Looking Back…

It is already that time folks – end of the semester. Although the material that was to be taught in a 14 week session was compacted into 5 weeks of intensive and rigorous learning, I did not once feel overwhelmed. Sure, doing homework in the middle of June is not my ideal way of spending a portion of my summer break, but Dr. Nichols always presented the material in a way that was understanding and engaging.

To round out the semester, we were asked to provide feedback on the blogs of our peers. You know, offer ways to improve their writing, what we liked/disliked, etc. I really enjoyed browsing around on their blogs and seeing what tactics they used in their writing that differed from mine. The first blog I chose to comment on was John’s. My comment stated:

What I loved most about your blog was the supplemental resources that you used. You really went above and beyond with conducting research about media criticism and how it can be analyzed. Furthermore, you gave direct connections for people to use, to explore the topics that you summarized.

 Additionally, you laid it out quite nicely. You tied in a lot of references that would interest a wide audience,  from broadcasting stations, to providing a current events application of the fight over media, and rounding it out with the family favorite – Disney.

 If I had to offer some advice on how to improve further posts, I would touch upon the concepts we are learning in class. You did an awesome job of utilizing your own knowledge on the topic, but a lot of the material we learned in class would have fit in nicely, especially in your intro. Douglas Kellner and his article on media culture found at http://gseis.ucla.edu/faculty/kellner/papers/SAGEcs.htm provides excellent in depth observations regarding media criticism and consumption. A quote of his that I plugged into my post stated, “The media are a profound and often misperceived source of cultural pedagogy: They contribute to educating us how to behave and what to think, feel, believe, fear and desire — and what not to.” This idea would tie into your argument about Clearchannel and Brandchannel quite well.

 Other than that I thought your writing was very intelligent and well constructed. You immediately lured me in with your introduction and held my attention for the length of the post.

After reading his, I knew I wanted to comment on a different blog topic for my next review. Therefore, I chose Ally’s, and responded with some feedback about the various films we watched on consumerism. My feedback included:

I love the use of the line “You can buy your children all the products in the world, but you can’t buy back their childhood!” It is 100% true and something I think you could have placed higher up in the post.

 Giving readers definitions of terminology that you will be using is great, but I feel like you lost me a little. I am guilty of the same thing! I get so lost in informing my readers about every term and theory that it becomes monotonous. Throwing in some examples, in addition to the definitions, might have jazzed up the beginning a teeny bit more.

 Great reference to patriarchy as far as the princesses go! It made me understand exactly what the term meant and laid it out in a way that was also easy to understand and follow.

 You also gave really good references to how things were when we were younger. It is so true, the imaginations of children are slowly disappearing, and I cannot help but agree with you completely that without all the technological advancements we have today, they would be lost.

 An outside source that I utilized so my readers could really understand the ideals that Disney teaches, was the scene where the Beast maliciously scolds Belle to come to dinner (it can be found at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gG5ec92GMvo&feature=related). With this clip embedded, readers can make the direct connection between your argument and the ideals mentioned in Mickey Mouse Monopoly.

For my last and final feedback response, I thought to myself, why not just review blog post #2? That way I am getting fresh insight on all three of the previous assignments. Therefore, I chose to view Danielle’s blog and reply with the following:

I really like how you pinpointed the connections between the viewers’ lives and the lives they are seeing on television (being betrayed by a best friend, etc.)

 To offer some feedback, I would suggest introducing some of the concepts we learned in class earlier on, to give the readers an idea of exactly where you are going/why you are analyzing the show. Don’t get me wrong, the details and connections you provided were great, but I found myself wondering why you were highlighting these elements of the show.

 You did an awesome job of picking up on the theories we learned in class in a way that was easily understandable for an outsider. You take specific elements about the show, that whether you are an avid watcher or you watch occasionally, the viewer would be able to recognize and agree with your arguments.

 Additionally, you chose a really great program to apply the elements of genre criticism! However, some pictures and links to the show would have allowed your reader to use the visual to enforce the ideas being presented. I chose the show Friends and for my readers to better understand the topic I was discussing, I provided a link to the exact episode that I analyzed. Generally speaking, people do not always understand where you may be going in your argument and are more visually capable of learning. (for example I spoke about when Joey and Ross argued and the level of intelligence between the two characters was accentuated – http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3ni26dVGt1E&feature=player_embedded)

 Aside from that you laid things out in a very cohesive manner and held my attention for the length of the post!

As I previously mentioned, although being in class throughout the month of June was not my definition of a “fun” summer, I really enjoyed the topics/theories presented in this course. Each day I was taught a different way of viewing media and how it is impacting and transforming society’s ideals.

The Pew Research Center released a study of how media consumption has changed since 2000. Whereas only 46% of adults used the Internet in 2000, 79% of adults are using it in 2010. Prior to taking Media Criticism, this is a statistic I would have looked at and brushed over, without giving it much thought at all. However, with the current knowledge I have about media consumption habits, how media shapes our culture, the culture of consumption that is evolving, I can develop a well-thought opinion and argument surrounding that statistic.

It has been a pleasure taking part in yet another one of Dr. Nichols’ fabulous classes. She has a way of teaching that I have yet to experience with any other professor at Towson University.

 

Happily Ever After?

Did you ever to stop and wonder why you think the way you do? Who imprinted these ideals on your mind and why have they developed into societal norms?

Ideological criticism examines how these ideas are related in and circulated through texts and essentially go unnoticed and unchallenged. Boy that was a mouthful. Let me break it down a bit more for you.

First things first, an ideology refers to a se of ideas that gives some particular account of the world. Typically the ideas reflect and serve the interests of the dominant elites and come to seem natural, obvious, and common sensical. Rather than looking at the signs and symbols, as you would do with a semiotic approach, or the narrative layout, as done with narrative criticism, ideological criticism focuses on accepted concepts/ideas/values that circulate within society.

Furthermore, a political economy theory is utilized by examination of the role of ownership and how production and distribution shape the media texts. Through synergistic practices, such as cross-production, cross-promotion, cross advertising, and blockbusters, all work to benefit the whole.

Political economists are mainly concerned with “consumerism” and how advertising/marketing practices promote a “culture of consumption.” Large media conglomerates, like that of Disney, control numerous media outlets. According to Columbia Journalism Review, The Walt Disney Company owns innumerable television and radio stations, several film and theater companies, and of course their national and international parks and resorts.

With that said, Disney is in the position to orchestrate and imprint ideals/values on society in more than just their movies. Mickey Mouse Monopoly depicts Disney’s ownership of most of the media we consume and the role the media places in socializing us.

Disney movies are introduced to us as children and essentially are a staple of the American culture. The movies were and continue to be fantasies that we never before thought to question. One of the literary analysts in the film spoke of Disney’s “massive success based on innocence, magic, and fun.” But is it truly innocent?

As a child I never looked beyond the fairy tale aspect of the movies. The vivid colors and enchanting settings were mesmerizing and kept me wanting to see every new Disney movie that was released. Hidden meanings such as seduction and the use of your body to manipulate and get what you want.

Numerous studies have been conducted in the last several years regarding the values that Disney movies teach to the youth of the world. Consistently it is seen that females of the stories lack the ability to save their own lives and in one way or another are caught in a situation where they need rescuing.

Mulan was one of the first movies introduced by The Walt Disney Company that portrayed an independent young woman that goes to war in place of her father. Sure this idea is an excellent way to show young women that they can be empowered to protect themselves, however, at the conclusion of the war, Mulan was to return home and fulfill her traditional female duties.

Why was she not revered or asked to continue fighting for her people?

Beauty and the Beast is another movie that illustrates questionable ideals. Belle is a beautiful, intelligent, young woman who absorbs herself in books on a daily basis. Again, a wonderful role model for young children. However, while living with the Beast, the pair has several fights that questions the values associated with each character.

For example, when Belle arrives at the castle to relieve her father, she agrees to trade positions with him and become a prisoner of the Beast. After solidifying the agreement with the Beast, he drags Belle’s father out of the castle and maliciously throws him in a wagon back to town. At a first glance, one would agree that this simply emphasizes the Beast’s aggressive/barbaric character. But under intense scrutiny would see that he is essentially tearing Belle, later to be his love, away from her family.

The Beast also demonstrates aggressive behavior when Belle refuses to leave her room for dinner one evening. He threatens to break down the door and violently yells at her.

Yet, this does not turn Belle away. Her character is convinced her tender-hearted nature will change the Beast for the better and so she remains with him at the palace. Of course the spell is broken and the Beast evolves into a handsome prince, as he once was, and the two marry and live happily ever after.

It is only natural, then that little girls envision their happily ever after with their prince. But the values that the movie is teaching them to endure to reach the status of happily ever after, are not exactly fitting.

Which brings us full circle and back to the political economy theory. Because The Walt Disney Corporation exercises so much control over so many outlets, their ideals and values have become natural and obvious, with little to no questioning until recently. And many have become disgruntled about the recent dissecting of such videos, as mentioned in Mickey Mouse Monopoly. Is this due to the realization that the principles being presented are true? Or because the magical element is being removed?

Regardless all should have somewhat of a concern about what ideals are being taught to children. Does this mean I am insinuating that you remove all Disney movies from the household? Absolutely not. As I said earlier, the Disney culture is a staple of our nation. But I do encourage that children be told the reality that, often times, is not mentioned in the magical.

 

 

“I’ll Be There For You”

Friends was an American sitcom following the lives of six individuals living in Manhattan. The show aired on September 22, 1994 and ran till May 6, 2004, with mounting success that creators David Crane and Marta Kauffman could never have imagined. This hilarious show documented how the group collectively dealt with issues such as marriage, divorce, love, disgust, artificial insemination and adoption. With opening music played by The Rembrandts, the humor centered around the show made it hard not to fall in love with Rachel, Joey, Phoebe, Chandler, Ross, and Monica.

While there was not a specific target audience for the show, the content is definitely more appropriate for those 13 and older. Often times the issues surrounding each episode involve relationships and the presence, or lack thereof, sexuality. Although it is not always blatant what the group is discussing, an older audience would immediately pick up on it.

 To better understand the show as a whole, I will be using a narrative criticism approach, particularly, Aristotelian.

Narrative criticism focuses on the storytelling element that is basic to human nature. All stories tend to share common features, but how they are told vary according to culture and media.

In the American culture, we tend to handle situations/solve problems using humor. Take for example, the episode where Ross and Rachel were “on a break.”

Ross and Rachel were dating for some time and after a while faced the difficulty of juggling career and love. Rachel could not handle the pressures of their relationship any longer and asked for a break with Ross. Ross proceeded to go out that evening and sleep with another female, unbeknownst to Rachel. He tried to keep this from her and failed miserably.

The emphasis put on this phrase and the constant repetitional use added comic relief to the tense situation. It was a topic that came up for years in following episodes, each time receiving just as hard of a laugh as the first time it was said.

Another definition of narrative criticism was offered by two female scholars. According to Collette Daiute and Cynthia Lightfoot, narrative methods have proven useful in the integration of culture, person, and change. Their analysis goes on to say that these advances have come about thanks to communication and technology, among many other things.

Daiute and Lightfoot provide an explanation of narrative analysis that reads, “Narrative analysis relies on themes, mostly drawn from literary theory, to explain vicissitudes in the drama of interpreted lives, including time, truth, beauty, character, and conflict.” To put it simply, each story is centered around a theme that includes one or more of these subjects.

I previously mentioned my focus on specifically the Aristotelian approach under the umbrella of narrative criticism. The Aristotelian approach examines elements of drama via contents, such as character, setting, theme, and plot, as well as, vehicles or use of language and vocalization, are all examined.

For example, Friends is set in Manhattan with six completely different friends going through the ups and downs of life. What makes the show so entertaining is to see the interaction of the different personalities and how each would handle similar situations.

To look  further into this sitcom, I will use supplemental material and call upon John Fiske’s ”Codes of Television.” Fiske breaks these codes into three different levels – reality, representation, and ideology.

Reality focuses on appearance, dress, make-up, behavior, speech, gesture, and expression sound. To apply this to the television series, we will look at the comparison of Ross vs. Joey.

Ross holds a doctorate in paleontology, is very well-spoken and articulate, is often dressed more sophisticated and acts in somewhat of a quirky manner. Joey, on the other hand, did not receive an education beyond high school and works as an actor in New York City. He tends to act more immature and more times than not, is clueless about the topic of conversation. The two characters are purposely contrasting to enhance the level of humor.

Representation centers around the technical codes such as lighting, camera angle, editing, casting, and music. Friends always incorporates the use of an audience laughing to emphasize the comedic elements in the episode. Additionally, the lighting is frequently bright, even in solemn situations, to accentuate its placing in the situational comedy category. A mid-shot camera distance is frequently utilized for Friends. Fiske finds this is done to create an intimate, comfortable relationship with the characters on screen.

Ideology refers to ideological codes like that of patriarchy, race, class, materialism, and capitalism. The group of friends would be considered part of the middle class. All work full-time jobs, for the most part, and own or share apartments. I say for the most part because Joey goes through periods of unemployment, as does Phoebe. During these periods, financial instability is emphasized, but also bantered with. For instance, Joey loses his health insurance and unfortunately develops a hernia. After struggling to get his insurance back, he finally is insured again and celebrates by having Phoebe hit him in the head with a baseball bat.

 Materialism is occasionally mentioned in the show and often times is associated with Rachel’s character. Rachel came from a wealthy family and prior to working for Bloomingdales, had little to no working experience. In the last few seasons, she was employed by Ralph Lauren and was consistently the fashion icon for the group. Her character was always dressed to the nine’s and purchasing the latest trends in fashion and even furniture.

So what is the point of it all? By understanding the text and the light-heartedness of the sitcom, we can potentially apply it to situations of our own. I am not advising that you strap on a football helmet and be clubbed with a putter, frying pan and baseball bat, but maybe learn to find the humor in some situations.

I have found myself very often thinking back to an episode of Friends and laughing. Whether it were a funny circumstance or one slightly more serious, calling to mind one of their bizarre situations always puts me in a better mood. And I think I can say the same for many others who watch the show. The cultural influence of the show teaches that there may be some trying circumstances that come your way, but the reliance on friends will allow you to know that “I’ll be There For You.”

An American Addiction?

The power of media in today’s society has reached levels that I don’t think anyone could have predicted. My name is Taylor Good and I recently enrolled in a Media Criticism course to further my knowledge on this topic, more specifically its impact on culture and the ever-increasing consumption of media users.

Media criticism is said to be the systematic process used to understand media texts as meaningful sociocultural symbolic forms and forces. It is not necessarily negative, nor does include opinion or scientific research. With this in mind, I ask what is the role of media criticism?

The Pew Research Center released a study that displayed roughly three-quarters of the Millenial generation (ages 18-29) having a social networking site. Additionally, one-in-five have uploaded a video of themselves online.

So that is just a glimpse of Internet consumption for Millenials. However, the study also gave several statistics regarding Generation X (ages 30-45). Their activity on social networking sites came in with about half being highly active.

But what about television? Statistics have shown that the average American watches more than four hours of television a day! Now this may seem outlandish, but take a moment to tally up the number of programs you watched today alone. Not so ridiculous, huh?

So who cares, you like TV. You love the thrill of who “The Bachelor” will give his last rose to, you cannot wait to see what new brawl Sammy and Ronnie will get into on “Jersey Shore,” and you love watching the underdogs of our nation in “The Biggest Loser.” Did you ever stop to think of what these programs may be subconsciously imprinting on your mind?

With the technological advancements currently at our disposal, we are constantly connected to some form of media. Personally, when I am on my computer, I also have my iPhone right beside me, and 9 times out of 10 the TV is on with a low volume. Occasionally you can even catch me with iTunes open. Granted I am not paying attention whatsoever to the TV, but why do I still keep it on?

Douglas Kellner offers an insight in his article about media culture. He states, “The media are a profound and often misperceived source of cultural pedagogy: They contribute to educating us how to behave and what to think, feel, believe, fear and desire — and what not to.”

Is he right? Those who are not proud to be a “guido” or a “guidette”, is that how people from New Jersey are viewed? Being a proud citizen of the lovely state of New Jersey, I am often mistaken for having similarities to the fools on “Jersey Shore.” Funny part is, that could not be farther from the truth.

 Kellner goes deeper into theory by saying, “Those who uncritically follow the dictates of media culture tend to ‘mainstream’ themselves, conforming to the dominant fashion, values, and behavior.”

I would have to agree with Kellner on this one. Seaside Heights was never a huge tourist attraction. In fact, it was more of a place that highschoolers rented a shore house for a week, for post-prom activities. And now? Forget it. You cannot even step foot on the boardwalk without seeing advertisements for the show.

Real Housewives of New Jersey is another hit reality TV show. Each week, millions tune in to watch the women of New Jersey duke it out against one another or even their families!

Being a fan of the show, I guess I do not do much for going against the stereotypes that are casted on the female society of New Jersey. But c’mon, who would seriously think that ALL women of New Jersey are like this? Sure, its entertaining, but there are countless women out there with terrible tempers, and if caught on a bad day, would flip a table too.

We are all guilty of getting caught up in the lifestyles/nature of reality television and if it wasn’t entertaining, we would not be parked on our couch night after night watching these programs. Therefore it is important to develop our own system of media literacy skills. What do we wish to take for face value? And what do we wish to denounce? What do we care to spend our precious time consuming and what is down right trash?

I am thoroughly intrigued by the idea of media criticism and how it shapes our culture and society. It was always a thought in the back of my mind, but now that I have the opportunity to delve into the topic, I am picking up on things that I never previously found (Case and point – the New Jersey stereotypes).

I look forward to researching more of the media trends in society today, and the impact they have on current generations and the generations to come.