The Influence of Popular Culture on the Petit-Bourgeois - Research Paper Example

The United States has long been the champion of the Petit-Bourgeois cause, supporting the development of the lower middle class and promoting the idea of climbing the successive ladders until upper-class income has been achieved. The myth of ‘anyone can be a millionaire’ has fueled the belief that everyone should be a business owner and by virtue of being a business owner, ultimate success is within reach. The development of the Petit-Bourgeois is a product of the consumerist culture that pushes luxury items as necessities.

The American way of life is developed through a belief that to belong within this society is to put on the face of the rich without the income to back up that sort of a life. The media is a supportive player in the development of the luxurious ideology that consumes the average individual until they believe they have needs that are based upon a lifestyle that they covet, rather than living within the lifestyle that has been attained. In the lower middle-class demographic of young people from their adolescents into their early thirties, the power of the influence of the media can result in delays in maturation and denial of proper focus.

Because they are bombarded with messages that suggest they need to ‘live the high life’ without revealing the hard work that is required to get there, the desire for instant materialistic success circumvents the focus and drive that is required to see true success.Kanye West has been a participating member of the popular culture in promoting a certain lifestyle that influences the behaviors of the petit-bourgeois. Through a focus on his career, revelations on how he and other celebrity artists have influenced the petit-bourgeois through their promoted styles and ideologies can be examined and evaluated.

The way in which celebrities are presented in the media will be exemplified by looking at the publicity that has surrounded West as he has been in the public eye. Through his high points and his highly criticized activities, the way in which he is idolized by the masses can be assessed and understood for the influence that it holds over his followers.