Compare and contrast television and pop culture.In this second paper, you will look at some ways in which television influences popular
culture, and whether these influences are beneficial or detrimental to our culture. You
will accomplish this by Comparing and Contrasting how Television has changed in the
last 40-50 years. This paper will also be an academic paper, but it will ask you to do
more in regard to research. You will have the opportunity to use examples from several
television shows we will view and from articles in the library databases at Tarleton to
support your paper, which will investigate answers to some of the following questions:
What purpose(s) – other than entertainment—does television serve?
What kind of influence(s) does television have on American society?
What kind of power does television have to influence how we view
ourselves and our society?
Does television reflect the changes occurring in society, or does society
change its behaviors as a result of seeing new modes of behavior and
changing standards on television?
Is television the most powerful influence on our culture?
Because this should be a Comparison/Contrast Essay, we will be discussing the
similarities and differences we see in the show from the 1970’s and modern shows.
You will also use the assigned essays and researched sources to get ideas to support
your conclusions that you draw from looking at the TV shows from the different eras.
