Identity in the American Popular Culture

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Identity in the American Popular Culture
Culture may be described as the general structure of traditions and values that is equally
shared by a specific group of individuals. It may mean a community or society although the
terms are not exactly synonymous. Society encompasses a number of cultures within its confines
while a culture solely comprises of the global view of individuals who are part of it. Therefore,
the US, which is a multicultural community, comprises of a number of diverse global views of
individuals of Asian, African, European and Native American descent. This society has a
signature culture of hyper-capitalism. A hyper-capitalistic culture is a community with esteemed
values of capitalism particularly the motive to make profits as well as the issues of making
experience a commodity. In such a culture, the desire for success and profit maximization of an
individual entity overrides any other values within the culture and society.
The identity in the American popular culture presents a state of inclusion and diversity
within the society. The paradox however is the fact that popular culture is a revelation of what
has become, is already, or will most likely be considered normal in the near future within the
mainstream behaviors and culture. The popular culture of inclusion and diversity has resulted in
the acceptance of culture and behavior that the mainstream society traditionally considered
unacceptable. What was regarded as foreign has now been normalized by the mainstream society 
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owing to the culture of inclusion and diversity. An example of recent popular culture paradox in
boundaries of inclusion is the gay and transgender issue that a few years ago were relegated to
the extreme end of the society. Slowly and steadily, the society moved such issues into the
mainstream section of the community and the issues no longer lurked in the shadows. Music, art
and the film industry as well as social media have played a huge role in identifying the paradox
of the American popular culture.