In the paragraph describing ideology as normalization, Croteau explains how modern social norms are articulated through media. What is seen as "normal" and "deviant" are shaped through various media texts and images, pushing out anybody who goes against those norms. He says that popular media, like television, has a tendency to display a narrow range of behaviors and lifestyles which marginalizes people who are "different". Media portrays people as cookie cutter versions of the same socially constructed boring "average". This paragraph really caught my attention because growing up as a social reject due to my involvement in the hardcore/punk lifestyle classified me as "different". I always felt out of place in society, but I liked it that way. The whole punk movement began as a social revolution to go against expected social norms and spit in the face of society and traditional values. I had a huge pink mohawk, tattoos at 15 years old, safety pin facial piercings, and I tended to hang out at underground D.I.Y. shows in abandoned warehouses. The media would always gross me out because the people represented in television, commercials and catolougues were the complete opposite of me, and I felt such a pull from peers and family to change. "It's just a phase," my parents would always say. This is an example of the strong social influence that mass media has.
(FOR EXAMPLE): Here is a hyperlink showing you the kind of clothes YOU should be wearing according to mass media... Victoria's Secret PINK Collection.
Here is a hyperlink showing you the kind of clothes that no mass media text or television show tells you to wear (but I'm obsessed with it.).... I'M YOUR PRESENT (designs by Kelly Eident)
^^^ SUPER CUTE, handmade, legit clothes that are unique and amazing and every penny goes to the local artist! and there are CATS on everything!
I also enjoyed the segment about hegemony and how it describes "common sense" as assumptions we make about social life and on the terrain of things we accept as "natural" or the "way things are". Croteau says that common sense assumptions are socially constructed, and I undoubtedly agree. Some commonsense assumptions that mass media teaches us are assumptions like, "you can't be a male AND a female", "women don't have as much sex as men do", "people don't have happy and fulfilling lives occupying abandoned warehouses". Mass media attempts to brainwash us into thinking of things in terms of what is "natural" and "unnatural" and these definitions are always changing as time goes on.
Here is an example of a "natural" heterosexual couple:
Here is an example of an "unnatural" homosexual couple:
WHO LOOKS HAPPIER?!
In the next class, I'd like to discuss the concept of hegemony and give some examples about what I think the media is trying to portray as "natural" and "unnatural" and I'd also like to hear what other people think about this concept as well. What about sexual orientation? What does mass media have to say about that in terms of what is "acceptable & natural" and what is "tolerated & unnatural", etc? I think it will be interesting to hear peoples feedback.
-peace in the middle east
Hi, Mary!
ReplyDeleteGreat reflection. Thanks for sharing the etsy for I'm Your Present. It's cool that she uses a variety of sized models, much unlike the great comparison you chose: Victoria Secret's. It reminded me of this image I saw comparing Victoria's Secret's "Love Your Body" campaign with Dove's campaign. http://i.imgur.com/PnNMy.jpg
Although, it is hard to fully love Dove for being seemingly subversive when it is still a HUGE corporation that profits off of the masses just like Victoria's Secrets. I suppose one could say Unilever's Dove campaign is at least the lesser of the two evils.
Regarding your closing paragraph I immediately think about the ways in which same-sex couples are often portrayed in television. Generally a lesbian woman+woman couple is considered 'acceptable' whereas a gay man+man couple would perhaps fall under "tolerated and unnatural" (of course it is easy to think of examples that don't fit this pattern but those shows/films are often considered alternative or subversive to the mainstream culture in some way). I think this is certainly a manifestation of the dominant patriarchal ideology of our society. Women together are titillating and exciting to the male gaze whereas men together is not so much (or perhaps IS titillating&exciting hence the extreme affected repulsion).
Thanks for the great read,
Andrea S.
I think this was a great post!!! I mentioned you in my blog post this week because I really liked your connection to same sex marriage and who looks happier? You picked great pictures!!!
ReplyDeleteNoelle
I think your post was wonderful and i would like to say that i hate the fact that it states "natural" and "unnatural" the reason why i state this is because it should not be an boundaries when it comes to falling in love, no heart has a face on it. the heart loves who the heart loves and if a male falls in love with another male then so what. he will be much happier than trying to be with someone just because it is "NATURAL" this is a topic that i could talk about for many hours so ill be willing to speak upon it in class. Thank you for such a great topic
ReplyDeleteI think that things are changing, but the general opinion would probably still be that being heterosexual is natural and homosexual is unnatural. I think younger people, like ourselves, might be more aware that the idea of sexual orientation being natural or unnatural is socially constructed, just by taking classes like these and learning about things. I think older people though may be more hesitant to this idea and still see this issue as natural/unnatural, especially because of what religion has to say about it too.
ReplyDeleteWell-articulated and well-thought reflection! Love the comparisons between VS and I'm Your Present (those outfits are adorable!).
ReplyDeleteI like Andrea's comment about the VS vs Dove campaign (agreed; I can't help but feel that Dove made the advertisement specifically to target the people who feel self-conscious due to typical advertising with the knowledge that the average size of women is larger than before, and therefore that they'd then look like the "good guys." Everyone always has an angle).
And I also agree with Sarah that in the younger generation this mindset is changing; but I think our society is so deeply ingrained in heteronormativity that heterosexual will (for at least the foreseeable future) be what is considered "natural" in terms of sexual orientation (which is very unfortunate). I like to think that as this pattern continues that in the next several decades the heternormative ideology will fade away (I say "decades" because change is painfully slow, Friends).
Love your discussion point, Mary. I think our discussions next class will be very engaging and I look forward to it. :)
this is probably one of the best reflections I've read on croateu.. it is so GOOD that you overanalyze and are skeptical about this piece and about all of the readings we will do in this class. i personally enojy this article because it points out everything in the world that we sometimes overlook because they are so common, and you obviously picked up on that as well. just to point out another thing i enjoyed on this blog would be the picture of the homogenous and heterogeneous couples. this could not have been displayed any better. if youre happy with your partner, what does it matter the sex of them? something that is looked upon in the world today is only to make people happy in their own lives.. who are we to judge. gay couples is something i support, because i feel like everyone should be healthy and happy; its the key to success. anywho, great reflection and i just wanted to point out the things i enjoyed to see!
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