CONTEXT OF PRACTICE / OUGD501. ESSAY PREPARATION. RESEARCH / PLANNING. INITIAL IDEAS Over the past couple of months i have found the subject of consumerism very interesting, however the subject regarding sex and gender in advertising is something I looked into last year for my essay and still feel there could be more to be said about this specific side of consumerism. I would like to look into consummerism based on gender stereotyping and how this has changed and evolved over time. From the last essay I wrote regarding men in advertising, I believe I found a pattern on how many adverts show men as imbeciles as they have started to loose their status in society as women have become more equal.
I am interested in investigating how damaging the new trend of 'stupidity' in popular culture through role models such as Amy Child and Joey Essex. Instead of concentrating on just the view of men in the media, I could evolve the subject 'stupidity' and how this is effecting society, ethics and consumerism.
Through this years seminars and lectures we have been introduced to theories by writers such as Sigmund Frued that suggest that humans are subdued by the movement in order to distract and control humans more animalistic and violent traits and tendencies.
I was also interesting in perhaps investigating whether society being subdued by the govement is a positive or a negative thing. Is it immoral that we are made to believe we are free, or is it a good thing that, as humans, we are distracted from our natural instincts of violence and sexual desires?
It could be a possible theory that the rise in 'stupidity' and 'acting uneducated' in popular cultures could be a way of 'dumbing' down society by making it more acceptable and, even more terrifying, desirable to lack education. The fact that any of these people have become very wealthy and successful off of this appearance is also something that audiences want for themselves and may think that acting and being this way is a way to this.
POSSIBLE EXAMPLES TO CONCENTRATE ON PARK CHRISTMAS ADVERT 2012
As soon as I saw this advert on the lead up to christmas, due to the knowledge I had gained from writing last years essay, it made me laugh. The way in which the 'Man of the house' has been thrown in with the children of the house hold as they are oblivious to the planning and hard work the mother has put in to provide for them. The fact that the male has been put on the same level and the children suggests he is nieeve and almost lacks responsibility as all he is concerned about (like the children) is getting treated at christmas.
AMY CHILDS TV PERSONALITY
The fact that she has achieved wealth and success off of this 'act' can be damaging to women in believing that acting in this way will make them successful also. T
he way in which the desire to be popular in society has over taken the desire to be educated is quite disturbing and, if continues to grow in trueness, can be very damaging tour society.
Rosalind Coward. 'Human beings don't all look at things the same way, innocently as it were. In this culture, the look is largely controlled by men.' Even though a successful woman is seen as an achievement in a male dominated world. this woman's very presence with in the media of popular culture most probably would have been predicted by more powerful men. 'Today's ideal is immaturity, a modern variant of feminine passivity'. The fact that this woman acts un-educated mimics those who have not yet the mental capacity to have years of knowledge, children. This portrays the sense of immaturity to which men, according to the theories of Frued, find sexually arousing.
The fact that this woman has become successful is also very much a fact that she has a very sexual presence which, through the theory of Coward is exploited by men higher up in the industry.
With in the reality television environment that Childs is most recognised to be part of, the gaze taken from the audience upon her and other characters that play similar roles is not returned. Childs is completely aware that she is being watched and is acting in a passive manner by not returning the gaze which, intern, mass the audience feel comfortable in this form of voyeurism. JAQUES LACAN It is very much a possibility that personalities with in popular culture act in such away to gain more attention with in the media. This possibility can be related the theory suggested by Lacan. The 'mirror stage' theory implies that when in infancy, we only first become aware of our physical existence and identity when introduced to a mirror. through this realisation also comes the understanding on how we can make others react to our actions. We are always yearning for this phycological sense that we got in that 6 to 18 month period as young children, of who we are and what we can do to make a change in the world and effect the environment around us. The actions of such Tv personalities may be a direct influence of this theory. The subject of otherness can also be a negative influence regarding 'stupidity' in the media. Audiences that look up to such TV personalities define themselves through what these people have, whether this be through physical objects of personal attributes such as beauty. Seeing others react to the un-educated actions may influence others to try an imitate such actions to be come more like the person to which others 'especially men' pay so much attention to.
JOEY ESSEX
TV PERSONALITY
Im unsure on whether this Tv personality genuinely lack such simple knowledge or whether it is simply for comedy value. Either way I believe that people acting and demonstrating poor education as a acceptable and positive thing can be very damaging on society. If this man honestly lacks education, the fact that he is being ridiculed and being made fun of can have a negative effect that can influence things such as bullying. If this man is acting in this way for popularity and comedy value can also be damaging as younger generations (to which this type of TV personality appeals to) can regard this a acceptable and will make them appear popular in society. BOOKS MANUFACTURING DESIRE: MEDIA, POPULAR CULTURE & EVERYDAY LIFE
acting stupid to get reactions and attention (mirror stage) found away to remain in the medias eye, therefore gaining consumerist interest and reaction.
