Culture is bad for you; Inequality in the cultural and creative industries

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A lot of the kinds of policy interventions that would be most effective in confronting inequalities in the cultural sector are broader than the sector itself. A simple example is formally regulating (and almost certainly banning) unpaid internships: the consequences of unpaid internships are particularly visible in cultural work, but it’s just as important for think tanks and the policy research environment more broadly. The issue of risk in the film industry is reflected in other cultural occupations. We may know a great deal about audience tastes, but we can never really be sure of what will be a hit. It is hard to be sure if investment in developing a new artist, a new musician, a new play, or a new novel, will pay off. Pop culture has become an integral part of our lives and can significantly impact our choices and identities. However, pop culture’s pervasive influence can be beneficial and detrimental, depending on how one engages with it. Seek out educational entertainment: Not all movies, TV shows, books, and games are created equal when it comes to their potential for fostering personal development. Actively seek out content that challenges your thinking, inspires creativity, or teaches something new.

I triangulated all that data – pupils on free school meals, their attainment levels and the proportion going on to higher education, and creative work – and mapped that against universities to help them identify where would be good places to focus their efforts and try to expand. It was never going to be a hard and fast you must go here; more a suggestion of areas that may be more fertile ground.” Culture is Bad for You is a welcome and necessary addition to the literature on cultural production and consumption. In a period when there is growing interest in inequality in the creative sector and beyond, it provides both an accessible and comprehensive overview of what inequality looks like in cultural fields.' The Janus-faced character of culture lies at the core of this wonderful new text. The big and diverse world of culture and entertainment brings joy, health, connection and catharsis to billions, but often at the expense of the talented few who labour to produce it. Culture is bad for you is a sweeping, empirical investigation of what it takes to "make it" as a British culture producer, but also of the forces that "break it": unequal access for people with fewer resources. Essential reading for citizens, policy makers, employers, artists and fans - and for those who study them.'

The constant pursuit of material possessions has become a cycle that perpetuates the feeling of never having enough. This pop culture addiction has even sparked a counter-movement against materialism, with many people seeking alternative ways to find fulfillment beyond superficial things.

The Fix: If you see that individuals are highly competitive with one another, you may be placing too much value on performance. Of course you want your team to be full of top performers, but you also want your team to be full, period. Pitting individuals against each other will frustrate employees and undermine their value as individuals. Then, talk to employees — especially long-term employees — to get a sense of what’s kept them around. Consider conducting an employee engagement survey and carefully analyze the results. Once you know what you need to improve, act on it.These are some examples of the dynamics that shape the sorts of culture we get. They shape the audience too. We will demonstrate how cultural consumption is highly unequal. In a world flooded with pop culture, fostering critical thinking is critical to distinguishing between meaningful content and pure distraction. By developing an awareness of our reactions to various forms of entertainment, we can consciously decide which messages and values we want to internalize.

In the quest for freedom and personal fulfillment, it’s essential to understand the potential consequences of our engagement in popular culture. If we recognize the risks associated with excessive consumption or unhealthy habits related to pop culture, we can enjoy it and maintain control over our well-being. The Impact On Social Relationships And Communication This is not the whole story. Some parts of the cultural sector, those most able to take advantage of the boom in demand for digital content as people have stayed at home, may be doing well. Those sections of the cultural industries aside, the future for culture is troubling. It is troubling because the impact of the crisis is not evenly distributed. COVID has exposed and reinforced the longstanding, embedded, structural inequalities that characterise the cultural sector. Another negative impact of technology is its homogenizing effect on individual identity. The widespread availability of pop culture content can make individuals feel pressured to conform to specific trends and styles, which can lead to a loss of individuality. For people working in the sector, the first thing to draw attention to is campaigning and activism. There’s organisations operating in and around cultural work that are drawing attention to the inequalities in culture, and doing things about it – I’d particularly highlight Arts Emergency, who both campaign around these issues and work directly with young people from historically marginalised to improve their chances of working in culture. People working in and around culture can support campaigning charities like Arts Emergency as individuals; they can also try to convince their organisations for an institutional commitment. We should recognise that the unusual working patterns of a large number of people in the sector aren’t symptomatic of a stereotypical contract – although the precarity associated with cultural workers goes far beyond them – and defend and extend workers’ rights and conditions through trade unions. This book tells the story of how Henna’s observation that film, and much of the rest of culture, is not a meritocracy. It is not enough to be talented and hard-working to make it.This emotional connection fuels our passion for reliving those moments in songs, movies, and other cultural artifacts.

Orian Brook is an AHRC Creative and Digital Economy Innovation Leadership Fellow at the University of Edinburgh The Fix: Get your HR team together, hire a workplace consultant if need be, and then draft and enact a diversity, equity and inclusion policy. When you write workplace policies designed to keep all employees feeling safe at work, keep in mind the saying: Nothing for us, without us. Engage BIPOC employees as well as LGBTQ+ employees. Publicize the policy to employees and present it as a living document, encouraging them to suggest improvements. The Problem: Anonymous review platforms have increased visibility into any company’s culture. If you have a positive work culture full of highly engaged employees, this only helps your case with prospective candidates. However, if your team is frustrated with the management style, cut-throat competition between peers or discouragingly high turnover rate, job seekers will be the first to know, and your company will earn a harmful reputation as a result. The Problem: If employees often work through lunch, it’s either because they feel they don’t have time to stop working, or they believe management doesn’t condone taking breaks. Not only is that poor business logic — more than three-quarters of workers say lunch breaks improve job performance — it’s also a surefire way to turn employees away. Expecting that employees will perform well while working eight hours nonstop is ridiculous. Moreover, it signals to them that leadership only values their work output, not their contribution to the culture or personal commitment to the organization. Vital reading for anyone working in culture and interested in equality - this book gives us the reasons to make change, the actions are up to us. Take action.'Culture Is Bad for You is clearly intended as a contribution to public debate, not just academic discussion. The authors write in clear and concise sentences (the table of contents is testament to that) and take you by the hand. In an incredibly helpful introduction, they make sure the reader is acquainted with the basic concepts of cultural sociology. In Chapter 4 on consumption (titled ‘Who Consumes Culture?’), the authors admit that the data and analysis do not fundamentally challenge existing academic research on the topic, but for the non-academic reader the book busts some of the most persistent social myths in public debate. Pop culture doesn’t have to be all about escapism and empty distractions. It can also provide valuable opportunities for personal growth if we approach it with intentionality and balance. Q. The usual mainstream assumption is that culture is good for you – that it’s enjoyable, keeps you healthy, socially connected, inspiring etc. So ‘Culture is Bad For You’ is an interesting title for a book – can you tell us what you mean, the kind of research you’ve been doing over the last few years, and the core arguments that you’ve developed? The Fix: Lead by example and hold everyone accountable. Core values are important to your culture and your success as an organization, so ensure they are upheld by every member of your team. Holding all employees to the same set of standards will foster an open culture based on equality. This will also help promote your core values across all departments so they become ingrained in your culture.