Cristina made some great connections between discussions of the frontier vis-a-vis consumer culture in our composition course and discussions of the frontier vis-a-vis military culture in her history course. Here's part of her correspondence:
I am taking a history class now called "American Military Culture". I was just reading from the text when I came across something that kind of made me laugh because it had to do with our discussion of the American frontier used in advertisement as part of the American culture. Here it is:
"The roots of American strategic culture lie in a frontier tradition, an experience and expectation of success in national endeavors, experience with an abundance of resources for defense, a dominant political philosophy of liberal idealism, and a sense of separateness-moral and geostrategic-from the evil doings of the Old World." (Colin Gray)
So far since I started reading this book, I feel that it is a long persuasive essay on how war should be and is culturally acceptable and that soldiers act in accordance to and only for society. I just thought that it was hilarious that he used the American frontier to sort of push and justify his belief a little more.
Making these sorts of connections will help extend and deepen your analysis of consumer culture for your essays. And I hope all of you will begin to notice how such cultural motifs and myths (e.g., frontier, counterculture) underlie all parts of your life, including your life of reading and thinking for other courses.
Monday, February 9, 2009
Thursday, February 5, 2009
Hipster Nation
“If culture involves consuming, and counter culture is a kind of culture, then isn’t it a consuming culture?”
The validity of this statement depends on one’s definition of “counter-culture.” If it is defined as the rebellious teen who buys Ray Ban’s and wears skinny jeans to declare his or her individuality and rebellious nature, then absolutely, he or she is simply feeding the consumer society monster. Buying products that have attached themselves to an idea or stereotype of rebellion is no more rebellious then buying a Raulph Lauren polo and vacationing on a beach in the Hamptons. This idea of buying products to declare a statement or identity was elucidated in class “I shop; therefore I am.” The most recent example of a countercultural fad is the hipster style. Young adults dress in a messy manner, resembling a fushion of both the hippy style of the seventies and the grunge fad of the early to mid ninties. Although some of these individuals look as if their clothing came out of a dumpster, most of it is quite pricey. At stores who embrace this look such as, Urban Outfitters and American Apperal a cotton t-shirt can cost as much as 50 dollars.
However, not all individuals declare themselves with the product buy, but rather through their countercultural actions and ideals. This definition of counterculture depends on one’s level of involvement in a consumer society. Whether the choice is to conform to the full on “Disneyified”, “McDonaldized”, or so called, “Americanized” version of one ’s self or chose to participate in consumerism solely for the purpose of buying necessities. One can choose, for the most part, to opt out of capitalistic society. The monster of consumer driven culture is alive and well, and will go on without one individual's participation, but why feed the beast and allow it to grow larger? Separation from this society allows one to become more aware of the true nature of life, creativity, and individualism. Counterculture has nothing to do with the music one buys and listens to, the clothing one wears, or any other product that has disguised itself as an idea of rebellion. It is finding one’s own path to individuality and the actions (hopefully non-violent) that are taken against consumerism. The individual takes a stance, defends an idea, even when the pack disagrees. An example of the emptiness of defining one's self through consummerism is conveyed in Thomas Frank's article "Countercultural Consumerism", as he quotes Abbie Hoffman who states in his literature, Steal this Book, "A revolution in consciousness is an empty high with a revolution in the distribution of power.” Purchasing so called "countercultural" paraphernalia is just feeding the capitalistic monster in a different way.
The Pepsi commercial demonstrates the way in which advertisements have adopted revolutionary themes and ideals, such as female empowerment (the woman slapping the inappropriate man), the socio-politcal commotion of the Sixties, and the end of the cold war, as portrayed in the Pepsi commercial. These movements had absolutely nothing to do with Pepsi’s product, but rather the ideas of the time, and the actions taken by the true counter cultural individuals. Pepsi has attempted to attach itself on these ideas and thus degrades them, claiming whoever drinks Pepsi will be linked to these revolutionaries and create revolutions of their own. In reality, it is true Pepsi was in existence during these time periods, but it was not a contributing factor to any “refreshing” rebellion, nor linked to the counter cultural society.
Here is a website that depicts the infamous, “hipster.” I found it interesting reading about people who hypocritically assert themselves as individuals via buying into “counter cultural” consumerism.
http://www.hipsterhandbook.com/
The validity of this statement depends on one’s definition of “counter-culture.” If it is defined as the rebellious teen who buys Ray Ban’s and wears skinny jeans to declare his or her individuality and rebellious nature, then absolutely, he or she is simply feeding the consumer society monster. Buying products that have attached themselves to an idea or stereotype of rebellion is no more rebellious then buying a Raulph Lauren polo and vacationing on a beach in the Hamptons. This idea of buying products to declare a statement or identity was elucidated in class “I shop; therefore I am.” The most recent example of a countercultural fad is the hipster style. Young adults dress in a messy manner, resembling a fushion of both the hippy style of the seventies and the grunge fad of the early to mid ninties. Although some of these individuals look as if their clothing came out of a dumpster, most of it is quite pricey. At stores who embrace this look such as, Urban Outfitters and American Apperal a cotton t-shirt can cost as much as 50 dollars.
However, not all individuals declare themselves with the product buy, but rather through their countercultural actions and ideals. This definition of counterculture depends on one’s level of involvement in a consumer society. Whether the choice is to conform to the full on “Disneyified”, “McDonaldized”, or so called, “Americanized” version of one ’s self or chose to participate in consumerism solely for the purpose of buying necessities. One can choose, for the most part, to opt out of capitalistic society. The monster of consumer driven culture is alive and well, and will go on without one individual's participation, but why feed the beast and allow it to grow larger? Separation from this society allows one to become more aware of the true nature of life, creativity, and individualism. Counterculture has nothing to do with the music one buys and listens to, the clothing one wears, or any other product that has disguised itself as an idea of rebellion. It is finding one’s own path to individuality and the actions (hopefully non-violent) that are taken against consumerism. The individual takes a stance, defends an idea, even when the pack disagrees. An example of the emptiness of defining one's self through consummerism is conveyed in Thomas Frank's article "Countercultural Consumerism", as he quotes Abbie Hoffman who states in his literature, Steal this Book, "A revolution in consciousness is an empty high with a revolution in the distribution of power.” Purchasing so called "countercultural" paraphernalia is just feeding the capitalistic monster in a different way.
The Pepsi commercial demonstrates the way in which advertisements have adopted revolutionary themes and ideals, such as female empowerment (the woman slapping the inappropriate man), the socio-politcal commotion of the Sixties, and the end of the cold war, as portrayed in the Pepsi commercial. These movements had absolutely nothing to do with Pepsi’s product, but rather the ideas of the time, and the actions taken by the true counter cultural individuals. Pepsi has attempted to attach itself on these ideas and thus degrades them, claiming whoever drinks Pepsi will be linked to these revolutionaries and create revolutions of their own. In reality, it is true Pepsi was in existence during these time periods, but it was not a contributing factor to any “refreshing” rebellion, nor linked to the counter cultural society.
Here is a website that depicts the infamous, “hipster.” I found it interesting reading about people who hypocritically assert themselves as individuals via buying into “counter cultural” consumerism.
http://www.hipsterhandbook.com/
Tuesday, February 3, 2009
Food and Counter Culture
www.independent.co.uk/life-style/food-and-drink/features/counter-culture-642406.html
This link bring you to the British news website of independent.co.uk. The article that the link leads you to is about how food and drinks are apart of counter culture. The article also explains the future os food shopping and how certain foods become fashionable and trendy and how food is used to sell other products.
Monday, February 2, 2009
IGGY in other Commercials
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yYnydYrZPp8
Iggy Pop is actually the one acting in the commercial. How crazy is that. I TOUCHED IGGY POP's head at a concert. Bad idea... he's really quite sweaty.
Friday, January 30, 2009
THE REVOLUTION WILL BE . . . CARBONATED?
We’ve been talking in class about the relationship between countercultures and consumer culture, but what is “counterculture”? What does counterculture “counter”? And before defining “counterculture,” it seems that we need to first define “culture.” Some people get very upset when they hear the music of Iggy Pop or The Flaming Lips used to sell cruises and cars in TV commercials. According to some people, these artists have "sold out." But is counterculture necessarily counter to the culture of consumption? If culture involves consuming, and if counterculture is a kind of culture, then isn’t counterculture also a kind of consumer culture? Is there even such a thing as a culture--counter or otherwise--that exists outside the economics of buying and selling? Is it simply nostalgia masquerading as concern for a genuinely "counter" culture that no longer seems to counter anything? At the very least, there's something ironic in the proprietary rhetoric of the counterculture consumer who states that artist such-and-such has "sold out."
As an example of countercultural signs used in consumer advertising, here’s a Pepsi commercial that aired during the inauguration. The commercial is part of Pepsi’s “Refresh Everything” campaign, which seems to be an extension of the older “Pepsi Generation” (viz "My Generation") campaign.
Notice how iconic images of youth culture/counterculture/rebellion are used to sell the product, the narrative cleverly moving from one historical era to another. So for example the man with Pepsi in hand who steps through space (from Berlin to some grunge stage, maybe Seattle?) AND time (from fall of Berlin Wall, 1989, to 1990s grunge scene). What connects the flapper to the hippie to the grunge audience isn’t a countercultural ideology but a consumer product: Pepsi. On a denotative level, Pepsi has but a small part, a cameo in each historical moment. On a connotative level, it’s the one thing connecting all people, all places, all times; and it's what "refreshes everything," from one generation to the next. Of course, there’s an acoustic corollary in the Who song, “My Generation,” which ties together the images into a single narrative, albeit changing musical genres to fit the “sound” of each generation (Big Band, Disco, Grunge, Rap, and so on). It’s Heraclitus the Ad Man: Pepsi is change, change is constant.
To help prepare everyone for secondary research, please submit a comment to this post that includes a hyperlink to one website that focuses on analysis of counterculture or the use of countercultural signs in advertising. Below the hyperlink, type a sentence or two in your comment that summarizes the website (name of website, what is found there, useful resources, and so on). Suggestion: try to post a link to an edu (“education”) or org (“organization) site versus com (“commercial”) site.
As an example of countercultural signs used in consumer advertising, here’s a Pepsi commercial that aired during the inauguration. The commercial is part of Pepsi’s “Refresh Everything” campaign, which seems to be an extension of the older “Pepsi Generation” (viz "My Generation") campaign.
Notice how iconic images of youth culture/counterculture/rebellion are used to sell the product, the narrative cleverly moving from one historical era to another. So for example the man with Pepsi in hand who steps through space (from Berlin to some grunge stage, maybe Seattle?) AND time (from fall of Berlin Wall, 1989, to 1990s grunge scene). What connects the flapper to the hippie to the grunge audience isn’t a countercultural ideology but a consumer product: Pepsi. On a denotative level, Pepsi has but a small part, a cameo in each historical moment. On a connotative level, it’s the one thing connecting all people, all places, all times; and it's what "refreshes everything," from one generation to the next. Of course, there’s an acoustic corollary in the Who song, “My Generation,” which ties together the images into a single narrative, albeit changing musical genres to fit the “sound” of each generation (Big Band, Disco, Grunge, Rap, and so on). It’s Heraclitus the Ad Man: Pepsi is change, change is constant.
To help prepare everyone for secondary research, please submit a comment to this post that includes a hyperlink to one website that focuses on analysis of counterculture or the use of countercultural signs in advertising. Below the hyperlink, type a sentence or two in your comment that summarizes the website (name of website, what is found there, useful resources, and so on). Suggestion: try to post a link to an edu (“education”) or org (“organization) site versus com (“commercial”) site.
Tuesday, November 18, 2008
Response to Mark Laessig’s blog
"According to this definition, I am not a feminist. Although I do support the rights of women, I also believe that men are equal as well." - Mark Laessig
As long as someone believes that women should be equal to men they are a feminist. If you believe in the cause to bring equality to the genders, this in no way means that you do not believe that men are equal. The statement,"I also believe that men are equal as well" is irrelevant to whether or not you are a feminist. Obviously in this country of the two genders, Women are the oppressed. That is the key reason why feminism exists, to make equal the two genders. The fact that you believe men are equal to women and vice-versa is exactly what makes you a feminist and saying that you are not a feminist for this exact reason is invalid. As long as you believe that there should be no difference in any socio-economical matter between the two sexes, you are a feminist!
I am a Feminist Critique
The word feminine means anything pertaining to women. The word feminist and feminine are related because they both have the same origin and they are both related to woman. In the post by Jason Boas his definition of a feminist was one that is willing to stand up the rights of both men and women. Boas states, ‘’so, a feminist would be someone who encourages the movement to make men and women equal,’’ I disagree. I think a feminist is a person that encourages the movement for equal rights of women. Women’ rights have always been challenged in the work place, school, and home. I disagree with Boas’s definition because the rights of men did not have to be fought for and the word feminist is related to women.
Blog 4
To disagree with Kevin Ly's post, men and women are different, but that is not what the definition of feminism he chose means. He found a definition stating that feminism is (1) the theory of the political, economic, and social equality of the sexes and (2), an organized activity on behalf of women's rights and interests. This definition explains that feminism is the movement that fights for women’s equal rights, not the difference between men and women. Kevin describes the difference between men and women. This has nothing to do with the definition that he chose. He explains that women are better at some things than men, and men are better than women at some things. With this, he states that women have equal rights, but they may not be visible because they may not be as good at something a man does. When Kevin explains these “probabilities,” no where does he relate his case towards the definition of feminism. He believes that both women and men are equal, and is considered a non-feminist, but his explanation does not coincide with the definition.
- Cory Goulet
- Cory Goulet
In response to Kevin Ly's post
Kevin Ly’s definition of feminism was “the theory of the political, economic and social equality of the sexes” (Merriam-Webster). This definitions means that women should be treated equally in all of these categories. Nowhere in the definition of feminism does it say that men and women are the same. Kevin states that men and women are different. Men and women are not the same, but they should be treated equally if they do the same thing. Kevin then makes generalizations about the norms of men and women. He then admits that there are exceptions to the gender norms. The feminism definition is to protection those who are not doing the gender norm. They should get equal treatment and pay. That is why Kevin maybe should be a feminist.
Feminist critique
I disagree with Ian Friedman’s blog post in which he states that he is not a feminist because feminism teaches that men and women are not equal. Specifically he says “In order to be a feminist one must believe that men and women are different.” This is not true. Merriam-Webster defines feminism as “the theory of the political, economic, and social equality of the sexes”. He goes on to say that he does support the equality of the two genders. Therefore he is a feminist because feminism is not giving one gender special privileges, but rather making men and women equal in all ways.
-Ryan Sussman
-Ryan Sussman
Blog 4 Assignment
"In my personal experience women are more than capable to do everything that a man can do."
-Olsian Goxhaj
I believe that this statement is somewhat false. Women may be able to do the same thing as men, but some jobs men are more qualified to do. Jobs such as lawyers, police, doctors are all equal among men and women. Jobs that I believe men can do better then women are more are jobs such as construction. Jobs that require more strength, I believe men can do better. Also, women can do things better then men. I believe there are things that women and men are both good at. They may differ but they have positive traits in individual categories.
Shane Varughese
-Olsian Goxhaj
I believe that this statement is somewhat false. Women may be able to do the same thing as men, but some jobs men are more qualified to do. Jobs such as lawyers, police, doctors are all equal among men and women. Jobs that I believe men can do better then women are more are jobs such as construction. Jobs that require more strength, I believe men can do better. Also, women can do things better then men. I believe there are things that women and men are both good at. They may differ but they have positive traits in individual categories.
Shane Varughese
Why I Am Not A Feminist Critique
The original quote from the post was "I am not a feminist. The reason is simple: Men and women are different, there are certain things women can never do and certain things men can never do." I disagree with this statement because being Feminism does not necessarily mean that women and men can do exactly the same thing. When talking about job positions and obligations and so forth, women and men can do the same thing. This is what feminists are pushing for, the equal treatment for women to do anything that a man can do that a women can do as well. I believe the quote is too broad. There are definitely things that men can not do and there are things that women can not do. For example, a genetically born male can never give birth. This is impossible, men are not genetically able to do so. So to say that one is not feminist do to the fact that there are things that men and women can not do while the other can is not a fair argument. If a man must be able to give birth in order for feminists to be successful, then their fight will be a long time running.
Blog 4 Assignment
For this assignment, I chose to argue the reasoning behind Ian Friedman's choice on why he was not a feminist. Ian states that, ""I am not a feminist because I believe that men and women are both human beings therefore they are equal. In order to be a feminist one must believe that men and women are different." Feminism does not mean that a women thinks that she is different or superior to a man. Being feminist means being for the equalization of the sexes and for the progression of women. So by simply stating that you do not consider yourself a feminist due to the fact that you believe men and women are equal, you are actually reinforcing the argument of the feminists.
"Why i am a Feminist" critique
I definitely think the rights of women are challenged in today’s society.
Posted by Whitney Louisaire at 4:13 PM 0 comments
“Belief in the need to secure rights and opportunities for women equal to those of men, or a commitment to securing these.” This definition is used in a blog post by Whitney Louisaire to define whether she is a feminist or not. In her blog, she states that she is a feminist, and states, “I definitely think the rights of women are challenged in today’s society.” I do not believe this is true. As I have used as an example for my posting of my belief, if two doctors, one man and the other woman, that specialized in the same field does not mean that the man doctor would be better at performing surgery then the woman doctor.
Posted by Whitney Louisaire at 4:13 PM 0 comments
“Belief in the need to secure rights and opportunities for women equal to those of men, or a commitment to securing these.” This definition is used in a blog post by Whitney Louisaire to define whether she is a feminist or not. In her blog, she states that she is a feminist, and states, “I definitely think the rights of women are challenged in today’s society.” I do not believe this is true. As I have used as an example for my posting of my belief, if two doctors, one man and the other woman, that specialized in the same field does not mean that the man doctor would be better at performing surgery then the woman doctor.
This is a response to a poster who said they were not a feminist. In the post it reads, "I feel that both males and females are pretty much viewed as equals now in America. Even though there are some advantages to be a male there are also a lot of advantages to be a female." Being a feminist has nothing to do with who has the most advantages, it is how the seperate genders are treated and the want for women and men to be treated equally. In 2000, the average pay for women was only 75% of what it was for men. Women take up 46% of the American workforce, but only 40% of managers are women, and less then 5% of top managers are women. More women then men have a high school degree and even more earn a college degree. How is this equal?
Blog 4 Assignment
In response to Mark Laessig’s blog post, I disagree with his reasoning as to why he is not a feminist. He states that feminist’s are people who “[stand] for just men and not women,” but in reality feminists are only trying to make women equal to men. He goes on to say that “today women have as many opportunities as men,” but this is clearly incorrect. According to CNN.com, “the average 25-year-old woman who works full-time, year-round until she retires at age 65 will earn $523,000 less than the average working man.” Also if “both sexes are seen as equal to most,” then there would not be hundreds of thousands of feminists in America and government imposed programs such as affirmative action attempting to make all people equal.
http://www.cnn.com/2004/US/Careers/10/22/equal.pay/index.html
http://www.cnn.com/2004/US/Careers/10/22/equal.pay/index.html
Whay I am a Feminist Critique
In response to Sean Pastor's comment, "According to this definition and this article feminism is basically what is said. It is the idea that women are people. If that is the only qualification to be considered a feminist, that women are to be classified as a person, then yes I would have to consider myself a feminist, because women are alive and they are people plain and simple". I believe he got the wrong concept, because you can still believe women are people and they should have the same rights, but not be a feminist. Feminists stand for the rights of women and thats it. The difference between me and a feminist is that, I stand for both men and women. We are all equal and deserve the same rights. So you don't necessarily have to be a feminist to stick up for women's rights or to believe that they are individuals as well.
In response to Jason Boas' blog
This is in response to Jason Boas “Why I am A Feminist” blog. Boas reason for being a feminist does not coincide with his definition, which is “ the movement for social, political and economic equality of men and women.” The word movement as defined by elook.org is, “a group of people with a common ideology who try together to achieve certain general goals. Therefore if the meaning of the word feminist should be restated it would say, “ a group of people or a person who advocates for political and social fairness between men and women.” Boas states “ a feminist is, in the broadest sense of the term, someone who simply believes that men and women should be equal in all sociopolitical aspects, as well as in anyway there is unfair burden on women founded on chauvinistic ideology, then yes, I am a feminist.” Clearly from his definition a feminist does not merely believe in gender equality but he or she also campaigns for equality, whether it is done proactively or passively. Boas’s grounds for being a feminist does not concur with his definition, to me he is pro-feminist.
Critique against "Why I am a feminist"
Why I Am A feminist
Feminist-the doctrine advocating social, political, and all other rights of women equal to those of men.
As mentioned in the definition a feminist is one who advocates for equal rights for women in all social institutions. I am not an activist, nor do i go around shouting "equal rights for women," but i do stand up for womens rights when comfornted by anyone and I aslo belive that all men and women should be treated equal. Thats why i believe that I am a feminist. For more than a century women have been treated unequally in just about every social institution: labour force, education, family,church, politics etc. Women have been treated like objects such as: "trophies," sex objects, dummies ect. And many times,their beauty has been used to validate their success rather than their interlect. Althougth times have changed and many laws have been implented to turn back the ominious hand of unequality, such gender tension still exsist. The time for complete equality among men and women is long overdue, and I believe that more work needs to be done to identify the different diparities of basis-ness and , alos new methods should be put in place to eleminate them.
http://dictionary.reference.com/search?r=2&q=feminist
As mentioned in the definition a feminist is one who advocates for equal rights for women in all social institutions. I am not an activist, nor do i go around shouting "equal rights for women," but i do stand up for womens rights when comfornted by anyone and I aslo belive that all men and women should be treated equal. Thats why i believe that I am a feminist. For more than a century women have been treated unequally in just about every social institution: labour force, education, family,church, politics etc. Women have been treated like objects such as: "trophies," sex objects, dummies ect. And many times,their beauty has been used to validate their success rather than their interlect. Althougth times have changed and many laws have been implented to turn back the ominious hand of unequality, such gender tension still exsist. The time for complete equality among men and women is long overdue, and I believe that more work needs to be done to identify the different diparities of basis-ness and , alos new methods should be put in place to eleminate them.
http://dictionary.reference.com/search?r=2&q=feminist
WHY I AM NOT A FEMINIST CRITIQUE
The original quote is "I am not a feminist because I believe that men and women are both human beings therefore they are equal. In order to be a feminist one must believe that men and women are different." I agree with you that both men and women are humans therefore they are equal, however, they are not treated or seen as equals. The world is heavily dominated by males. Females have always been oppressed by males. You don't hear about domestic violence being a woman beat up her husband. And i also disagree to your comment of "In order to be a feminist one must believe that men and women are different." Feminists just mean that you do a lot of things to help the female society.
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