Icons

The three contemporary icons are Michael Phelps, Steven Jobs, and Catherine “Kate” Middleton. Like many may know, Michael Phelps is the most decorated Olympian of all time. Phelps has won a total of 28 medals, of which 23 are gold, 3 are silver, and 2 are bronze. Steven Jobs is best known as the co-founder of Apple. Starting with the Apple 1 computer to the iPhone 4S, Jobs was an icon in the technology world. Catherine Middleton, or Kate, is the Duchess of Cambridge. She is married to Prince William and they have two children. One item that makes Kate an icon is the way she carries herself and her class.

I chose Michael Phelps, Steve Jobs, and Kate Middleton because of several reasons. Phelps, as mentioned before, is the most decorated Olympian. His story, starting from when he was 15 to current, is amazing. Just at the age of 15, he was the youngest Olympic athlete to qualify for the games. Fast forward to just after the 2012 London games. He was in a very deep and dark place. Partying all night and even getting arrested. He then turned his life around and completed in the most recent 2016 Rio games. Deciding on Steve Jobs was easy. As I am looking at my iPhone, you realize what someone has put into it. Jobs was a technology guru and made Apple into what we see today. One of the most famous pieces about Jobs is his black turtleneck shirt he always wore when introducing the newest Apple product. To me, Kate is a very fascinating person. She always has poise and class. She took the world by storm when she stepped out in her wedding dress to always looking amazing even when she was pregnant.

All three of these icons mean something different to me. Phelps shows that there is always a brighter side to every situation; with him going to jail and then a rehab facility to standing on the Olympic podium at the 2016 Rio games. For Jobs, he has created incredible phones, computers, and tablets. If it was not for him and his partner, Apple probably would not be where they are today. Last but not least, Kate Middleton. She is a role model for younger girls. She always shows poise and class with ever situation she faces. This is someone that I look up too and would want other girls to do the same. 

Popular Culture

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

Popular culture is everyday life. It’s the attitude, behavior patterns, beliefs, customs, and tastes of people in a society. Popular culture is the voice of the people and the bone and flesh of a society. There are several different parts to popular culture which consist of counter culture, subculture, and mass culture.

When I think of popular culture, I think more of the mass culture. This is the items we see in print or through electronic media. This avenue of pop culture shows what is in style, popular, and what societies are raving about. All of this shows the standards and common beliefs among others that are considered the norm.

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

Understanding popular culture in a business environment will help many understand customers and anticipate their wants ahead of time. In my current career in the electric industry, it is a need for many to have working electricity in their homes. Many want options for paying their bills plus knowing when outages are predicted to be restored. Recently, we made available the option for our members to receive text messages if their power could be out. This is beneficial for those that are out of town or at work and not home. This is one feature that is popular for many as texting is very common in today’s society.

What would you consider to be an example of a popular culture artifact? And why would you choose it?

The Olympic rings are an example of a popular culture artifact. I decided on this because of its history and records that are currently being broken in Rio. The Olympics started over 3,000 years ago and revived in the 19^th Century. I know this is something I look forward to every 4 years for winter and summer games respectively.