So, after a patience-draining day at work (which pretty much left the patience-tank empty), I had my first day of summer class. It's my "Media Management & Leadership" class, and it was.....wait for it.....AWESOME (prob didn't have to wait that long)! Let me list how awesome it was:
1. Saw cool kids from last semester, and got invited to see Norah Jones for FREE in Prospect Park tomorrow~Meh, not much into her music, but the 'FREE' live music changes everything + I get catch-up w/ cool peeps =0)
2. The prof. nearly spoke to my soul when he mentioned a book I've read, "The Drunkard's Walk: How Randomness Rules Our Lives". Furthermore, he engaged us very clearly by showing a simple outline of these humanely effective management models.
3. That simple outline rejuvenated a part of me which I thought died a little~my soul
Tuesday, June 8, 2010
Monday, June 7, 2010
Media Studies: Ideas Final (Better late than never)
WHY DOES LAURA MULVEY SAY THAT FILM FORM IS BEST SUITED FOR REPRESENTING “THE IMAGE OF WOMAN AS PASSIVE RAW MATERIAL FOR THE ACTIVE GAZE OF MAN”?
Laura Mulvey references film form as being best suited for expressing the active/ passive dichotomy of men and women because film is a visual medium which is perfect for the pathology of voyeurism. Voyeurism is an unhealthy fixation on what’s not supposed to be seen that is not normal/ moral. For example, in “Peeping Tom”, the pleasure of looking- scopophilia- is presumed to be male and the camera as a tool to objectify women (their bodies suffer the fantasies projected on them). In “Peeping Tom” Mark targets his victims to be blonde, and this is made evident to the audience during the opening credits when the conflict is presented with the murder of a blonde prostitute~ but the audience doesn’t know who Mark is yet. In this instance, Mark actually uses the camera as a weapon to live out his fantasies to cope with his ‘castrating father’ who killed his mother, only to replace her with some blonde incidentally (the audience learns as the plot progresses).
Furthermore, Laura Mulvey looks at what film constructs in the texts of roles and positions of the viewers. The camera masks the voyeur, so that the viewer doesn’t know whose eyes they are looking through, but they’re presuming them to be male. The audience is still told to look at this feeling from this particular perspective, and feels an instinctual enjoyment in seeing what is not supposed to be seen. Thus, the audience experiences scopophilia (through a camera that ONLY a man would know how to operate) in a movie theater with a fixed gaze, and are being dominated by masculinity once again.
EXPLAIN BELL HOOKS’ STATEMENT THAT “THE COMMODIFICIATION OF DIFFERENCES PROMOTES PARADIGMS OF CONSUMPTION WHEREIN WHATEVER DIFFERENCE THE OTHER INHABITS IS ERADICATED, VIA EXCHANGE, BY A CONSUMER CANNIBALISM THAT NOT ONLY DISPLACES THE OTHER BUT DENIES THE SIGNIFICANCE OF THAT OTHER’S HISTORY THROUGH A PROCESS OF DECONTEXTUALIZATION”.
In Bell Hooks’ statement, she basically says that the difference the Other possesses-albeit art, culture, lifestyle- becomes appropriated and marketable by/to the masses out of the context from its original meaning/purpose of what it was intended for by the Other. The best example of decontextualization is the appropriation of Blues music which originated as work songs and narrative ballads by the slaves in the Deep South while out in the fields. Pushing the consumption paradigm of a musical genre, the displacement of the non-white Other’s difference could be credited to Elvis Presley for being the white face to the non-white Other’s music that most U.S. homes wouldn’t have experimented with had they been performed by the Other. Further decontextualization takes places as more musical genres are created (by white people) using the non-white’s blues music as a foundation~ rock and roll, R &B. Hal Foster maintains that “contemporary notions of ‘crossover’ expand the parameters of cultural production to enable the voice of the non-white Other to be heard by a larger audience even as it denies the specificity of that voice, or as it recoups it for its own use” (373). In conclusion, the Other compromises their distinct black experience when it becomes commodified for being different and made universally relatable for consumers to call their own, thus displacing the authentic black origin whilst reaching a broader population.
WHAT DOES CLAY SHIRKY MEAN WHEN HE SAYS THAT IN THE AGE OF THE INTERNET “MASS AMATEURIZATION” HAS TRANSFORMED THE NATURE OF PUBLISHING?
Shirky means that the age of the internet has made publishing easily accessible (free means of production) to the general public- sans any traditional forms of academic training in the field- that the legitimacy of journalistic privilege is being questioned~ if anyone can be a publisher then anyone can be a journalist. Prior to the internet, journalistic privilege was important because it provided a polished class of truth-tellers that would filter first, publish after because publishing required the means of communications machinery- linking it to ownership of intellectual property. Nowadays, anybody can publish for free on the internet (free exchange/economy), and blogs are even steering the agenda for news coverage that traditional news institutions used to be at the helm of ~ Trent Lott fiasco (Shirky 61). Consequently, the increasing role of amateurism on the internet has had notable success with online blogs receiving book contracts due to the popularity they’ve received (page views). For example, the phenomena of the blog discussed in class by Maddox (The best page in the universe) originated as a rant amongst a small chat community of programmers that developed into a fan-base, and eventually a book (The Alphabet of Manliness~ reached #1 on Amazon) and further publications despite the author not finishing college. Naturally, the imposition of the free economy (virtual world) on society challenges the money economy (real world) for which the integrity of professional/expert journalism relies on to establish the power structure of capitalism. In conclusion, Shirky is saying that the standards of professional journalism are being diluted by the ‘publish first, filter after’ mentality of the publishing amateur via the internet.
EXPLAIN HOW BRANDING IS DIFFERENT FROM OTHER FORMS OF ADVERTISING
Advertising’s premise is to generate interest in a product-make it look good- that would convince people to act on the suggestion and consume. To every product, there are two sides; The Use value (providing certain needs), and the Exchange value (what could be gained by it-monetary; status) that each consumer has to mentally weigh before acting and purchasing. To benefit the producer of the product, the goal of advertising is to move the consumers’ emphasis from the use value to the exchange value. Historically, the product used to be the centerpiece of the advertisement~ comparing it to Brand-X and why it was more appealing. Consequently, new types of exposure were developed that would attract people with a visual connection; the Display window in storefronts and eventually the television (electrical shop window). As long as the advertisement presents the product with minimum noise and by being attractive, it can affect the behavior of the recipient to consume. By doing so, the product becomes something more emotional and the use of it making the consumer feel good becomes the focus- not the product itself. Once the mood of the consumer switches from the product to how it makes them feel, it convinces the consumer on a way of life- leads to branding. Henceforth, branding distinguishes itself from other forms of advertising because it pushes the scope from use value to exchange value of the product by conjuring emotional feelings within the consumer about their own sense of oneself/belonging by creating this ideal lifestyle through the use of THIS product ~ tangible link to a desired lifestyle.
More often than not, branding precedes the product (ironically) because producers have to give it a recognizable name that can be established and linked to the world they’re trying to present. The ideological world of which the product is supposed to represent is mapped out and constructed before the product even exists- merely an apple in somebody’s eye. The goal is to convince the consumer that only THIS particular product can show them the way to living in that awesome world that is on display. In effect, the style of advertising has adapted from blatantly showing the product and what it does, to presenting the product’s world more and how the consumer feels/ is perceived in society for using that product (visual connection-Branding). Producers and marketers conspire (and spend lots of $$) to find the most effective emotional attachment consumers can develop for a product -exchange value- to only to exploit it for future advertising (PBS The Persuaders). Nowadays, the consumer doesn’t even know what the product is or its function -just that it’s supposed to make them feel a certain way as suggested in the ad-until the last 5 seconds of the commercial (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QkB9ZjKFAwA). Through branding, the goal of the advertisement is to make the consumer see themselves in the ad (able to relate), develop an emotional attachment with how they’ll be perceived, and move their scope from the use value to the exchange value (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fvIzHgWtwTU&NR=1). It doesn’t matter if the product ACTUALLY provides its function or purpose of use, as long as the consumer identifies with the world the ad presented and wants to be part of it, the product will be loyally purchased. Branding constructs the ideological world of which the consumer wants to identify themselves with and belong to a community of people who also identify/use the same product.
Branding’s importance stems from creating a desirable mood and sense of lifestyle with how the product is constructed/ represented, so that the consumer thinks they will attain those positive feelings and be perceived more desirable in society once the barcode is swiped. Branding is a semiological term that pushes the product by relating it to the consumer and connecting to their habits and habitual behavior (habits to meaning; use to desire). Dr. Repaille a psychologist turned marketer (PBS The Persuaders) hosts fancy parties with top companies around the world where he dispenses his discovery of the ‘inner code’ linking the consumer’s most influential emotions that drive them to purchase particular products. The emphasis isn’t necessarily focused on the product itself or its functionality, but rather the emotional feeling the consumer attaches to it-sense of oneself/identity- thus making branding so effective. Playboy Enterprises is an example of an empire that links the brand with an ideological lifestyle so successfully, it has infiltrated society’s vocabulary as a household name (much to the chagrin of Christian groups). Playboy’s use of a desirable lifestyle that is self-evident in its name (brand) bases its marketing model on sex appeal, targeting young men since the 1950s who want to pursue a life of pleasure without responsibility. Incidentally, ‘Playboy’ became so successful at making a name for itself, that when anybody (multi-generational) references a naughty magazine, ‘Playboy’ is the term commonly used. Furthermore, Playboy’s branding is so influential, it doesn’t matter what playboy could be selling- magazines, shot glasses, thongs- as long as they have the ‘bunny-ears’ brand/logo, it becomes a status symbol of what society defines as a ‘Top-of-the-line’ authority on sex. Henceforth, the power of branding lies in its ability to appeal/connect to consumers and how the product makes them feel (nostalgic/sexy/good), as the most effective avenue to prompt them to act and purchase.
Additionally, an important aspect of branding is its ability to relate to the consumer on an individual/ personal level, yet fulfill a sense of communal belonging that is suggested in the lifestyle being conveyed in the advertisement. Identifying with the consumer assists branding to develop a cult following that generates the loyalty which engages people to get involved and bond over their relationship with the product despite their differences (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9V7NoRjI0H0 ). A great example of cult following is expressed in the bond consumers have developed for their computer systems~ extensions of ourselves. The Mac vs PC branding has turned such loyalty into a social phenomenon of how people relate to one another- whether by being the ‘creative’ Mac users, or ‘business oriented’ PC users- a line has been drawn (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Id_kGL3M5Cg ). Consequently, as consumers are developing relationships online through social networking websites that highlight their interests, branding is pedaling fast to keep up with the latest trends so as to avoid phasing out. In effect, producers have invested in mapping vocabulary and targeting key words in emails so as to appeal to the needs of the consumer with their products. Thus marketers are developing new strategies on how to re-connect with the audience and new ways to reach people.
In conclusion, advertising has evolved over time, and one effective style has been branding’s effect on society’s consumption habits based on the emotional world the products project, and the nature of people to identify/strive to be part of THAT ideal world by simply purchasing THAT product. Subsequently, by being emotionally attached to the product, the consumers’ focus moves from the use value to the exchange value of the product- goal of the producers. As a Result, branding distinguishes itself from other forms of advertising because it conjures an emotional attachment within the consumer about their own sense of oneself/belonging by creating this ideal lifestyle through the use of THAT product ~ tangible link to a desired lifestyle, thus pushing the scope from use value to exchange value of the product.
Works Cited
PBS The Persuaders
http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/pages/frontline/shows/persuaders/view/
Shirky, Clay. Here Comes Everybody. New York: Penguin, 2008. Print.
Laura Mulvey references film form as being best suited for expressing the active/ passive dichotomy of men and women because film is a visual medium which is perfect for the pathology of voyeurism. Voyeurism is an unhealthy fixation on what’s not supposed to be seen that is not normal/ moral. For example, in “Peeping Tom”, the pleasure of looking- scopophilia- is presumed to be male and the camera as a tool to objectify women (their bodies suffer the fantasies projected on them). In “Peeping Tom” Mark targets his victims to be blonde, and this is made evident to the audience during the opening credits when the conflict is presented with the murder of a blonde prostitute~ but the audience doesn’t know who Mark is yet. In this instance, Mark actually uses the camera as a weapon to live out his fantasies to cope with his ‘castrating father’ who killed his mother, only to replace her with some blonde incidentally (the audience learns as the plot progresses).
Furthermore, Laura Mulvey looks at what film constructs in the texts of roles and positions of the viewers. The camera masks the voyeur, so that the viewer doesn’t know whose eyes they are looking through, but they’re presuming them to be male. The audience is still told to look at this feeling from this particular perspective, and feels an instinctual enjoyment in seeing what is not supposed to be seen. Thus, the audience experiences scopophilia (through a camera that ONLY a man would know how to operate) in a movie theater with a fixed gaze, and are being dominated by masculinity once again.
EXPLAIN BELL HOOKS’ STATEMENT THAT “THE COMMODIFICIATION OF DIFFERENCES PROMOTES PARADIGMS OF CONSUMPTION WHEREIN WHATEVER DIFFERENCE THE OTHER INHABITS IS ERADICATED, VIA EXCHANGE, BY A CONSUMER CANNIBALISM THAT NOT ONLY DISPLACES THE OTHER BUT DENIES THE SIGNIFICANCE OF THAT OTHER’S HISTORY THROUGH A PROCESS OF DECONTEXTUALIZATION”.
In Bell Hooks’ statement, she basically says that the difference the Other possesses-albeit art, culture, lifestyle- becomes appropriated and marketable by/to the masses out of the context from its original meaning/purpose of what it was intended for by the Other. The best example of decontextualization is the appropriation of Blues music which originated as work songs and narrative ballads by the slaves in the Deep South while out in the fields. Pushing the consumption paradigm of a musical genre, the displacement of the non-white Other’s difference could be credited to Elvis Presley for being the white face to the non-white Other’s music that most U.S. homes wouldn’t have experimented with had they been performed by the Other. Further decontextualization takes places as more musical genres are created (by white people) using the non-white’s blues music as a foundation~ rock and roll, R &B. Hal Foster maintains that “contemporary notions of ‘crossover’ expand the parameters of cultural production to enable the voice of the non-white Other to be heard by a larger audience even as it denies the specificity of that voice, or as it recoups it for its own use” (373). In conclusion, the Other compromises their distinct black experience when it becomes commodified for being different and made universally relatable for consumers to call their own, thus displacing the authentic black origin whilst reaching a broader population.
WHAT DOES CLAY SHIRKY MEAN WHEN HE SAYS THAT IN THE AGE OF THE INTERNET “MASS AMATEURIZATION” HAS TRANSFORMED THE NATURE OF PUBLISHING?
Shirky means that the age of the internet has made publishing easily accessible (free means of production) to the general public- sans any traditional forms of academic training in the field- that the legitimacy of journalistic privilege is being questioned~ if anyone can be a publisher then anyone can be a journalist. Prior to the internet, journalistic privilege was important because it provided a polished class of truth-tellers that would filter first, publish after because publishing required the means of communications machinery- linking it to ownership of intellectual property. Nowadays, anybody can publish for free on the internet (free exchange/economy), and blogs are even steering the agenda for news coverage that traditional news institutions used to be at the helm of ~ Trent Lott fiasco (Shirky 61). Consequently, the increasing role of amateurism on the internet has had notable success with online blogs receiving book contracts due to the popularity they’ve received (page views). For example, the phenomena of the blog discussed in class by Maddox (The best page in the universe) originated as a rant amongst a small chat community of programmers that developed into a fan-base, and eventually a book (The Alphabet of Manliness~ reached #1 on Amazon) and further publications despite the author not finishing college. Naturally, the imposition of the free economy (virtual world) on society challenges the money economy (real world) for which the integrity of professional/expert journalism relies on to establish the power structure of capitalism. In conclusion, Shirky is saying that the standards of professional journalism are being diluted by the ‘publish first, filter after’ mentality of the publishing amateur via the internet.
EXPLAIN HOW BRANDING IS DIFFERENT FROM OTHER FORMS OF ADVERTISING
Advertising’s premise is to generate interest in a product-make it look good- that would convince people to act on the suggestion and consume. To every product, there are two sides; The Use value (providing certain needs), and the Exchange value (what could be gained by it-monetary; status) that each consumer has to mentally weigh before acting and purchasing. To benefit the producer of the product, the goal of advertising is to move the consumers’ emphasis from the use value to the exchange value. Historically, the product used to be the centerpiece of the advertisement~ comparing it to Brand-X and why it was more appealing. Consequently, new types of exposure were developed that would attract people with a visual connection; the Display window in storefronts and eventually the television (electrical shop window). As long as the advertisement presents the product with minimum noise and by being attractive, it can affect the behavior of the recipient to consume. By doing so, the product becomes something more emotional and the use of it making the consumer feel good becomes the focus- not the product itself. Once the mood of the consumer switches from the product to how it makes them feel, it convinces the consumer on a way of life- leads to branding. Henceforth, branding distinguishes itself from other forms of advertising because it pushes the scope from use value to exchange value of the product by conjuring emotional feelings within the consumer about their own sense of oneself/belonging by creating this ideal lifestyle through the use of THIS product ~ tangible link to a desired lifestyle.
More often than not, branding precedes the product (ironically) because producers have to give it a recognizable name that can be established and linked to the world they’re trying to present. The ideological world of which the product is supposed to represent is mapped out and constructed before the product even exists- merely an apple in somebody’s eye. The goal is to convince the consumer that only THIS particular product can show them the way to living in that awesome world that is on display. In effect, the style of advertising has adapted from blatantly showing the product and what it does, to presenting the product’s world more and how the consumer feels/ is perceived in society for using that product (visual connection-Branding). Producers and marketers conspire (and spend lots of $$) to find the most effective emotional attachment consumers can develop for a product -exchange value- to only to exploit it for future advertising (PBS The Persuaders). Nowadays, the consumer doesn’t even know what the product is or its function -just that it’s supposed to make them feel a certain way as suggested in the ad-until the last 5 seconds of the commercial (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QkB9ZjKFAwA). Through branding, the goal of the advertisement is to make the consumer see themselves in the ad (able to relate), develop an emotional attachment with how they’ll be perceived, and move their scope from the use value to the exchange value (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fvIzHgWtwTU&NR=1). It doesn’t matter if the product ACTUALLY provides its function or purpose of use, as long as the consumer identifies with the world the ad presented and wants to be part of it, the product will be loyally purchased. Branding constructs the ideological world of which the consumer wants to identify themselves with and belong to a community of people who also identify/use the same product.
Branding’s importance stems from creating a desirable mood and sense of lifestyle with how the product is constructed/ represented, so that the consumer thinks they will attain those positive feelings and be perceived more desirable in society once the barcode is swiped. Branding is a semiological term that pushes the product by relating it to the consumer and connecting to their habits and habitual behavior (habits to meaning; use to desire). Dr. Repaille a psychologist turned marketer (PBS The Persuaders) hosts fancy parties with top companies around the world where he dispenses his discovery of the ‘inner code’ linking the consumer’s most influential emotions that drive them to purchase particular products. The emphasis isn’t necessarily focused on the product itself or its functionality, but rather the emotional feeling the consumer attaches to it-sense of oneself/identity- thus making branding so effective. Playboy Enterprises is an example of an empire that links the brand with an ideological lifestyle so successfully, it has infiltrated society’s vocabulary as a household name (much to the chagrin of Christian groups). Playboy’s use of a desirable lifestyle that is self-evident in its name (brand) bases its marketing model on sex appeal, targeting young men since the 1950s who want to pursue a life of pleasure without responsibility. Incidentally, ‘Playboy’ became so successful at making a name for itself, that when anybody (multi-generational) references a naughty magazine, ‘Playboy’ is the term commonly used. Furthermore, Playboy’s branding is so influential, it doesn’t matter what playboy could be selling- magazines, shot glasses, thongs- as long as they have the ‘bunny-ears’ brand/logo, it becomes a status symbol of what society defines as a ‘Top-of-the-line’ authority on sex. Henceforth, the power of branding lies in its ability to appeal/connect to consumers and how the product makes them feel (nostalgic/sexy/good), as the most effective avenue to prompt them to act and purchase.
Additionally, an important aspect of branding is its ability to relate to the consumer on an individual/ personal level, yet fulfill a sense of communal belonging that is suggested in the lifestyle being conveyed in the advertisement. Identifying with the consumer assists branding to develop a cult following that generates the loyalty which engages people to get involved and bond over their relationship with the product despite their differences (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9V7NoRjI0H0 ). A great example of cult following is expressed in the bond consumers have developed for their computer systems~ extensions of ourselves. The Mac vs PC branding has turned such loyalty into a social phenomenon of how people relate to one another- whether by being the ‘creative’ Mac users, or ‘business oriented’ PC users- a line has been drawn (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Id_kGL3M5Cg ). Consequently, as consumers are developing relationships online through social networking websites that highlight their interests, branding is pedaling fast to keep up with the latest trends so as to avoid phasing out. In effect, producers have invested in mapping vocabulary and targeting key words in emails so as to appeal to the needs of the consumer with their products. Thus marketers are developing new strategies on how to re-connect with the audience and new ways to reach people.
In conclusion, advertising has evolved over time, and one effective style has been branding’s effect on society’s consumption habits based on the emotional world the products project, and the nature of people to identify/strive to be part of THAT ideal world by simply purchasing THAT product. Subsequently, by being emotionally attached to the product, the consumers’ focus moves from the use value to the exchange value of the product- goal of the producers. As a Result, branding distinguishes itself from other forms of advertising because it conjures an emotional attachment within the consumer about their own sense of oneself/belonging by creating this ideal lifestyle through the use of THAT product ~ tangible link to a desired lifestyle, thus pushing the scope from use value to exchange value of the product.
Works Cited
PBS The Persuaders
http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/pages/frontline/shows/persuaders/view/
Shirky, Clay. Here Comes Everybody. New York: Penguin, 2008. Print.
Tuesday, April 27, 2010
Literature Review~ Sifting through what's already been said
Literature Review~Sex in advertising catalyzes Individualism
The dynamics of the way people interact with society have always boggled the minds of most classical philosophers, but the prevalence of media’s impact on that interaction really has become the ‘Rubik’s cube’ of contemporary social research. Media subsequently tell the masses how to live, whether selling the products we HAVE to use, or paving the ways of how we are expected to behave in social situations- media’s infiltration of culture has generally been there to manipulate consumerism. The social implication that advertising-inadvertently- affects the evolvement of humans in their capacity to interact is fascinating. As an attempt to find further analysis of this phenomenon, the following literature will explore the classical theories of individualism, sex in advertising, the social implications of advertising, and the social consequences of an individualized culture.
Individualism
According to the first uses of ‘Individualisme’ (in its 19th century French original), it was the European reaction to the French Revolution to its alleged source, the thought of the Enlightenment, as unbridled ideas jeopardized the French commonwealth into “an unsocial, uncivil, unconnected chaos of elementary principles” (Lukes 45-46). Thus, the dichotomy of the needs of the ‘Individual’ will trump the needs of their relation with the ‘World’ was presented (Lukes 46). Interestingly, in the early 20th century in a region not far from France, the definition of individualism was going through a different course. The translation of Georg Simmel’s ‘Individualism’ from 1917 emphasizes the importance of individuality, and how people aspired to express this with their own signature, particularly among the Germanic and Romanic cultures. “All individual freedom, distinction and excellence are sought within these limits, and are in fact nothing other than particularly pure and strong manifestations of typical nameable attributes” (Simmel 67). As social creatures, individuals are VERY concerned about how they present themselves to the public and make sure their expressions align with social norms, whilst maintaining a personal identity. The article then goes on to pay homage to the consequence of the German yearning of individualism on a more ‘deeply German person’ as Kant who, “vested the absolute singular worth of man in the absolutely inner moral conscience of personality, creating a figure of tremendous solitude uninfluenceable in the slightest way by either divine commandment or care for personal benefit, by either opinion or historical circumstance” (Simmel 69). Henceforth, despite these articles’ observations being outdated whilst commercial media being in its nascent stages, Luke’s and Simmel’s contributions to understanding individualism as a self-awareness that separates the ‘self ‘from the ‘outside-world’, and ‘Law’ and ‘universal law’ here stand in solidarity to one another. Conversely, in a more contemporary approach, Honneth provides a thorough retro-analysis of individualism-drawing from Durkheim, Weber, and Simmel. However, Honneth’s article links the socio-cultural change with the new forms of individualism as well as capitalism’s impact on the ideology. “As the confluence of material, social, and intellectual process of change which have so many traits in common, in the manner of an elective affinity, as to have been able collectively to create a new kind of individualism” (Honneth 468). Furthermore, Honneth’s research of individualism and how it relates to Western capitalism lends a plethora of resources in the works cited that will prove detrimental in further investigation.
Sex in Advertising
Sex appeal is an effective tactic used in advertising to convey a product in a desirable/ marketable way because it demands the viewers’ attention. However, by portraying sex too explicitly the results can be adverse. For example, Levit warns that there are social consequences if the sex appeal is executed too tastelessly. Levit uses the Abercrombie & Fitch example from 2002 when the Illinois State Senate-with several non-profits backing- passed a resolution condemning A & F’s advertising/marketing practice by asking the public and shareholders to boycott their catalog entitled “XXX Wet, Hot, Summer Fun”, showing naked boys and girls ‘frolicking in natural settings’-pretty ironic for a clothes store targeted towards teenagers. Levit’s article also includes the responsible effectiveness of sex appeal when used implicitly with an example of Heineken’s “Premature Pour” ad- when a man over-pours his drink when trying to impress an attractive lady from across the bar. Despite the message being sexually suggestive, whilst making Heineken desired, the public responded with a rise in sales of 13% in its first two quarters of 2002 (Levit).
Society is all too familiar with the term that ‘sex sells’, however, in Reichert’s article he presents the statistics to prove it with an example of condoms when it comes to brand-name recall being linked to sexual appeal. In a study conducted in 1982 by Richmond & Hartmann, ‘brand-name recall was significantly lower when sexual content in the ad was not functionally related to the product than when sexual content was linked to the product” (Reichert 254). Reichert’s article also provides many other gems of analysis of sex in advertising addressing the emotional and behavioral responses from the audience. Towards the end of the article, Reichert even criticizes the lack of study and inquires if it’s the stigma of sex research for which advertising researchers don’t delve deeper on the subject but he humbly hopes his work to provide a “steppingstone” for future research on the matter~ case in point (269).
In a society that equates sex with happiness- conveniently more than money- it’s only natural for marketers to cast that advantage in a lucrative light when presenting their products. A couple of Dartmouth economists (David Blanchflower and Andrew Oswald) conducted a study on sexual activity and happiness and “estimate that increasing intercourse from once a month to once a week is equivalent to the amount of happiness generated by getting an additional $50,000 in income for the average American”(Kirchheimer). Does Sex Really make us happy? In his article, Reeves argues that the sexual angle has been so over-played that people are becoming indifferent. “Sexual imagery is losing its impact as consumers begin to ‘tune out’ the torrent of flesh on billboards and TV. Too much sex in the media has made adults immune and adolescents insecure” (Reeves 31). Reeves provides a realistic, almost comical perspective on the prevalence of sex in the media and its saturation in everyday life no longer celebrates our sexual liberation, but rather confines it to the ‘shallow sexualisation of public life’ (31).
Social Implications of Advertising
“Advertising and selling effort in so far as they influence demand may create uniformities of desires so that mass production of specialized articles may be disposed of” (Tosdal 66). It’s no secret that one of the objectives of advertisements is to skew the presentation of reality that would optimize the appearance of the product and shroud it in a positive light, thus appealing to the consumer. However, more times than not, advertisements’ presentation of ‘reality’ are far from the truth by depicting a ‘perfect’ world. The advertisement campaign that exemplifies, and even parodies, this notion are the Windows 7 commercials that show a normal person recounting a story having an issue with their PC showing a re-enactment with a more attractive person experiencing this epitome to make their PC run smoother (Youtube).In Marsha Richins’ article, “Social Comparisons and the Idealized Images of Advertising” she argues that ‘consumers see these idealized images and (consciously and unconsciously) compare their more mediocre selves and lives with the idealized images (Richins 71). As a result of this comparison from the studies she conducted, subjects become dissatisfied with their own appearance. In the same vein, Pollay argues that ‘advertising’s unintended consequences are seen by many as a pollution of our psychological and social ecology, which raises moral alarm and tempts a defensive reaction from those of us whose expertise and sense of personal worth is drawn from our knowledge of, and at least implicit assistance in, the process of persuasion” (19).
In a 1995 analysis of overt sexuality in advertising, Elliot, Jones, Benfield, and Barlow eloquently observed that, ‘it may be that their consumption of advertising symbolism young people are building a popular culture with a sexuality constructed from representations associated with their favorite consumer products. The new consumers’ ‘unpredictable decision-making power in selection and use of cultural commodities may be used to re-construct the meaning of desire and sexuality’ (212). Elliot, Richard, et al. provide a balanced optimism of sexuality in advertising and tackle the ethical controversies that surround the hot topic. However, they conclude that ‘if advertisements using overt sexuality are tightly targeted at younger consumers through appropriate media, and utilize imagery of mutuality in sexual experience, then they may have a positive role to lay in helping to transform the language of sexuality by allowing both genders to share an emancipatory choice of consumption meanings’ (Elliot, et al. 213).
Consequences of an Individualized Culture
There is much speculation of what may come of American society if it continues to follow the path it’s been on, including the theory that American culture will become dangerously individualistic and morph into ‘a nation of social isolates’ (Cerulo 353). In her essay, Cerulo investigates how America’s focus to be more individualized has a tendency to shift in accordance to certain social events and structural conditions, thus acknowledging the role of culture. Prime example of an ‘individualism surge’ occurred from 1970-1984 when a broad range of cultural sectors were immersed with messages of growing individualism. “Yet it is important to note that the culture of the period did not reflect American’s actual behavior and attitudes with a dramatic increase in individualism- behavioral and attitudinal moves toward individualism were temporary or limited in scoped” (Cerulo 360). This was a very straight-forward essay, not just in writing style, but Cerulo provides a table of important American Value definitions within the first pages that provides an invaluable reference when analyzing the ideologies.
In order to maintain a balanced perspective on the rising/falling of individualism Nevitt Sanford explores the latter by focusing on new social phenomena- devaluation of privacy, the new sexuality, group practices, and anti-intellectualism (Sanford 215-217). This research proves valuable because of its focus on the psychoanalysis of the ‘self’ as an individual surrounded by an ever-changing social culture. “Ways of consuming are guided in the interest of the market and of keeping the corporation going. There is little need for an individual to decide what he will consume because this is made clear for him in the form of advertising and the movies” (Sanford 215).
Conclusion
In conclusion, the literature reviewed here paves the way for further research as I am becoming more informed on the subject matter and learning the research skills necessary to be more thorough. The earlier works of individualism were interesting just from the standpoint that thee concepts are just as applicable 100 years ago as they are today when discussing its skeletal structure-priority of the Self over the State. Granted, the cultural landscape over time, particularly advertising, has impacted the extent of which individualism is accepted in a capitalist culture. Throughout the research conducted, I found far more information connected to some keywords more than others, and have a renewed sense of enthusiasm as I delve deeper into the subject matter. As a result, my curiosity for finding a deeper connection between the evolution of social interaction and cultural phenomenon, like advertising, lends some motivation to explore more research and what other implications can be drawn.
Works Cited
Cerulo, Karen A. “ Social Relations, Core Values, and the Polyphony of the American
Experience.” Sociological Forum 23.2 (2008): 351-362. Print.
Elliot, Richard, Abigail Jones, Andrew Benfield, and Matt Barlow. “Overt Sexuality
In Advertising: A Discourse Analysis of Gender Responses”. Journal of
Consumer Policy 18 (1995): 187-217. Print.
Honneth, Axel. “Organized Self-Realization: Some Paradoxes of Individualisation.”
European Journal of Social Theory 7.4 (2004): 463-478. Print.
Kirchheimer, Sid. “Sex Better Than Money for Happiness”. WebMD Health News.
16 Jul. 2004. Web. 20 April 2010.
URL: http://www.webmd.com/sex-relationships/guide/20061101/sex-better-
than-money-for-happiness
Levit, Mark. “Sex in Advertising: Does it Sell?” Worldpaidshop.com. Worldpaidshop,
n.d. Web. 19 Apr 2010.
URL: http://www.worldpaidshop.com/advertising/102040.php
Lukes, Steven. “The Meanings of Individualism.” Journal of the History of Ideas 32.1
(1971): 45-66. Print.
Pollay, Richard W. “The Distorted Mirror: Reflections on the Unintended Consequences
Of Advertising.” The Journal of Marketing 50.1 (1986): 18-36. Print.
Reeves, Richard. “Does sex make us happy? Don’t talk about it…” New Statesman
134.4733 (2005). 30-32. Print.
Reichert, Tom. “Sex in Advertising Research: A Review of Content, Effects, and
Functions in Sexual Information in Consumer Advertising.” Annual Review
of Sex Research 13 (2002): 241-273. Print.
Richins, Marsha L. “Social Comparison and the Idealized Images of Advertising.”
The Journal of Consumer Research 18.1 (1991): 71-83. Print.
Sanford, Nevitt. “The Decline of Individualism.” Public Health Reports 85.3 (1970):
213-219. Print.
Simmel, Georg. “Individualism.” Theory, Culture & Society 24.7 (2007): 66-71.
Print.
Tosdal, Harry R. “The Advertising and Selling Process.” Annals of the American
Academy of Political and Social Science 209 (1949): 62-70. Print.
Youtube Windows 7 Commercial
URL: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MLAO9YnlJSU
A
The dynamics of the way people interact with society have always boggled the minds of most classical philosophers, but the prevalence of media’s impact on that interaction really has become the ‘Rubik’s cube’ of contemporary social research. Media subsequently tell the masses how to live, whether selling the products we HAVE to use, or paving the ways of how we are expected to behave in social situations- media’s infiltration of culture has generally been there to manipulate consumerism. The social implication that advertising-inadvertently- affects the evolvement of humans in their capacity to interact is fascinating. As an attempt to find further analysis of this phenomenon, the following literature will explore the classical theories of individualism, sex in advertising, the social implications of advertising, and the social consequences of an individualized culture.
Individualism
According to the first uses of ‘Individualisme’ (in its 19th century French original), it was the European reaction to the French Revolution to its alleged source, the thought of the Enlightenment, as unbridled ideas jeopardized the French commonwealth into “an unsocial, uncivil, unconnected chaos of elementary principles” (Lukes 45-46). Thus, the dichotomy of the needs of the ‘Individual’ will trump the needs of their relation with the ‘World’ was presented (Lukes 46). Interestingly, in the early 20th century in a region not far from France, the definition of individualism was going through a different course. The translation of Georg Simmel’s ‘Individualism’ from 1917 emphasizes the importance of individuality, and how people aspired to express this with their own signature, particularly among the Germanic and Romanic cultures. “All individual freedom, distinction and excellence are sought within these limits, and are in fact nothing other than particularly pure and strong manifestations of typical nameable attributes” (Simmel 67). As social creatures, individuals are VERY concerned about how they present themselves to the public and make sure their expressions align with social norms, whilst maintaining a personal identity. The article then goes on to pay homage to the consequence of the German yearning of individualism on a more ‘deeply German person’ as Kant who, “vested the absolute singular worth of man in the absolutely inner moral conscience of personality, creating a figure of tremendous solitude uninfluenceable in the slightest way by either divine commandment or care for personal benefit, by either opinion or historical circumstance” (Simmel 69). Henceforth, despite these articles’ observations being outdated whilst commercial media being in its nascent stages, Luke’s and Simmel’s contributions to understanding individualism as a self-awareness that separates the ‘self ‘from the ‘outside-world’, and ‘Law’ and ‘universal law’ here stand in solidarity to one another. Conversely, in a more contemporary approach, Honneth provides a thorough retro-analysis of individualism-drawing from Durkheim, Weber, and Simmel. However, Honneth’s article links the socio-cultural change with the new forms of individualism as well as capitalism’s impact on the ideology. “As the confluence of material, social, and intellectual process of change which have so many traits in common, in the manner of an elective affinity, as to have been able collectively to create a new kind of individualism” (Honneth 468). Furthermore, Honneth’s research of individualism and how it relates to Western capitalism lends a plethora of resources in the works cited that will prove detrimental in further investigation.
Sex in Advertising
Sex appeal is an effective tactic used in advertising to convey a product in a desirable/ marketable way because it demands the viewers’ attention. However, by portraying sex too explicitly the results can be adverse. For example, Levit warns that there are social consequences if the sex appeal is executed too tastelessly. Levit uses the Abercrombie & Fitch example from 2002 when the Illinois State Senate-with several non-profits backing- passed a resolution condemning A & F’s advertising/marketing practice by asking the public and shareholders to boycott their catalog entitled “XXX Wet, Hot, Summer Fun”, showing naked boys and girls ‘frolicking in natural settings’-pretty ironic for a clothes store targeted towards teenagers. Levit’s article also includes the responsible effectiveness of sex appeal when used implicitly with an example of Heineken’s “Premature Pour” ad- when a man over-pours his drink when trying to impress an attractive lady from across the bar. Despite the message being sexually suggestive, whilst making Heineken desired, the public responded with a rise in sales of 13% in its first two quarters of 2002 (Levit).
Society is all too familiar with the term that ‘sex sells’, however, in Reichert’s article he presents the statistics to prove it with an example of condoms when it comes to brand-name recall being linked to sexual appeal. In a study conducted in 1982 by Richmond & Hartmann, ‘brand-name recall was significantly lower when sexual content in the ad was not functionally related to the product than when sexual content was linked to the product” (Reichert 254). Reichert’s article also provides many other gems of analysis of sex in advertising addressing the emotional and behavioral responses from the audience. Towards the end of the article, Reichert even criticizes the lack of study and inquires if it’s the stigma of sex research for which advertising researchers don’t delve deeper on the subject but he humbly hopes his work to provide a “steppingstone” for future research on the matter~ case in point (269).
In a society that equates sex with happiness- conveniently more than money- it’s only natural for marketers to cast that advantage in a lucrative light when presenting their products. A couple of Dartmouth economists (David Blanchflower and Andrew Oswald) conducted a study on sexual activity and happiness and “estimate that increasing intercourse from once a month to once a week is equivalent to the amount of happiness generated by getting an additional $50,000 in income for the average American”(Kirchheimer). Does Sex Really make us happy? In his article, Reeves argues that the sexual angle has been so over-played that people are becoming indifferent. “Sexual imagery is losing its impact as consumers begin to ‘tune out’ the torrent of flesh on billboards and TV. Too much sex in the media has made adults immune and adolescents insecure” (Reeves 31). Reeves provides a realistic, almost comical perspective on the prevalence of sex in the media and its saturation in everyday life no longer celebrates our sexual liberation, but rather confines it to the ‘shallow sexualisation of public life’ (31).
Social Implications of Advertising
“Advertising and selling effort in so far as they influence demand may create uniformities of desires so that mass production of specialized articles may be disposed of” (Tosdal 66). It’s no secret that one of the objectives of advertisements is to skew the presentation of reality that would optimize the appearance of the product and shroud it in a positive light, thus appealing to the consumer. However, more times than not, advertisements’ presentation of ‘reality’ are far from the truth by depicting a ‘perfect’ world. The advertisement campaign that exemplifies, and even parodies, this notion are the Windows 7 commercials that show a normal person recounting a story having an issue with their PC showing a re-enactment with a more attractive person experiencing this epitome to make their PC run smoother (Youtube).In Marsha Richins’ article, “Social Comparisons and the Idealized Images of Advertising” she argues that ‘consumers see these idealized images and (consciously and unconsciously) compare their more mediocre selves and lives with the idealized images (Richins 71). As a result of this comparison from the studies she conducted, subjects become dissatisfied with their own appearance. In the same vein, Pollay argues that ‘advertising’s unintended consequences are seen by many as a pollution of our psychological and social ecology, which raises moral alarm and tempts a defensive reaction from those of us whose expertise and sense of personal worth is drawn from our knowledge of, and at least implicit assistance in, the process of persuasion” (19).
In a 1995 analysis of overt sexuality in advertising, Elliot, Jones, Benfield, and Barlow eloquently observed that, ‘it may be that their consumption of advertising symbolism young people are building a popular culture with a sexuality constructed from representations associated with their favorite consumer products. The new consumers’ ‘unpredictable decision-making power in selection and use of cultural commodities may be used to re-construct the meaning of desire and sexuality’ (212). Elliot, Richard, et al. provide a balanced optimism of sexuality in advertising and tackle the ethical controversies that surround the hot topic. However, they conclude that ‘if advertisements using overt sexuality are tightly targeted at younger consumers through appropriate media, and utilize imagery of mutuality in sexual experience, then they may have a positive role to lay in helping to transform the language of sexuality by allowing both genders to share an emancipatory choice of consumption meanings’ (Elliot, et al. 213).
Consequences of an Individualized Culture
There is much speculation of what may come of American society if it continues to follow the path it’s been on, including the theory that American culture will become dangerously individualistic and morph into ‘a nation of social isolates’ (Cerulo 353). In her essay, Cerulo investigates how America’s focus to be more individualized has a tendency to shift in accordance to certain social events and structural conditions, thus acknowledging the role of culture. Prime example of an ‘individualism surge’ occurred from 1970-1984 when a broad range of cultural sectors were immersed with messages of growing individualism. “Yet it is important to note that the culture of the period did not reflect American’s actual behavior and attitudes with a dramatic increase in individualism- behavioral and attitudinal moves toward individualism were temporary or limited in scoped” (Cerulo 360). This was a very straight-forward essay, not just in writing style, but Cerulo provides a table of important American Value definitions within the first pages that provides an invaluable reference when analyzing the ideologies.
In order to maintain a balanced perspective on the rising/falling of individualism Nevitt Sanford explores the latter by focusing on new social phenomena- devaluation of privacy, the new sexuality, group practices, and anti-intellectualism (Sanford 215-217). This research proves valuable because of its focus on the psychoanalysis of the ‘self’ as an individual surrounded by an ever-changing social culture. “Ways of consuming are guided in the interest of the market and of keeping the corporation going. There is little need for an individual to decide what he will consume because this is made clear for him in the form of advertising and the movies” (Sanford 215).
Conclusion
In conclusion, the literature reviewed here paves the way for further research as I am becoming more informed on the subject matter and learning the research skills necessary to be more thorough. The earlier works of individualism were interesting just from the standpoint that thee concepts are just as applicable 100 years ago as they are today when discussing its skeletal structure-priority of the Self over the State. Granted, the cultural landscape over time, particularly advertising, has impacted the extent of which individualism is accepted in a capitalist culture. Throughout the research conducted, I found far more information connected to some keywords more than others, and have a renewed sense of enthusiasm as I delve deeper into the subject matter. As a result, my curiosity for finding a deeper connection between the evolution of social interaction and cultural phenomenon, like advertising, lends some motivation to explore more research and what other implications can be drawn.
Works Cited
Cerulo, Karen A. “ Social Relations, Core Values, and the Polyphony of the American
Experience.” Sociological Forum 23.2 (2008): 351-362. Print.
Elliot, Richard, Abigail Jones, Andrew Benfield, and Matt Barlow. “Overt Sexuality
In Advertising: A Discourse Analysis of Gender Responses”. Journal of
Consumer Policy 18 (1995): 187-217. Print.
Honneth, Axel. “Organized Self-Realization: Some Paradoxes of Individualisation.”
European Journal of Social Theory 7.4 (2004): 463-478. Print.
Kirchheimer, Sid. “Sex Better Than Money for Happiness”. WebMD Health News.
16 Jul. 2004. Web. 20 April 2010.
URL: http://www.webmd.com/sex-relationships/guide/20061101/sex-better-
than-money-for-happiness
Levit, Mark. “Sex in Advertising: Does it Sell?” Worldpaidshop.com. Worldpaidshop,
n.d. Web. 19 Apr 2010.
URL: http://www.worldpaidshop.com/advertising/102040.php
Lukes, Steven. “The Meanings of Individualism.” Journal of the History of Ideas 32.1
(1971): 45-66. Print.
Pollay, Richard W. “The Distorted Mirror: Reflections on the Unintended Consequences
Of Advertising.” The Journal of Marketing 50.1 (1986): 18-36. Print.
Reeves, Richard. “Does sex make us happy? Don’t talk about it…” New Statesman
134.4733 (2005). 30-32. Print.
Reichert, Tom. “Sex in Advertising Research: A Review of Content, Effects, and
Functions in Sexual Information in Consumer Advertising.” Annual Review
of Sex Research 13 (2002): 241-273. Print.
Richins, Marsha L. “Social Comparison and the Idealized Images of Advertising.”
The Journal of Consumer Research 18.1 (1991): 71-83. Print.
Sanford, Nevitt. “The Decline of Individualism.” Public Health Reports 85.3 (1970):
213-219. Print.
Simmel, Georg. “Individualism.” Theory, Culture & Society 24.7 (2007): 66-71.
Print.
Tosdal, Harry R. “The Advertising and Selling Process.” Annals of the American
Academy of Political and Social Science 209 (1949): 62-70. Print.
Youtube Windows 7 Commercial
URL: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MLAO9YnlJSU
A
Sunday, April 11, 2010
What do I want to be when I grow up?
Life has been a whirlwind, but now's my time to reflect and see what part of not-Kansas it landed me in.
At the Jobby-job (my pet-name for my career) things are hectic, but I"m working with them. The remote access helps, and doesn't leave me so stressed out if I REALLY want to get something finished, I don't have to be handcuffed to my cube :P Instead, I can sit by a comfy window at my desk in my bedroom. On an even happier note, my NEW analyst starts tomorrow =0)I'm pretty stoked about somebody getting in there to alleviate some of the work. It's still going to be a little bit until she fully understands how the system works, but I'm confident she'll be a quick learner. It's just really frustrating when I'm trying to work on something, and get derailed by the little requests demanding instant gratification. Oy!
So, for my UMS class, I have to do a literature review of 12-15 articles pertaining to my interests or focus. I have to find the holes, and position myself to fill those holes in (for the future). It's a challenging thing to think of what you want to be an expert on in a few years. There's just so much information out there that I barely know where to start. I do enjoy the neurological aspect of how humans are conditioned to adapt to the new technologies. For example, how cell phones have affected the ways of which we interact and the significance of it. Like, we're giving toddlers tiny computers, so it's almost like a 6th sense by the time they're 10 yrs old and projecting their nascent thoughts of the world on facebook or myspace. It's interesting and mysterious stuff to think that this is where our future is headed. It's hard to believe that just 20 years ago, not EVERYBODY had a cell phone- human dependence on technologies compromises their senses of primitive survival, I think. At any rate, I need to do some investigating and see what sort of work is out there. woo-hoo! Knowledge- Ready or not, here I come :P
At the Jobby-job (my pet-name for my career) things are hectic, but I"m working with them. The remote access helps, and doesn't leave me so stressed out if I REALLY want to get something finished, I don't have to be handcuffed to my cube :P Instead, I can sit by a comfy window at my desk in my bedroom. On an even happier note, my NEW analyst starts tomorrow =0)I'm pretty stoked about somebody getting in there to alleviate some of the work. It's still going to be a little bit until she fully understands how the system works, but I'm confident she'll be a quick learner. It's just really frustrating when I'm trying to work on something, and get derailed by the little requests demanding instant gratification. Oy!
So, for my UMS class, I have to do a literature review of 12-15 articles pertaining to my interests or focus. I have to find the holes, and position myself to fill those holes in (for the future). It's a challenging thing to think of what you want to be an expert on in a few years. There's just so much information out there that I barely know where to start. I do enjoy the neurological aspect of how humans are conditioned to adapt to the new technologies. For example, how cell phones have affected the ways of which we interact and the significance of it. Like, we're giving toddlers tiny computers, so it's almost like a 6th sense by the time they're 10 yrs old and projecting their nascent thoughts of the world on facebook or myspace. It's interesting and mysterious stuff to think that this is where our future is headed. It's hard to believe that just 20 years ago, not EVERYBODY had a cell phone- human dependence on technologies compromises their senses of primitive survival, I think. At any rate, I need to do some investigating and see what sort of work is out there. woo-hoo! Knowledge- Ready or not, here I come :P
Wednesday, April 7, 2010
My Reaction Paper Assignment~ Originality vs Authenticity
Cheryl Names
N001763246
Discussion Sec. 7580
Reaction Paper #1~ 3/22/10
IN THE NAME OF ART: CREATIVE PURPOSE DRAWS LINE BETWEEN ETHICAL AND UNETHICAL BORROWING
"Nothing is original. Steal from anywhere that resonates with inspiration or fuels your imagination. Devour old films, new films, music, books, paintings, photographs, poems, dreams, random conversations, architecture, bridges, street signs, trees, clouds, bodies of water, light and shadows. Select only things to steal from that speak directly to your soul. If you do this, your work (and theft) will be authentic. Authenticity is invaluable; originality is non-existent. And don’t bother concealing your thievery - celebrate it if you feel like it. In any case, always remember what Jean-Luc Godard said: ‘It’s not where you take things from - it’s where you take them to.’" (Jim Jarmusch).The argument that originality has died, and only authenticity reigns is becoming the battle-cry of Generations X, Y, and Z to justify their hybrid creations of art. Plagiarism is becoming more and more a hot topic of contention as the frequencies of award-winning novelists confess to stealing from their peers and are consecrated, yet their works are successful and blaze new trails for the literary world. In my opinion, the appropriation of the work of others in the creative art world is acceptable because it conjures the imagination and unique interpretation of each individual the art speaks to and keeps the original alive in a more contemporary context. However, the academic arena of research requires more discipline and integrity, where not citing sources or giving credit where credit is due is irresponsible and sullies the work as lazy. In conclusion, I believe the communal sharing of creative works of art is acceptable because it keeps the original alive in a relatable context for future generations, and challenges authors and artists to develop something really successful to debunk the borrowing stigma; yet it is unethical to plagiarize academic writing because plagiarism renders the work unfounded with lack of proof.
First, the borrowing and sharing of creative works of art breathes new life into the original by making it understandable to an ever-changing population. For example, the same story is essentially told in West Side Story as it is in Shakespeare’s Romeo and Juliet. However, the West Side Story adaptation builds upon the original by adding contemporary use of present-day symbolism with an old plot, making it more appreciated by present and future generations that are not familiar with the original. “Mention of Shakespeare brings to mind that West Side Story is just one of the links in a chain of plagiarisms that began with Ovid’s Pyramus and Thisbe and continued with the forgotten Arthur Brooke’s the Tragical History of Romeus and Juliet, which was plundered heavily by Shakespeare.” (Posner 23). Furthermore, plagiarism in the creative sense validates the original by its sheer usage and ‘imitation being the sincerest forms of flattery’.
Next, if a work of creative art is truly ground-breaking whilst borrowing from a fellow artist, it has the potential of overcoming the plagiarism stigma while raising the bar on the standard of art. “Louis Menand, the Harvard professor and New Yorker staff writer, suggested that, as with any creative movement, if the results are compelling and profound enough, even rigid conventions come around to making what seemed like a sin into a virtue.” (Kennedy). For example, in 1996, there is the case of the “Beyala Affair” in which an African woman author (Calixthe Beyala) was found guilty of plagiarism in the High Court in Paris while in the same year she was awarded the prestigious Grand Prix du roman de L’Academie Francaise for one of the novels she allegedly plagiarized (Hitchcott 100). The unique situation of the “Beyala Affair” is a trend that is becoming more and more prevalent as more online resources- blogs, Twitter, etc- impact and inspires the literary youth.
Finally, the academic arena is where I view plagiarism as unethical and lazy because the educational institution strives to maintain and preserve intellectual honesty. “Copying text wholesale and claiming it as one’s own, particularly while attempting to hide the action, benefits no one except the lazy author “(Posner 23). Academia’s purpose is to collectively credit each contributor as an authoritative source of which can be referenced for years to come to legitimize ideas, while paving the way for students to develop more theories using the original as a precedent. Furthermore, “plagiarism is intellectual fraud that can impair ones’ (be they professors or students) academic career. It is indeed an intellectual sin for a professor to have committed plagiarism.” (Sugiharto). It is imperative for professors to play the purest role model in sourcing and citing works correctly so their students can perpetuate the discipline for generations to come.
In Conclusion, I agree with the Jim Jarmusch quote of ‘stealing anything that speaks to your soul’ only as long as it is for a creative/artistic purpose. “The artist finds she has a duty to share her work with other artists, because artists gather their inspiration from the works of others-‘a dwarf standing on the shoulders of a giant can see further than the giant himself.’” (Lacey 1533). By doing so, originality can inspire others to build upon each interpretation of the original and challenges the artist who borrows to make the work of art totally worth the prospective scrutiny and criticism. Conversely, in the realm of academics, intellectual property should stay true to form, and steer clear of plagiarizing with giving credit where credit is due; otherwise it is a gross violation of Academia. Henceforth, I believe it is unethical to plagiarize academic writing because plagiarism renders the work unfounded with lack of evidence; however the communal sharing of creative works of art is acceptable because it keeps the original alive in a relatable context for future generations, and challenges authors and artists to develop something really successful to debunk the borrowing stigma.
Works Cited
“Jim Jarmusch.” Wikipedia. Wikimedia Foundation, 16 Mar. 2010. Web. 16 Mar. 2010.
Kennedy, Randy. “The Free-Appropriation Writer.” Nytimes.com . New York Times,
26 Feb. 2010. Web. 15 Mar. 2010.
Lacey, Linda J. “Of Bread and Roses and Copyrights.” Duke Law Journal. 1989.6
(1989):1532-1596. Print.
Posner, Richard A.” On Plagiarism.” Atlantic Monthly 289.4 (2002): 23. Print.
Sugiharto, Setiono. "Our culture: A culture of plagiarism." Jakarta Post 17 Feb. 2010.
General OneFile. Web. 22 Mar. 2010.
N001763246
Discussion Sec. 7580
Reaction Paper #1~ 3/22/10
IN THE NAME OF ART: CREATIVE PURPOSE DRAWS LINE BETWEEN ETHICAL AND UNETHICAL BORROWING
"Nothing is original. Steal from anywhere that resonates with inspiration or fuels your imagination. Devour old films, new films, music, books, paintings, photographs, poems, dreams, random conversations, architecture, bridges, street signs, trees, clouds, bodies of water, light and shadows. Select only things to steal from that speak directly to your soul. If you do this, your work (and theft) will be authentic. Authenticity is invaluable; originality is non-existent. And don’t bother concealing your thievery - celebrate it if you feel like it. In any case, always remember what Jean-Luc Godard said: ‘It’s not where you take things from - it’s where you take them to.’" (Jim Jarmusch).The argument that originality has died, and only authenticity reigns is becoming the battle-cry of Generations X, Y, and Z to justify their hybrid creations of art. Plagiarism is becoming more and more a hot topic of contention as the frequencies of award-winning novelists confess to stealing from their peers and are consecrated, yet their works are successful and blaze new trails for the literary world. In my opinion, the appropriation of the work of others in the creative art world is acceptable because it conjures the imagination and unique interpretation of each individual the art speaks to and keeps the original alive in a more contemporary context. However, the academic arena of research requires more discipline and integrity, where not citing sources or giving credit where credit is due is irresponsible and sullies the work as lazy. In conclusion, I believe the communal sharing of creative works of art is acceptable because it keeps the original alive in a relatable context for future generations, and challenges authors and artists to develop something really successful to debunk the borrowing stigma; yet it is unethical to plagiarize academic writing because plagiarism renders the work unfounded with lack of proof.
First, the borrowing and sharing of creative works of art breathes new life into the original by making it understandable to an ever-changing population. For example, the same story is essentially told in West Side Story as it is in Shakespeare’s Romeo and Juliet. However, the West Side Story adaptation builds upon the original by adding contemporary use of present-day symbolism with an old plot, making it more appreciated by present and future generations that are not familiar with the original. “Mention of Shakespeare brings to mind that West Side Story is just one of the links in a chain of plagiarisms that began with Ovid’s Pyramus and Thisbe and continued with the forgotten Arthur Brooke’s the Tragical History of Romeus and Juliet, which was plundered heavily by Shakespeare.” (Posner 23). Furthermore, plagiarism in the creative sense validates the original by its sheer usage and ‘imitation being the sincerest forms of flattery’.
Next, if a work of creative art is truly ground-breaking whilst borrowing from a fellow artist, it has the potential of overcoming the plagiarism stigma while raising the bar on the standard of art. “Louis Menand, the Harvard professor and New Yorker staff writer, suggested that, as with any creative movement, if the results are compelling and profound enough, even rigid conventions come around to making what seemed like a sin into a virtue.” (Kennedy). For example, in 1996, there is the case of the “Beyala Affair” in which an African woman author (Calixthe Beyala) was found guilty of plagiarism in the High Court in Paris while in the same year she was awarded the prestigious Grand Prix du roman de L’Academie Francaise for one of the novels she allegedly plagiarized (Hitchcott 100). The unique situation of the “Beyala Affair” is a trend that is becoming more and more prevalent as more online resources- blogs, Twitter, etc- impact and inspires the literary youth.
Finally, the academic arena is where I view plagiarism as unethical and lazy because the educational institution strives to maintain and preserve intellectual honesty. “Copying text wholesale and claiming it as one’s own, particularly while attempting to hide the action, benefits no one except the lazy author “(Posner 23). Academia’s purpose is to collectively credit each contributor as an authoritative source of which can be referenced for years to come to legitimize ideas, while paving the way for students to develop more theories using the original as a precedent. Furthermore, “plagiarism is intellectual fraud that can impair ones’ (be they professors or students) academic career. It is indeed an intellectual sin for a professor to have committed plagiarism.” (Sugiharto). It is imperative for professors to play the purest role model in sourcing and citing works correctly so their students can perpetuate the discipline for generations to come.
In Conclusion, I agree with the Jim Jarmusch quote of ‘stealing anything that speaks to your soul’ only as long as it is for a creative/artistic purpose. “The artist finds she has a duty to share her work with other artists, because artists gather their inspiration from the works of others-‘a dwarf standing on the shoulders of a giant can see further than the giant himself.’” (Lacey 1533). By doing so, originality can inspire others to build upon each interpretation of the original and challenges the artist who borrows to make the work of art totally worth the prospective scrutiny and criticism. Conversely, in the realm of academics, intellectual property should stay true to form, and steer clear of plagiarizing with giving credit where credit is due; otherwise it is a gross violation of Academia. Henceforth, I believe it is unethical to plagiarize academic writing because plagiarism renders the work unfounded with lack of evidence; however the communal sharing of creative works of art is acceptable because it keeps the original alive in a relatable context for future generations, and challenges authors and artists to develop something really successful to debunk the borrowing stigma.
Works Cited
“Jim Jarmusch.” Wikipedia. Wikimedia Foundation, 16 Mar. 2010. Web. 16 Mar. 2010.
Kennedy, Randy. “The Free-Appropriation Writer.” Nytimes.com . New York Times,
26 Feb. 2010. Web. 15 Mar. 2010.
Lacey, Linda J. “Of Bread and Roses and Copyrights.” Duke Law Journal. 1989.6
(1989):1532-1596. Print.
Posner, Richard A.” On Plagiarism.” Atlantic Monthly 289.4 (2002): 23. Print.
Sugiharto, Setiono. "Our culture: A culture of plagiarism." Jakarta Post 17 Feb. 2010.
General OneFile. Web. 22 Mar. 2010.
Monday, March 15, 2010
My First Abstacts~ feels like a kodak moment
Cheryl Names
N00173246
Discussion Sec. 7580
Abstract #2~ 3/8/10
The central thesis of Tracking Technology: Web Offers a Balanced Worldview is the investigation of how the events of September 11th, 2001 catalyzed people turning to foreign media online to gain a more balanced worldview (293). It goes on to describe the tension some of these English-language publications had to deal with whilst providing an international cast of suspects in Afghanistan and Pakistan where they’re published. The major concepts central to this work are the events following September 11th and how some foreign nations played fundamental roles during that period. The author defines these terms focusing on the U.S. and the nations(s) who were suspected to be responsible.. Lappin also looked into media reaction in countries accused of participating in attack on the U.S. The research methods include interviews with the website creator of a site that has a directorial list of links to thousands of publications from over a hundred countries, and the acting director of a close-proximity to conflict zone foreign publication. Lappin also used quantitave method tracking page visitors and how the frequency spiked the day after September 11th. The only criticism I have is that.the tracking software showed numbers of visitors but not which countries they are coming from. However, this article offers some great resources accessible to foreign media.
Works Cited:
Campbell, Richard, Christopher R. Martin, and Bettina Fabos. Media & Culture: an
introduction to mass communication. 4th ed. Boston: Bedford/St. Martin’s, 2004.
Print.
Source: Todd Lappin, “Turning the Page to a Fresh Worldview, ” New York Times, October 4, 1001, p.G9.
Abstract #1~ 3/8/10
The case study article Idiots and Objects: Stereotyping in Advertising addresses the criticism revolving around stereotypes and objectifying in mainstream advertising with how genders and minorities are wrongly portrayed, if they’re portrayed at all (398). The assumption the article makes is that members of society are offended by the way advertising depicts their identities, and that it’s a gross misrepresentation of reality. The article doesn’t specify any sort of criticism, but assumes the reader understands the blanket concept or innuendo. Stereotyping and invisible stereotyping are the buzzwords presented at the nucleus of the article and the author addresses them by presenting their definitions directly. The methods of research include historical evidence of product ads as well as the mention of books that spurred social ideologies to evolve. The methods of argumentation the author is employing are to draw attention to how the sexes-men are idiots when confronted with household appliances and women are objectified as rewards to men for consuming a product- portrayed in mainstream advertising. In my opinion, the shortcomings on this article are that it primarily devotes its focus on the gender-stereotyping being represented in advertising, and doesn’t focus as much attention on minorities being under-represented in media. However, the major contribution this article provides is that it does at least address the controversial topic and suggests that improvements have been made due to the onslaught of criticism companies have endured due to their lack of minority representation in advertising.
Works Cited:
Campbell, Richard, Christopher R. Martin, and Bettina Fabos. Media & Culture: an
introduction to mass communication. 4th ed. Boston: Bedford/St. Martin’s, 2004.
Print.
B+
N00173246
Discussion Sec. 7580
Abstract #2~ 3/8/10
The central thesis of Tracking Technology: Web Offers a Balanced Worldview is the investigation of how the events of September 11th, 2001 catalyzed people turning to foreign media online to gain a more balanced worldview (293). It goes on to describe the tension some of these English-language publications had to deal with whilst providing an international cast of suspects in Afghanistan and Pakistan where they’re published. The major concepts central to this work are the events following September 11th and how some foreign nations played fundamental roles during that period. The author defines these terms focusing on the U.S. and the nations(s) who were suspected to be responsible.. Lappin also looked into media reaction in countries accused of participating in attack on the U.S. The research methods include interviews with the website creator of a site that has a directorial list of links to thousands of publications from over a hundred countries, and the acting director of a close-proximity to conflict zone foreign publication. Lappin also used quantitave method tracking page visitors and how the frequency spiked the day after September 11th. The only criticism I have is that.the tracking software showed numbers of visitors but not which countries they are coming from. However, this article offers some great resources accessible to foreign media.
Works Cited:
Campbell, Richard, Christopher R. Martin, and Bettina Fabos. Media & Culture: an
introduction to mass communication. 4th ed. Boston: Bedford/St. Martin’s, 2004.
Print.
Source: Todd Lappin, “Turning the Page to a Fresh Worldview, ” New York Times, October 4, 1001, p.G9.
Abstract #1~ 3/8/10
The case study article Idiots and Objects: Stereotyping in Advertising addresses the criticism revolving around stereotypes and objectifying in mainstream advertising with how genders and minorities are wrongly portrayed, if they’re portrayed at all (398). The assumption the article makes is that members of society are offended by the way advertising depicts their identities, and that it’s a gross misrepresentation of reality. The article doesn’t specify any sort of criticism, but assumes the reader understands the blanket concept or innuendo. Stereotyping and invisible stereotyping are the buzzwords presented at the nucleus of the article and the author addresses them by presenting their definitions directly. The methods of research include historical evidence of product ads as well as the mention of books that spurred social ideologies to evolve. The methods of argumentation the author is employing are to draw attention to how the sexes-men are idiots when confronted with household appliances and women are objectified as rewards to men for consuming a product- portrayed in mainstream advertising. In my opinion, the shortcomings on this article are that it primarily devotes its focus on the gender-stereotyping being represented in advertising, and doesn’t focus as much attention on minorities being under-represented in media. However, the major contribution this article provides is that it does at least address the controversial topic and suggests that improvements have been made due to the onslaught of criticism companies have endured due to their lack of minority representation in advertising.
Works Cited:
Campbell, Richard, Christopher R. Martin, and Bettina Fabos. Media & Culture: an
introduction to mass communication. 4th ed. Boston: Bedford/St. Martin’s, 2004.
Print.
B+
Sunday, March 14, 2010
Simple Pleasure Sunday
So, it's a Sunday I have off and I"m not entirely stressing out! Woo-hoo! It's been a whirlwind the past week, and I keep thinking about that Paul Simon lyric (yes, I'm a dork and am going to reference it :P
There is a girl in New York City,
Who calls herself the human trampoline,
And sometimes when I'm falling flying
Or tumbling in turmoil I say
Whoa so this is what she means
For Starters, It was my one and only analyst's last week on the job, already being down one person. I'm flying solo, and I just need to remember to count to ten and some breathing exercises, and everything will be JUST FINE. It's me and 21 Markets/stations varying between being metered, non-metered, and the 'waaaaaaay too much information going around-and nobody knowing what to do with it', high-maintenance LPM markets. At any rate, I'm trudging through it until I can get somebody in the position. It's going to be a few weeks until that happens (2 wks here, 2 wks there, and trained). So I'm going to have to tackle the Feb10 sweep on my lonesome for the most part. Cue: Lone Ranger Music:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hxIuIxqo2So
It's a character builder, right?
Thankfully, there hasn't been too much drama at the non-profit. I pretty much go in there and do my thing. Granted, some people call you names (like they know my last name!~ I kid) and inhumane because you can't schedule them in pronto or they feel entitled to free vet care. It's unfortunate our resources are so limited to not handle emergency & low-cost cases, but it's just not possible. We try to offer them other non-profit alternatives (and know their numbers by heart) in hopes that they don't focus on the money but rather their pet. What the clients do with that information is up to them.
I worked a little late last night doing the filing, again. I could use the money, and it needs to get done.
School is on spring break! Woo-hoo!
I'm not going to be lazy about it though. I have plenty of work to catch up on and may try to work on some future assignments. I really want to do well in school, and am trying to devote my good energies towards it. I'm just relieved to have midterms finished, and am nervous about those first couple of grades. My Ideas class was a bit challenging. I'm being re-acquainted with a flow of knowledge (critical thinking) after 4 or 5 years of laying dormant- for the most part. I also think that's because I hadn't really socialized too much with people in the class, so I didn't really have any sort of soundboard to bounce my interpretations off of. However, after class last week, a few of us went to a pub and got to know each other a little bit =0). It was really cool seeing our different backgrounds converging on this same common goal (a Masters in Media Studies), and seeing how the variations of how we *decode* the information we're gathering with grad school.
Now that we're up to speed~ Really quite a therapeutic outlet~ I need to handle my basic maintenance responsibilities ~laundry, vacuuming my room, filing bills. However, it's a Sunday, and it's MY time, so I will try to come up with a fun way of viewing these socially-absorbed tasks :P
There is a girl in New York City,
Who calls herself the human trampoline,
And sometimes when I'm falling flying
Or tumbling in turmoil I say
Whoa so this is what she means
For Starters, It was my one and only analyst's last week on the job, already being down one person. I'm flying solo, and I just need to remember to count to ten and some breathing exercises, and everything will be JUST FINE. It's me and 21 Markets/stations varying between being metered, non-metered, and the 'waaaaaaay too much information going around-and nobody knowing what to do with it', high-maintenance LPM markets. At any rate, I'm trudging through it until I can get somebody in the position. It's going to be a few weeks until that happens (2 wks here, 2 wks there, and trained). So I'm going to have to tackle the Feb10 sweep on my lonesome for the most part. Cue: Lone Ranger Music:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hxIuIxqo2So
It's a character builder, right?
Thankfully, there hasn't been too much drama at the non-profit. I pretty much go in there and do my thing. Granted, some people call you names (like they know my last name!~ I kid) and inhumane because you can't schedule them in pronto or they feel entitled to free vet care. It's unfortunate our resources are so limited to not handle emergency & low-cost cases, but it's just not possible. We try to offer them other non-profit alternatives (and know their numbers by heart) in hopes that they don't focus on the money but rather their pet. What the clients do with that information is up to them.
I worked a little late last night doing the filing, again. I could use the money, and it needs to get done.
School is on spring break! Woo-hoo!
I'm not going to be lazy about it though. I have plenty of work to catch up on and may try to work on some future assignments. I really want to do well in school, and am trying to devote my good energies towards it. I'm just relieved to have midterms finished, and am nervous about those first couple of grades. My Ideas class was a bit challenging. I'm being re-acquainted with a flow of knowledge (critical thinking) after 4 or 5 years of laying dormant- for the most part. I also think that's because I hadn't really socialized too much with people in the class, so I didn't really have any sort of soundboard to bounce my interpretations off of. However, after class last week, a few of us went to a pub and got to know each other a little bit =0). It was really cool seeing our different backgrounds converging on this same common goal (a Masters in Media Studies), and seeing how the variations of how we *decode* the information we're gathering with grad school.
Now that we're up to speed~ Really quite a therapeutic outlet~ I need to handle my basic maintenance responsibilities ~laundry, vacuuming my room, filing bills. However, it's a Sunday, and it's MY time, so I will try to come up with a fun way of viewing these socially-absorbed tasks :P
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