Free Essays on Pop Culture

The Cold War and American Pop-Culture The influence of the Cold War on American popular culture in the 1950s is very clear. â€Å"As true today, popular culture in the 1950s meant primarily movies, television programs, and recorded music as well as fiction, drama, and even fashion and comics.† The Cold War is the name given to the tensions and arms race that occurred between the United States and the Soviet Union in the years following the Second World War. Anti-Communism, and the â€Å"red scare† dominated American popular culture, with everyone trying to prove that they were against Communism. The influence that the Cold War had on American popular culture is evident through the popular novels at the time, which usually contained violence towards Communists and portrayed Americans as tough and righteous. Secondly, the Cold War had drastic affects Hollywood largely due to the fact that no other city has such a large influence on all of America. Many people were blacklisted, due to unfounded speculations t hat they might be in some way associated with the Communist Party. Lastly, the influence that the Cold War had on American popular culture is evident through analysis of the popular music of the 1950s. As a result of the Cold War, American popular culture was largely dominated by anti-communist ideals and subsequently caused mass paranoia throughout the United States The influence that the cold war was having on America is prevalent through analysis of the literature that was popular throughout the 1950s. Mickey Spillane’s books dominated the fictional bestsellers list of the 1950s, with six of them making the top ten. Historian Stephen Whitfield claims that it was â€Å"the detective’s hairy-chested heroics would have made such novels enormously popular even if they had been devoid of any explicit politics, but the overt anti-communism of Spillane’s fiction engraved it with the signature of the period.† Overall it is evident t... Free Essays on Pop Culture Free Essays on Pop Culture The Cold War and American Pop-Culture The influence of the Cold War on American popular culture in the 1950s is very clear. â€Å"As true today, popular culture in the 1950s meant primarily movies, television programs, and recorded music as well as fiction, drama, and even fashion and comics.† The Cold War is the name given to the tensions and arms race that occurred between the United States and the Soviet Union in the years following the Second World War. Anti-Communism, and the â€Å"red scare† dominated American popular culture, with everyone trying to prove that they were against Communism. The influence that the Cold War had on American popular culture is evident through the popular novels at the time, which usually contained violence towards Communists and portrayed Americans as tough and righteous. Secondly, the Cold War had drastic affects Hollywood largely due to the fact that no other city has such a large influence on all of America. Many people were blacklisted, due to unfounded speculations t hat they might be in some way associated with the Communist Party. Lastly, the influence that the Cold War had on American popular culture is evident through analysis of the popular music of the 1950s. As a result of the Cold War, American popular culture was largely dominated by anti-communist ideals and subsequently caused mass paranoia throughout the United States The influence that the cold war was having on America is prevalent through analysis of the literature that was popular throughout the 1950s. Mickey Spillane’s books dominated the fictional bestsellers list of the 1950s, with six of them making the top ten. Historian Stephen Whitfield claims that it was â€Å"the detective’s hairy-chested heroics would have made such novels enormously popular even if they had been devoid of any explicit politics, but the overt anti-communism of Spillane’s fiction engraved it with the signature of the period.† Overall it is evident t...

History of Greek Life essays

History of Greek Life essays Fraternities and sororities date back to the American colonial era. During that time, colleges focused on teaching the classics, Greek and Latin literature, rather than liberal arts such as science and history. As a result, students created these clubs to debate the intellectual and political ideas of their time. The first general fraternity, known as the Flat Hat Club was established in 1750 at the College of William and Mary in Williamsburg, Virginia. Thomas Jefferson, the 3rd President of the United States was a member of this club. Later in 1776 Phi Beta Kappa became the first society to identify itself with Greek letters. It was started when a student was refused membership to an organization known as PDA, a literary society that had long lost its purpose. Phi Beta Kappa displayed many of the characteristics associated with todays Greek-letter fraternities: the mystery of secrecy, rituals, oaths of loyalty, secret handshakes, a motto, a badge, and most importantly a str ong bond of friendship. More chapters were founded and as time went on, Phi Beta Kappa became purely intellectual and less social in its purpose. Today, on over 184 college campuses Phi Beta Kappa has become a scholastic honorary society that recognizes students who show superior achievement in academics. At Union College the decline of a military marching club left students of the school feeling like they needed something else to occupy their time. In November of 1825 a group of students, including some members of Phi Beta Kappa, organized and founded Kappa Alpha Society. Many students and faculty were opposed to Kappa Alpha due to its secrecy. Other groups, however, admired it and formed Sigma Phi and Delta Phi in 1827. These 3 fraternities make up what is today known as the Union Triad. 1839 brought the founding of another fraternity by John Reilly Knox, a prominent member of a literary society at Miami University. He...

Extended Definition of a Genre of Film Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Extended Definition of a Genre of Film - Essay Example So he decided to stalk Felicity. He had found out that she had been discharged from the police force a few years ago and lived alone with her mother. Too bad she had asked for police protection after he had made the first threatening call telling her not to interfere or she’d be dead meat, just like all the others†¦' I know who you are and I know where you live' did not, however, have the desired effect of repelling her from the case. He would have to resort to sterner measures. Graham West heaved a heavy sigh as he realized that killing Felicity would be the best thing to do under the circumstances. Maybe he should kill both mother and daughter to make a statement. Busybodies, and damn the police protection- he would have to find a way to sneak into her place without causing suspicion. Wait a minute†¦ he could cut their wires and then pose as a TV repairman or something. But it would not work if she had not called for a serviceman. Thank God they had no picture of h im at Police Headquarters. Graham took his chances late evening one weekend when he was certain the police would be gainfully occupied elsewhere. Felicity did not suspect a thing when she let him in- she must have thought her mother had called for the repairman, so that was that. But what he did not expect was Fred Hurst turning up for tea unexpectedly. He sized up Hurst and decided to take a chance anyway. But they were ready for him and both Felicity and Hurst took Graham down while the mother screamed blue murder.... Dammit, that Cindy Croft at work was too juicy to resist, and such a flirt too. Half the time she was flirting with the young male staff anyway. Such a gold digger- never one for a steady relationship. Too bad he did not mix work and play, or she’d have been one of his victims too. He simply could not risk the chance of being suspected or found out or else it would all be over. It was so thrilling to have a secret life and not be found out yet†¦ the revelation would likely shock all who knew him. With Victim 14’s neck secure on a meat hook in his garage, West turned to other matters requiring his attention. He firmly suspected that the pesky detective Felicity had her eyes on him, all due to some blood of a victim’s type being found in his car. He had fooled them into believing it was his former wife’s blood- they had been divorced just six months ago. But they were not really satisfied. So he decided to stalk Felicity. He had found out that she had b een discharged from the police force a few years ago and lived alone with her mother. Too bad she had asked for police protection after he had made the first threatening call telling her not to interfere or she’d be dead meat, just like all the others†¦Ã¢â‚¬â„¢ I know who you are and I know where you live’ did not however have the desired effect of repelling her from the case. He would have to resort to sterner measures. Graham West heaved a heavy sigh as he realized that killing Felicity would be the best thing to do under the circumstances (Wilson, 45). Maybe he should kill both mother and daughter to make a statement. Busybodies, and damn the police protection- he would have to find a