Icon

              To become an icon, an artifact has to reach a high level of appeal to the mass of people.  The three selections made for this blog are the Showtime hit Dexter, Nirvana, and the Ford Motor Company’s Model T.  Each of these examples are leaders in their respective genera’s and have impacted millions of people throughout the world.  

   With the Showtime series ending this season, Dexter has reached a following of an estimated three million plus followers, and it continues to top the charts as a leading TV series (Wikipedia, 2013).  Nirvana was the pinnacle of grunge music in the mid-nineties.  With the band only being formed for seven years and releasing only three studio albums, total record sales have reached over eighty million worldwide. (Wikipedia, 2013)  The Model T by The Ford Motor Company was the automobile that started the revelation of transportation in, not only the United States, but also the world.  Since its debut in August of 1908 there has been over fifteen million Model Ts produced by the Ford Motor Company, and it continues to be one of the most important automobiles every produced.  (Wikipedia, 2013)

  Each of these examples have a special meaning to me.  Dexter is one of the only TV series that I have tried to follow in its entirety since first being introduced to it. The mid-nineties was a time of teenage angst for the Generation X population.  No other band like Nirvana gave an outlet for pinned up feelings and aggressions like Nirvana did.  Because of the connection that Kurt Cobain and his band made to their fans, hundreds of thousands of fans imitated their style, music, and attitudes.  Descending from a family of “Gearheads” a huge appreciation has to be made for the founding automobile, the Model T. 

Showtime's hit TV Series: Dexter

Nirvana

The Ford Model T

 

What is popular culture, and what does it mean to you?

Popular Culture is the past, present and next best artifact of the times.  The range of the artifact is not limited to a certain media, meaning that Popular Culture can exist in almost any fashion, allowing creativity to flourish.

Why is an understanding of popular culture relevant in a business environment and in your present and future career?

Popular culture fundamentally shapes the future of the product and service industry.  Take the cell phone for example.  Twenty five years ago the cell phone was a far fetched device that only the elite could proudly use.  Now days, the cell phone has become just as much as an iconic extension of one's self as a functional piece of technology.  Because of this, many (An understatement!)  companies have taken advantage of this market and ran with it.

For commercial construction, popular culture exist within the designs and architecture of buildings.  Take Gothic architecture as an example.  Gothic Architecture was a popular design that originated in France in the twelfth century.  This style of popular building design has stood the test of time and continues to be a trademark esthetic value that many owners and architects seek.  Being a commercial construction project manager, we must be aware of this style and understand not only the building principals to achieve this design, but also the history of this style of architecture.

What would you consider to be an example of a  pop culture artifact, and why would you choose it?

In the example above regarding Gothic Architecture, there are many buildings that represent this style of design and construction that include Rheinstein Castle in Germany, the Cathedral of Saint-Gatian Tours in France, and the Oudenaarde Town hall in Belgium. 

The Cathedral of Saint-Gatian Tours

Rheinstein Castle

Oudenaarde Town Hall