Friday, December 20, 2013

Week #13: Blogging MEDIA@SOCIETY, Chapter 9


This post is due by Tuesday, April 1 @ midnight for full credit. 
Email late posts to rob.williamsATmadriver.com for partial credit.


Read our MEDIA@SOCIETY book, assigned chapter above.

In a SINGLE blog post below, provide for the chapter:

1. A single sentence, IYOW, that captures the chapter's THESIS (main argument).

2. THREE specific pieces of supporting documentation - ideas, concepts, stats, data - to bolster your thesis for the chapter. (Use 2 - 3 sentences for each.)

3. A single PERSONAL story of 3-4 sentences that connects the chapter directly with your own personal media experiences.

4. A SINGLE specific question you have after reading and blogging on the chapter.

Game on,

Dr. W

15 comments:

  1. 1. Though mainstream media shapes cultural norms and understanding, it is possible and likely that the public interest will change both who I represented in the media as well as assuring people are portrayed correctly and in a non-negative light.

    2. “One of the reasons stereotypes are so common in mainstream media is that they provide a familiar or common set of stories for the largest set segment of the audience, who are comforted by reduced complexity and nuance.” (p.228)

    Media consumers are accustomed to seeing women as sex objects or housewives, and men as providers and action heroes. It may upset the public mindset if these roles were to be reversed, especially to the men who tend to control media outlets. However, it can be empowering to the women who aspire to be action heroes, or to the men who wish to be stay-at-home parents.

    “Historically, black males have been portrayed as either comic entertainment or as thugs and criminals, whereas black woman have often been portrayed in sassy comic roles or, worse, as characters denigrated through sexual insults.” (p.229)

    It is damaging to young black children to see themselves represented as criminals and second-class citizens. They may begin to feel as though their only roles in society are ass sassy, mindless comic relief or as deviants. Recently, media consumers have been demanding accurate and fair representation of all races in a way that is not stereotypical or one-dimensional.

    “In the ‘feminism’ era…television offered women some new roles, but not without setbacks. In 1968, Julia presented what was considered at the time to be an anomaly: an African American, single-parent, professional nurse who succeeded gracefully – but not without embodying traditional Western standards of beauty and white middle-class sensibilities.” (p.238)

    Even when the media attempts to be fair in their representation they can get some things wrong. They rarely take multiculturalism into consideration, instead appropriating and simplifying cultures and their symbols. However, shows like Julia show that media can change, and are willing to try and represent greater numbers of people.

    3. In the past year or so, I have begun taking greater notice in what the media I consume is trying to sell me. Most often, the shows I watch revolve around quirky, unconventional heroines like those in Two Broke Girls. In this show, Kat Denning’s character is independent and driven, with a killer wit and street smarts; however, the show features an incredibly stereotypical character in Denning’s boss, Han. Even in shows like Glee, which is supposed to spotlight the mixing of the upper- and lower-classes of high school students, peddles unrealistic and unfeminist relationships, like that of Rachel Berry and Finn Hudson.

    4. Do consumers realize that media representations, even when varied, are often unfairand contradictory?

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  2. The media paints certain demographics in a particular way thus shaping the way in which our society - as well as other society’s- view specific cultures and races that are most likely not representative of each person in that category.

    ”Going beyond a Marxist emphasis (discussed in Chapter 7) on economic factors that reproduce social hierarchies, it is important to analyze how dominant ideas and belief systems shape our understandings through social texts that have hegemonic power (Media in Society, 223). Once again, money is the telling factor and contributes to what side of a story our society gets.
    Furthermore, “given that our culture’s main storytellers occupy a privileged space through their social, political, and economic power, it’s not surprising that narratives about gender, race, class, and sexuality often mirror the values of the socially dominant groups in a given society” (Media in Society, 223). In today’s society, the fear of a “single story” is often discussed and the media perpetuates this by giving huge conglomerates the power to shape all of our world views.
    Our society must remember, “media’s representational power and to affirm an approach that recognizes the media’s reflective and socializing influence” (Media in Society, 246). Often times, we take media too subtly and do not take enough time to realize that it is a carefully constructed plot that shapes our feelings and actions.

    Sometimes it is very difficult to remember that the media we receive is very one sided. The subtly in all news creates an impression that we are getting all that we need, when in reality we are most likely getting a small selection. I find that even though I am more or less aware of the tactics of media companies, I still fall victim to the subtle perspectives of different races, cultures, and societies.

    How much pressure would be alleviated from our society if the wealth within media industries was more spread out? Have we constructed an irreversible perception of people?

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  3. The media portrays ideas and shapes our culture in ways that can be derogatory towards how we represent certain groups in our society.

    The affects of media on the public can create stereotypes of women or different cultures. Whenever you watch anything on TV there is bound to be some sort of tort towards a group of people. “One of the reasons stereotypes are so common in mainstream media is that they provide a familiar or common set of stories for the largest set segment of the audience” (p.228). Stereotypes are known for occurring in comedy shows such as South Park or Family Guy. These famous shows create the basis for how kids and society view other people. “…Gender, race, class, and sexuality often mirror the values of the socially dominant groups in a given society” (p.223) and when shown on the media, these stereotypes are mimicked in society. One of the more common stereotypes I see on the media is the mocking of black women. Many times, black women are “…portrayed in sassy comic roles, or worse, as characters denigrated through sexual insults” (p.229).

    Personally, I cannot go a day without seeing some form of stereotypies on Twitter or TV shows. One of my favorite shows of all time, 24, is coming back to TV for another season and I have been rewatching the episodes in order to mentally prepare for its premier. A large stereotype in the show that is probably looked over is the lack of female field ops. I am not a feminist in any way, but it sucks when the job of my dreams seems less possible when I cant even picture a women in the role that Jack Bauer plays.

    Why do we blame media for the problem of stereotyping, instead of the person behind the media?

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  4. In the modern world, the media conglomerates use their power to influence how we are supposed to behave, how we fit into this world based on our gender, race, religious views, political views, economic standing, etc.


    “When media uses consensus or master narratives to prescribe messages about how to behave and engage with society, they cultivate “normative” ways of seeing and behaving through the acceptance of dominant attitudes and behaviors” (p. 224).

    The media creates what we consider social norms. In magazines, they portray beautiful, skinny, seemingly flawless people. We consider that to be the social norm and what we as normal people try to achieve.

    “According to industry statistics about gender and race in media operations, women and minorities have made some professional advances, although they remain marginalized in media ownership and production. Men maintain the upper echelons of power by comprising roughly 66% of supervisory roles…” (p. 233).

    This shows that if you are not a strong, white male, then you are less likely to obtain a supervisory position. Men dominate the business world and they are often favored when receiving a job.

    “Wolf documented in 2002 how the mainstream media are part of a system of powerful industries that profit from myths of perfection, beauty and eroticism that annually procure $33 billion through the diet industry, $20 billion through the cosmetics industry, $300 million through the cosmetic surgery industry and $7 billion in the pornography industry” (p. 243-244).

    These staggering numbers are all due to the falsehood that we need to be as the models in the media are. They are seemingly flawless and we feel that is the norm in society and people will risk their health just to look more like the model they seen in a magazine. Though the people who strive to look like them the most rarely understand that they are 9 times out of 10 digitally enhanced.


    As I learn more and more about the media it is clearer to me that the media is one-sided, biased and their goal is to persuade you into thinking that what they are saying is the social norms and that is what we should believe. I am a business major and knowing that women are often paid less, are less likely to become supervisors, etc. is a harsh reality us woman have to face. I never realized though how much the media had an impact on this behavior in the business world. What even more unsettling is the lack of acknowledgment this has because men run are in charged of the media


    Since it is already known that the media influences us on how to behave or not behave, does the lack of media influence change our understanding of right from wrong?

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  5. The chapter is about the ways in which media shapes how we look at and define different groups of people.
    “When we walk through a Toys R Us or the children’s section at a Walmart, colors clearly and symbolically mark which aisles are for boys and girls.” (221) This is true about almost every toys store or clothes store that you go to. When you go to a clothes store, it is very apparent which the girls section is and which is the boys section. Another example is when a baby is born, you immediately know if it’s a boy or a girl because often times the parents will tie a pink or blue balloon in front of their house.
    “Historically, examples of dominant ideologies of identity might include erroneous assumptions that males are rugged leaders and cultural heroes, women are sexual objects or nurturing homemakers, whites are more worthy and intelligent than minorities, and heterosexuality is morally superior to homosexuality.” (223) This is an example of what we see in magazines all the time. Advertisements in numerous magazines portray men and women in a certain way. A lot of the times in an ad, the man will be standing over the woman showing power. Usually, the woman will be wearing little clothing and her position in which she’s standing or sitting is vulnerable.
    “Disney films are known as family-friendly, all-ages entertainment; they offer influential stories of male heroism, female dependency, heterosexual norms, and the power of whites in society.” (223) Many of these Disney movies show the woman pursuing her desired lover over the things that are in her own best interest. Young girls who watch these movies subconsciously absorb what they see in the movies as being the norm. For example, all of the Disney princesses and beautiful and skinny. This shows young girls how they “should” look.
    When I was younger, I watched a lot of the Disney movies. Looking back, I didn’t realize how much they stereotyped and shaped the way we should view men and women. But, now I see how their portrayals of men and women are very similar to that of the media.
    Will the way media shapes how we look at different groups of people change with time?

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  6. Through constructed narratives the media possesses the power to depict cultures and categorize the population, this leads to a warped manufactured reality.

    “Dominant ideas and belief systems shape our understandings through social texts that have hegemonic power.” (223) Hegemonic power is the dominant social values and ideologies instilled in society. The beliefs that are most prevalent in media are reflected in master narratives. The acceptance of these messages translated into normalized messages and behavioral cues for the public to follow. The objectification of women and subjectification of men is a classic hegemonic standard that has existed in media since its beginning. It assigns unequaled gender roles to both parties and distorts the way men and women view each other as well as themselves.

    With human categorization, stereotypes are bound to ensue. “Individuals and groups are usually reduced to easily identifiable categorizations, so that audiences can label them, often on the basis of simplistic characteristics like gender, race, class, and/or sexuality.” Stereotyping when used in the media is an unfair pigeonholing of a group of complex humans based on appearance and cultural background. “Black males have been represented regularly as a comic entertainment or as thugs and criminals, whereas black women have often been portrayed in sassy comic roles or, worse, as characters denigrated through sexual insults.” (229)

    “By examining institutional power in the media, we are able to see how representations of identity are shaped by the perspectives and ideologies of those who fund write and transmit stories within society, just as those stories are shaped by the cultural contexts in which they are produced.” (232) Men have usually dominated the field of writing and distributing stories, that’s why it is crucial people from all backgrounds, genders, and ethnicities write their stories. Therefore, everyone can feel a connection to the experiences being related.

    I really love watching shows where there is a strong female lead. I feel like I can relate to the character’s experiences and it’s also fairly new approach in the media. Orange is the New Black is a show that is blurring the categorization of people, and defying gender roles. In fact, the male lead Jason Biggs is portrayed as the weaker of the two characters, which is interesting to see in television.


    How will the increase in assigning gender roles affect the way males and females view each other?

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  7. In the past and continuing into the future, a certain image has always been created about women.

    Race and gender have been stereotyped in the past and in the 21st century. There are certain stereotypes that numerous people have followed throughout many years which include “that males are rugged leaders and cultural heroes, women are sexual objects or nurturing homemakers, whites are more worthy and intelligent than minorities, and heterosexuality is morally superior to homosexuality” (223). The media has increased the image stereotypes because of advertising of campaigns or the way an ad is published.

    Although many people stereotype gender or race, sometimes it is unintentionally. An example given in the book was about the Walt Disney Company. If you look closely, the movies the company has produced “offer influential stories of male heroism, female dependency, heterosexual norms, and the power of whites in society” (223). Even though Disney movies are directed towards children, they are still displaying stereotype that has continuously existed.

    Stereotypes have carried on for several amounts of years now. “Although images of women have changed considerably over the course of the last fifty years, the iconography of women continues to carry profound implications within visual culture and our social lives” (235). Paintings were one of the reasons stereotypes were imposed into individual’s minds. This is because paintings in the mid-twentieth century depicted women as sexual figures. This portrayal has carried on into the media where women are still depicted as sexual figures but in different ways.

    When chapter eight discussed how Disney movies portray their own stereotypes within each story, I second-guessed all the movies I have seen. When trying to look back on the movies, I noticed the stereotypes that were described in the book in movies such Snow White and Cinderella. Until now, I did not recognize that nearly all Disney movies give an image of the women as household wives or a sexual figure.

    How far is too far when using a stereotype in an ad?

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  8. There are a number of identity stereotypes that are represented in media reflecting 21st century social norms, but with the new participatory culture we have the power to change these stereotypes.

    For example, “media portrayals of girls and women continue to emphasize thinness, the body over the mind… and ultimately cultural marginalization” (229). Despite this however, small strides are being made, especially when characters like Hermione Granger, who are intelligent and capable, are looked at. Race and ethnicity stereotypes also exist, with “Asian male characters… as nerds… and Latina characters… who should be grateful for domestic work and low-paying jobs” (229). But these days, “from Facebook to iMovie to YouTube, people are using popular music, films, TV episodes, clips, and sites from mainstream and alternative media to express themselves and create multiple identities,” and that will create changes for the future (247).

    In one of my previous classes, we watched a Ted Talk on how females are represented in movies: weak, needing to be rescued, and always looking for love. Brave seemed to be one of the first movies that strayed from the stereotypical role, with a female lead who wanted to stray from her expected path. It was emphasized that this positive change now needed to be repeated in other movies/TV shows and I agree with that.

    A biracial family was featured in a 2014 Cheerios Super Bowl advertisement and it received an unexpected amount of backlash, so how long will it take for the public to accept something they see on television as normal, especially when it is already seen in real life?

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  9. Media can have the power to influence and change social characterizations and norms, which in turn warps the public’s perception of themselves and who they should really be.

    The chapter highlights the fact that media gives us the answer of who we’re supposed to be and in many ways dictates our lives. “The media use language, visuals, codes, and conventions to tell us stories about who we are and how we are supposed to behave and not to behave” (221). Media often generalizes a large group of the population and breaks them down into groups or “stereotypes, so that audiences can label them, often on the basis of simplistic characteristics like gender, race, class, and/or sexuality” (228). However this process takes away from someone’s individuality and can cause misrepresentation. Stereotyping often effects racial minorities in a very negative way and marginalizes the population. “Historically, black males have been represented regularly as either comic entertainment or as thugs and criminals” (229).

    This isn’t exactly a real life example, but there is an episode of the TV show “Friends” where Ross’ son goes to the toy store to pick out a toy and comes home with a Barbie. Ross doesn’t like this at all and wants him to play with action figures because that is what “boys do” but his mom thinks it is okay for their son to have a girl toy. The media and those who control it can have the power to dictate what kind of toy a 3 year old should play without ever having met the child.

    How can consumers break through stereotypes to make media more personal?

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  10. 1. In order to make content either more appealing or digestible the media groups and categorizes people without always thinking to respect their differences.

    2. “Historically, black males have been portrayed as either comic entertainment or as thugs and criminals, whereas black woman have often been portrayed in sassy comic roles or, worse, as characters denigrated through sexual insults.” (p.229)

    The genesis of this problem was racism, however greed from networks and lazy writing/producing allow this to continue today. Instead of taking the time to develop deep characters or sharp humor many popular shows and programs go for the lowest common denominator of viewing audiences.

    “Mainstream media … provide a familiar or common set of stories for the largest set segment of the audience, who are comforted by reduced complexity and nuance.” (p.228)

    The mainstream media pander to the least intelligent of consumers. The average newspaper is written for a basic reading level. It is much easier to just write off a group of people than exploring the reasons behind society’s perceptions.

    “Disney films are known as family-friendly, all-ages entertainment; they offer influential stories of male heroism, female dependency, heterosexual norms, and the power of whites in society.” (223)

    Although the chapter has been critical of this viewpoint, in terms of dollars spent and the popularity of certain political parties, this is exactly what America wants and that is concerning.

    3. One of my favorite television shows was/is Chappelle’s Show. The show is mostly sketch comedy with occasional standup performances by the host Dave Chappelle and musical guests. The show was known for its edgy content and over the top characters. Critics and the general public loved the show and it received wide praise for its humor. However, Dave suddenly cancelled the show because he felt it was being taken the wrong way. Instead of responding to the injustices Chappelle highlighted with his satirical sketches, people latched on to his stereo typed characters because it was easier to accept. The mainstream media called Chappelle crazy because his views didn’t fit theirs.

    4. How can we hold the media to a higher standard and make them accountable for damage that their content can cause?

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  11. Fantastic blogging on REPRESENTATION here, colleagues.

    Great connections to our class conversations, films, and papers.

    Brava!

    Dr. Rob

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  12. (1) The media have created a false representation of minorities to serve the interests of those in power by utilizing the power of stereotyping.

    (2) This chapter argues how our ideologies about society derive from "social discourse," where make judgments based on our observations of what everyone else is doing. These common patterns found throughout various parts of society help create a precedent about someone or something that isn't necessarily true. An example of a giant corporation milking the "master narratives" for their own benefit is Walt Disney Company, "Disney films are known as family-friendly, all-ages entertainment; they offer influential stories of male heroism, female-dependency, heterosexual norms, and the power of whites in society" (223). Who tells these controversial narratives? Typically powerful white men, "Men...compromise roughly 66 percent of supervisory roles, 58 percent of all copy editors, nearly 62 percent of reporters, and 75 percent of photographers" (233).

    (3) I thought it was really interesting to see how Disney, a corporation known for its older, conservative views on society, revolutionized with the first black princess in their 2009 film, The Princess and the Frog. However, critics were not happy because she was a frog for most of the film and the prince was white and powerful. I guess this was more personal because I remember seeing all of the Disney movies as a kid and recognizing similar patterns between every single one - princess in need meets prince. Very white. Very heterosexual. But despite what the critics say, it's nice to see Disney breaking through the color barrier for a change and reaching out to a whole new group of people.

    (4) It seems that those shows that challenge the preexisting ideologies of society are drowned out and beaten to a pulp. How can we make change against the social norms set by the media - noticeable change?

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  13. 1.) Thesis: Chapter nine in our book’s thesis would have to be media in our society has shaped how men and women relate to their sex.

    2.) Hegemonic power can be described as the mainstream attraction for certain groups of people. “Economic factors that that reproduce social hierarchies, it is important to analyze how dominant ideas and belief systems shape our understanding through social text that have hegemonic power.” (223) In the first sentence of this chapter they talk about how at Target sections have different colors depending for what sex it is and this is a great example of hegemonic power. Mater narrative is an interesting topic in our society because they are so prevalent. “Examples of dominant ideologies of identity might include erroneous assumptions that males are rugged leaders and cultural heroes, women are sexual objects or nurturing house makers.” (223) This was one of the main points from the movie, Miss Representation, which we watched in class. It is a serious problem what our social media teaches our children how to act. The reflective function stuck out to me in the reading because I found it to be very true in my life. The definition the book gave it, “whereby representations are judged according to their ability to reflect the culture from why they emerge.” This would be the example of when we make fun of ugly 70’’s clothing. Oh they must be stuck in the 70’s, poor guy.

    3.) One time when I was buying some Toms in Boston I asked a lady where I would find them. She said that they may have ran out of the Men’s Toms but I told her I was fine with wearing the Women’s shoes. It was obvious that I switched sections of the store when I was looking for my new shoes. When I was in the women’s section the colors were light and inviting. The men’s section had a plethora of drinking games and old school t-shirts with warm colors. It was interesting walking back and forth between the two different areas of the store.

    4.) How do people feel who don’t agree with their gender’s colors and social perception?

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  14. 1) This chapter focuses on the way the media influence our behavior, preferences, and the way we are “supposed to be” based on gender, race, religion, etc.
    2) “During the Republican presidential primary race in 2012, Michele Bachmann was often identified as the “woman candidate,” Herman Cain as the “black candidate,” Rick Santorum and Newt Gingrich as the “socially conservative candidate,” and eventual nominee Mitt Romney as the “rich candidate” (227). This is an example of how America uses stereotypes. People say that there is some truth within these stereotypes, but then I think we take it too far by allowing those stereotypes to become our identity.
    3) “When stories of identity are told, individuals and groups are usually reduced to easily identifiable categorizations, or stereotypes, so that audiences can label them, often on the basis of simplistic characteristics like gender, race, class, or sexuality” (228). The media like to grasp onto one particular aspect of a character and blow it up so that viewers have an identity to tag on them. The media tend to stick to one trait and not deviate from the “norms” that that trait may entail.
    4) “Women were portrayed in traditional roles – as happy and attractive housewives, homemakers, and mothers who were predominantly white – within a domestic realm that honored suburban femininity” (235). Later in this section they explain ads that were made to appeal to these types of women, specifically addressing their role in the kitchen and how this new appliance could make the women’s time spent in the kitchen “family time.” This just goes to show the emphasis we put on roles in society. We tend to exaggerate stereotypes and that seems to then become the “norm.”
    5) Someone just told me the other day that pink actually used to be a more boyish color because it was so bold and was considered masculine at the time. This just got me thinking about how colors got “assigned” to genders and how colors really represent or misrepresent a person based on their gender. I just thought that was interesting.
    6) Will gender ever be uncategorized in terms of color, roles, norms, etc?

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