- At July 31, 2007
- By Jeannine Gailey
- In Defense of popular culture, I
- 5
Pop Culture: Waste of Time or Populist Embrace of the World? Or, why poets should watch television
I’ve had percolating thoughts about this topic for some time, and with Comic Con in San Diego, and recently re-reading Harold Bloom and AS Byatt’s dismissals of Harry Potter books, I have started to think about why I don’t think of pop culture as “a waste of time.” You’ll notice pop culture plays a large part in the fiction and poetry I enjoy (Haruki Murakami and Denise Duhamel for instance) and in my own work. Popular Culture is an equalizing and freeing subject – just by including it you can make other people feel included in your universe, rather than excluded. I think mythology becomes much less remote and threatening to younger students, for example, when you can tie it into the latest comic book character or video game.To embrace your culture is to not look down on others – you can just hear the disapproving academic snootiness in Bloom and Byatt (whom I love, by the way, don’t get me wrong) when they talk about how Harry Potter is the worst sort of popular tripe, etc. I mean, I can recognize that Rowling’s prose stylings are somewhat less than impressive (repetitive paragraphs, lots of adverbs) but she has a great way with plot, and plot, along with a detailed imaginary universe, is what has driven the popularity of her books. Here’s what is worthwhile about reading the Harry Potter series – you can pick up a conversation almost anywhere with anyone, and they’ll have an opinion, and you’ll have common ground. I feel the same way about television – saying “I don’t watch television” is almost the same as saying: “I don’t want to take part in that human race thing.” (I kid, of course.) Television isn’t neccessarily a good thing, not something everyone HAS to do, but it’s not necessarily a bad thing either, on it’s own. Television is not the devil, although it is true that it contains more than enough terrible, inane, lazy programming. But there are also wonderful images, and characters, and bits of dialogue, that combination of music and image and direction that combine into transcendence (occasionally) that would inspire even the most high-minded. I’m not advocating game shows, but watching a few carefully chosen television shows is not going to pollute you.
I wish I could have attended this Comic Con. Why, you ask? I have been to a few smaller conventions, and it is quite interesting in terms of the characters you might run into, the spectacle, the single-minded devotion of people to their chosen – comic book, genre film, author, whatever. Sure, there’s a carnival-like weirdness to it, but on the whole, it’s a joy-laden celebration of the odd and the imaginative, and how can you not have respect for that? I think of the happiness I felt as a kid when I read Madeleine L’Engle’s Swiftly Tilting Planet, or Anne McCaffery’s Dragonsinger – the longed-for empowerment, the beauty of the alternate realities in which young women in difficult and trying situations could (through hard work and perseverance and creativity and love) and did make a difference. There was hope in these books, even a spiritual aspect which most contemporary literature does not touch. The best Science fiction and fantasy really does offer a lyric frame in which to view our worlds.
In short, popular culture allows for a dialogue across language, class, race and gender. Isn’t that something to be embraced?
aka Leonardo Likes Gulls
Having not paid for tv until this year when we got cable, I’ve been “out” of the conversations of a lot of people. I had no idea what the Sopranos were, who or what was Sex in the city, the Food channel. Unless it happened on ABC, NBC, CBS, or PBS, I had no idea what it was.
Now with cable, though at first I was completely in love with HGTV, I’m back to watching it again. Though, I don’t feel as “out of it” because my husband watches it and it makes sense when he says things like “Iron Chef” (the concept of the ‘secret ingredient’ just didn’t make sense–what do you mean they make a meal out of cranberries…)
But I think what’s interesting is how someone replies if you’ve asked them if they’ve seen a certian show (even if it’s something educational)– it’s telling when someone who doesn’t have a TV or watches tv answers “No, I didn’t,” vs. “I don’t have a tv,” or “I don’t watch tv.” These last two answers seem a bit judgmental. A more, “I’m above that” attitude.
What I also think is interesting is when people put down something they haven’t seen or read. I *hope* Harold B has read all or at least half of the HP books before he dismissed them. I’ve never read them but I’m just thrilled all the interest they are bringing to books! Seriously, when was the last time before Harry P you heard the term “Book Frenzy” in the media. You didn’t! No one cared really. Bookstores did not open at midnight and there weren’t parties celebrating the release of a new book! I don’t see how that can be bad for anyone.
I don’t think an “us” “them” attitude is healthy to anything. I think of life is a buffet and you can taste the cavier, but also drink a Yoo-Hoo ever now again or a Ding-Dong, no one ever said it had to be one or the other.
Anyway, I’ve overtalked. My 2 cents is about ten cents. Feel free to give me change.
Good post.
best,
kels
Jilly
Some of the more obscure pop culture references in poetry make me feel … old … because I don’t get some of the newer ones. “I used to be with it, but then they changed what it was.”
Jeannine
Dear Kels, thanks for the thoughtful comment!
Dear Jilly, no, don’t worry, just assume you’re too hip to get those references 😉
MoskerVenice
You have a link to those criticisms? I sort of understand Pottermania and the backlash, but I want some other perspective on the matter especially with the whole “kids lit” thing making it more than just a matter than “Hey people! There are better trashy thriller writers than Dan Brown!”
jeannine
Dear Dave,
Here’s teh link to Bloom’s essay:
http://wrt-brooke.syr.edu/courses/205.03/bloom.html
and here’s the link to Byatt’s:
http://www.countercurrents.org/arts-byatt110703.htm
Yes, Dan Brown and his crazy “Sophie said, her green eyes flashing” tic. Made my green eyes flash all right.
I think it’s good to observe a writer’s popularity and ask: what is it that engaged people with this book/series and try to learn from that, rather than bash bash bash (which, admittedly, is pretty easy with Dan.)