Question # 11

In the article “Inventing the Cosmo Girl: Class Identity and Girl-Style American Dreams” the author, Laurie Ouellette reflects upon the events leading up to the creation of the legendary women’s magazine “Cosmopolitan.” This article also discusses the inner workings of class during the 1960s when this magazine was being brought about. According to this article, the founder of “Cosmopolitan,” Helen Gurley Brown, originally developed the idea of a women’s magazine that would allow middle class women to realize that their “identity” was “something that could always be reworked, improved upon and even dramatically changed.” (118) She also wanted to develop a women’s magazine that would allow women to improve their appearance by copying the fashions and cosmetics seen on models. Furthermore, Brown hoped to create a magazine that could give woman advice as to how to “get in a position to sink a man.” (120) As a result, “Cosmopolitan” was originally seen as a rather historically important act of feminism based on it’s “emphasis on female sexuality,” and its inclusion of other information that provided women with the ways in which they could “snag” a successful and desirable man.

This article in many ways supports the idea the women’s magazines do in fact seek to give women independence, success, and confidence. However, this article can also support the idea that although these magazines seek to develop that which is Woman, this hope is ultimately extinguished by the fact that in order to “be successful” women must appear and act a certain way in order to win over a man. In the end, “hegemony” and the “male gaze” still exercise their dominance over the amount of success a woman can achieve and the ways in which she can achieve it.

Furthermore, in the article “Women Read the Romance: The Interaction of Text and Context” by Janice A. Radway, the author discusses the findings of a series of interviews completed in order to gather information concerning romance novels and their readers. Based on the conclusions of these studies one can easily establish that romance novels are for the most part popular among mothers, the majority of whom are looking to escape the “pressures” of their everyday lives. Furthermore, this article states that women often times look to romance novels as a means to “take their minds off everyday matters” (69), evoke a sense of hope and contentment and as a means to reassure themselves of their “special status and unique identity.”

Specifically, this last reason why women often read romance novels, also proves to exemplify the way in which men are able to assert their dominance over women. The fact that women need to establish a sense of self through the stories of heroines and their nurturing and masculine lovers, aids in developing the fact that men are still very able to exercise control over women.

The arguments of both of these articles, along with my overall topic for the semester, can summed up and/or depicted in this Burberry advertisement. Although, the male subjects in this advertisements appear to femininized due to their long hair, narrow bodies and soft facial features, they are still nevertheless dominant over the female subject. This dominance comes as a result of the fact that the female is outnumbered by males in this image and also as a result of the fact that male dominance over women is still very much a part of our culture, despite the fact that women try to challenge it.

Question # 10

In Jean Baudrillard’s artible “Simulacra and Simulations” he discusses the way in which our world has lost both its perception of “reality” and its perception of the “abstract.” He explains that we have not only lost track of reality and that which is “real” but, we have also lost track of the “magic of the concept” or the “ideal.” In this article he also develops the idea of the “hyperreal” which refers to all that is produced by complete “simulation.” The “hyperreal” describes a one dimensional world that no longer has “the ideal” or “the real,” but is rather a world developed by the substituting of “signs.” This idea of “simulation and simulacra” in many ways can be connected to Karl Marx’s constructions of the “superstructure.” Marx developed the “superstructure” as a means to explain the way in which the desires of the people are filtered through the “super structure” or “hegemony” in order to create what society actually is. Therefore, in a sense Marx’s idea of the “superstructure” could in fact be the reason why culture has begun to develop characteristics of the “hyperreal.” As a result of the fact that the differences and unique desires of individuals are being filtered out through the “superstructure” or “hegemony” our world could eventually only allow us to “substitute signs” in order to become a product of the simulation of our culture.

In the article “Advertising and the Political Economy of Lesbian/Gay Identity” the author Fejes explains the way in which gay men have “achieved equality” through their consumer profile. Advertisements and other forms of media have in recent years come to the realization that gay men are the ideal consumer based off of their typically above average incomes and their tendency to splurge on clothing, travel and other products. In addition, in the article “Black Sitcoms Portrayals” by Robin R. Means Coleman, the author reveals peoples opinions regarding many sitcoms and television shoes featuring African American characters. In conclusion, this article states that “hegemony” or the “superstructure” has only allowed for certain, positive aspects of African American culture to be seen in media outlets. Therefore, similarly to the way gay men have only been partially accepted for their consumer profiles, African Americans have also only been partially accepted by the “superstructure.”

This image featuring many images seen in “Vogue” magazine depicts the ideas developed in these three articles in the sense that for the most part all of the women in these pictures look relatively a like. Therefore, their similarities in a way embodies the complete “simulation” of our culture, which will most likely come as the result of Marx’s superstructure. Essentially both of these constructions call for all people to portray the same image that “hegemony” has declared is right. In other words, the fact that all of these models are tall, beautiful, attractive and possess symbols of wealth, may reflect the overall goal of “hegemony,” the “superstructure” and the “hyperreal.”

Question #9

“The Onion’s” mock “special report” regarding the future death of Paul McCartney is in many ways very representative of the type of news updates released shortly after the deaths of other important figures. Many similarities can be seen in both “the Onion” video clip as well as a real NBC news broadcast covering the death of pop-legend Michael Jackson. As you can see, both of these “death” scenarios were treated as “breaking news.” In turn, the humor presented in this news report’s celebration of Paul McCartney’s future death, develops the idea of “agenda-setting.” “Agenda-setting” refers to the fact that cultural values ultimately set the agenda of what will be featured in the news. Therefore, the excitement surrounding the eventual death of Paul McCartney, reveals the importance culture places on the deaths of iconic people. Therefore, the real NBC news clip covering the death of Michael Jackson proves to be the perfect example of this idea. Furthermore, the fake news report covering Paul McCartney’s future death also revealed the details that would be covered when he does eventually pass. These details included information as to where the funeral will be held, the responses of fans and the inevitable criticisms that will come about after his death. This prediction, regarding the future news broadcasts covering McCartney’s death, reflects the idea of “gate-keeping.” “Gate-keeping” refers to the fact that the news wishes to reveal only certain aspects of a news story. Furthermore, “gate-keeping” also refers to the fact that news stations have the control that enables them to withhold information from the public if they so choose.

Excitement Growing Among Beatles Fans For Paul McCartney's Funeral

Question #8

1. Karl Marx developed the basis for both cultural and political economics, two ideologies that as discussed in Grossberg’s article, “Cultural Studies vs. Political Economy: Is anyone else bored with this debate?” are often perceived as being completely different. Simply, cultural studies are developed around the way in which culture influences the world. Political economics, on the other hand deals more with the way in which the power of the economics influences the world. According to Grossberg’s article, “Cultural Studies vs. Political Economy: Is anyone else bored with this debate?” political economist continually criticize cultural studies, claiming that this study completely ignores the institutions of cultural production and economics. Furthermore, this article also states that political economist argue that cultural studies proves to only celebrate popular culture and as a result, fails to develop a capable understanding of “the real structures of power, domination and oppression.” (626) In addition, Grossberg’s article touches upon the fact that political economists believe that the focus of cultural studies is too local and therefore has “taken away from any sense of broader social context of unequal power relations.” (pg 626) This idea regarding cultural studies and the ideas surrounding political economics could in many ways be applied to “Mouse Trapped 2010” and “Mickey Mouse Monopoly.” Specifically, economical information given in both of these films helps the viewer, along with political economist, to better understand the way in which this company has developed into a “powerful, dominating and oppressive” structure. Furthermore, these ideas discussed in Grossberg’s article also support the idea that for the most part most institutions and businesses like Disney, are purely out for economic success rather than moral satisfaction.

Question #7

“Appropriation” refers to the act giving new meaning to an adopted or borrowed object, event, or other signifier. In other words, “appropriation” describes the way in which the borrowed objects, events, or other signifiers are removed from their original contexts and are ultimately placed in a new ones. “Re-appropriation” on the other hand, refers to the cultural process by which a cultural institution or group can reclaim or “re-appropriate” the meaning of a cultural signifier, object or event. In other words, “re-appropriation” is often times a planned action of a group developed as a means to “take back” an object, event, or signifier that is typically assimilated to them in a negative way. This video, “How to Make Your Breasts Look Bigger,” can be viewed as both a “appropriation” and “re-appropriation” of sexual signifiers from early pornography. “Appropriation” is developed in this video through it’s use of realistic situations, such as air condition problems, as a means to develop a plot that in the end is based on a sexual encounter rather than actually getting your air conditioner fixed. “Re-appropriation” is developed in this video through its continued references to pornographic films through its use of language, the plot, cinematography, and the physical appearances of the characters. In the end, by having the female character turn down a sexual encounter after seemingly trying to entice one throughout the film, the sexual signifiers surrounding pornography are in a sense reclaimed or “re-appropriated” by this group of people or the pornographic industry.

Question #6

“Globalization” describes the way in which different cultures have, over the years, come in contact with each other and have as a result become integrated. “Globalization” refers to not only the integration of industry and the economy but, also the integration of other aspects of culture. “Globalization,” has become significantly more predominant in modern times due to colonization, trade, immigration, and use of technology. Furthermore, increased means of transportation and communication, on a global scale, have enabled different cultures to come in contact with one another more often. In turn, “cultural hybrids” or the instances in which multiple cultures integrate into one, prove to be just one of the resulting factors of “globalization.” Another, result of “globalization” is that which is considered to be “exotic.” Due to “globalization” and “cultural imperialism,” outlooks on what is believed to be the “norm” have been developed throughout the world. (ex. “Americanism,” “McDonaldization”) Therefore, those things that fall outside the framework of “globalized” institutions are considered to be the “exotic.” The mystery and interest developed surrounding the “exotic” has resulted in there “appropriation” in advertising. Similarly, to this “American Express” advertisement, often times aspects of “exotic” cultures, in this case the idea of the music, clothing, language, and food in Arab culture, are used to entice an audience. Furthermore, the interest developed around these fake visions of the “exotic,” are a means by which companies like, “American Express,” can catch the eye of the Western, or “Americanized” consumer.

Question #5

“Ideology” is a way of looking at the world, it is on an everyday basis a reference to what is considered to be “common sense.” “Hegemony,” is the way in which culture sustains “common sense” or “ideology.” In other words, one can view “hegemony” as developing what is considered to be the “status quo” throughout culture. In turn, “hegemony” is sustained by the institutions or social structures, created by culture, that have developed and continue to develop what is considered to be “ideology.” This quiz reflects “ideology” in the sense that it calls upon a person’s “common sense.” This quiz is based on what would be considered the socially acceptable urinal to use when their are others in the bathroom. Upon taking this quiz I was able to get most of the questions right because I am familiar with “ideology” and have “common sense.” This “common sense” or “ideology,” that has allowed me to successfully complete this quiz, reflects my exposure to the institutions (ex. school, church. the workplace etc.) that make-up “hegemony.”