Final answer:
Popular culture includes accessible experiences such as music, TV show finales, and sports which inform the larger culture by setting social norms and fostering community. Its omnipresence affects everyday conversations and interactions. Technology's influence can create cultural lag, with society slowly catching up to new norms set by technological advances.
Step-by-step explanation:
Popular culture encompasses various forms of cultural experiences that are prevalent and widely accepted in mainstream society. Some examples of popular culture include musical genres like rock and pop music, television series finales, sporting events like baseball games, and cultural phenomena such as anime and cosplay. This type of culture is incredibly accessible and disseminated through mediums such as radio, television, movies, music industry outputs, and online platforms.
These aspects of popular culture greatly inform and influence the larger culture by shaping social norms and common conversations among individuals. They pervasively affect everyday life, as seen when people discuss TV shows, music, or sports events during casual interactions. Pop culture events and icons also serve as points of reference that foster community and identity within a society.
Moreover, technology greatly impacts culture both positively and negatively. It can create a cultural lag where societal norms and laws struggle to keep up with technological advancements. For instance, social media reshapes how we interact and creates new social norms before regulations or etiquette catch up.
The study of popular culture can also offer insights into society during a specific era, reflecting societal values, fears, and aspirations. For example, the postwar era's popular culture reflected a focus on consumerism and material wealth. Sociologists examine culture by exploring how shared values, beliefs, norms, and rules are created and enforced within cultural contexts.