Cultural Divergence

Although popular culture diffuses rapidly to many places, differences persist in cultural preferences at several scales. Examples can be found of differences between urban and rural residents and between regions within a country, as well as among countries.

Urban-Rural Differences

Rural spaces, whose economies tend to focus more heavily on agriculture and manufacturing, tend to value more traditional forms of popular culture. Urban spaces, characterized by concentrations of wealth, migration, and diverse ethnic groups, may value more progressive forms of popular culture.

Urban and rural residents of the United States prefer different TV shows. Crime shows depicting values of law and order are more popular in rural areas, whereas satirical comedies challenging accepted norms are relatively popular in urban areas

Most popular TV Shows, 2017

Cultural Differences: Interregional Scale

A vernacular region was defined in Chapter 1 as an area that people believe exists as part of their cultural identity. Vernacular regions with distinctive histories and cultural traditions in the United States include the South and the Midwest.

Traditional cultural differences among vernacular regions can be reinforced by contemporary social media. For example, Twitter users in the South tweet the word “church” more frequently than the word “beer,” whereas the opposite is the case in the Northeast

Beer or Church Tweets

TV Shows Popular in Urban Areas

(a) The Big Bang Theory, (b) The Simpsons.

Cultural Differences: Individual Scale

The U.S. Department of Labor Bureau of Labor Statistics periodically conducts the American Time Use Survey to determine how people spend their day. Distinctive patterns can be observed, depending on age, gender, ethnicity, and place of residence

Hours Americans Spend ON Various Leisure Activities On A Typical WeekDay

Pause & Reflect 4.4.3

Do you watch more or less TV than average? What accounts for your habit?