Popular culture represents the ideas and beliefs of the majority of society. It is always changing, as people’s ideas and beliefs change. One of these ideas that are changing through the help of the media is the idea of what a hero is. In the past, heroes were considered super humans (sometimes not even human). Examples of this are the Justice league and Captain Planet. They focused on the fact that they were unnatural and unattainable by humans. The current idea of what a hero is has been shaped by society and reflected into our popular culture. It is no longer a super human with magical mystical powers to do good, but instead, regular humans who use their resources given to them to do good in the world. This shared knowledge of what a hero is can be seen in movies, television programs, and even in our news programs.
Recent movies have highlighted superheroes who are normal people. They are everyday people who go above and beyond their call of duty. Bateman, Daredevil and Iron Man all had special gadgets, no superhuman powers. They are humans with human attributes that allow us to identify with them.
In the same way that movies do, television programs also display humans as hero figures. Programs like NCIS, House, and even Grey’s Anatomy create heroes out of service people. They all have human flaws like the rest of society but they are recognized as heroes for their services to humanity. Popular culture respects cops, hospital employees and service people in general, which can be seen in these television programs.
While movies and television programs show heroes as everyday people, news programs give us examples of real people who are considered to be heroes for the deeds they have done. CNN presented a special called CNN Heroes that highlights everyday people who are trying to make a difference. People who provide housing to women recently released from prison, create campaigns to help others lose weight, and provide meals to the homeless are given the label hero. This kind of media gives hope and inspiration to our society to improve themselves and take care of each other.
Pop culture reflects what the majority of all people believe. The current beliefs are for society to respect ordinary people who contribute to bettering the world.
References
CNN Heroes: everyday people changing the world. (2010). www.cnn.com. Retrieved October 1, 2010 from www.cnn.com/specials/ cnn.heroes/
Petracca, M. & Sorapure, M. (2007). Common Culture. Upper Saddle River: New Jersey.
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