rivkin, Julie, and Michael Ryan, eds.  Literary Theory: An Anthology.  Malden: Blackwell, 1998.  1025-27.  Print.
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A recent cover of Eazy E's "Boyz-n-the-Hood" by post-grunge band Dynamite Hack.