shaken dynamics
The first class in any seminar is particualrly dreadful to go to. This is the class where the teachers inform you of reality. After already being in class for a week, I felt perepared to enter another introduction class full of boredom, and the dreadful markings of the professors. However, this was not the case. I must admit at the beginning it was the typical review and ice breakers, but while going through the syllabus, I was intrigued. This class does not seem like it is one in which the professor is concerned with memorization, theories, or any sort of the typical areas taught in university. Instead, emphasis was placed greatly on your perceptions. The learning process in this class appears to be focused on self realization rather than regurgitation of texts.
Personally, I hope that this class will allow me to take something away from this experience other than the memorization of important definitions and terms. I hope this will open my eyes to the way in which media helps portray certain images. For example, today when I got home I was watching the hour and the lead singer of evenescence was on. She was talking about her album an the host mentioned that the photography of her on the album showed a bit more skin than she normally shows. She said she wanted to show a bit more skin but not a whole lot because ” the more skin you show the more people feel that you no longer write your own lyrics”. The more I thought about this, the more I believed she was absolutly right. In society, when we see scandelous women such as Paris Hilton, Brittney Spears, and Nichol Richie we see beautiful girls, but girls with no merit. Who is not to say that they aren’t intellegent? Who is to say that all this is not just an act, and that by acting like this they are generating immense revenue. However, the media portrays them as “stupid and ditsy”. But when we see someone such as Julia Roberts and Christina Agulara (now) are held in high regards and seen and portrayed as amazing smart people,who have made use of their talents. Thererfore, I’ve began to notice how media plays an incredibly important role in our lives, and in our culture.
qmass said,
January 11, 2007 at 7:39 pm
Yes, you definitely get it! I am way more interested (and it seems that you are as well) in working with theories than I am in memorizing them, because I think that it is only through working with them that you can ever understand them! Frankly, I do not remember a thing I learned studying for a test as an Undergrad, but I remember everything from the theories I had to actually use in my thesis.
I saw that interview as well (if I haven’t said this yet, I am a huge fan ho the Hour), and though I think Amy Lee’s music can be dreadful at times, she has a lot of interesting things to say.
Great start!
Academic Ranting « The Annotated Everything said,
January 11, 2007 at 8:56 pm
[...] Sure [...]
bananatree said,
January 11, 2007 at 10:36 pm
I fully agree. I used to have some type of respect for Nelly Furtado when she was more of a sexually neutral dresser. Her new steamy image has had an impact on how I view her as a performer.
goingsomewear said,
January 11, 2007 at 11:09 pm
I saw part of that episode as well! I missed that quote though, which i completely agree with. When I read that quote the first artist I thought of was Jewel. I’m not sure how many people remember her short stint as a barely dressed singer, but I do! I’m not a Jewel fan really, but she sold out like no one i had ever seen before.
Like you I’m super excited about not having tests and memorizing. It’s refreshing to be in a class we can actually think in!!
mmmchocoloate said,
January 12, 2007 at 5:09 pm
I completely agree, it is so refreshing to have a professor that wants you to think critically and express your opinions, rather than memorizing information from a textbook.
I think those girls exposing all their skin need to remember that they are the role models to little girls under ten, who should be fully clothed. It is so important that celebrities recognize who their audience is and what their images are conveying to impressionable minds through mass media.
biohelixx said,
January 12, 2007 at 11:22 pm
Interesting. I really like The Hour too, and I happened to catch part of the interview with Amy Lee, and I also had to agree with her comment. But right on the heels of that agreement came a thought of social contradiction of sorts: people like sex appeal and expect that to be used to sell a product, yet as soon as that expectation is fulfilled and that “attribute” is put to “good” use, we lose all respect for the person or product in question. How ridiculous is that…something that occurs due to our own insistence, for lack of a better term, and then we turn that against whoever or whatever had the audacity to fulfill our expectations. Can I just say, people are stupid…persons are halfway intelligent, but people are stupid. Loved the post
lajoiedevivre said,
January 13, 2007 at 3:13 am
Great post.
I especially liked the suggestion that Paris Hilton’s ditsy demeanor might be a put-on… In her case probably not, but I could be wrong. Have you ever seen an interview with Marilyn Manson? I had so much trouble convincing people he had intelligent things to say until finally he appeared in “Bowling for Columbine” and basically gave the punch line for the whole film! Ditto Alice Cooper (before my time). These guys are genuinely smart, and they know how to work the media and the industry to make big names for themselves through shock-rock.
Re: biohelixx’ comment above: Yes, we demand sex in advertising and then look down our noses at the people willing to stoop to that level. Actively resist it! I’m starting to change my viewpoint from one of pacification to one of offence when advertisers try to sell me something using sex. They are insulting our intelligence. On the other hand, I feel flattered the rare time an advertiser speaks to my intellect instead of my libido. “Vote with your wallet” as my Dad used to say, and choose your products accordingly.
- JDV
yabbadabbadoo said,
January 13, 2007 at 7:28 pm
I couldn’t agree with you more. If there is one thing that drives me it is the amount of money you pay to go to school and majority of the profs expect you to memorize. What is that going to do for you? Absolutely nothing. This class actually puts you out there so not only are you being taught it but you are experiencing it as well. And that is something that you can definately learn and take advantage of.
I never seen that episode but I entirely agree with that. The media directly impacts how we think. And I agree 100% that the role it plays in our lives and in our culture is important. Awesome post.
Re: lajoiedevivre comment above. I agree that many celibrities (though not all) know how to manipulate the media. I also feel however that because we are a society that takes the media seriously, that they manipulate us as well thus we then play into the mass consumer market buying posters, CDs, etc.
trwag said,
January 13, 2007 at 9:20 pm
While I agree to some extent that there is a lot skin on MTV and Much Music, I think that at times we tend to discount the fact that we are being judgemental. We legitimize our criticisms by saying that they are role models and they have to act and dress in a certain manner. Did these people ask for this responsibility? I don’t feel that it is fair to limit someone who is in the spotlight just because they are IN the spotlight.
Just as you have the CHOICE for self expression so do the artists. I don’t really think that Nelly Furtado’s seductively singing into Timbaland’s ear while she is baring her midriff makes her less of a musician or human being.