How Sociological are Cultural Products?

with the discussion last week about sociology within popular media sources, it is important to also see into the realm of cultural products. Cultural products have more of an organic source, coming more from a perspective of the people who are either considered activists related to the topic or can be someone directly affected by a topic of discussion, whereas popular media relies heavily on news media and mass reporting.

Finding a sociological perspective within cultural products has proven to be a challenge. Often, the cultural product may appeal to opinion and emotional response such as within quick clip posts and products which are designed to create a quick amount of awareness in a memorable way. Some of these products include political cartoons, protest signs, and apparel, as well as memes which have been rapidly growing in popularity, especially within the younger and more easily influenced community. It is easier in most cases to find and understand a sociological perspective within a cultural product when it is delivered in a video or speech, where it is important to fill time and add validity through supporting facts and data collected through research.

It is my personal belief that certain topics produce further possibilities to find sociological perspective within the cultural products produced related to them. Every topic has some form of an emotional draw to it. However, the topics which relate more to direct human issues drive the culture products to be formed around that human aspect. This correlation seems to draw more emotion-based products, especially when considering the aspects of cultural products which are already difficult to find sociological perspective within.   
 

Cultural Products on Guns

Cultural products are an important piece of influential, and often opinionated forms of media coverage on highly debated issues of interest. Most Americans acquire some of their more opinionated views from certain cultural products, which may include political cartoons, protest signs, political based comedy, and several other forms of communicating an opinion about a certain social issue.

The course of evolution with cultural products has increased the amount of population they have been able to effectively reach. With so many forms of media and communication, it is impossible to ignore the social aspects and influence cultural products have. However, there is often a wide range of how much quality sociology based information. Often cultural products have some basis in true fact but are used in a way to produce followers to more opinions, whereas some of them try to use what the creator of the product believes to exhibit common sense.

I have always considered cultural products to be more of an every day and every one aspect of sociology. It is a product which rarely uses original research, but instead, uses emotional responses and previous research to produce new forms of product publication. I believe that it is something which solely requires the passion to feel the need to form the product. In my opinion, it makes this form of publication inspiring, but also unfortunately unreliable to true research development. 

Popular Media and Sociology

Popular media is a form of informative reporting which has and continues to be a source for many people to find news on current events and issues facing society. However, how much of what is reported can be considered up to sociological standards, and what is really observed when looking at problems posed by popular media? Much of what makes a popular media report is how it is displayed for public consumption. Attention grabbing titles and the prospect of true research reports draw in people and often begin to set the tone for how the information will be presented. Often, what I have personally noticed is that the resources shown sprinkled into the presentation are there to add the perception of validity to what tends to be a one-sided way of looking at the issue.

Though some articles show information to inform based on one singular point of view,  that does not mean that there are no articles affected by this phenomenon. Several articles find sociological statistics on the highlighted issue, while others can be based on emotional response. A good example of the difference is in the media sources of the foster care system. The youtube video entitled "ReMoved" shows first-hand recreations of the broken foster care system, yet it is shown in a very emotionally led and non-sociological way. The video offers no statistical analysis or figures, yet it gets the point across that the system needs major updating. However, in the article "The Child Welfare System: Kids Falling Through the Cracks" written by Jessica McLaughlin and presented by Lawstreet News, Several facts and figures are presented including population statistics on different categories of foster care. It also brings up several current pieces of legislation to show the climate of the issue.

Though it is welcoming to see that several popular media sources do have a base in social science, as well as publishing less biased work in some cases, there are still concerns about popular media. With sociology making a comeback and starting to be more prevalent in media, popular media needs to be able to use more sociologists in their work. The publication of more social science can lead to a further reduction in bias and an increase of validity in future publications to come.