FOLKLORE AND FAKELORE

Hi again, it’s Folklifeandme. If you’ve been following my journey so far, you know that I’ve been exploring into some heavy ideas surrounding digitization and commercialization—topics that impact how we understand culture today. But before we dive into the details of today’s post, let’s take a moment to reflect on why this is so crucial. We live in a world where influence is power. From movie stars to TikTok creators, whoever captures the most attention wields the most authority. And here's the kicker—this influence often has little to do with truth or authenticity, especially when it comes to cultural expression. The rise of social media influencers has blurred the line between what’s genuine and what’s manufactured, and this confusion has serious implications for the world of folklore. Today, we’ll dig deeper into this phenomenon by taking a closer look at how corporate influence shapes what we see, hear, and believe—and how that has sparked a modern-day crisis in the way we view...

"A nation's folklore is the voice of its people, but not every voice you hear is genuine." Hi, it’s Folklifeandme again, and if you caught my last post, you’ll know that I dropped a pretty big topic—fakelore. I introduced the idea that not everything labeled as folklore is what it seems, but I didn’t really unpack the full scope of what this means. Let’s fix that. So, today, I want to take a step back and provide a simple, yet powerful introduction to the concept of fakelore, so that even if you’ve never heard of it, by the end of this blog, you’ll be ready to dive deeper into this fascinating and important topic. And don’t worry—it’s not as intimidating as it sounds. Even a secondary student can grasp what’s at stake when we talk about fakelore, and the centuries of debate behind it will only make the story more captivating. The Birth of Fakelore: More Than a Modern Problem To understand fakelore, we need to rewind history, specifically to the 20th century, when folklore...

Hi, it’s Folklifeandme, and today I’m diving into something that’s been on my mind for a while—the difference between folklore and fakelore. This distinction isn’t just academic jargon; it’s critical for anyone who cares about cultural authenticity, especially in an era where heritage is often packaged and sold like a product. As someone passionate about "archiving folklore", I’ve noticed how tricky it can be to tell what’s truly authentic and what’s been altered or fabricated for commercial purposes. It’s a murky line, and with globalization and digital media blurring cultural boundaries, the problem is only getting more complex. But that complexity also makes it fascinating. Folklore vs. Fakelore: What’s the Big Deal? The term "fakelore" was first introduced by folklorist Richard Dorson. Essentially, fakelore refers to cultural content that pretends to be traditional but is actually invented or heavily altered for modern consumption—think of things like made-up ...