Compare and Contrast How Culture Has Changed In the Last 80 Years

  Compare and Contrast How Culture Has Changed In the Last 80 Years

Introduction

Culture refers to how people behave as relates to beliefs and values in a particular society. Culture evolves as different factors change. These include social norms change, for example, brought about by age difference. As different generations come and go, differences in culture become evident as well. Technology and digital media, for example, has affected different generations at varying degrees. Parents and teachers, for example, have acknowledged the impact digital media has on preschool children on the lower scale of the third generation (Ihmeideh & Alkhawaldeh, 2017). Print, electronic advertising, and music have changed over the years. The purpose of the paper is to give insight into how these mediums have changed over the years.

Generation 1: the 1940’s and 1960’s

Print Media

Print media in the 1940s included newspapers and postcards, for example. Newspapers were used for information purposes and kept the public updated on current news. News on the war, for example, was documented in the publications. Job opportunities were also advertised in the newspapers. Letters and postcards were also a standard mode of communication between the 1940s and 1960s. Sexual content, violence, and vulgarity were rare in this type of media. The use of print media, however, was mostly for the adults.

Electronic Media

Electronic media included television and radio. Both of these mediums were used to broadcast news and keep the public abreast of current affairs. Local programs were also broadcast for learning and entertainment purposes. The language was not vulgar, and sexual content was also rare. Violence broadcast portrayed on television involved real-time occurrences taking place in society. Radio and television content was child friendly and did not harm children. The material was, however, not very diverse in terms of creativity and global reach. Both children and adults used the medium.

Music

The music scene was fun and lively, with music being played in concerts, radio, television, and local bars. Music could be accessed through the purchase of recorders. The content language was not vulgar, and sexual content was minimal as nudity was rare. Violence was not common as the music did not focus on crime, murder, and gun violence. As such, the music did not have a negative influence on children. Adults listened to music more frequently than children and attended concerts as well.
Generation 2: the 1970’s and1980’s

Print Media

Print media involved newspapers and magazines, for example. Newspapers were used for information purposes. Magazines ranged from information to entertainment purposes. Adults used this type of medium more than children and youths. The vulgar language was kept at a minimum. Sexual content in magazines as regards partial nudity had increased from the previous generation. Violence was rare during the period.

Electronic Media

It included television and radio mediums. More content was available, and the quality was equally better. The broadcast was predominantly local and not global with local news and program content. The language was mainly audience-friendly without vulgarity. Sexual content was kept at a minimum as well. Violence was showcased through movies aired. However, the violence level was also kept to a minimum. Parents controlled children’s viewership of television as more families had access to televisions that the previous generation.

Music

The music scene was more vibrant, with a change in fashion, audio, and video quality. Music could be accessed through cassettes music content was, however, not vulgar and involved limited levels of nudity. In this regard music was children friendly. Violence was equally rare in the music as it was predominantly themed on love. The move from recorders to cassette and video players also meant that more people had access to music, unlike the previous generations.  
Generation 3: and 1990’s to 2018

Print Media

Print media involved newspapers, magazines, and billboards, for example. Entertainment, advertising, and news sharing were made possible through the use of these mediums. Magazine content, for instance, had evolved to accommodate more information across varying spectrums such as manufacturing, gaming, fashion, and lifestyle. Fewer people used this medium towards the end of the generation due to the inception of technology and digital media. Sexual content increased in magazines and billboards, for example. Newspaper language remained reader-friendly. The younger demographic, however, rarely used this type of medium towards the end of the generation.

Electronic Media

Television, radio, computers, smartphones were common in the generation. Electronic gadgets such as smartphones tramped the use of the television towards the end of the age. Unlike the other generations, children had access to electronic media through the use of computers and smartphones. Parental control became more difficult than in previous generations as well. Sexual content that includes nudity and show of affection was highest in this generation. Vulgar language use and violence were also the highest during the period. The upward surge of sexual content, vulgarity, and violence can be attributed to uncontrolled viewership brought about by social media. What is censured and controlled on television is not controlled and censored on social media. Whereas pornography is not accessible on TV, it is available on the internet, for example. Violence through the creation of graphic action and horror movies increased in the generation than at any other age.

Music

Music changed as regards quality, fashion, and access. With the inception of technology and digital media, music was accessible anywhere anytime. More children in this regard have access to music. Portable CD players and iPods made music more accessible. Fashion equally changed and became more sexually revealing, thus increasing partial nudity levels. Violence themed music was also created as well as music with high levels of cussing and visual and audio sexual content. 
Generation 4: Today (2019 and beyond)

Print Media

Newspapers are still used for news purposes. Papers also include job vacancies hence are used in job-seeking efforts. Billboards are equally still used though other modes of advertising, such as social media, have been incepted. The language used, sexual content, and violence levels are not high in this type of medium.

Electronic Media

Television and radio still are in use. Broadcast on radio and television has also become global. More services are likely to be integrated, necessitating a decreased need for radio and television media. Podcasts, for example, are growing to replace radio broadcasts. The audience, however, is less than in the previous generation. Access to television content on portable gadgets means that more people have access to television and radio content. Vulgarity, sexual content, and violence are still high and are likely to increase in the future. Violence through violent movies and gaming apps is expected to grow and become more graphic.

Music

Music fashion, audio, and visual quality have remained the same from the end of the previous generation to the current one. Vulgarity that involves cussing, adult-themed video content has increased and is likely to increase in the future. The violence depicted in music has, however, decreased in contrast to increased sexual content. Rap and hip hop are the music genres that promoted violence. These genres are not common in this generation; hence violence depicted in music has decreased.

Conclusion

Cultural change is inevitable, and the evolution of music is undeniable (Mauch et al., 2015). Print, music, and electronic advertising media has evolved and will continue to grow as new generations come and go. Language, sexual content, violence, and parent-child role changes as the mediums change. Vulgarity, cussing, partial nudity, the show of affection, and violence, for example, have increased over the years. Parental role through control of children has conversely decreased, as children become more exposed to technology. Technology has also changed the way advertising is done (Kumar & Gupta, 2016).

Works Cited

Ihmeideh, F., & Alkhawaldeh, M. (2017). Teachers’ and parents’ perceptions of the role of

technology and digital media in developing child culture in the early years. Children And Youth Services Review, 77, 139-146. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.childyouth.2017.04.013

Kumar, V., & Gupta, S. (2016). Conceptualizing the Evolution and Future of

Advertising. Journal Of Advertising, 45(3), 302-317. https://doi.org/10.1080/00913367.2016.1199335

Mauch, M., MacCallum, R., Levy, M., & Leroi, A. (2015). The evolution of popular music: USA

1960–2010. Royal Society Open Science, 2(5). https://doi.org/10.1098/rsos.150081