Dustin Kidd’s perception of popular culture is intriguing although impractical. He has interesting propositions but they are unfounded and quite abstract. Kidd attempts to find a direct link between crime and popular culture by stating that both events provide benefits and are fundamental in a modern society. However, this unorthodox approach to the subject of popular culture can induce problems.
Dustin Kidd’s approach to the idea of the parallels between crime and popular culture is unconventional and is from a sociological perspective. The fact that he provides the example of Emile Durkheim’s assertion that crime is, “actually normal and necessary for a healthy society” emphasizes his need to put a positive spin on crime as well as popular culture (69). He furthers Durkheim’s line of reasoning by stating that, “the sociological approach to crime needs to look past the detrimental effects upon the victim in order to identify the benefits that crime offers to the society in which it occurs” (70). Kidd’s agreement that crime and popular culture are two events within society that possess positive impacts is not a convincing argument. The notion that crime stimulates social change is a plus, however, his as well as Durkheim’s lack of sympathy for victims and their affiliates is problematic and allows for the acceptance of crime.
Moreover, in reference to popular culture, Kidd exposes the notion that popular culture is the most centralized and effective means for defining and distributing the norms of society (75). Popular culture and crime are beneficial to society for it stabilizes regulations throughout the community and promotes a stable society which is deemed a positive for Kidd. He seems to be too kind to popular culture by focusing on its contributions to society rather than its negative influences. Kidd does not reveal the fact that popular culture dehumanizes individuals and makes their sole existence to be that of consumers. Kidd does not effectively persuade readers of his arguments and creates a reality of acceptance of occurrences such as crime and popular culture.
Hey Marica, great post. I've posted a response to this article here below, as well as on my blog at http://godandtivo.wordpress.com/2011/01/31/a-response-to-crime-and-popular-culture/
ReplyDeleteAs a criminology major I’ve spent a lot of time listening to Emile Durkheim and his sociological theories, and I would disagree with you in terms of the social good of crime. I recognize your point about Durkheim’s lack of sympathy for victims, but I think Durkheim is trying to speak in broad strokes about crime in general. The underlying idea being that crime is an institution, that is found in all societies across time and space, like education or medical care. So I think when Durkheim is trying to understand why crime exists, his point really isn’t too bad. He exposes one of the reasons crime exists, to right imbalances in society. I think it helps when I think of the crimes he’s talking about relating more to civil disobedience, or the civil rights movements. Arguably there, what African Americans were committing were crimes, yet their reason for them, was to highlight flaws in the governance of the people. That being said, I think Durkheim’s argument even holds up for crimes like theft, which highlight an imbalance in people’s wages for the goods they feel they need, or even something like prostitution, which explains the desire of some that sex should be completely devoid from any government imposition.
I really like your second point regarding the negatives that popular culture brings upon us. I agree that popular culture is society’s ways of showing its norms, but are we really taking the time to analyze what these norms are that are being broadcast that is going to be the status quo? Jon Stewart said recently that ‘it would be nice if the way we talked to each other on television didn’t resemble crazy’ regarding the recent Tuscon shooting, and he’s right. TV has to go and find newer and crazier things to appease the audience, otherwise they get bored. It’s a continual cycle of popular culture finding something shocking, displaying it for us to criticize, while others take up the practice until it eventually becomes the norm. Is Lady Gaga crazy or are her antics going to be the norm for the kids who grow up watching her? I’ve been reading a book by Dr. Drew Pinsky called The Mirror Effect, and he argues that whatever celebrities do, we are inclined to mirror them in our own lives because through their actions we believe that not only is it normal, but the cool kids are doing it. He cites the rise of sexting following the Vanessa Hudgens scandal. Before her photos leaked few people had ever heard of sexting, and now it’s something parents need to guard their children against. I agree that popular culture socializes us, but popular culture rarely keeps track of what they’re socializing in us.
AB