The Specular Economy - Extended Blog

Image Sourced: Nicole Forrester

Ever heard the expression “just Google it?” I know I have had my fair share of Google moments but what intrigues me the most is that technological jargon is becoming increasing predominant in our everyday activities and conversations; playing a much larger role in our lives than I had initially anticipated. With the development of Web 2.0; a new era of digital culture has been created with individuals now becoming more aware of how they portray themselves online on social networking sites. No matter how hard we try to escape from social media, we normally always return back to these sites within a few days, hours or for those constantly attached to their phones (like myself) in a few minutes. Furthermore, aided by advancements in technology, especially since the development of smart phones, our dependency to be “in touch” with the virtual community is growing; but with this comes the issue of self-identity associated with social networking: are we presenting a true image of ourselves online or the image that society created and wants us to portray?

Marshall (2010) introduces the term ‘specular economy’ to define how society is becoming more conscious on how we present ourselves on our social media networks and thus how others interpret our profiles. In terms of my own personal social media use, particularly on Facebook, I constantly ‘filter’ my news feed and approve certain uploads by giving a thumbs up and liking those pictures, images or status updates and if it has captured my attention then I will make an extra effort to comment and express my opinion on that particular post. With this being said, I also acknowledge a friend’s presence by tagging them at a location which we visited or sharing images or videos that are funny and might interest them. I myself have been guilty of tweaking a status before posting (especially with added #hashtags) but never has it occurred to me that I was doing this on a daily basis; editing my somewhat boring status’ to one that is more humorous and witty so that although my status has a serious message attached it comes across as more light-hearted and not sound like a crazy lunatic make me seem more down to earth. Those who I would consider my close friends know that I may have a slight (read big) obsession with taking photos of food before I consume them, although I don’t specifically state this as a post, my friends on Facebook interpret my photos that I upload on Facebook or Instagram that I am a ‘foodie’ and loves eating out with friends. Call it vanity, but in this day and age where we are constantly being judged on our appearance and “becoming more conscious of how we present ourselves and how others perceive us” (Marshall 2009, p. 498), personal social networking sites are no exception and thus, we spend the majority of our time prowling on these sites editing and observing then expressing our true inner thoughts.

Image Sourced: SquareOne Explorations

We live in a narcissistic world where ‘competitive individualism’ exists where we constantly feel the need to ‘better ourselves’ by comparing our own profiles to our friends and have a psychological competition with them. Additionally, according to Lasch (1979), comparable to celebrities, we constantly over analyse how we should best present ourselves online to highlight what we feel is our defining feature. We are consciously aware of how we present our profiles and how others perceive us (especially potential employers). To a certain extent, manipulating our true selves in order to get a few more ‘likes’ or ‘comments’ to feel accepted by our fellow ‘friends’. The best example of this is the classic self-portrait “selfie” shot. According to Hills (2009), the author contends that today’s youth are utilising mobile digital media technologies more effectively than previous generations to establish our online identities stressing the ability to take and upload images almost instantaneously has played a major role in this development. Furthermore, profile pictures are ‘a short hand for changing, up-to-the-minute performances of self’ (Hills 2010, p. 118) and one of the easiest and fastest ways to capture and represent yourself online to provide an insight to external individuals and companies viewing your profile.

Video Sourced: Youtube Michelle Phan

In terms of my own experience, although I do not adjust my profile picture on a regular basis, but they usually consist of a different variation shot of me at the beach and the odd shameful “selfie.” As hypocritical as it sounds I do find “selfies” annoying as they in no way represent an accurate depiction of myself in the flesh. On top of this, Marshall (2010) links celebrity culture to the development of our online identity and contends that it is an important factor on how we present ourselves to the world. With this being said, I follow quite a few celebrities on twitter but mostly for styling, fashion and beauty related advice. I do believe that celebrities have influenced our online personas whether sporting a ‘selfie’ profile picture or trying to sport Kim Kardashian’s signature makeup look, (see video below) has undoubtedly influenced the way we ‘prune’ ourselves online to our celebrity counterparts…it’s no coincidence that I tried to recreate this look a few days later…

Video Sourced: Youtube GossMakeupArtist
 

Although my Facebook page is personal I do try to upload pictures that are considered somewhat formal as well as I am still cautious of future employers browsing my page. Moreover, profile pictures can say a thousand words but with profile pictures constantly being uploading and changing is it really an accurate representation of our real self? After taking a few ‘selfies’ I usually select the best shot, filter it then upload it. The question is: with all this editing, is the person in the photo still me? Social media allows us to feel relevant and important but at the same time also promotes being egotistical

DiMicco and Millen (2007) theorise that users of such social media sites present themselves when they are using one site to keep in contact with both their past social groups from school and their current social connections in the workplace. Additionally, with the use of multiple chats on Facebook I am able to communicate with my workplace regarding rostering and changing shifts whilst socialising with my friends and family members in a separate chat all in one place. The only major difference with these chats is the type of language that is written in these messages. For work related chats I keep it strictly professional and regularly edit and re-edit the messages that I send, even though I use my personal page for work related issues I still maintain work conduct. For close friends and family members on the other hand, not as much thought is taken when typing, editing and sending as I am able to keep it casual and humorous in my messages without inciting emotional responses. Chalkley (2013) and Ellison et al. (2007) both imply that the next challenge of innovation will not be more advanced phones or even faster data but rather our definitions of ‘friends’, ‘community’ and ‘society.’ Furthermore, Ellison (2007) contends that with the technological developments with the internet it can have positive and negative effects on the individual. I myself still wonder out of all the 500 ‘friends’ I have on Facebook, I only talk to about 10 on a regular basis and whilst I may get a few likes on every status that I post (although infrequently) I can still feel lonely at the same time; as our ‘online identity’ quickly expands will our real identity get lost in the process of the online realm?

Vanity and self-admiration occurs not just online but is observed just as often in our daily routines. Livingstone (2008) states that while younger teenagers relish opportunities to recreate ‘highly-decorated and stylistically-elaborate’ identities, older teenagers favour simple aesthetic backdrops which allows the true notion of identity lived through authentic relationships. If analysed on a deeper level, although these arguments are valid it may not be completely true. As human beings we thrive on social interaction offline and online and always trying to seek the approval of others. Yes, we may develop deeper connections from friends to the workplace but in order to do so we change and alter our demeanour and appearances. In order to maintain professional and personal connections one must dress the part. I know for a fact that I would not be caught dead in my work uniform around my friends and vice versa in thongs at work.

Although such social sites are meant to be used as a tool to reflect our true identity we find ourselves getting lost in the process and being replaced by ‘a new and improved’ version of us.  The cyber world is becoming a vehicle for individuals to create a sense of identity where we are able to shape shift and alter our personality and appearances to target specific audiences. While we do in fact do this on a regular basis outside of the online community, the digital world allows  us to enforce this with greater convenience and precision. Although somewhat deceptive, our freedom to create a better and improved version of ourselves whether online (via edited ‘selfies’) or in real life (resumes anyone?) is empowering enabling us to better our public image. With that being said – how do we separate our real identity to the one that we virtually construct online?

(On a side note it’s been over a week since I last changed my profile picture on Facebook… I just need to filter and edit a new selfie before I upload it.) #selfies #hashtag #swag #yolo #nailedit #whyamidoingthis?

 

Video Sourced: Youtube #Hashtag

Bibliography

Chalkley, T 2013, ‘Teen identity in the digital age: who exactly is “me” now days?’, conference paper presented at Transformational Communication and the New Asia, Asian Media Information and Communication Centre, Yogyakarta, Indonesia

CONTOUR AND HIGHLIGHT LIKE KIM KARDASHIAN - STEP BY STEP. Video, 7 June 2012, gossmakeupartist, date retrieved: 10 August 2013, <http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bBLHE0ME-GA>
 DiMicco, J. M & Millen, D. R 2007, ‘Identity management: multiple presentations of self in Facebook’ in Proceedings of the 2007 international ACM conference on Supporting group work, New York, pp. 383-386

Ellison et al. 2007, ‘The Benefits of Facebook “Friends:” Social Capital and College Students’ Use of Online Social Network Sites’, Journal of Computer-Mediated Communication, vol. 12, no. 4, pp. 1143-1168                 

Hills, M 2009, ‘Case study: social networking and self-identity’, in Creeber, G and Martin, R (eds.), Digital Cultures: Understanding New Media, Open University Press, Maidenhead, pp. 117-21

How to take the perfect selfie 2013, YouTube, Michelle Phan, 5 September, retrieved 22 September 2013,<https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vbqIQcKNE7E&feature=c4-overview&list=UUuYx81nzzz4OFQrhbKDzTng>

Lasch, C 1979, Culture of narcissism: American life in an age of diminishing expectations. New York: Norton

Livingstone, S 2008, ‘Taking risky opportunities in youthful content creation: teenagers' use of social networking sites for intimacy, privacy and self-expression’ in New media & society, volume 10, no. 3,  pp. 393-411

 

Marshall, P D 2010, ‘The promotion and presentation of the self: celebrity as marker of presentational media’, Celebrity Studies, vol. 1, no. 1, pp. 35-48

Marshall, P.D 2010, ‘The Specular Economy’, Society, vol. 47, no. 6, pp. 498-502

#Hashtag with Jimmy Fallon and Justin Timberlake 2013, video, Youtube, 24 September, retrieved 10 October 2013, http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=57dzaMaouXA

Asian-Hollywood

Whenever we think of famous film productions we think of Hollywood, ‘Home of the entertainment industry’. Once a predominant white-based film industry, the market has expanded featuring many films with different multi-cultural influences. In order to cater to a large Asian population, many films have been adapted to suit this target population as well as Asian films being influenced by elements of Hollywood as well.

Klein (2004) suggests that each culture is influencing one another, while “Hollywood is becoming Asianized in diverse ways…[the] Asian film industries are in turn becoming Hollywoodized.” (Klein 2004, pg. 361) The most well-known example of these ‘mixed films’ are evident in many martial art storylines. This is seen in movies such as the Rush hour series, as well as Children films such as The Karate Kid (2010) and Kung Fu Panda (2008). In Ang Lee’s Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon (2000); which tells the storyline of a warrior and his love for a women as well as a Princess desiring to become a fighter all set in an era where a war has broken out. This film features many ancient Chinese practices such as historical information about various dynasties that existed at the time, the types of weapons and lastly how martial arts was practiced. All of these characteristics have been adapted into Hollywood productions and as a result these two different industries have become more closely related.

Image sourced: Amanda Meade

Critics may say that while introducing Asian influences into a Hollywood production may lead to certain elements of the Asian culture diminishing in order to cater for a wider audience (homogenization). This to a certain extent is true as some meanings were lost in the film Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon (2000). Pham (2004) analysed that while the film was a major success it was not meant to be an action move (as depicted in the trailer below), but to showcase the artist merits of the storyline as well as the Asian culture not to stereotype the Asian race.

It is clear that living in a globalised world; elements of different cultures are bound to affect one another creating new cultures. While the debate continues whether multi-cultural influences are positive or negative in the filmy industry, one thing is clear; with geographic boundaries no longer becoming a problem it is here to stay and cultivate.

Reference List

Klein, Christina 2004, ‘Martial arts and globalisation of US and Asian film industries’, Comparative America Studies, vol. 2, no. 3, pp. 360-384. 

Pham, M. H. T. 2004, The Asian invasion (of multiculturalism) in Hollywood in Journal of Popular Film and Television, vol. 32, no. 3, pp. 121-131.

Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon (2000), YouTube, 29 April, retrieved 26 September 2013,  <http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oEaGsdiA0y0>

 

Who am I?



Image sourced: Nicole Forrester 

No matter how hard we try to escape from social media, we normally always return back to these sites within a few days, hours or for those constantly attached to their phones (like myself) in a few minutes. Aided by advancements in technology, especially since the development of smart phones, our dependency to be “in touch” with the virtual community is growing; but with this comes the issue of identity: are we presenting our true selves or the image that society created?

Marshall (2010) introduces the term ‘specular economy’ to define how society is becoming more conscious of how we present ourselves on our social media networks and thus how others interpret our profiles. I constantly ‘filter’ my news feed and only comment or like certain uploads on Facebook such as photos, tags, videos or status’. I myself have been guilty of tweaking a status before posting (especially with added #hashtags) but never has it occurred to me that I was doing this on a daily basis; editing my somewhat boring status’ to one that is more humorous and witty.

According to Lasch (1979) we live in a narcissistic world where ‘competitive individualism’ exists. Comparable to celebrities, we constantly over analyse how we should best present ourselves online. We are consciously aware of how we present our profiles and how others perceive us (especially potential employers). To a certain extent, manipulating our true selves in order to get a few more ‘likes’ or ‘comments’ to feel accepted by our fellow ‘friends’.  The best example of this is the classic “selfie” shot. After taking a few ‘selfies’ I usually select the best shot, filter it then upload it. The question is: with all this editing, is the person in the photo still me?

 

(Video sourced: Michelle Phan 2013)

DiMicco and Millen (2007) theorise that users of such social media sites present themselves when they are using one site to keep in contact with both their past social groups from school and their current social connections in the workplace. Social media allows us to feel relevant and important but at the same time also promotes being egotistical. With that being said – how do we separate our real identity to the one that we virtually construct online? Sadly, aided by the work of globalisation it is sure to spread.

#yolo #swag

References

DiMicco, J. M & Millen, D. R 2007, ‘Identity management: multiple presentations of self in Facebook’ in Proceedings of the 2007 international ACM conference on Supporting group work, New York, pp. 383-386

How to take the perfect selfie 2013, YouTube, Michelle Phan, 5 September, retrieved 22 September 2013,<https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vbqIQcKNE7E&feature=c4-overview&list=UUuYx81nzzz4OFQrhbKDzTng>

 Lasch, C 1979, Culture of narcissism: American life in an age of diminishing expectations. New York: Norton

 Marshall, P.D 2010, ‘The Specular Economy’, Society, vol. 47, no. 6, pp. 498-502

Campus Life & Gaming

Although I would not call myself an avid gamer; I do believe the gaming sector has revolutionised the way we interact with others and some might even say that it is an extension of our own identity in a virtual setting. The way we play video games has evolved, whereby gamers have endless functions and multiple options to choose from when gaming. Culture has played a role in this and will continue to do so as demand is steadily increasing for more realistic gaming experiences to be created and thus shared with others around the world.

According to Raessen (2005, pg. 375) there are three domains of participation. Specifically, one of the categories includes interpretation, which is the process of making meaning from various media sources. This process of encoding and decoding is subject to participatory cultures as well as the user’s personality as there can be multiple interpretations to one situation, as this depends on the individual. The interpretation reading is evident in games such as Campus Life, although an application on smart phones, this application has similar characteristics to computer games although at times more convenient.

https://itunes.apple.com/au/app/campus-life/id504634395?mt=8

 

Without ever having to download or play this application, users are already making interpretations from the title of the game. The name implies “sorority girls” and thus users assume that the characters value the social aspects of their “campus life”. Although a generalization, this is a somewhat accurate depiction of the game. This interpretation is not only affected by cultural values but also has a hint of “Americanisation” influence as well. Not only has Americanisation influenced sectors such as clothing and the music industry just to name a few, it has also impacted the gaming experience.

 

Campbell, Davies and McKay (2004) state that Americanisation (cultural influences of America on other countries) has directly affected the perception of how “sorority girls” are observed in other cultures. Furthermore, there are certain elements of American college girls that are similar with “campus life” and this can be seen below in the film, Legally Blonde.

 

 

 

 

Gaming has a much larger role in society than initially thought. With Globalization (Americanisation?) on the rise our interpretations will become much more diverse although some may interpret this as a negative aspect in terms of a lack of originality in future games to come.   

 

 

 

Reference List

 

Campbell N, Davies J, & McKay G 2004, Issues in Americanisation and culture, Edinburgh University Press.

Raessens, J 2005, “Computer Games as Participatory Media Culture”, Handbook of Computer Game Studies, MIT Press, Cambridge, Mass, pp. 373-388

Legally blonde Official Trailer 2012, YouTube, Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer (MGM), 5 October,  date retrieved: 16 September 2013, <http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E8I-Qzmbqnc >

 

Another angry rant at the ... blogosphere?

We’ve all had our fair share of bad days at work. No matter which industry you work in, there will always be “that one customer” in which a casual whine can quickly escalate into a long and lengthy rant. Employees have now turned to the online world where it is seen as “acceptable” to vent our frustration with our keyboards without other customers or our employers finding out; the blogosphere. According to Ferdig and Trammel (2004), the blogosphere is often likened to a collection or series of online personal journals that are considered unedited and reflects the true opinion of the writer in which “bloggers” occupy. This implies bloggers are able to criticize any detail of the work environment right down to other employees, customers or managers whilst maintaining a semi anonymous identity…well that is until the organization finds out.

 (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l7nQ24J3pJA, Fox Broadcasting Company, retrieved 7 September 2013) 

While venting online can provide helpful insights about how the company can further improve particular work aspects in the future, where do we draw the line between offering constructive criticism and downright complaining? While not all posts are negative, the majority of them are. According to Richards and Kosmala (2013) the blogosphere allows employees to escape their corporate culture where employees are expected to be self-disciplined and follow work protocols. With the blogosphere on the other hand, the power is reversed. Employees are given a sense of control and community with others that feel the same way which allows employees to feel empowered with a sense of authority. But this can also back fire on the individual when inappropriate photos are posted online leading to them being sacked. (See picture below)

(Picture sourced from: http://www.webpronews.com/kfc-employee-fired-after-mashed-potato-licking-photos-hit-facebook-2013-02)

 

Before you quickly log on and type about a particular “opinionated” (read annoying) customer causing a scene at your workplace, just remember is it really beneficial to the company that you represent or your reputation? There is no question that blogs are useful in conveying an individual’s opinions, but there are also risks involved with heading onto the online world and posting work related rants. For managerial concerns, it is best to address the “root of the problem” with the manager than to convey this online, but with the expansion of the online community, will the “grass root” concerns ever be addressed if no action is taken at the actual workplace?

 

Bibliography:

Family Guy – Women complain about work clip, video, 20 January 2013, date retrieved: 7 September 2013,  <http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l7nQ24J3pJA>

Ferdig, R. E., and Trammell, K. D., 2004. ‘Content delivery in the ‘blogosphere’, The Journal, vol. 31, no. 7, pg. 12-20.

Richards, J., and Kosmala, K., 2013 ‘In the end, you can only slag people off for so long’: employee cynicism through work blogging’, New Technology, Work and Employment, vol. 28, no. 1, pp. 68 – 77.

 

 

I’m lovin(g) it!




[Image Source: "Curiosity Killed the Consumer_ Blog"

http://curiositykilledtheconsumer.wordpress.com/2012/06/02/do-you-prosume-how-the-do-it-yourself-trend-changes-the-relation-between-producer-and-consumer/

What happens when you combine producers and consumers? Prosumers. According to the Prosumption model established by Ritzer and Jurgenson (2010), it is fundamental to view these terms as a whole as opposed to separately. The model highlights how consumers are becoming brands from their own consumption of products and thus, allows others to make implied meaning(s) from what we consume. Davis and Jurgenson (2011, pg. 4) suggest that prosumption can be applied to identity as the products we choose to consume define who we are as an individual. This can come down to the most simplest things such as clothing items that we wear implying whether the individual is more fashion forward or casual in their style of clothing. This movement is not only seen in the streets but is evident in our workplaces as a form of hidden advertisement and marketing.

From personal experience, identity prosumption can be easily seen in jobs in the fast food industry.   

Image Used with CC Permission, Original source Renzelle Mae Abasolo
http://flic.kr/p/fi8THU

As an employee you must firstly consume the product. I consume a few new promotional food and beverages in order to taste the products so that I’ll be able to retell my experience to customers if need be and what ingredients were used. The uniform that I purchase comprises of the logo as well as newly released products printed on the shirts. It is true that I am a consumer as I consume the products but in another sense I also identity myself as a producer due to the clothes that I wear and by telling others about products that are newly released (my coke glasses collection is an excellent example…I have one of every colour! sad) Even though I am an employee I still advertise independently whether intentional or not and thus, identifying myself as a prosumer.

Video by McDonald Corporation, http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cDG07SYbfNs&list=TLVpUW8fB1-fQ, retrieved  24 August 2013)

Some may say that prosumption can lead to desensitisation, which to a certain extent is correct; it does however allow other consumers to notice the brand and enables others to share this information forward. Globalisation no doubt has played a role in prosumption and with international and local trade expanding it will continue to grow. Whether negative or positive prosumption it is here to stay.

Bibliography:

Jenny Davis & Nathan Jurgenson, 12th September 2011, "Prosuming Identity Online", Cyborgology, viewed 23rd August 2013, <http://thesocietypages.org/cyborgology/2011/09/12/prosuming-identity-online/>

McDonald’s Big Mac Chant, McDonald Corporation, video, 4 Feb 2010, date retrieved: 24 August 2013,< http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cDG07SYbfNs&list=TLVpUW8fB1-fQ> 

Ritzer, G Jurgenson, N 2010, "Production, Consumption, Prosumption: The Nature of Capitalism in the Age of the Digital 'Prosumer', Journal of Consumer Culture,  vol. 10, no `, pp. 13-36

 

Online Identity

Ever heard the expression “just Google it?” I know I’ve had my share of Google moments but what intrigues me the most is that technological jargon is becoming increasing predominant in our everyday activities and conversations; playing a much larger role in our lives than I had initially anticipated.  With the development of Web 2.0 comes a new era of digital culture and with that the issue of online identity and social networking.

                                                                     (Image by Kylie Louie, 10 August 2013.)

According to Hills (2009), he suggests that today’s youth is utilising mobile digital media technologies to establish our online identities stressing that the ability to take and upload images almost instantaneously has played a major role in this development. Furthermore, profile pictures are also ‘a short hand for changing, up-to-the-minute performances of self.’ (Hills 2010, p. 118) Moreover, profile pictures are one of the easiest ways to represent ourselves online and can give an insight to the individual without having ever met them. Although I don’t change my profile picture that frequently on my social networking sites, particularly Facebook, they usually consist of the same picture of me at the beach and the odd shameful “selfie.” Except 1. I don’t particularly like the beach and 2. I find “selfies” annoying. Hypocritical you might say, but why have that as my profile picture? Although my Facebook page is personal I do try to upload pictures that are considered somewhat formal as well as I am still cautious of future employers browsing my page. Profile pictures can say a thousand words but with profile pictures constantly being uploading and changing is it really an accurate representation of our real self?

Marshall (2010) links celebrity culture to the development of our online identity and contends that it is an important factor on how we present ourselves to the world. I follow quite a few celebrities on twitter but mostly for styling, fashion and beauty related advice. I do believe that celebrities have influenced our online personas whether sporting a ‘selfie’ profile picture or trying to sport Kim Kardashian’s signature makeup look it has undoubtedly influenced the way we ‘prune’ ourselves online to our celebrity counterparts.  

 

Video by Gossmakeupartist, http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bBLHE0ME-GA, retrieved  10 August 2013)

 

 

Chalkley (2013) and Ellison et al. (2007) both imply that the next challenge of innovation will not be more advanced phones or even faster data but rather our definitions of ‘friends’, ‘community’ and ‘society.’ Furthermore, Ellison (2007) contends that with the technological developments with the internet it can have positive and negative effects on the individual. I myself still wonder out of all the 500 ‘friends’ I have on Facebook, I only talk to about 10 on a regular basis and whilst I may get a few likes on every status that I post I can still feel lonely; as our ‘online identity’ quickly expands will our real life identity get lost in the process?

Bibliography

Ellison et al. (2007), ‘The Benefits of Facebook “Friends:” Social Capital and College Students’ Use of Online Social Network Sites’, Journal of Computer-Mediated Communication, vol. 12, no. 4, pp. 1143-1168                  

Marshall, P D 2010, ‘The promotion and presentation of the self: celebrity as marker of presentational media’, Celebrity Studies, vol. 1, no. 1, pp. 35-48

Hills, M 2009, ‘Case study: social networking and self-identity’, in Creeber, G and Martin, R (eds.), Digital Cultures: Understanding New Media, Open University Press, Maidenhead, pp. 117-21

Chalkley, T 2013, ‘Teen identity in the digital age: who exactly is “me” now days?’, conference paper presented at Transformational Communication and the New Asia, Asian Media Information and Communication Centre, Yogyakarta, Indonesia

CONTOUR AND HIGHLIGHT LIKE KIM KARDASHIAN - STEP BY STEP. Video, 7 June 2012, gossmakeupartist, date retrieved: 10 August 2013, <http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bBLHE0ME-GA>

Keep the credits rolling...

Ever heard the phrases “You go Glenn Co Co” or “You can’t sit with us”? These lines from the comedy “Mean Girls” have been uttered so frequently it now seems normal to incorporate film phrases or stereotypes into our everyday conversations and almost abnormal not to. But when do we draw the line?

 

 

 

Hollywood, home of the entertainment industry, has undoubtedly affected how different stereotypes are represented or in this case misrepresented in society. Globalization not only occurs in economics but according to Pieterse (2004, p16-17) globalization is also evident in the media depending on the perspective of the individual. In this particular post I will focus on the Islamic culture and their depiction in Hollywood Western films.

 

As Martin & Phelan (2002) contend, Arabs are mostly characterized as unfavourable in blockbuster films and are usually stereotyped as antagonists with roles such as terrorists, militants, extremists and troublemakers just to name a few. Moreover, since September 11, a sense of separation and “clash of civilisations” has been seen between the Islamic and Western society and only heightened by featuring these reoccurring themes in popular mainstream films. Through this controversial theme, the media was able to heightened this through distress and fear; stereotyping all Muslims as “extremists.” An example of this is shown below in the film “Taken 2” which was released only last year and yet still features Islamic minorities rebelling and involved in “terrorist – like” activities which revolve around the main plot of  kidnapping a teenage girl.

 

 

 

 

 

Since popular films are shown globally it is important to adopt a wider understanding of another’s culture before generalizing it to the wider public especially with western blockbuster films. Furthermore, due to ease of access in which information or media can be distributed or received instantaneously as a result of globalisation, we need to separate the stereotypes from the individuals in order to develop a better understanding of another culture to fully appreciate their unique offerings.   

 

 References

Martin, P & Phelan, S (2002) ‘Representing Islam in the wake of September 11: a comparison of US television and CNN online message board discourses’, Prometheus, vol. 20, no. 3, September, pp. 263–9

 

Nederveen Pieterse, J, 2004, Globalization: consensus and controversies, Globalization and culture: global mélange, Rowan& Littlefield, Lanham, Md., pp. 16-17.

 

 She doesn’t even go here, video, 11 Oct 2009, date retrieved: 4 August 2013, <http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_detailpage&v=RUFT35S7Jb4>  

 

Taken 2 – International Trailer, video, 21 June 2012, date retrieved: 4 August 2013, <http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VpaT8NzkLgE>

Shanghai and Taiwan Adventures

Globalisation, although a broad concept, has greatly impacted our daily lives without us even knowing. According to Rantanen (2005, pg. 7) globalisation refers to a formation of a global society whereby different parts of the world are becoming increasingly more interconnected and the development of more advanced technologies has allowed for this to happen. Moreover, Rockefeller (2011, pg. 557) also theorises that information flows allow easy transmission and accessibility of information almost instantaneously all around the world. Thus, this would enable individuals to connect with other family members and friends at a click of a button or in more modern terms, through a simple status update on Facebook or tweet without having to be in the same room country.

After explaining ‘informational flows’ to my mother, I asked her if this has impacted her life in any way (in Cantonese of course!) to which she replied:

“This year travelling to Shanghai & Taiwan. We were able to video call family members and share photos with them on your iPhone. It is really easy for everyone to know what we’ve been up to and lets us share our experiences with them even though they are still back home. We even took videos of aerobatic performances and sent them to your sister to see.  It’s really convenient.” (Louie, July 27, 2013)

 

 

Photo sourced: Kylie Louie 18th January 2013

I suddenly realized that globalisation was playing a much greater role in our daily lives than I had initially thought. Before flying off I remembered updating my Facebook status which stated that I was heading overseas for a month. When my parents and I were in Shanghai and Taiwan we called my sister via Skype and sent pictures and videos via whatsapp (an application on the iPhone). Even though my sister was half way across the globe we were able to easily communicate with each other and remain up to date with what was happening from both sides of the world.

Social networking sites and mobile connections have allowed a greater unification of culture and information accessibility. Without globalization, this would not have been possible.


 

Photo sourced: Kylie Louie 10th January 2013

 

 

 

References:

Louie, B, Personal Interview, July 27 2013

Rantanen, T 2005, ‘Theorizing media globalization’, The media and globalization, Sage, London, pp. 1–18

Rockefeller, S 2011, "Flow", Current Anthropology, vol. 52, no. 4, pp. 557-578.

Introduction

Hi! My name is Kylie, and currently in my second year of Uni studying Bachelor of Arts/ (Media Communications) Bachelor of Commerce (Marketing).
Currently 19 years old living in Melbourne. This blog will be used within my Media and Communication class exploring the themes of Globalisation and the Media and be updated on a weekly basis.
I have a strong passion for all things beauty related as well as the "occasional" cup of coffee in the morning. (Regular Soy Latte 2 sugars please!)