CMS: The Fashioned Self/The Self as Sign.

Source: http://hipsterseatforfree.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/11/hipstercatalog.jpg, Accessed 26/10/2010

Google ‘Hipster fashion’. Go ahead, Google it. And there it as – every bit the stereotype that writer Douglas Haddow, describes:

“predictable stylistic trademarks: skinny jeans, cotton spandex leggings, fixed-gear bikes, vintage flannel, fake eyeglasses” (Hipster: The Dead End of Western Civilization, visited 16/9/10)

The Hipster movement. I’m fascinated by it. I’m not saying I like or dislike it, just that since studying subjects like semiotics, identity, fashion and the idea of ‘self’ through this course, I’ve started looking at trends and “movements” under a finer lens.

As Arthur Berger’s states,

“It is obvious, then, that people are “speaking” all the time, even when they aren’t saying anything verbally. Hairstyles, eyeglasses, clothes, facial expressions, posture, gestures, and many other things communicate or “speak” (that is, signify continually) to those who are sensitive to such things and who are mindful of signs and signifiers.” (Semiotic Analysis, 2005)

For the sake of this blog I will be referring to three articles, all of which examine the notion of ‘self’ created through consumption and through signs or images:

Joanna Finkelstein’s “The Self as Sign” (Found in the course reader).

Arthur Berger’s “Semiotic Analysis” (Found in the course reader).

Douglas Haddow’s “Hipster: The Dead End of Western Civilization”

The hipster culture is a difficult one to define but when you see a ‘hipster’ they are clearly identifiable. When you’re at a hipster party – you know it. But when you start to question why everyone looks and acts the same, or what exactly the movement represents…you reach this place of contradictory mutations of borrowed everything; a melting pot of styles and trends that are indeed: in today and not tomorrow. And the chances are, in the time it takes you to figure out what the heck the hipsters are on about and into now, they would have gone through a gamut of trends and fetishes and you’ll have to start all over again.

Haddow writes,

“Hipsterdom is the first “counterculture” to be born under the advertising industry’s microscope, leaving it open to constant manipulation but also forcing its participants to continually shift their interests and affiliations. Less a subculture, the hipster is a consumer group – using their capital to purchase empty authenticity and rebellion. But the moment a trend, band, sound, style or feeling gains too much exposure, it is suddenly looked upon with disdain. Hipsters cannot afford to maintain any cultural loyalties or affiliations for fear they will lose relevance.” (Hipster: The Dead End of Western Civilization, visited 16/9/10)

And maybe that’s the thing I don’t get about so-called hipsters; the fact that all they really seem to be doing is buying into or consuming what’s in front of them (and behind them) with no attempt to create anything new or form anything original. They seem to be in an in between place of embracing past trends and wanting to be on the cusp of new trends, but if it’s ‘now’, alive, kicking and relevant – they don’t want anything to do with it.

And as a Time magazine article suggests,

“Everything about them [hipsters] is exactingly constructed to give off the vibe that they just don’t care.” ( Christian Lorentzen, “Kill the hipster: Why the hipster must die: A modest proposal to save New York cool” Time Magazine (July 2009) Accessed 28/10/10)

But they oh so obviously do! They care about appearing not to care, about knowing what not to care about and when not to care about it anymore. And amidst all of the non-caring that’s going on, an image is being formed and promoted. A subculture is being bought into – clothing, hair cut, electro-pop tunes and all.

This is reflective of Joanna Finkelstein’s statement;

“Our pursuit of the desired self-image takes place in a realm of the hyperreal where ‘the industry of the absolute fake’ produces a ‘place of absolute iconism’. The ascendancy of the image has the capacity to deflect us from an interest in understanding that a society needs to be produced.” (The Self as Sign, 1991)

So I have to ask the hard and obvious question – so what is authentic about the hipster movement?

As Haddow says,

“We are the last generation, a culmination of all previous things…the hipster represents the end of Western civilization – a culture so detached and disconnected that it has stopped giving birth to anything new.” (Hipster: The Dead End of Western Civilization,visited 16/9/10)

The general consensus or popular belief about hipsters as that they simply uphold an image – an image created from all things borrowed and trends previously tested yet with that image comes a shallow sense of belonging or ‘self’. As Finkelstein puts it,

“The individual has produced an idea or image that is known as the self and which subsequently, becomes an integral feature of the social encounter…the historical and cultural ideal of the self, which transcends appearance, has been overshadowed by the images of the contemporary self which stridently emphasizes the opposite, namely, the importance of appearances.” (The Self as Sign, 1991)

By following and recycling trends and images hipsters are allowing all that they consume, rather than who they are, to draw them together. The image is global and it’s the image that unites.

In an extreme yet confronting statement, Haddow states,
“We are a lost generation, desperately clinging to anything that feels real, but too afraid to become it ourselves.” (Hipster: The Dead End of Western Civilization, visited 16/9/10)

French sociologist and cultural theorist, Jean Baudrillard explores this notion, where modern social life is “dominated by the ephemera of images” that individuals have the power to pick and “employ as statements of one’s character.” (The Self as Sign, 1991)

Newsflash hipsters – you didn’t invent the hipster movement. And your attempts to pretend you don’t care…well nobody is falling for it. The truth of the matter is, you care more than most people do – about what you wear, what you do (and don’t) listen to, and the character you portray.

While the rest of the world tries to shake off stereotypes, hipsters seem to flock to one; one devoid of originality and substance, one that clings to an image of what can be bought and how one is “seen”. Hipsters seem to live in this world of “image consumption”, doing all they need to do to maintain an image of a “cultured self” that doesn’t really care anyway…

In the words of Douglas Haddow;

“In the end, hipsters are sold what they think they invent and are spoon-fed their pre-packaged cultural livelihood.” (Hipster: The Dead End of Western Civilization, visited 16/9/10)

 

Source: http://www.travisnabe.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2009/12/hipster.JPG, Accessed 28/10/2010

 

 

Wk 11: When Feminine and Masculine Work Together

fem·i·nine

1.pertaining to a woman or girl: feminine beauty; feminine dress.

2.having qualities traditionally ascribed to women, as sensitivity or gentleness.

3.effeminate; womanish: a man with a feminine walk.

4.belonging to the female sex; female: feminine staff members.

fem·i·nism

1. the doctrine advocating social, political, and all other rights of women equal to those of men.

2. (sometimes initial capital letter) an organized movement for the attainment of such rights for women.

3. feminine character.

(Source: Dictionary.com, accessed 20/10/10)

In today’s tutorial we discussed the negative (and often confusing) connotations of the word “feminist”: Burning bras, getting offended when a man opens the door or pays…the extremes of the pendulum of the movement that arose in an attempt to create equality.

I’m an advocate for equal rights for males and females – that is one thing. I like to know that my thoughts and opinions, my salary and my ability to influence and lead are of equal standing to a male. I also have an extremely feminine heart. One that desires to be romanced and protected, to offer beauty and to be on the receiving end of masculine strength. I personally make conscious decisions to find a healthy balance between femininity and feminism. And above that, I like to see masculinity and femininity working together to provide and offer all that is unique to males and females. As author Stasi Elderedge puts it, “Beauty inspires strength and strength inspires beauty.”

Every Monday night I host a “small group” at my house. A group of up to 10 girls meet for coffee, cake and a bible study. Sometimes we’ll spend a few weeks going through a book with study notes and over the last 3 or so months we’ve been studying a book called ‘Captivating: Unveiling the mystery of a woman’s soul’. Before you gag, let me say: every woman should read this book.

Source: http://www.ransomedheart.com/images/Product/medium/207.jpg, Accessed 29/10/2010

The author, Stasi Elderedge, and her husband John, run an organization called Ransomed Heart Ministries which is all about “recovering the heart” and healing. Stasi is the author of Captivating and John is the author of the male equivalent, Wild at Heart.

Through these books, John and Stasi offer a unique insight into what they believe are the three core desires of every male and female heart.

In Captivating, Stasi believes that every woman:

1. Has a desire to be romanced – seen, desired, sought after and fought for.

2. Desires a beauty to unveil – beauty that can be seen and felt, that affects others, a beauty that is our own.

3. Longs to play an irreplaceable role in a great adventure – our “inner warrior” wants to have a unique role in an adventure that is shared with others.

Within our culture we see these concepts played out in events like the Academy Award. Think about it: Who’s on her arm? What is she wearing? Will she get the award for that “great role” that only she could have played so well (think Julia Roberts in Erin Brokevich, or Sandra Bullock in The Blind Side)?

In Wild at Heart, John Eldredge suggests that the three core desires of a man are:

1. A desire for a battle to fight – think about little boys running around with toy guns or swords.

2. A great adventure – climbing, jumping, the great outdoors, travel, motorbikes, the open road.

3. A beauty to rescue – not a damsel in distress, rather someone or something to fight for.

We see this played out in every action movie. Just think of Braveheart, Top Gun, or Gladiator. A heroic battle, the adventure of a lifetime and a pretty girl’s picture in their wallet along the way.

Let’s assume these core desires are accurate. We can see how they compliment each other and if done well, almost eradicate the need for extreme feminism or masculine dominance. We can’t work against each other. We have too much to offer the other sex.

John Eldredge says,

“A woman in the presence of a good man, a real man, loves being a woman. His strength allows her feminine heart to flourish. His pursuit draws out her beauty. And a man in the presence of a real woman loves being a man. Her beauty arouses him to play the man: it draws out his strength. She inspires him to be a hero.” (Captivating, pg 19.)

As fairytale and flowery as it may seem – we see this played out daily.

We see manhood and masculinity shrunk by men holding their girlfriends handbags in the foyer of the dressing room. We see men having to place their adventure toys in the back of the shed to make way for family-shifting mini vans. We see women hiding their beauty, afraid that theirs isn’t great enough to unveil or women who feel the need to unveil too much of their beauty (even though it isn’t being pursued as they truly desire to be) in an empty attempt to feel needed, romanced or desired.

When we allow the strength/beauty/independence/masculinity/femininity pendulum to swing to extremes we start to see women who control instead of trust and men who lead from strength that intimidates rather than a strength that invites. We see things the way they aren’t supposed to be and we’re caught in this awkward place of denying ourselves the richness of balanced, interdependent male/female existence.

 

Week 12: Globalization confronting traditional culture

Source: https://tenistolt.files.wordpress.com/2010/10/burkamonroe.jpg?w=234, Accessed 20/10/2010

In Week 12 we examined ‘Globalization confronting traditional culture’.

We studied a range of videos including the ‘Aboriginal Zorba’s Dance’ and scenes from My Big Fat Greek Wedding; examining the effects of Globalisation (and Americanisation) on cultures.

One BIG example of this comes to mind: Sex and the City 2 (SATC2).

First and foremost, much of the movie is set in the Middle East. The four lead characters have been treated to an extravagant vacation in Abu Dhabi as a result of Samantha (Kim Cattrall) being offered a potential business deal.

Here we see out first example of globalization. In this week’s course readings, John Storey states, “Globalization also refers to the increasing global mobility of people”, and that “national borders are becoming less and less important as transnational corporations, existing everywhere and nowhere, do business in a world economy”. (Popular Culture as Global Culture, 2003)

As Storey puts it, the world ‘seems to be shrinking’ in the terms of communication and connectivity. The characters appear to be simply a stone throw away from their American lives – cell phones in hand, designer luggage in tow, dressed as ridiculously “fashionably” as they would be if they were walking the streets of New York (regardless of the oceans they have flown over).

One thing that I find really interesting in this movie is both the celebration and degradation of Middle Eastern culture. SATC2 demonstrates Storey’s notion of the potential for

“…homogeneity of cultural experience or resistance in defence of a previous way of life, or it can bring about a mixing of cultures, producing forms of ‘’hybridization”.

The SATC franchise features 4 distinct female characters. And I’d like to use 3 of them to demonstrate what Storey is addressing here.

On their exotic getaway, Miranda (Cynthia Nixon) is the anal retentive tourist-type: phrase book in hand, educated on the cultural norms and nuances of Abu Dhabi and its’ people. Miranda dives into the cross-cultural experience, attempting to speak as the locals speak and to ensure the behaviour of her friends is not offensive to the locals – the ‘homogeneity of cultural experience’.

On the other extreme, we have Samantha – the sexually-liberated, raging feminist, single girl of the group. In SATC2, Samantha seems hell-bent on breaking every Arabic taboo by unapologetically flaunting her western liberties. From extremely public displays of affection to pushing cultural boundaries with her bare-all attire; Samantha embodies this resistance of what she considers a ‘previous way of life’.

The actions of Kim Cattrall’s character have not gone unnoticed by film critics, Islamic religious groups and the general public.

As stated by one movie blogger:

“The movie is about as potent a weapon against Islam as Bob Hope and Bing Crosby’s “Road to Morocco”…Oddly enough, mainstream film critics have rallied around this question of Islamophobia in a way that is truly remarkable given the steady stream of poison that comes out of Hollywood about “the war on terror”…” (Louis Proyect, Sex and the City #2, (May 2010) viewed 20/10/10)

A major point of controversy was the treatment of the traditional black robe worn by the Middle Eastern women, called the burqa.

As another blogger states

“…Sex and the City 2 is more convoluted and confused than that. It tries to be Islamocentric – all cultures are good, after all, and often non-Western cultures more so. But then, the feminist side of the Sex and the City gals and the writers kicks in, and they just don’t know what to do about all those insufferable Arab men who are holding their women down, especially through that ubiquitous burqa.”

Indeed, the characters of SATC2 are highly entertained by the burqa. Remember, these women are fashion icons – parading through deserts in haute couture and heels. They seem baffled by the notion that Middle Eastern women have been stripped of their right for fashionable outward adornment. To the characters of SATC2, the absence of Chanel and Louis Vuitton seem to represent an oppression of femininity or “sexual liberation”.

This has been a massive topic of debate in recent months. As Muslim journalist and social commentator, Kidist Paulos Asrat blogged:

“But, in our own Western lands, the focus on the burqa and the niqab must not be what Muslim women allegedly like or want to wear (the covering is not an option for Muslim women), but what it means to our societies. Most Western societies have not welcomed this costume (and custom) with open arms:

– Pools in France and Italy have banned the burqini, citing mostly problems with hygiene.

– At least two Muslim women have been expelled from French language courses in Quebec for wearing niqabs, with teachers complaining that it is difficult to assess pronunciation skills without a full view of a student’s face.

– A Muslim rape victim in Ottawa refuses to remove her niqab during her court case. Although the court still has to decided whether to allow her to proceed covered up, representatives of the Canadian Criminal Lawyers Association are protesting her request.

– More and more hijab-wearing women in the United States are being asked to remove their head coverings in the work place, since it violates companies’ “look” policies and disrupts a “diverse and inclusive work environment.”

Many of these Western nations are not directly confronting Islam when addressing their discomfort with this Islamic wear, and are giving legal, multicultural, communication and even feminist reasons instead”

(Kidist Paulos Asrat, Burqa Prejudice and Sex and the City 2 (June 2010)accessed 20/10/10)

To Samantha, the burqa represents the complete opposite of everything SHE stands for. So, she fails to embrace or even respect these cultural differences, demonstrating what Storey describes as,

“effectively destroying indigenous cultures and imposing an American way of life on “local” populations.”

Finally, we have the character of Carrie (Sarah Jessica Parker) who seems to have an appreciation, or rather a fascination of the new culture she is experiencing. In one particular scene, Carrie observes a Middle Eastern woman, dressed in her burqa, eating a plate of French fries. Carrie is fascinated by the process the woman goes through; lifting her veil each time she places a forkful of chips in her mouth. Storey states that one of our encounters of the global is seen in the clothes we wear but perhaps our greatest encounter is in the food we eat. In this scene we see this Americanisation/Globalization/Hybridization of 4 American women, in Middle Eastern inspired designer clothing, sitting in a hotel designed with a fusion of western and Middle Eastern architecture, in the same foyer as a Middle Eastern woman in a full burqa who is eating a bowl of French fries.

In the same scene, the women notice a hybrid of themselves and the burqa wearing women of the Middle East: a woman in a burqa with beaded trim – adding a touch of flair to the deep rooted cultural traditions the burqa represents. It is here that Carrie seems to find her happy medium between her western flamboyance and her acceptance of the Middle Eastern representation of femininity.

Finally Storey states;

“Another significant problem with globalization as Americanization, therefore, is that it operates with an extremely simplified notion of consumption.”

Source: http://www.filmofilia.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/03/sex_and_the_city_2_11-535x356.jpg, Accessed 29 October 2010

The SATC brand is synonymous with fashion, and not cheap fashion – designer brands that are inaccessible to the average woman. In SATC2, the characters are dressed in westernised versions of middle-eastern clothing, with fine silks, jewellery and headpieces. In one of the final scenes, the women find themselves whisked away by a group of local women. The local women are in awe of the attire of the SATC girls and reveal to them their own designer threads, hidden beneath their burqas. The connection they share seems to be formed on their mutual knowledge and appreciation of the Donna Karen Spring 2010 collection. This fact, somehow, is the saving grace of the cultural divide (the divide that nearly got the SATC cast thrown in jail by angry Arabic men in the previous scene.) that Storey describes as “one that reduces culture to its material goods”.

As Storey states,

“Globalization is producing two contradictory effects, sameness and difference – that is, a sense that the world is becoming similar as it shrinks under the pressure of time-space compression, but also that it is characterised by an increasing awareness of difference.”

I believe that SATC2 is a strong reflection of this, as it attempts to unify fashion and femininity through a strange, Hollywood depiction of globalization (sameness), but in doing so has (perhaps negatively or insensitively) brought the differences of the western and Middle Eastern cultures to the attention of it’s viewers.

Culture, Media & Society: Subculture

All this talk about subcultures has really got me studying people and trends.

A friend of mine sent me a link to an article on the ‘Hipster’ movement (which I quoted in my previous blog).

The article gives some great insight into the formation of subcultures. The jist of the article can be summed up in the following excerpt:

“Western civilization has had a succession of counter-culture movements that have energetically challenged the status quo. Each successive decade of the post-war era has seen it smash social standards, riot and fight to revolutionize every aspect of music, art, government and civil society.

But after punk was plasticized and hip hop lost its impetus for social change, all of the formerly dominant streams of “counter-culture” have merged together. Now, one mutating, trans-Atlantic melting pot of styles, tastes and behavior has come to define the generally indefinable idea of the “Hipster.”

An artificial appropriation of different styles from different eras, the hipster represents the end of Western civilization – a culture lost in the superficiality of its past and unable to create any new meaning. Not only is it unsustainable, it is suicidal. While previous youth movements have challenged the dysfunction and decadence of their elders, today we have the “hipster” – a youth subculture that mirrors the doomed shallowness of mainstream society.”

Earlier this week I stumbled across this video about the Hipster movement. It’s now gone viral amongst my friends and I ( a few of which I was afraid of passing it on to because frankly, it might as well be their anthem).

What a genius representation of stereotypes and subculture. Enjoy!

Culture, Media & Society: Week 4

We have started our in class presentations this week. Today’s presentations dealt with stereotypes in the media. Our class actively engaged in the discussions and while we were looking at gender stereotypes the discussion drifted to homosexual stereotypes and the stereotypical Christian response to homosexuality.

As a Christian, this stereotype bugs me because I know where people are coming from. I think this picture sums up my feelings towards the whole thing pretty well (excuse the language):

Blogger ‘Cogito’ states;

‘A stereotype is just a recognition of a statistical probability as a likely truth in most if not all cases. Its partly wrong when you don’t have an intellectual basis for the stereotype. The true moral crime is holding an individual to a generalized expectation and standard while failing to recognize their potential individual uniqueness and capabilities.’

http://cogitoergocogitosum.wordpress.com/2009/05/02/why-prejudice-and-stereotyping/

Isn’t that the saddest part of stereotypes? Failing to recognise individual uniqueness.

Classifying people into stereotypes is such a sad, dangerous thing. More and more these days I think people are trying to break out and stand out. Often these attempts lead people to join a different stereotype.  Not wanting to conform may lead you to conforming to a group of non-conformists.

I came across this excellent article titled Hipster: The Dead End of Western Civilisation and it is all about this exact point!

Douglas Haddow writes;

“And yet, it is this ironic lack of authenticity that has allowed hipsterdom to grow into a global phenomenon that is set to consume the very core of Western counterculture. Most critics make a point of attacking the hipster’s lack of individuality, but it is this stubborn obfuscation that distinguishes them from their predecessors, while allowing hipsterdom to easily blend in and mutate other social movements, sub-cultures and lifestyles.”

In an attempt to break out of the mould and to not conform, the ‘Hipster’ movement began. The article describes the hipster movement as;

“…the end product of all prior countercultures, it’s been stripped of its subversion and originality.”

As original as people try to be, we’re all relational at our core so we migrate towards group and groups are ultimately united by mindsets, music, fashion etc….creating a subculture….and subcultures often lead to stereotypes. Stereotypes exist or can be recognised where a group of like minded people are gathered.

During the tutorial we discussed a movie called But I’m a Cheerleader – a movie FULL of stereotypes.

A few years ago a movie was released called Saved. As a Christian, I’ll admit, I was slightly anxious about the messages this movie would send and how it would portray Christianity. Here’s the trailer:

By the end of it I just had to laugh. It is an entire movie built on stereotypes. As in “insider, looking out” I’m sure people would see Christianity and the church this way; I don’t blame them. BUT, then you get a director/writer who takes these things and takes them to the extreme.

In my opinion, stereotypes often stem from extremes. More often than not these extremes are negative.

Islam – terrorism.

Blondes – stupidity.

Jocks – brainless.

Christians – judgement.

Stereotypes exist. They do. They help us to ‘classify’ people and cultures to a common denominator. When we dwell on the negative extremes of a stereotype they become dangerous and have the potential to develop into prejudice or racism.

I found this great article titled Stereotypes and Prejudices, which states;

“A “stereotype” is a generalization about a person or group of persons. We develop stereotypes when we are unable or unwilling to obtain all of the information we would need to make fair judgments about people or situations. In the absence of the “total picture,” stereotypes in many cases allow us to “fill in the blanks.” Our society often innocently creates and perpetuates stereotypes, but these stereotypes often lead to unfair discrimination and persecution when the stereotype is unfavorable.”

The article also suggests:

“This may be how some stereotypes developed in the first place; a series of isolated behaviors by a member of a group which was unfairly generalized to be viewed as a character of all members of that group.”

On the flipside of the negative associations of stereotypes; should stereotypes be something that we celebrate too? Do they denote a culture or subculture? Are there positives in stereotypes that should be embraced and celebrated? I have a feeling that a lot of people who recognise the stereotypes of the cultures they belong to, pick and choose when they are happy to celebrate and embrace a ‘classification’ and when they fight back to be recognised as being different to that stereotype.

When I consider some of the stereotypes I may fit into, I definitely consider both the positive and negatives of each for example: Christian, actor/performer, South African coloured, Gen Y, an artsy-fartsy type.

I read a very amusing book a few years back (written for Christians by a Christian author) called The Christian Culture Survival Guide.

One of my favourite sections of the book is titled ‘Fifteen Kinds of church people to look out for’ which includes Christian stereotypes such as:

• Know it all bible nerds
• Overly enthusiastic church welcomers
• The Praise team rock star
• The Perfect church family
• The pastor’s wife, and
• The desperate male divorcee

It’s a book many people wouldn’t get if they weren’t involved in a church. It’s probably a book that some Christians would be offended by. It’s all just based on stereotypes and the acknowledgement that they exist. It’s smart and it’s witty.  Like any good Irish, black or blonde joke.

The Broadway musical, Avenue Q features a song titled “Everyone’s a little bit racist”. Lyrics include:

Ethnic jokes might be uncouth,
But you laugh because
They’re based on truth.
Don’t take them as
Personal attacks.

As the blogger ‘Cogito’ stated earlier, stereotypes develop as a result of “statistical probability as a likely truth”. Yep, stereotypes exist and they developed from some form of probable truth along the way. As he goes on to say, “the true moral crime is holding an individual to a generalised expectation.”

I always find it really interesting to watch stereotypes in play. Like when people meet for the first time and expect people to be/act a certain way because of their race, class or beliefs.

I love seeing stereotypical walls broken down when relationships deepen and people are seen as human individuals rather than being labelled or classified.

Living beyond stereotypes is an individual responsibility. Yes, we can acknowledge they exist but why limit our own mindset and the potential of other individuals by generalisations? I’ll leave this one on a positive note. I found an article on eHow.com about how to ignore stereotypes (in four easy, practical steps): http://www.ehow.com/how_2086546_ignore-stereotyping.html

CULTURE, MEDIA & SOCIETY – Week 3

Oh advertising!

I have a love-hate relationship with advertising! I act, so commercials are my bread and butter. The first commercial I landed was for a Subway campaign and as an actor that was pretty exciting. However, once I got on set I learnt that I really wasn’t the star of the show ha! There was an entire team dedicated to making fake Subway sandwiches. An assembly line of food artists took an average of 1.5 hrs to make each foot long sub to shooting perfection. Once the subs were in our hands, the executives were close by making sure that the logo was constantly in shot and that the perfect fillings faced the perfect direction.

I remembered this as we watched the Gruen Transfer in our tutorial. The panel was discussing the importance and emphasis placed on the “frothing beer glass” shot in beer commercials. The panel spoke about the research that goes into the reactions, motivations and psychoanalysis that goes into constructing commercials.

Below is an article by Vance Packard in which he speaks about ‘professional persuaders’ and their role in persuasive advertising.

https://learning.secure.griffith.edu.au/webapps/gu-digitised-readings-b_bb60/content/view.jsp?HREF=crb1274764141906&copyright_accept=true

Packard states,

“The use of mass psychoanalysis to guide campaigns of persuasion has become the basis of a multimillion-dollar industry. Professional persuaders have seized upon it in their groping for more effective ways to sell us their wares – whether products, ideas, attitudes, candidates, goals, or states of mind. This depth approach to influencing our behavior is being used in many fields and is employing a variety of ingenious techniques. It is being used- most extensively to effect our daily acts of consumption.” (Packard, 1960)

The article goes on to highlight that probers are seeking answers to the ‘whys’ of our behavior to enable them to manipulate these behaviors. While the methods may be smart and at times effective – the question has to be asked about how ‘humanistic’ this approach is?

Humans seem to become mere robots, trained and programmed to respond to carefully constructed messages (often hidden behind entertainment value.)

Don’t get me wrong, I’m grateful to the advertising industry. I appreciate the craft, the jobs and creativity the industry creates and I’m a big fan of a great add! BUT when has it gone too far?

I’m always been slightly disturbed by things like stealth marketing and even product placement; working-in symbols and brands as if they are unavoidably stitched into the fabric of daily life. We often don’t even realize we’re taking in an advertisement or being marketed to. But the messages and symbols remain, ready to enter our consideration set on cue.

Think about advertisements and brands that become a part of our daily speech – using a Sharpie, Post It, Hoover, Esky, Blue Tack, Biro, Band-Aid – these are brands – but to us they have become the sum of a product category through advertising, recognition and recall.

So yes, there’s semiotics, emotional appeals, unbeatable deals…BUT I’d like to think that consumers have wised up. As advertising has come under scrutiny over the years, as we’ve combined fields of psychology, socially and creative industries and as the media has become more easily accessible.

Consumers have become Prosumers- producing material, spreading messages virally and through word of mouth. With that comes an awareness of how messages are crafted. Look at the discussions we have in our tutorials – we see through a lot these days. We have the ability to roll our eyes and not fall for the gimmicks.We also have the ability to appreciate something smart and creative (whether we would buy the product or not).

Maybe it’s no longer about the brands you buy – perhaps its more about what they represent, the “vibe it oozes” and the off-chance that if we ever do actually need to buy something in that product category, we’re aware that particular brand exists and we want to “ooze” the same vibe that has been represented through their advertising and brand identity.

That’s where these sorts of things come in:

http://adzilla.blogspot.com/search?updated-max=2010-08-30T05%3A58%3A00-07%3A00&max-results=3

Whether I’m interested in half of these products or not, the ads are funny, genius even. I’ll pass these on to my friends, share them in class….oh, and recognize the brand in the supermarket or shop as I chuckle to myself at the thought of the ad. Perhaps millions of dollars are invested in advertising as a process of ‘seed planting’. I’ll admit, if I ever need waterproof shoes I now know where to start.

We all love a good ad. Here are a some really good ones for you to enjoy!

Best Ads of 2006:

Best Ads of 2008:

Best Ads of 2009:

CULTURE, MEDIA & SOCIETY: WEEK 2

We watched a lot of youtube videos this week!  Our main focus was on songs that tell stories, songs that represent culture or history and songs that carry messages.

I’m a huge music person. I’ve worked within the music industry and I have a lot of friends who still do – exceptional musicians, singers and producers. I have an incredible appreciation for the modern technology that enables them to create the music they do. I also love most genres of music (yet I’m still quite fussy about what I listen to). However, I’m a sucker for a good folk song or hymn.

There is something so sacred and honest about a story passed down through the ages through song. Strip away all of the modern auto-tune programs, synthesizers and expensive production magic and it’s still the simple beauty of a haunting voice or melody, perhaps a guitar or a drum that beats in time with your heart…it’s that stuff that resonates longer than any top 40 hit ever could.

I’m from South Africa and I don’t know if it’s just the African heart I was born with – but there is nothing more incredible than a black gospel choir singing in Zulu or Xhosa. Goosebumps! Whether I understand the words or not, there’s a story being told and the cry of ancestors longing to have their story ring out through generations. And that is a powerful, powerful thing.

Here is a clip of the Soweto Gospel Choir, enjoy!

Last year I watched a documentary called Call + Response, the story of the modern slave trade told powerfully through music.

Synopsis:

“CALL+RESPONSE is a first of its kind feature documentary film that reveals the world’s 27 million dirtiest secrets: there are more slaves today than ever before in human history. CALL+RESPONSE goes deep undercover where slavery is thriving from the child brothels of Cambodia to the slave brick kilns of rural India to reveal that in 2009, Slave Traders made more money than Google, Nike and Starbucks combined.

Performances from Grammy-winning and critically acclaimed artists including Moby, Natasha Bedingfield, Cold War Kids, Matisyahu, Imogen Heap, Talib Kweli, Five For Fighting, Switchfoot, members of Nickel Creek and Tom Petty’s Heartbreakers, Rocco Deluca move this chilling information into inspiration for stopping it.

Music is part of the movement against human slavery. Dr. Cornel West connects the music of the American slave fields to the popular music we listen to today, and offers this connection as a rallying cry for the modern abolitionist movement currently brewing…”

Here is a clip of Dr. Cornel West speaking about the power of music, it sums this up perfectly.

I HIGHLY RECOMMEND WATCHING THIS VIDEO!

I do believe that music translates and communicates in a way that writing is failing to. A few semesters back I did a Creative Writing subject in which we were required to give a presentation on our writing style and inspiration. It was sad to see how few wannabe writers actually read books. Instead their influence was poetry in the form of songs or spoken word. Music was a massive influence for everyone in that class.

In a constantly moving, time restricted world, maybe music is the one thing that does in fact move with us; we can afford to give a catchy song 4 minutes of our time instead of stopping long enough to read a book. Music doesn’t reveal our ignorance of vocabulary or education – it connects on a deeper level. Voices and beats resonate and I think the first storytellers knew this and their songs still linger today.

Music freezes me, especially a strong, heartfelt voice. Here are two of my favourites:

Glen Hansard singing ‘Leave’

Bethany Dillon singing ‘Hallelujah’

As I was saying earlier, I have an affinity for folk and gospel music. I belong to a church that has a congregation that ranges from 0 to 97 years old. We’re very modern and have a contemporary music team comparable to one you would found at a local pub (no joke!) but from time to time we pull out a “classic hymn” and they often bring me to tears. There is something about the grand tradition of it all and the fact that fellow believers have sung these words through the ages. The lyrics are often taken straight from the bible and have the same significance today as they did almost 2000 years ago when they were first recorded by the biblical authors who had actually walked alongside Jesus.

We often speak about the power of the “Hymns of our faith” in our church. The golden oldies. I recently had  a discussion about hymns with our Creative Ministries pastor Craig Hindman. In fact- he even wrote a blog about it! Here’s the link: http://newlifeuniting.com/creative/?p=296

One of the things he says is

“…this was true of the very early church, and in centuries past when the scriptures weren’t available to lay people. Hymns, and spiritual songs were written to teach the people the truths of scripture in a way they could remember. That’s why Hymns are laden with so much more scriptural and doctrinal content than many of the praise and worship music we sing today. We have such free access to the Bible now that we don’t necessarily put as much thought into the content of our songs as was the case in generations past, because I guess we don’t sometimes appreciate the responsibility.”

I thought I’d sign off with a recent clip of a group singing one of my favourite hymns.  This is a hymn called “Before the Throne Above” which was actually written in 1863.

More than the beautiful performance and great song, you can take this video a step further; this link highlights the biblical content of the lyrics and it’s that story, and the weight of the lyrics that moves me.

http://cbumgardner.wordpress.com/2008/05/08/before-the-throne-of-god-above-charitie-bancroft/

ASSIGNMENT WEBSITE LINKS

GOOGLE MAP

http://newformsreview.com/digitalwriting/teniellestoltenkamp/GoogleMapTStoltenkamp.html

IMAGE MAP

http://newformsreview.com/digitalwriting/teniellestoltenkamp/Ass2/thisisit3.html

5 PAGE ORGANISATION SITE:

http://newformsreview.com/digitalwriting/teniellestoltenkamp/ASS3_OPENMEFIRST.htm

MEME SITE:

http://newformsreview.com/digitalwriting/teniellestoltenkamp/Ass4Cobos/Ass4Cobos.htm

PERSONAL PORTFOLIO:

http://newformsreview.com/digitalwriting/teniellestoltenkamp/Ass5Portfolio/homepagefinal.html

ARGUMENT SITE:

http://newformsreview.com/digitalwriting/teniellestoltenkamp/Ass6Oprahsite/home.html

Argument Website

My ‘Argument Website’ is titled “Oprah and Tenielle…and why Tenielle should get Oprah’s job”.

I really do love Oprah and would love to have her job! So the website is designed to be a little tounge-in-cheek, paying respect to Oprah and her work, showing my admiration but also ‘thinking pretty highly of my abilities’ in comparing them to hers :p

It’s not my proudest site this semester – for some reason i had a LOT of technical issues with this one. I used a template I found on generator blog and tried to customise the site as much as possible.

The five arguments as to why I should have Oprah’s job:

1. My knowledge of her and her work
2. Our similar backgrounds
3. Our comparable talents
4. Our shared ‘Favourite Things’
5. My passion

I used a range of tools such as tables, Youtube videos and graphs. I tried to add to the site with images but was quite limited with the ‘free images’ I could find of Oprah. GIMP saved the day once again…there was a lot of image manipulation that hopefully helped a little.

In all honesty, I got extremely fed up with this site along the way and I feel there are a lot of things I could have done better even in supporting my arguments.

I did an assignment on Oprah earlier this semester for an Entertainment and Arts Marketing subject so I had a lot of information to work with that I crammed into this little site. There are quite a few external sites referenced throughout.

I added some cheeky bits and pieces such as the Oprah Quiz and silly graphs.I do hope that you enjoy my embarrassing video clip – I just had to do it!

http://newformsreview.com/digitalwriting/teniellestoltenkamp/Ass6Oprahsite/home.html

I can’t believe this semester is over – my eyes will never completely recover from all the time they have spent staring at a computer screen during this course.

From having to refresh my HTML coding skills to learning lots of new programs, I really, really have learnt alot. I must say, GIMP is my new favourite toy and I’m really greatful to have been introduced to sites such as Dynamic Drive and Generator Blog.

I’ve learnt that its all out there…google is incredible! But seriously, I’ve depended heavily on forums and other bits and pieces online along the way.

Thanks Jason for being awesome – your support is always brilliant and I really did learn a lot this semester. You’re totally appreciated!

Signing off,

Tenielle S.

PERSONAL PORTFOLIO

My personal portfolio required me to pull out all of the stops!

Once again, I depended on HTML kit and created the site using HTML coding.

I depended heavily on google and lots of external codes and scripts such as:

• album generators
• JPG from word doc. creators
• PDF creators
• GIMP
• Video editing and DVD ripping software
• You tube for video hosting
• Email feedback script

I really wanted the design of my portfolio site to be extremely simple. I had a lot of images and information to portray and I didn’t want the site to clash with any of the material. I created all of the buttons using GIMP and customised and created little details like the footer, scroll bars and facebook, blog and email links in the right column.

My greatest disappointment with this site is that I couldn’t get the Lightbox affect to work on the “Model” section, no matter how many times I tried! I really think it would have added to the site.

If I were to use this design for my actual portfolio site, there are probably 3 things I would add/change:

1. Add the lightbox script to the ‘Model’ section
2. As I write or record original songs I would add an audio player to the ‘Singer’ section to save visitors having to visit external sites to do so.
3. A professionally edited Showreel in the ‘Actor’ section.

I created a ‘Tenielle S.’ blog to tie in to the website and used this as a tool to display photo albums, rather than bombard the site with images. I looked at a lot of actor’s sites for ideas as to the content to include and the one thing that I found and used was the ‘Resume’ link. I like having the option of viewing the resume on screen or downloading it as a PDF.

I think I’ve really gotten the hang of HTML coding. I wish I had had more time to figure out Dreamweaver but I just stuck with what I know. My major technical hiccups arose when I started adding different scripts in (such as the Lightbox script) and with dodgey online freeware like the 2 DVD ripping programs I downloaded to try to put together a decent showreel.  In the end I just used my digital camera to film the computer and television screen and edited it together with Windows Movie Maker. The quality is poor and the content is limited. I would really like to get one done up professionally.

Overall, I went for aesthetically pleasing and I tried to keep the content clear, information (and impressive!!!). I personally believe its the best site I’ve made so far – Im really happy with the way it turned out.

Address:

http://newformsreview.com/digitalwriting/teniellestoltenkamp/Ass6Oprahsite/home.html