Something as small and ordinary as a postage stamp isn’t what would typically come to mind I think of popular culture. But looking at Child’s article made really made me reflect upon what the purpose of a stamp is, apart from the obvious, as well as what they might say about the nation by which it is produced and the effect it might have on the ordinary person.
If we think of popular culture as the ordinary, the accessible, and the emotional, and especially the overlooked, stamps seem to fit the bill quite well. They are a part of daily life that is overlooked, yet I think most of us remember using them when we were children, and we remember the faces or things that were on them with eerie accuracy. This makes me think of why it is that they were decorated in such specific and illustrious ways. Child mentions the use of stamps by the state, and it can be seen as a vehicle for the state ideology.
Stamps seem to be used by the state as a reminder or documentation of what is and what should be held in regard by the populace, and by placing this bit of ideology on something as ordinary as a stamp I believe it serves as attempting to fit that ideology into popular culture.
The examples given by Child are good examples of figures or events that are regarded as popular culture. The Cuban revolution is an example of an event that is to be celebrated and glorified. And figures such as Che Guevara who was featured in an Argentinean stamp, the country of his birth being a reminder of the fact that Che was born Argentinean. Thinking more cynically we can look at the Guatemalan stamp that claims Belize, which can be seen as an attempt by the state to popularize an opinion on the dispute to the general public.
Looking at these examples had made me appreciate the nuances that exist when looking at popular culture. Stamps, on the one hand, could be an appreciation of recognition of popular culture from the ordinary people themselves, at the same time, it can also be seen as a state-sponsored ideology being imposed upon the public, attempting to slide into the popular culture.
What other forms of popular culture do you think are influenced by the state, are there any certain beliefs of facets of popular culture that we may think to be completely bottom-up but in fact not really so?
Hi there, such a great response! Definitely made me think more about different pop culture items and traditions that are influenced by the states. One that comes to mind right away could be radio stations as I know in Canadian they have to abide by Canadian Broadcast Outlines. In this way they have to monitor what they are saying and will get in trouble if they are too vulgar etc.