Page 34 - Introducing Cultural Studies

Culture must be The possible
understood developments of
through the cultural studies
experiences and that lead from
contributions of Thompson's work
the winners and are considerable.
losers. We cannot Popular mass
impose culture is not a
judgements where new creation of
"only the consumer society
successful are - it has history.
remembered", Moreover,
while "the blind Thompson's
alleys, the lost distinction
causes, and the between a culture
losers themselves made for the
are forgotten". working class,
rather than by the
working class, is
important. At a
time when
meanings are
being sought for
periods of less
than a decade,
Thompson's
emphasis on
meaningful social
change "over a
considerable
historical period"
should help us to
distinguish the
significant from the
trivial.

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