Pumpkin Spice as a Popular Culture Artifact

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

Popular culture is defined in the Collins Dictionary as, "the general culture of a society, including ideas, music, books, and the mass media, as opposed to high culture." To me, popular culture embodies what mainstream society accepts as the norm. For example, we made a shift from cell phones to smartphones. As another classmate pointed out, e-cigarettes as an artifact of popular culture. We made these shifts in society constantly and regularly. 

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

As a contributing member of society, full-time student and full-time employee a good understand of popular culture allows me to appropriately interact with my co-workers, clients, and superiors. Through this interaction, I build stronger relationships and bonds that allow me to advance in my career and as a member of society to belong.

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

This is really getting out of hand now. pic.twitter.com/yb3DnO4T7H

— Gautam Trivedi (@Gotham3) October 4, 2015

I think that the pumpkin spice love is an artifact of popular culture. We as a society have embraced the coming of fall to mean pumpkin season and thus pumpkin flavored items. We flavor practically anything with pumpkin, pasta sauce, fish, soup, ice cream, coffee and so much more.

I saw this on twitter today and this wide-spread love for pumpkin makes me think about my relationship in business. I work for a company that creates products to solve a problem, not a marketing problem.