The Created Subculture: More Commodity than Culture

My housemates watch a lot of entrepreneurial reality shows (Shark Tank, House Hunters, etc.) that are both entirely predictable and incredibly entertaining. While I only really catch bits every now and then, I've noticed that a lot of these shows tend to rely on the capitalistic-underdog narrative in an attempt to force some depth into their plots. After the hundredth Shark Tank sales pitch I listened to from my room, I started to ask myself a peculiar question. Could entrepreneurs who follow the course of the American Dream be categorized into a type of subculture?

Short answer: Yes.

Long answer: No.

Shows like Shark Tank seem to spend all of their effort reinforcing a capitalistic narrative. One way they do this is by continuously presenting the individual who is chasing the American Dream with determination and a can-do attitude. On the surface (pun), one would assume that these shows are tapping into a sort of subculture that is comprised of hardworking people with an entrepreneurial spirit (traits that certain individuals think modern American lacks). Such an idea, however, is a complete perversion of the idea of culture.

Because "reality" shows completely control the narratives they offer to their audience, what we see on the screen is a reversal of Hebdige's idea of how media deals with subcultures. Instead of trivializing the capitalist individual, shows promote their traits, transforming them into an object that we can aspire to be (2486). Viewers are manipulated into believing that the completely normal housewife or dentist is actually extraordinary in their pursuit of capitalist gain. In other words, participants are placed within the dominant framework of American culture in order to exhibit that the signs of their endeavors (work ethics and such) are "unique," to some degree.

One could make the argument (though I wouldn't) that the individual who risks everything in order to chase a dream is in a certain subculture. In actuality, they are probably more culturally normative in America than baseball.

Look at narratives, people.