Dunces seems to be one of those polarizing books like Catcher In the Rye. While I don’t identify with them, I love the protagonists in both books, and Confederacy of Dunces is one of the funniest damned books I’ve ever read. I can’t believe I only discovered it in my late 20s. Still, point is, it does seem to be a love-it-or-hate-it book. I’m not exactly sure why this is so, but my interactions with others about this novel seem to indicate this is the case.
My god, I should start a poll–maybe no one’s ever actually read it! 
Same. I only read it the once (about 10 years ago now), but I remember it being hilarious. I have a copy somewhere at home that I keep meaning to re-read.
Right. In fact for years, my knowledge of Gaiman was based mostly upon his co-authorship of a book with Terry Pratchett, of whom I am a huge fan. It’s still Neils best book IMHO, but others are also good. I was then lent the Sandman series, and I agree it’s pretty damn good.
Lady Gaga is famous now, but I think will be mostly forgotten in a decade. Not that shes doesn’t have talent mind you.
Context is all. I was comparing Comics to Literature. Gaiman is no longer “just” a comics writer. Stephen King writes SF/Horror, so how is he mainstream while Gaiman is not? Or is your defintion of “mainstream”= Bestseller? Or how the local bookstore shelves them? 
I’m saying that someone who is conversant in U.S. culture has no real reason to know who Neil Gaiman is. He’s a very enjoyable writer, but not recognizing his name doesn’t mean you’re ignorant of our culture, because he isn’t a part of the mainstream.
[QUOTE=m-w.com’s definition of mainstream]
a prevailing current or direction of activity or influence
[/QUOTE]
It has nothing to do with your genre, and everything to do with who recognizes you, is influenced by your work, etc. People who like comic books know Gaiman. People who read fantasy know Gaiman. Neither of those is a majority in the U.S.
Ditto.
Maybe this will help clarify things:
With the success of its films, *Iron Man *is now mainstream and part of American pop culture. Matt Fraction, who I believe is the writer for the current iteration of the Iron Man comic, is not.
I actually like some Lady Gaga’s songs. I have no idea who Neil Gaiman is. I have found out that he is an author. I saw the Stardust movie with DeNiro. The book might be a masterpiece, but the movie was a crapfest.
Sandman is really very good. On your list I have read
Things Fall Apart I like Sandman better
A confederacy of Dunces I like Sandman better
Catch-22 is better than Sandman
Well then I must simply find your taste in literature inexplicable.
Shot From Guns, do you believe that “pop culture” is comprised only of “the mainstream”?
Test question: Were the Velvet Underground part of pop culture?
You’re right, that probably answers it.
I disagree. Obscure sources and influences are as much part of the (any) culture as their better-known derivations.
Cultures have history and context.
I will answer a question with a question. What do you think “pop” is short for?
Absolutely. But they are not a part of its *pop *culture.
This is silly hyper-literalism. It’s exactly analogous to saying that no record that failed to make the Top 40 is “pop” music. “Pop” cutlture, in my understanding at least, refers to types of culture that belong to the masses as opposed to the academies. All comic books are pop culture, all rock & roll is pop culture, all television is pop culture.
“In literature as in love, we are astonished by what is chosen by others.” It works both ways, lady.
I realize you’re probably joking but I’m not.
I’ve heard the name but assumed he was a she. 
Well then you and I have very different understandings of the meaning of “pop culture.” And if you consider Wikipedia a reasonably accurate source on popular (heh) subjects, I’m right and you’re wrong.
[QUOTE=Popular culture - Wikipedia]
Popular culture (commonly known as pop culture) is the totality of ideas, perspectives, attitudes, memes, images and other phenomena that are deemed preferred per an informal consensus within the mainstream of a given culture, especially Western culture of the early to mid 20th century and the emerging global mainstream of the late 20th and early 21st century. Heavily influenced by mass media, this collection of ideas permeates the everyday lives of the society.
[/QUOTE]
“Pop” can be a genre with regard to music or art; but when one discusses pop culture, one is specifically talking about what is literally popular.
No. You’re reading into that description what you want to see: latching onto the word “mainstream” and ignoring the word “totality.” In fact, there’s nothing in the Wikipedia “definition” (which is not a definitive explanation, but merely a topic sentence in an article that goes on to acknowledge the “contested” meanings of both words in the phrase) that conflicts with my understanding of the term. “Pop culture” is the totality of cultural artifacts that are not accepted within the bounds of High Culture. Yes, pop culture belongs to the masses, and is in that sense mainstream, but it is also huge and multifaceted, and much of it belongs to smaller subcultures. A significant aspect of the appeal of some pop culture, is that it is not mainstream but exclusive to one’s own group, particularly age group.
In short, Deadmau5 is every bit as much pop culture as Mickey Mouse.
Excuse me? *I’m *the one reading into it what I want to see? Did you seriously just stop at the word “totality” and not keep going through even the rest of that single sentence? Let’s look *again *at what it *actually *says. Emphasis added by me.
1.) Pop culture is defined by what is popular.
2.) Pop culture is mainstream.
3.) Pop culture is often created by and emphasized by mass media.
4.) Pop culture is part of everyday life.
No, I didn’t. I also didn’t stop at the first sentence of the article, as I noticed that your own cite points out that there is no single, agreed-upon definition of pop culture, and that the meaning of “popular” in the phrase is an essentially contested concept. Your dogmatic, literal-minded interpretation of the term is overly simplistic and limited.
Funny how it doesn’t actually say that.
Nope. There’s pop culture inside and outside of the mainstream. spark240’s example is excellent. The Velvet Underground are pop culture icons, but have never been mainstream.
Well, of course. So what?
So is high culture. So what?
Yes, but *the most commonly agreed-upon meaning *is the one from the introductory paragraph.
Your insistence that “pop culture” includes every single thing under the sun renders the term useless and meaningless.
Yes it does. “Popular culture […] is the totality of […] phenomena that are deemed preferred per an informal consensus within the mainstream of a given culture.” Unless you can think of something that “preferred per an informal consensus within the mainstream” means other than “popular.” And you’re going to get a rolleyes now. :rolleyes: