Power Struggles

               In class, we talked about different types of power. We talked about if there should be or if there is a separation between monetary power and intellectual power. I think that most people would say that there should be a separation of the two otherwise someone with money would always control everything.  But, could there ever be a separation? I really do no think it could. In today's world, we tend to value money or intelligence. I bet if most of the people in the world were surveyed, they would say they would rather have a a great amount of money rather than a great amount of intelligence. With money, things, like new inventions or new music, can be pushed into the world very fast. If someone has intellectual power, they can try to get their ideas out there, but it could take a very VERY long time for this idea to become popular in the world.

                One example I can think of where there is disparity between intellectual power and monetary power is the music of 50 Cent. Ever since he last released an album in 2009, he has been attempting to release another, but cannot because of his label. It seems as though that his label continues to not like what he comes up with to the sell to the public. Maybe, his new songs are not catchy enough? Labels support artists only if they believe in the product and right now they must not believe he can sell. The funny thing is that 50 Cent probably does have the resources and money to sell the album on his own. Maybe he does not believe in it himself? or Maybe he is in some sort of contract where he cannot release independently? All of this comes back to who has the monetary power and unfortunately for 50 Cent, the label does.

Jeffrey K

Comm 330: Guy Code

The new television show on MTV networks entitled “Guy Code” discusses specific “codes” that men must follow in order to remain and obtain the status of a man. The show discusses everything from getting sex from girls, frat parties, and college life, what it means to be a “guy”, and much, much more. However, the show is not so much about giving advise on how to be a good guy but how not to be a gay guy, or rather a woman.

The show in its first season on MTV has a very anti gay attitude and anti women attitude, that reinforces the stereotype of male masculinity, and preaches anti-femininity. In only one episode of the television series, numerous anti-gay, anti-woman attitudes were established. The opening of the show begins by saying that guy code is innate code within all guys, that it is “embedded in guys DNA.”  This hear overtly explains that every guy shares the same code, and what the show will teach you, is the code for guys. The show then continues by teaching their “first lesson” of the guy code which explains the code of “getting freaky.” The show explains that men should not date women with more sexual experience because it takes away their manlihood because women should not know more about sex than guys, and if she does she’s a whore. This overtly describes women as lesser than man, and even slut bashes women. The show then continues by teaching lesson of having a job. It explains that having a job is important. The guys in the show explain that a man having a job to women, is like a man having a girl with nice breast and a nice butt. Here, the male discussing this is objectifying women by claiming that women are more attracted by men who have jobs then by looks. Even a woman on the show, who is a maxim model, explains that girls “like it when guys have jobs so they can brag to their friends about having a rich boyfriend.” Sadly, even some women objectify women and here it could not be more obvious. To conclude, the commercial break between segments of the show was a combo commercial where three guys are sitting at a table, hold hands and pray that Dallas will win their football game, and then begin to eat combos for dinner. The catch phrase for the commercial was “combos: what your mom would make for dinner if she were a man.” This show obviously, has extreme issues, and has the major potential to affect viewers watching it.

Hegemony & Justin Bieber: By Jack Gohl

99.9 percent of the time I almost always dislike reading about Karl Marx & Friedrich Engels views, because these text are always way to abstract for myself and can almost always be summed up in one paragraph or at least the 5 page conclusion. This reading on Marx and Engels text, "The Ruling Class and the Ruling Ideas" gave me inspiration towards the last .01 percent. After reading and discussing in small groups I found these ideas to be quite enlightening and actually really got me thinking about our media powers and the effects they have on society.

In doing my comparison of the texts information to the media, I wanted to use the TV News as an example. More then ever in this day of age we see entertainers swamping the media with ideas and random bull. For example, Bonos (U2 singer) thoughts on how we can save the world or Mel Gibsons drunken anti-semitic slurs, which make top headlines on various news programs. In my opinion there are 1,000's of Bono's in this world, but only 1 gets our attention and really even though it is fun to make fun of Mel after his drunken buffoonery, who really gives a poop. Why could this be?? This (to me) is because entertainers/politicians are considered the elite beings in our society, which also have some of the highest paying salaries and power.

The power these few and very wealthy individuals display, whether outrageous or normal in the events captured on news programs can (to me) be a wonderful example of hegemony. These news programs sift through the material and choose what is of importance and what is not. Do many of us not give a poop to what and why Linsey Lohan is in court for each time she breaks top story (which is a lot), rather the kid that saved a cat from a tree or the many people that die from various issues around the states and world? I blame hegemony and Justin Beiber... But really, we can not blame Justin biebs for all our problems, because he has a great head of hair. Hegel was right on, hegemony or in his words our hierarchy in society is what controls various medias. But, I may be 99.9 percent off on this...

Product Placement

Product placement, commonly used today in most media entertainment, is advertising in which branded products are placed in television shows, music videos, and movies. For example, on each episode of American Idol the judges have Coke placed in from of them. Another example is when music artists promote their perfume or clothing line in their music videos. Cell phones, cameras, and other electronics are also featured in these media forms. Shows that target younger audiences tend to promote electronics. Product placement is literally everywhere: the cars the characters drive, the clothing and accessories they wear, the cell phones they use, even the brand of orange juice or coffee they drink. It is everywhere. 

Product placement is an example of turning culture into a commodity. Companies are continuously developing new ways to make money off what is aired to the public. They make our idolized characters promote the newest devices, hoping we will then go out and buy them. Entertainment is no longer solely for entertainment purposes. Our favorite shows and music is filled with messages about what is new and improved and worth buying. There is an underlying motive behind everything we are exposed to: money and profits. 

These messages are ruining our culture. Music is no longer just rhythm and beat. Movies are no longer just about the scenery and special effects. Everything included in these media forms is there for a reason. 

Although it makes sense for Coke, who sponsors American Idol, to promote their product on the show or for Britney Spears to promote her new fragrance in her music video that will be viewed by millions of fans, it is less sensible or reasonable to promote a new camera on a television show, especially if it is extremely obvious. If the characters are actually discussing the product and its features during the episode, the advertising has gone too far. Subtlety I will settle for. 

Leave the advertising to the commercials and billboards. Let us enjoy our music and film, without being bombarded with branded products and services. 

The Simple Life

The television show, The Simple Life, starred socialites Paris Hilton and Nicole Richie. The series took these women and puts them in the life of ordinary, American citizens. Paris and Nicole always mess up or were grossed out by their new "jobs." They did not perform well as average citizens.

This was the perfect example of hegemony. Paris and Nicole have a lot of influence and power over American culture (maybe not as much now, but when the show aired they had a lot of power). Their ideas were seen through everyone, but their ideas and lifestyles are only really possible to obtain for the elite. They themselves could not even live the life of an average person.

Another example of hegemony was displayed on Paris' show, Paris Hilton's My New BFF. Everyone wanted to be her best friend in order to go to the best parties and dress just like Paris. It was because of her business ideas or ethic. They wanted to be seen on TV (or at least that is what I interpreted from the show). 

American culture takes on ideas that the elite present to us. However, we can not truly live the lives they are displaying to us.

Wife Swap: King Curtis Episode

Even though "Wife Swap" aired from 2004-2009 in the U.S., I still think we can learn a lot about American culture with it. I re-watched an episode where the Brown family owns their own boot camp and believes in strict discipline and a strict diet for their six and eight year old. The Holland family believes that the parents and the children should be equal and anything the children want they get which includes chicken nuggets for breakfast. Something I noticed that was repeated in the show was the fathers' lack of respect to their new wives. They were very adamant to changing their lifestyle even when the wives made good arguments. This shows that although American families can extremely differ from each other they are all stubborn and upset with other people telling them they are living their life wrong. Nobody wants to be told that they are raising their children poorly. Something else that repeats is that Cliff, the Holland father, constantly mentions that money is not important to his family and makes fun of Joy's massive diamond ring. Joy even retorts that she has not mentioned money once since living in their house. This shows the tension between classes. Cliff believes everything revolves around money with Joy while Joy wants to show him what achieving monetary goals is like. He is not comfortable with her name brand clothes and jewelry and she looks down on his everyday relaxed clothing. Something that repeats in every episode of "Wife Swap" is the extreme differences in the types of families they switch the wife in. Another episode I've seen before is where an extremely atheist wife swapped lives with an extremely Christian wife. This simply shows that families in America can be very different. Another thing that repeats in every episode is that eventually each family gains something new. The Brown father realized his children do need a little more fun in their life and the Holland family realized their eating style was a little too unhealthy. This shows that despite American family differences there is a balance they can eventually agree on. No family on the show is shown as perfect and every family has something new to learn. I think "Wife Swap" has a fairly neutral view on culture. Both families are usually so extreme that it balances out to normal.

After discussing cultural hegemony in class I really began to think about the implicit messages that are sent through television shows.  A lot of the shows that have the highest ratings are reality television shows.  Shows that can be considered commodities, very straightforward, mindless entertainment.  Because there has been a huge rise in the number of reality shows on TV, you have to think of the message it sends to not only domestic viewers but international viewers as well.  Cultural hegemony is the spreading of ideas from the dominant class to the lower class.  However you can argue that the media doesn't necessarily control the public, maybe the public controls the media.

I was recently visiting my sister who lives in Spain, and whenever we were at her house the TV was always on.  There were only a few channels with english TV shows.  The shows included Two and a Half Men, Teen Mom, Paris Hilton's My New BFF, Jersey Shore, and Law and Order.   I rarely watch TV at home and when I do I would never watch any of these shows.  Even though I didn't like any of these shows I still watched them, while watching them I couldn't help but think about the fact that these shows are representing America.  We talked in class that media reflects the ideals or culture of the ruling class, however when you take examples from some of today's most popular shows, the idea of these shows representing any of our county's ideals is ludicrous. I don't think majority of popular television shows today give viewers an accurate perception of life in the United States, and in many ways I think the public controls the media.