Cultural icon
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A cultural icon is a famous individual who has transcended "mere" celebrity to come to represent a given Zeitgeist to a sizable part of the world. As such, a cultural icon is not simply a famous face but a complex, multi-layered personage who reflects the conflicts and contradictions of his or her time. While cultural icons aren't by definition a phenomenon of the 20th century, modern mass media and popular culture have contributed greatly to the creation of these symbols.
On July 22, 2003, US Cable TV Channel VH-1 named Oprah as number one pop culture icon, followed by Superman and Elvis.
Some cultural icons of the 20th century
- Alexandra
- Carlos Gardel
- Maria Callas
- Eva Perón
- James Dean
- Elvis
- Ernesto "Che" Guevara
- Jimi Hendrix
- Diego Maradona
As the above list indicates, Argentina, owing to its particular cultural schizophrenia, has been fertile ground for the development of cultural icons.