Making an Awesome Blog!

BLOGGING 101 AS PER LORI GREENE

So, thanks to New York Women in Communications, I was able to attend an awesome conference headed by Lori Greene, who is amazingly accomplished. The conference was about how to be a successful blogger and all of the following tips were taught by Greene herself - a true expert. (So, please keep in mind the following is nothing of mine! All quotes taken from Greene).

Greene mentioned four reasons why you should blog.

1. Loyalty to fans (much like the Whole Foods blog that caters to loyal, health seeking fans),
2. Problem solving purposes (like the Digital Photography School's blog), 
3. Leadership (example: the Manpower Group blog), 
4. Idea generation (such as the Starbucks website).

Greene also mentioned a few key traits to have in mind when building a blog. These traits include the following:

•  Realizing that everything on the internet lasts FOREVER. You have to keep in mind that what you post can either hurt you or help you in the long run. 
• Having a general statement/ mission statement. This will help you target your goals for what you want your blog to accomplish.
• Looking at your audience and seeing what they love/have interest in. If you want your blog to gain followers and subscribers - you need to publish what they want to see.
• Constructing your content strategy. What is it that you do better than anyone else? What is it that people can use from you? Basically, what do you have to offer?
• Be unique. There are thousands of blogs now-a-days so being different can be difficult - but not impossible.

Remember that you should be blogging at least once a week. You want your audience to know that you're reliable and that on Wednesdays, for instance, they can count on your blog post. Your articles should be relevant, topical, entertaining and accurate.

Your blog should have a unique design. People should be able to tell what blog they are on by the colors, logo and layout - this gives you your special touch.

Your blog should be 80% informative and 20% promotional.

Have other people write on your blog and vice versa. This makes your blog content fresh and also can help promote your blog, especially if a fellow blogger links their post to your blog.

Make sure to use clean links on your site, include a search bar, organize content by tags, keep it short, use other blogs to get ideas on how to construct your own, use at least one photo per post.

Engage your audience. Ask questions and answer them. Post your blog on other social media websites and have that option for your followers.

USE LINKEDIN! It's a growing site for employers.

Email other bloggers and commend them on their work. Maybe they'll take a peek at your blog and recommend you. These are networking sites for a reason!

Quotes and Questions

I only had these written down and not typed.

Where the Girls Are ..

Our collective history of interacting with and being shaped by the mass media has engendered in many women a kind of cultural identity crisis.  We are ambivalent toward feminity on the other.  Pulled in opposite directions - told we were equal, yet told we were subordinate; told we could change history, yet told we were trapped by history - we got the bends at an early age, and we've never gotten rid of them.

The news, sitcoms or ads are not reflections of the world; they are very careful deliberative constructions.

What difference would this article make if the author was a financially struggling black woman?

Douglas uses a lot of past popular culture trends, what would be some modern examples of these traditions and now currently do you think the media reached a wider age range of woman?


bell hooks 

As one black woman put, "I could always get pleasure from movies as long as I did not look too deep." For black female spectators who have "looked too deep" the encounter with the screen hurt.

Looking at films with an oppositional gaze, black women were able to critically assess the cinema's construction of white womanhood as object of phallocentric gaze and chose not to identity with either the victim or the perpetrator.

After reading bell hooks, can we site film examples of the portrayal of black women being explicit and untrue? Do you think this has changed?

There are very few if any black female directors, would a film by a black female director be successful?  get time in theaters? and have an accurate portrayal?

Berger Ways of Seeing

You painted a naked woman because you enjoyed looking at her, you put a mirror in her hand and you called the painting vanity, thus amorally condemning the woman whose nakedness you had depicted for your own pleasure.

This nakedness is not, however an expression of her own feelings, it is a sign of her submission to the owner's feelings or demands

When we see a woman using a mirror we usually think she is high maintenance; what other stereotypes are associated with mirrors?

Berger talks a lot about nakedness, what do you feel was the use of nakedness and what does it represent?

2/21 questions by Nikolaos (I will delete off blog if unwanted but just submitting it now digitally)

Nikolaos S-Wilson’s Quotes and Questions

2/12 – from Representations of Whiteness in the Black Imagination

Quotes:

“ So institutionalized is the ignorance of our history, our culture, our everyday existence that, often, we do not even know ourselves.”

“The eagerness with which contemporary society does away with racism, replacing this recognition with evocations of pluralism and diversity that further mask reality, is a response to the terror.”

Questions:

1) If black figures in popular culture encouraged blacks to look to their great past, does that help.  I think of Nas the rap musician talking about the great history of blacks coming from Egypt.  

2) Is the encouragement of black people to seek out books in libraries a good way for blacks to recover their real history?  This was a theory proposed by some literary black people.  

2/14 – from Crooked Room

Quotes: “To the researcher’s surprise, some people could be tilted by as much as 35 degrees and report that they were perfectly straight, simply because they were aligned with images that were equally tilted.”

“Bombarded with warped images of their humanity, some black women tilt and bend themselves to fit the distortion”.

Questions:

If the play for colored girls based off the author Ntozake Shange’s choreopoem makes visible the slanted images that too often remain invisible, as the author suggests, how do invisible images affect black people?  It seems an invisible image would have no effect on a person. 

How can black women go about creating a “new room” that is not crooked?

2/21 – From The Oppositional Gaze Black Female Spectators

Quotes: 

“Only the child is afraid to look.  Afraid to look, but fascinated by the gaze.  There is power in looking.”

“Connecting this strategy of domination to that used by grown folks in southern black rural communities where I grew up, I was pained to think that there was no absolute difference between whites who had oppressed black people and ourselves.”

Questions:

In reference to the second quote I selected, does this not speak then to perhaps a loving or caretaking relationship between slave master and slave, or does it mean that slaves were treated as children and that was demeaning to be considered like a child?

Isn’t it sad that Miss Pauline could be transported by cinema to another world and be happy for the duration of the movie, but “it made coming home hard”?

POST ONE

          Power is defined as the ability to create change by mere influence or suggestion. This idea of attaining power over the masses, or over specific societal groups, is not always so explicit. The worlds of advertisements and product marketing undoubtedly assume this sense of "power".  In Berger's "Way of Seeing", he explores the ways that manufacturers manipulate their images, and ultimately attain the power to influence consumers to subconsciously believe exactly what they want them to believe. He argues that this idea of mindless consumption has become second nature within our society, as consumers feel the need to constantly consume in order to progress. 
         
          In Lippard's "Double Take", the idea of hegemony, the domination of a culturally diverse society by the ruling class, is evident. She exemplifies this by discussing an image of authentic Native Americans, taken and represented by a white, "ruling class" member of society. She notes how the societal perception of this particular group is strongly influenced by such images; images that have been altered by the creator.

          The ruling class creator assumes the power to portray the individuals in their work (whether it be a photograph or other work) as they want; ultimately delivering a "truth" to the public that is entirely subjective. Even though there is a positive derivation in the particular image  that Lippard discusses, it is still altered in the favor of the creator.

          The control of influence, in relation to consumers' emergence into the images put out by those in power, produces "the gaze". It ultimately goes beyond being visually intriguing, and results in a complete devotion by the consumer to completely give in to the spectacle, and illusion that is being put out to do just that. In Debord's "Society as Spectacle", he reiterates the concept of buying into the illusion of this constant bombardment of images.

          In the eyes of Bell Hooks, popular culture is where the learning of the masses takes place. We, as a society, can infer that most of our societal and intellectual perceptions are derived from the media and popular culture. She goes on to discuss the existence of racism and feminism within popular culture on a daily basis , whether it be through film, television, music, or images. The difficult part is that it isn't always explicit. 

          There are often indirect undertones that our society is quick to accept, without question or reference matter. Hooks, as well as the others,  understand the fact that there is a sense of trust between the consumer and the seller; asa society, we collectively tend to believe in the notion that the creator of these images truly care about our best intention. But it raises the evident question: Why would they care about us? 

Post #1

Power is defined as having control, authority and influence of others. When it comes to imagery and culture, whoever has the power control the flow and type of publicity can control what does or doesn't become popular culture.

Publicity, according to John Berger, is "the culture of the consumer society"(Berger 139). Berger also feels that publicity "is the life of this culture-in so far as without publicity, capitalism could not survive-and at the same time, publicity is it's dream" (Berger 154).

Just how much of influence that publicity, media, etc. has be dependent on things like different was of looking at the world and how you object to what is going on around themselves. 

Others like Guy Debord feel that publicity and imagery is all around us, what Debord refers to as the "society of the spectacle". The "society of the spectacle", acccording to Debord is " a concrete inversion of life, an autonomous movement of the nonliving" which comes from being a " not a collection of images; it is a social relation between people that is mediated by images.

Ultimately, when it comes to media and imagery, it's how the individual themselves let themselves become enveloped by the "next big thing". Whether they use the somewhat racist & archaic "gaze" that bell hooks describes or lumping your decision-making skills into a crowd, like what Gustave LeBon suggests, it ultimately boils down to whenther or not the individual can look past Debord's spectacle and LeBon's crowd to make the decision for themselves. 

Post #1

Power is the possession of control, authority, or influence over others.  In Berger’s “Ways of Seeing,” he tackles about the power of publicity and its effect to the consumer.  He says that publicity is the culture of the consumer society.  It shows the people whose lives have been transformed by consumption and have become enviable.  Being enviable makes a person glamorous, and publicity manufactures glamour.

In Bell Hook's "Cultural Criticism & Transformation," The power of representation is that people want to deny the direct link between representation and the choices they make in their lives.  While that link is not absolute, images matter in people lives; however, other people behave as if certain images don’t mean anything and deny the power of representation to their society.

Hegemony is the leadership or dominance of a social group or by one country.  In Bell Hook’s “Cultural Criticism & Transformation,” she displays the factors behind and beyond media scenes mainly attribute one group over another.   Best example of this is the “White Supremacist Capitalist Patriarchy” which is an interlocking system of domination that defines our reality and these function simultaneously at all times in our lives.  Sexism is also an example of hegemony.  Though sexism is commonly refer to discrimination against women, this can also apply to men.  Sexism is rampant around the world for centuries.  Female are viewed lower than the male species; getting unequal treatment in jobs and sometimes resulting to violence.

Gaze is a psychoanalytical term to describe the anxious state that comes with the awareness that one can be viewed (Jacques Lacan).  In Berger’s “Ways of Seeing,” he says that the Renaissance images were mostly consisted of nude women that were exclusively for the male viewer.  Women are often portrayed with their bodies turned towards the viewer while their heads were turned away and looking at the mirror and were aware of being the object of the viewer’s gaze.

Also, gaze can be defined as the relationship, between offering and demanding a gaze: the indirect gaze is the spectator's offer, wherein the spectator initiates viewing the subject, who is unaware of being viewed; thedirect gaze is the subject's demand to be viewed (G. Kress & T. van Leeuwen).  In Lucy Lippard's “Doubletake,” the way she deconstructed the photograph as how it travels through time to meet the viewer, brings a lot into perspective regarding culture, race and gender.  In each “take” Lippard discusses how one’s view the picture.  One may see the picture as a tourist souvenir while the other sees it with deeper meaning like the photographer has a connection with the subject.

Popular culture is the entirety of ideas, perspective, attitudes and images that are within the mainstream of a given culture.  It is heavily influenced by mass media.  According to Hook, popular culture is the primary pedagogical medium for the masses of people globally who want to understand the politics of difference.  As much as we want to avoid being influence with pop culture, we encounter pop culture in our daily lives.  Media extensively use pop culture in any means and this influences us ideas and perspective.

POST I

The majority of the people in this country, and even the world, probably do not understand the influence media has on their life. In the digital era, from the moment you are born (and helping raise a newborn has helped me fully grasp this) you are bombarded with imagery whether it is from your television, your toys, the caricatures in your room, and even your own mind as you reinterpret sounds and words into shapes and form. Now, at the age of 21, I also realize how the word media is synonymous with propaganda. Explaining this, however, is difficult at best. There are several terms which help, though, and the readings we’ve done in class have further solidified an easier and more accurate definition for these go-to terms for exposing the fallacies in American media.

Power is domination and control, sometimes (…most times) synonymous with institution. The thing about power, however, is that it usually conjures images of red and black and small mustaches on German men. It’s not always like this. The American media, I would argue, is one of the most powerful national entities; even more so than the president, I would say.  John Berger highlights only one aspect of why this is so: envy.  Berger says the reason why advertisements and publicity is so efficient in garnering revenue for enterprises and manufacturers is not because they are great at selling a product but rather because they are great at selling the idea of needing that product, the envy of what another has and they lack.

Hegemony ties into the idea of power, because it is an elite’s influence (indirect or direct) over another faction of society. This is important to discuss because this influence shapes our cultural values and society. When advertisements illustrate the glamorous and unattainable lives of Manhattan’s blue blood socialites, it leaves viewers wanting to achieve (or, at best, emulate) that quality of life. I recently watched my friend Martha and our mutual transwoman acquaintance watch Sex and the City; what I noticed was a perverted desire for the lives of those four women, as if their current existences were unsatisfactory and they longed to be the real-life versions of those characters on television. When an illusion becomes more enticing to you than your own reality, you need to reevaluate what you’re doing with your life – and, also, what types of media you’re digesting. “The Era of Crowds” states that the progressive growth of power takes place when certain ideas are propagated and are engrained in the minds of an audience.

Sexism is a very complicated topic because of its broad nature. In the context of bell hook’s discussions and excerpts, however, it is the institutionalized violence (whether it is physical or psychological) against women. This phenomenon is perpetuated by patriarchal societies such as ours ,which establishes a strict gender dichotomy that forces women into a submissive domestic and societal role. The opposite of this is feminisim, and the best way to describe it is through a popular quote that says it’s the “radical notion that women are people.” Stacey Ann Chin often does spoken word on reclaiming her sex.

The Gaze is also a phenomenon which is very broad. In most cases, as in Berger’s Ways of Seeing, we address the male gaze. He states, "according to usage and conventions which are at last being questioned but have by no means been overcome - men act and women appear. Men look at women. Women watch themselves being looked at." Even in classical art, the male gaze is evident. Moreover, there is the white gaze (which, as a POC, I am not here for!), the lens through which most media is filmed.  The object is what is a possession or owned, in this case, the object of the images or media.

Pedagogy is much easier to explain if we look at the Greek roots of the word. ‘Peda’ indicates a relationship to children (pediatrist, pedophile, etc.) and “gogy” means to “lead.” Knowing the Greek meaning, understanding the English meaning becomes entirely different: the art of educating. bell hooks refers to pop culture as our pedagogy.

Popular culture and representation go hand in hand because between them exists a symbiotic relationship. Popular culture can be defined as the mainstream contemporary collection of music, media, fashion, and just overall anything really. What is important to note is that the way things are represented in that pop culture influence society. For example, certain products like Air Jordans are a reflection of Michael Jordan’s fame and appeal to buyers more than Airwalks. In that same way, Supreme is a brand that appealed to the cool and underground scene and made people covet being a part of something other than mainstream.

Spectacles and ways of looking are intimately related. When we see an object that has been marketed to appeal to a demographic, they want it and will do what they can to achieve it (including pay rent late on their studio apartment just to have a Maison Martin Margiela sweater because of one gotdamn Kanye song). Kruger talks about the nature of reflection changing from mirrors to video camera in the sense that we look into ourselves as a result of the images we see on the screen.

Consumerism and consumption are the fuel behind the economy. The reason why the media exists as it does is to provide substance to feed our capitalist economy. The word consumer creates an idea of a brand’s audience as mindless drones who eat everything thrown their way.

post 1

Power is being able to control people and situations with or without strain. If you don’t have power in the world of media, you really don’t have much. The power to control what people see and how they receive the message you are trying to send it critical. Once you understand how “the crowd” works- you’re set. There is nothing that can stop you from sending the message you want to send and it being received exactly how you want it to be received. In the reading “Era of the Crowds” the author writes, “... how powerless they are to hold nay opinions other than those which are imposed upon them, and that is not with rules based on theories of pure equity that they are to be led, but by seeking what produces an impression on them and what seduces them.” Once  you figure out what your target can be easily seduced with- all the power is in your hands.
 
Our society is practically ruled by sexism, and we fall victim to it without even realizing it. Almost every female wants to be and have what she sees the women on TV posses. The curves, the hair, fabulous clothes. Rarely do we see a woman doing something “manly” on television or in magazines. Same goes for men- the idea that is implanted in most of our heads is that a household needs a strong male figure. One who has the looks, the job, the cars, the money. Men spend hours at the gym working out to look like what they think women want to see. Very rarely do we see a man playing a feminine  role because that just wouldn’t fit the stereotype our society created long ago.



Object, spectacle, and ways of looking all feed off of one another. We see something that appeals to us, we want it, we do what we can to get it. It all depends on the spectacle that is created around any given object. If the spectacle around the object is striking, then the way we look at the object changes. In Remote Control, B. Kruger writes “We are demi-living proof that the video camera has replaced the mirror as the refection of choice.” If we only see life through filters, then business will be blooming.


Many things fall into the category of popular culture. It doesn’t necessarily have to be a “thing”, it can be an attitude we walk around with and what we think is important because that's what we are shown. Anything mainstream influences pop culture. The way things are represented is a big factor. If we see someone famous doing/saying something, and then we see more and more “celebrities” do it- we will eventually fall victim to whatever “cool slang” is being used. If a certain shoe brand is in, and we see it everywhere it is perceived as “cool” then most of us will want that shoe. Take Jordan's for example, they are a pretty pricey shoe and people will buy them because of what they represent. Which is basically being “in style” .. or “cool”.


Pedagogy is method and practice of teaching. Pop culture can be considered our pedagogy. It educates us about everything that is “in” and what we think we need. Berger talks about how we are obsessed with a glamorous lifestyle. He writes “The state of being envied is what constitutes glamor. And publicity is the process of manufacturing glamor.” Publicity may also be considered our pedagogy. Without it- we would have no clue of, once again, what is “in” and what we think we need.




Consumption of goods and the consumers are the main driving force of our economy. It is the reason for all the imagery, advertisements and commercials being made. Without that, the media wouldn’t really have a purpose in existing. We are the ones who buy everything that is advertised to us, whether we need it or not. Brands are displayed a specific way to make us believe we need everything from that brand, and everything that will be released in the near future.

The gaze is the way the consumer views all these images and advertisements. Advertisements put people on billboards and on magazines that look so delighted with whatever is being advertised that we feel compelled to buy it. Whenever we see an add for shoes or clothes we imagine ourselves in it and decide whether we want it or not. Whether we realize it or not “the gaze” is used on a daily basis. The train of thought that runs through our minds as we see an object or a person of desire and how that specific image is being portrayed.

                Post 1: Connections Between Articles & Terms

When reading the five articles of Lucy Lippard's Doubletake, The Era of Crowds by Gustave Lebron, The View of Seeing by John Berger, Barbra Kruger_Remote Control,and The Society of The Spectacle by Guy Debord, there is a strong connection between them and the selection of words given. Such as the effects of racism, crowds, cultural history, hegemony, to name a few.  I will attempt to show the connects of the articles and given word selection.

Beginning with Lucy Lippard's Doubletake the article describes the photograph of a

Native American Family's Portrait taken by a European photographer. When the authors takes a closer look she points differences. The author realizes that the photographer orchestrates their cultural dominance over the Native family. Lucy Lippard explains how "This can easily be over looked events in time brought over from another culture and used in the present become transformed and implanted into the future"  (pg.   ). 

This is the bringing of racism as one culture ignores the cultural differences

because images and ways of a single culture are repeatedly practiced while other cultures are ignored and are forced into roles that are less then the one tough when one is from a different culture. Europeans have always view Natives as savages. Therefore, could not be seen as a family unit. Thus husband and wife are equally separated rather than together as a unit. All are seated an equal level as the child. This is devaluing the parents position. To be place at a child level also speaks of intelligence. The author realizes that the photographer orchestrates their cultural dominance over the Native family. Which is called hegemony. 

The Era of Crowds by Gustave LeBon is an eye opener of knowledge and gives a

strong insight to the history of how the human nature works. The passage of "the

memorable events of history are the visible effects of the invisible changes of human

thought. the reason these great events are so rare is that there is nothing, so stable in a

race as the inherited groundwork of its thoughts. " (pg. ix) is extremely powerful. As a

culture can be controlled, used, manipulated, by the very foundation of thought which

civilizations base thier value in.

Although not related directly related the republican phenomenon of being stuck in its

thought and values has and will continue to hinder there chances for political offices, as

the views are not the of the mass population a.k.a. crowd. Yet the fundamental base

factors of religion, political and social beliefs are what roots civilizations. With this insight of the psychology of crowds and its actions, give those seeking controlan enormous amount of power. As it much easier to control, manipulate, and seduce them. Unknowingly to the Native family being photographed in Lucy Lippard's Doubletake. This is also the kind of power the photographer had over the Natives in the photograph.

This in evident in John Berger's Way of Seeing as marketing techniques that focus on

creating false representation in wealth status and glamor all are found in material

items. "The power of the glamorous resides in the supposed happiness.. " (pg. 13). How

does one create a false representation? Easy by offering it in the familiar fashion of beliefs, education act.  Advertisers must

have read the article The Era of Crowds or something similar as they have taken the impossible and presented it in the familiar. History of the European past and presented to the present so that it is accepted by the culture without disrupting it. The problem it creates is a superior complex amongst Anglo Saxons. As history of the past European history has no to limited cultural diversity. Sexism also becomes an issue as women of color were see as objects of pleasure as well as in a capacity of servitude while Anglo Saxon women where valued by the sexual presence, pure ect. However Anglo Saxon women are also devalued as weak and helpless and in dire need of an Anglo Saxon mans wealth, status, and strength to make her valuable.  

Now from John Berger's The View of Seeing has explained how to take the impossible and place with the familiar how do you see the crowd to watch or take in what they have

already seen. This is explained in Babara Kruager's Remote Control article which is the

essential key to keep the old new. This article is the article of design as she explains the

importance of taking history and blending it with modern cultural music, movies and it

creates the gaze which hooked the viewer by subduction while reaffirming history,

without interrupting the social construct. This creates a whole new way of looking at the old. Thus the  negative of the culture is that it "strengthens stereotypes and murmurs the false humiliates of common sense" (pg. 1990)

The Society of The Spectacle Chapter 1 The Culmination of Separation quoted " The

spectacle is not a collection of images; it is a social relation between people that is mediated by images" # (4). However as the article see issue that are relevant for discussion. There overall needs to be a society that is aware, of our conscience, customs, beliefs, and views and become more responsible for economic growth of a culture can thrive successfully without repeating the mistakes of the past.

Links to used images found on google image; some may have been alterer from the original photo.

Currency

https://www.google.com/search?q=string+around+the+finder&hl=en&tbo=d&rlz=1C5CHFA_enUS503US503&source=lnms&tbm=isch&sa=X&ei=Z_8ZUd6oJsnJ0AHZs4CAAw&ved=0CAoQ_AUoAQ&biw=1089&bih=963#imgrc=Z206eYp6MdznsM%3A%3BADZDl-0YrgYBvM%3Bhttp%253A%252F%252Fwww.thehistoryblog.com%252Fwp-content%252Fuploads%252F2012%252F10%252FhoardGroup.jpg%3Bhttp%253A%252F%252Fwww.thehistoryblog.com%252Farchives%252F20608%3B3472%3B2513

Brain Person

https://www.google.com/search?q=string+around+the+finder&hl=en&tbo=d&rlz=1C5CHFA_enUS503US503&source=lnms&tbm=isch&sa=X&ei=Z_8ZUd6oJsnJ0AHZs4CAAw&ved=0CAoQ_AUoAQ&biw=1089&bih=963#hl=en&tbo=d&rlz=1C5CHFA_enUS503US503&tbm=isch&sa=1&q=braind&oq=braind&gs_l=img.3..0l10.7480.16624.1.21078.12.10.2.0.0.0.52.496.10.10.0...0.0...1c.1.2.img.7-iJb7_oNQY&bav=on.2,or.r_gc.r_pw.r_qf.&fp=33759b6aa35252b4&biw=1089&bih=963&imgrc=0tKTNMdZILOnDM%3A%3B49RmPje1Ia2S8M%3Bhttp%253A%252F%252Fthumb7.shutterstock.com%252Fthumb_large%252F74301%252F74301%252C1328982527%252C6%252Fstock-photo-a-cartoon-figure-con-a-huge-brain-d-rendered-illustration-94899376.jpg%3Bhttp%253A%252F%252Fwww.shutterstock.com%252Fg%252Fspectral%3B167%3B150

The Key

https://www.google.com/search?q=string+around+the+finder&hl=en&tbo=d&rlz=1C5CHFA_enUS503US503&source=lnms&tbm=isch&sa=X&ei=Z_8ZUd6oJsnJ0AHZs4CAAw&ved=0CAoQ_AUoAQ&biw=1089&bih=963#hl=en&tbo=d&rlz=1C5CHFA_enUS503US503&tbm=isch&sa=1&q=pointed+finger&oq=pointed+finger&gs_l=img.3..0l3j0i24l7.11617.16881.6.17138.15.11.0.4.4.0.54.547.11.11.0...0.0...1c.1.2.img.Ii4auNaY6aY&bav=on.2,or.r_gc.r_pw.r_qf.&fp=33759b6aa35252b4&biw=1089&bih=963&imgrc=14sn0qF1B5pXtM%3A%3Bdx2pjmSZSqzxpM%3Bhttp%253A%252F%252Fblog.apartmentsearch.com%252Fwp-content%252Fuploads%252F2008%252F01%252Fapartment_safety.jpg%3Bhttp%253A%252F%252Fopen.salon.com%252Fblog%252Fman_talk_now%252F2009%252F01%252F05%252Fthe_womanfriendly_wolfs_lair%3B429%3B280

Shopping Is Fun

https://www.google.com/search?q=string+around+the+finder&hl=en&tbo=d&rlz=1C5CHFA_enUS503US503&source=lnms&tbm=isch&sa=X&ei=Z_8ZUd6oJsnJ0AHZs4CAAw&ved=0CAoQ_AUoAQ&biw=1089&bih=963#hl=en&tbo=d&rlz=1C5CHFA_enUS503US503&tbm=isch&sa=1&q=shopping&oq=shopping&gs_l=img.3..0l10.200401.202492.8.206585.8.6.0.2.2.0.72.344.6.6.0...0.0...1c.1.2.img.AHshsbbaqxk&bav=on.2,or.r_gc.r_pw.r_qf.&fp=33759b6aa35252b4&biw=1089&bih=963&imgrc=tNi9rfI6ORrDVM%3A%3BxAxRlx3zIBKpeM%3Bhttp%253A%252F%252Fentourageyearbooks.files.wordpress.com%252F2012%252F08%252Fshopping-is-fun.jpg%3Bhttp%253A%252F

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Elderly Watching Television

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Post 1

After reading some of Bell Hook's, Gustav LeBon's and John Berger's writings, I came a cross many points about the keywords below. Power for instance can be defined in many ways. It doesn't just apply to people but to things like the media, objects and the way we see things. For instance the media has the most power in terms of controlling the public. Everyone goes out and buys things once they see a great advertisment. In "The Crowd" Lebon I got the notion that once we know the trick of understanding the crowd, it is possible to do anything with the crowd. 

Sexism has been an ongoing situation especially in the media since the beginning of the television era. Women are typically portrayed as to taking care of the household and the men are going out to work and provide for the family. Currently in the media, women are used to sell certain products but sometimes are taking advantage of and end up being gazed. Throughout the years the image has been changing and for the good. 

Gazing and objects come under one category since gazing is taking an object and viewing it certain ways. For example, women sometimes are treated as objects in the media but since pop culture is known to be media, ideas and more combined with older and new forms of media and ideas. (Mashable)

John Berger states in Ways of Seeing, “Men look at women. Women watch themselves being looked at.” This is a perfect example of ways of looking since women are used in media to "sell" they make the men in public look at them a certain way. Representation makes a big difference especially in the media. I am proud to say that there are people in the world that care about representing women in a certain way. They should not have to be a certain color or race in order to fulfill or sell anything. 

At the end of the day we do fall in the trap of being consumers to everything we see. As discussed in Convergence Culture, we all become victims/consumers of Transmedia Storytelling. Sad and hard to say, the media does a good a job when it comes to making as view or buy a certain things. One of the main goal for the media is to sell to the public and make the rich government officials/media owners even richer. 

Post #1

Power
Power is the ability to control and influence the behavior of people with or without resistance. Having power in media and imagery is so massively influential. The power to manipulate images control the subconscious messages received by the consumer of that image. Power in media allows you to direct your media to portray your intended message or support your intended agenda. According to our reading ‘The Era of Crowds’, power is something created from “invisible changes of human thought”, where new thought processes are results of modern scientific and industrial discoveries.

Hegemony
Hegemony is essentially a form of power. It is where the 'leader state' hold governing power. This is evident today through the ruling class owning the majority of our resources and money. Alluding again to "The Era of Crowds' we read "the progressive growth of the power of the masses took place at first by the propagation of certain ideas, which have slowly implanted themselves in men's minds, and after-wards by gradual association of individuals bent on bringing about the realization of theoretical conceptions." 

Sexism
Sexism is prejudice/discrimination against someone based on gender. It ranges from simple judgement to unthinkable physical violence. Sexism fosters stereotypes based on sex. In Bell Hooks Cultural Criticism and Transformation, we see that movies carefully protected the ideals of patriarchy and sexual stereotypes.

The Gaze
This term was coined by Jacques Lacan to describe the anxious state that comes with the awareness that one can be viewed. The subject loses a degree of autonomy upon realizing that he or she is a visible object. The Gaze also plays a role in how we receive and consume every image we come across on a given day. John Berger, in his book Ways of Seeing stated that "according to usage and conventions which are at last being questioned but have by no means been overcome - men act and women appear. Men look at women. Women watch themselves being looked at."

Object
An object is something owned or possessed.

Pedagogy
Pedagogy is the art and science of learning and education. Bell Hooks makes a reference to pop culture as an advocate of Pedagogy, where our society seeks to understand the politics of differences. Pedagogy relates to pop culture in its ability to reach far beyond the limits of a classroom. 

Popular Culture
Popular culture is the entirety of ideas, perspectives, attitudes, images and other phenomena that are chosen by an informal consensus within the mainstream of a given culture, especially Western culture of the early to mid 20th century and the emerging global mainstream of the late 20th and early 21st century. Heavily influenced by mass media, this collection of ideas effects the everyday lives of the society. It would be safe to say that we are all changed by popular culture, whether we like it or not. Our subconscious processes are at work long before we can consciously think about it.

Spectacle
In its limited sense spectacle is the mass media, "its most glaring superficial manifestation." In 'The Society of Spectacle' it is described as an affirmation of appearances and identification of all human social life with images. In other words it is not a collection of images, but the social relation of people mediated by images.

Ways of Looking
Ways of looking is the conceptual way of viewing what we experience around us. Lippard mentions this in an article about the picture of a native american family we viewed in class. In "Remote Control" Kruger talks about how we view things 'through our own lens'.

Representation

Consumer/Consumption

Power

Power is the ability to control and influence the behavior of people with or without resistance. Having power in media and imagery is so massively influential. The power to manipulate images control the subconscious messages received by the consumer of that image. Power in media allows you to direct your media to portray your intended message or support your intended agenda. According to our reading ‘The Era of Crowds’, power is something created from “invisible changes of human thought”, where new thought processes are results of modern scientific and industrial discoveries.

Hegemony

Hegemony is essentially a form of power. It is where the 'leader state' hold governing power. This is evident today through the ruling class owning the majority of our resources and money. Alluding again to "The Era of Crowds' we read "the progressive growth of the power of the masses took place at first by the propagation of certain ideas, which have slowly implanted themselves in men's minds, and after-wards by gradual association of individuals bent on bringing about the realization of theoretical conceptions."

The Gaze

This term was coined by Jacques Lacan to describe the anxious state that comes with the awareness that one can be viewed. The subject loses a degree of autonomy upon realizing that he or she is a visible object. The Gaze also plays a role in how we receive and consume every image we come across on a given day. John Berger, in his book Ways of Seeing stated that "according to usage and conventions which are at last being questioned but have by no means been overcome - men act and women appear. Men look at women. Women watch themselves being looked at."

Popular Culture

Popular culture is the entirety of ideas, perspectives, attitudes, memes, images and other phenomena that are preferred by an informal consensus within the mainstream of a given culture, especially Western culture of the early to mid 20th century and the emerging global mainstream of the late 20th and early 21st century. Heavily influenced by mass media, this collection of ideas permeates the everyday lives of the society. Who has power? According to Barbara Kruger, “In a society rife with purported information, we know that words have power, but usually when they don’t mean anything”. Kruger discusses how society communicates holds power which can also be compared with Gustave Le Bon’s writing in “The Era of the Crowds”. 

Sexism

Society has deep roots in sexism. Many of us have been subjected to it without even knowing. Almost every female wants to be and have what she sees the women on TV posses, as mentioned in Bell Hooks. Women always serve their intended purpose in imagery, to support the sterotypes. The hegemonic idea that most of us hold is that a family needs a strong male figurehead. He must subscribe to all the qualities the commercials say he should as well. 

Object, spectacle, and ways of looking are all interchangeable and relate-able. The object creates the spectacle, and our Way of looking comes into play in how we perceive that spectacle. It all revolves around the spectacle. In its limited sense,spectacle means the mass media, which are "its most glaring superficial manifestation." In Remote Control, B. Kruger writes “We are demi-living proof that the video camera has replaced the mirror as the refection of choice.” If we only see life through filters, then business will be blooming.

Consumer/Consumption

Consumers are the drivers of mass media. Consumption is driven by the imagery and media, and the messages they send you. The trends in what we consider 'important' will correlate with the trends of what the media owners want us to want. Advertisers find ways to manipulate what we want through consumerism tactics. Berger also argues about advertising and its ill effects on our consumption habits.

imagery 1

Consumers/Consumption
Consumers and Consumption is the main driving source of why all the imagery, advertisements, commercials, products, being thrown in our face every day.  By definition a consumer is s a person or group of people who are the final users of products and or services generated within a social system. A consumer may be a person or group, such as a household (Wikipedia.com). .  At the end of the day without us the consumer these businesses have nothing but since we do buy into the game we are their main target.  We are the ones buying everything that we see because it may give us self-worth, or because we want it or maybe we just need it to survive.  Every gender, race , ethnicity, sexual orientation, everything is targeted and we are all consumers.  We see these products and get addicted to brands.

Consumers are studied so brands can see how they can make their product more relevant to their consumer’s lives to make them want the next product they put out even more.  Here’s an interesting article that says that it’s not because of pop culture of why big brands stay big brands but it’s because of the consumers dictate how these companies will put out their next product:
 http://www.forbes.com/sites/onmarketing/2012/10/18/harnessing-cultural-capital-the-real-consumer-value-of-a-brand/ 

 Power

Power is having an influence over something or someone, or some sort of dominance.  In the case of imagery and culture advertisements are holding the power of influencing the consumer to by their product.  According to Berger the power of “envy” is used against consumers to get them to buy things.  Glamour is an example Berger uses and says “the power of the glamorous resides in their (consumer) supposed happiness: the power of the bureaucrat in his supposed authority.

The last line “the power of the bureaucrat in his supposed authority” leads into the definition of hegemony: preponderant influence or authority over others.  Advertisements, commercials, etc. all come up with ways to gain power or influence over what people think they should become.  It’s kind of like how society has imprinted in our minds what the definition of beautiful is.  Blond hair, skinny, long hair, white, etc. So in commercials those figures are often used like in this AXE commercial they perpetuate the idea if you use their product that these women will flock to you.  The Axe gives this man the power he needs to attract these type of “beautiful” women.  Here’s the commercial:

http://apro24.wordpress.com/2010/04/12/hegemony-and-advertising/

Popular Culture

Popular culture is anything that is relevant and popular in our society.  Its ideas, attitudes, and things that we feel are important because of how it is embedded in our heads as important.  Mainstream art, music, fashion, dance, etc. are all apart of pop culture and it may vary depending on what part of the world you live in.  Images are a huge part in getting pop culture out there to influence the people and make people believe that these images they see are what they want to be, not who they are but who they want to become or need to become.

Sexism

Sexism according dictionary.com, is attitudes or behavior based on traditional stereotypes of sexual roles. We see this throughout history with men being more dominant over women so it became a norm that was represented in imagery too.  Males are treated on a higher respect level then women and it has only been till this generation where we see women taking on more masculine roles.  It’s not only on T.V. but it’s also in real life in the work place and relationships too.  Sexism also shows gender roles (how woman and men should act).  Women should be the princess waiting for her prince, cooking, cleaning, staying at home, etc. and the man is bread winner, has all the power, supposed to save the girl (you know basic Disney princess movie concept; which means we learn this at a very young age.  The problem we have currently with sexism is women being pictured as a piece of meat or sexual images.

Even PETA decided to take the sexual approach with their “have a heart, go vegetarian” campaign.  They use sexy women and their body parts to get people attention.

 

Way of looking

 Barbara Kruger says in “Remote Control” makes it clear that we have a controlled way of looking at things through the lens.  Kruger says “we are demi-living proof that the video camera has replaced the mirror as the reflection of choice.”  Pretty much saying what we see on television is what we strive to be and the blonde girl with the big boobs is what we see instead of our actual self, so that is what we strive to be like.  Kruger also says that we are unmoving targets waiting to be turned on and off by the relentless seductions of remote control.  Which is true because we kind of turn on the tube for everything to know what’s hot what’s not, how to be better, where is the hottest place in town to go, what’s the new trend that all the celebrities are wearing. The way we look at things is controlled.

Object is defined as anything that is visible or tangible and is relatively stable in form or a thing, person, or matter to which thought or action is directed.  The objects are these images.  Objects that we as consumers want and what the businesses are trying to sell to us.

Pedagogy

 Pedagogy according to dictionary.com is the art or profession of teaching or Preparatory training or instruction.  So pop culture is our Pedagogy, it teaches us everything that we need to know in order to survive and be one of the products of their own products.  We are taught by advertisements and commercial, celebrities, what is “in” and what we should want.  These can either good or bad.  In Kruger’s article he explains how we all are so infatuated with the glamorous life.  The teachings of being glamorous are that everyone wants to be it and you will be envied if you have it and if you are more of an individual you don’t matter.  He says’ the pursuit of individual happiness has been acknowledge as a universal right.  Yet the existing social conditions make the individual feel powerless.

 

The Gaze

According to Bel Hooks, "in white supremacist society, white people can "safely" imagine that they are invisible to black people since the power they have historical asserted, and even now collectively assert over black people, accorded them the right to control black gaze." This was a tactic used to oppress the black people. At one point blacks were beaten if they even looked at a white person. Blacks and whites were not looked at as the same it was more one had a higher authority than another. superiority.

 

 Representation

Representation is how you are looked at by other people, like “you have to represent yourself well to gain respect.” This could b either good or bad.  Richard Dyer said in his essay "white" , "that whiteness represents goodness and all that is benign and non-threatening, many white people assume this is the way black people conceptualize whiteness."  In the media business a lot of how they represent people is the way  that people on the outside may relate or think things really are.  For example in movies,t.v. shows, and news casts ,minorities are always depicted or represented as being criminals. So people on the outside that have never interacted with minorities may take what they see on television and always identify those people with being bad or criminals. Representation kind of gives certain groups and people a false identity.