MDIA 101 Final two essays.

Essay #1 Video - Essay 1

Commoditisation is “the process of producing something predominantly in terms of its exchangeability” (Schirato). An example of this is taking an ‘inalien’ idea, like childhood or freedom, to then use them to sell or advertise a product. This is shown in the ‘Air New Zealand’ advertisement featuring the young female (Air New Zealand – November 9, 2009).

This advert draws on categories of childhood, freedom and peace, all previously ‘inalien’ categories that Air New Zealand has used to promote their company. ‘Inalien’ is defined by Schirato as something that is “intrinsic to the community and not subject to the market” (Schirato). However, the ad depicts a young pacific island or Maori female standing on a picturesque beach holding a stick bearing the colours of Air New Zealand as free flowing ribbons. She is then seen traveling through parts of the world, things which are part of the ‘inalien’ categories of childhood, peace and national identity.

Throughout the advert Air New Zealand is using the female to represent an aircraft which is traveling all around the globe visiting sharing New Zealand culture with the places she visits, For example the Hongi with the little boy as well as teaching the dance to the children. By showing this in the advert Air New Zealand is selling us the idea of childhood to advertise the company which displays the use of ‘commoditisation’. National Identity is also sold to us when the ‘perfect’ image of New Zealand is represented, for example when the cameras pans over a green lush waterfall, or while the girl is running through the forest. The music playing in the background, Pokarekare Ana is also advertising national identity as it is a song written in Maori, the native language of New Zealand.

By showing her running through a built up area in bare feet, the advert also draws on ‘freedom’, as it displays the girl as a ‘free spirit’ with a ‘carefree’ attitude. Towards the end when the voice over announces that “No matter what part of the world we see, the world sees a part of New Zealand” indicates that Air New Zealand is also using national identity to advertise their company. Both of these once again are indications of a company using ‘Inalien’ categories to sell their company to us (Air New Zealand – November 9, 2009).

By doing showing these things in their advert Air New Zealand has displayed the use of commoditisation in the advert, as they have advertised ‘national identity’ by appealing to New Zealanders, they have advertised ‘childhood’ by showing a young pacific island female as a representation of an  Aircraft. She is also shown as a representation of an aircraft while running through the built up cities.

What this advert shows us is ‘commoditisation’ a company has used the ‘inalien’ categories of childhood, freedom and national identity to promote their company. This is shown in many ways throughout the advert, the images portraying the young Maori female, the music and the voice overs.

Works Cited

Air New Zealand Advert. YouTube. Web Video. November 9, 2007. <http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=INBbO7Ch7xo&feature=player_embedded>

Schirato, Tony. Understanding Sports Culture. Los Angeles: Sage, 2007.

Essay #2 Essay #2 - Video

  

The recent royal wedding of Prince William and Catherine Middleton exhibits many examples of subjectivity in relation to the nation state. New Zealand also holds some qualities of a nation state, through the use of enforcing laws to the entire nation. It also conforms to the Monarch state by having a governor general.

Subjectivity is “how humans are made subjects in relation to culture, place and power, subjectivity … relies on the forms of discipline, validation and authorisation in the specific cultural fields to which the subject belongs” (Schirato, Buettner and Jutel). Subjectivity is produced by the nation state in many ways, for instance creating laws. The laws set by the governing body of New Zealand are a prime example of how people are created as subjects by the ‘nation state’. If a person breaks the law they are likely to be disciplined. These laws are set to provide the ‘subjects’ a better style of life and for those people to live in safety.

Culture also can define a person as a subject, for culture to do this, the subject must identify with that culture. For instance, a subject of the monarch has to identify themselves with the monarchy in the country they reside. A recent example of this was the royal wedding of Prince William and Catherine Middleton. This wedding was billed to use a romantic story between a royal individual and a ‘commoner’ which is a modern subjectivity. While most were not allowed to attend the actual ceremony, an honour reserved for celebrities and foreign dignitaries, thousands lined the streets to catch a glimpse of the pair and millions more watched around the world (The Wedding of Prince William and Catherine Middleton – April 29, 2011).

But throughout this happy event and during the lead up, there is evidence that the nation state has control of the overall event. Only inviting a select few, a high security presence as well as barriers to stop the crowds from causing a scene, this evidence proves that even though the UK has a democratically elected government it is still under the power of the monarchy and still is still party to a nation state (The Wedding of Prince William and Catherine Middleton – April 29, 2011).

New Zealand’s use of a governor general who is the personal representative of the head of state, Queen Elizabeth the Second (Govt.nz), is an example of a country being subject to a nation state, in this case, the monarchy. The role of the governor general is to represent the Queen in a nation where the “government rules but the sovereign reigns” (The Governor-General).

Subjectivity is produced by the nation state in many ways, for example the Royal wedding displayed many of these forms of production, with the millions of people who watched the wedding, but the select few celebrities and foreign dignitaries who actually attended the royal ceremony. The evidence that New Zealand is a subject of the nation state is the laws set by its government, as well as the Governor-General who represents the head of State.

Works Cited

Debord, Guy. The Society of the Spectacle. New York: Zone Books, 2006.

Govt.nz. Nau Mai, Haere Mai. Welcome to the website of the Governor-General of New Zealand. 1 January 2011. 1st June 2011 <http://www.gg.govt.nz/>.

Schirato, Tony, et al. Understanding Media Studies. Melbourne: Oxford University Press, 2010.

The Governor-General. The Role of the Governor-General. 1 January 2011. 1 June 2011 <http://www.gg.govt.nz/role>.

The Wedding of Prince William and Catherine Middleton. YouTube. Web Video. April 29, 2011. <http://www.youtube.com/user/theroyalchannel#p/u/15/schQZY3QjCw>

Final Media Studies Assignment.

YOUTH CULTURE

Youth Culture and the subcultures it spawns all demonstrate different ideologies, for instance, the ‘anarcho-punks’ are motivated by music, and an ideology that rejects institution. Where-as ‘Goths” are motivated by an anti-consumerist but peaceful ideology in stark contrast to the ‘neo-Nazis’ who are motivated by the ideology that people of colour are less than those who are white.

Ideology, as defined by Schirato, “disposes people to see and act in certain ways” It can also produce meanings that are “naturalized or universalized” (Schirato, Buettner and Jutel). Youth cultures and the subculture spawned by it are motivated by different ideologies. In his article Richard Griffiths examines the effects these ideologies play on the wardrobes of these subcultures (Griffiths,). His description of ‘anarcho-punks and goths’ reveals that the media portrayal of these subcultures can also be twisted from the actual ideology of the subcultures.

The punk ideology is believed to have started in the late 1960’s in either London or New York, on the back of music by the ‘Sex Pistols and the Ramones’ and is believed to have died out towards the end of the 1970’s. However the ‘Goth’ ideology is believed to have started in England in the late 1980’s spawning from the ‘gothic-rock’ music of the time by ‘Bauhaus and the Cure’ and is still accepted as being an alive ideology (Wilson). The ‘neo-Nazi’ ideology has spawned from Adolf Hitler’s Nazi party of Germany in the 1940’s and on the back of the fascist, racist and anti-semiotic ideology (Bailer-Galanda and Neugebauer).

For each subculture that is present in the youth culture of New Zealand there is an ideology behind it. Griffiths explains that buried in the ‘anarcho-punks’ image of patches, symbols slogans and images as well as spikes, studs, chains and belts, is “multiple references to bands and anarchist philosophy which … strongly rejects institutional structures such as the state of government” (Griffiths, Wicked Wardrobes: Youth and fashion in Aotearoa New Zealand.). What this image demonstrates is that ‘anarcho-punks’ are motivated by an ideology which is on of anti-government. He also describes how ‘anarcho-punks’ view uncleanliness, as in personal hygiene or dirty clothes as a way of resisting stereotypes and going against consumerism.

Ideologies can also be warped and presented differently by the media. For example, following the ‘Columbine school shootings” in 1999 the media portrayed ‘Goths’ as having an ideology that revolved simply around death, violence, murder and Nazism an ideology that would have been more suited to ‘Neo-Nazi’s’, however, because the perpetrators adorned the clothing of the ‘gothic’ subculture they were allied with the same ideology. Where-as ‘Goths’ who associated with the gothic ideology before the shootings claimed to be more peaceful and anti-violence and they argued that the perpetrators had simply adorned the clothing of the ‘gothic’ subculture (Griffiths).

In an interview with self-proclaimed ‘Goth’ “Ewan” stated that the gothic wardrobe where males wear make-up, threatens the socially accepted boundaries of the gender “image and role” (242). Which demonstrates that a dominant ideology behind the male ‘Goths’ is one that wants to stand out and push the boundaries that are set, and adhered to, by what is considered to be the ‘social norms’.

‘Neo-Nazi’s’ are motivated by a unified dislike for people who are of ‘colour’ and ‘white power’ as well as “extreme nationalism” (Vogelsang and Larsen). Neo-Nazi’s are also motivated by the want to reproduce the ‘Nazi’ party ideology or a variation there of, which had been banned in 1945 (Bailer-Galanda and Neugebauer). The wardrobe of ‘neo-Nazi’s’ often if one that promotes the Nazi ideology, incorporating ‘Nazi’ symbols such as the ‘swastika’, the ‘Parteiadler’ as well as SS symbols such as the SS bolts and the death heads, often used to promote an anti-Semite (Anti-Jew) ideology which is one that is mimicking the ideology of Adolf Hitler and his Nazi party (Bailer-Galanda and Neugebauer).

What this shows is that for each different subculture in recent and past youth culture there is a different ideology behind it, that has appealed to the youth of its time. Whether it’s the ‘Anarcho-punks’ rejecting institution, ‘Goths’ pushing the boundaries of gender and image and rebelling against the consumerist society or the ‘neo-Nazi’s’ and their fascist, racist and anti-Semite ideologies drawn from the Nazi party of Germany.

  

Works Cited

Bailer-Galanda, Brigitte and Wolfgang Neugebauer. "Incorrigibly Right. Right-Wing Extremists, "Revisionists" and Anti-Semites." Austrian Politics Today (1996): 5-21.

Griffiths, Richard. "Wicked Wardrobes: Youth and fashion in Aotearoa New Zealand." Cultural Studies in Aotearoa New Zealand: Identity, Space and Place. (2004): 299-250.

—. "Wicked Wardrobes: Youth and Fashion in Aotearoa New Zealand." Cultural Studies in Aotearoa New Zealand, Space and Place (2004): 229-250.

Schirato, Tony, et al. Understanding Media Studies. Melbourne: Oxford University Press, 2010.

Vogelsang, Peter and Brian B M Larsen. Neo-Nazism. 1 January 2002. 1st June 2011 <http://www.holocaust-education.dk/eftertid/nynazisme.asp>.

Wilson, Cinatra. You Just Can’t Kill It. 17 September September 17, 2008. 1 June 2011 <http://www.nytimes.com/2008/09/18/fashion/18GOTH.html>.

  

 DIGITAL CULTURE

Social network sites and internet forums help their users to users create a self-identity of their choosing. Users of these social network sites and forums can upload photos, moderate the people who can see their information and also join groups of people who share the same identity and interests on online forums.

Identity as defined by Shuker is “the cultural description of individuals (Self or others)” (Shuker). However, with the digital culture of today social network sites and internet forum users are able to create a ‘self-identity’ that may not represent their real life identity. Users can then use their assumed identity to act in a way that may differ to that of the real life version of the identity.

Users on social network sites such as Facebook, MySpace, Bebo and Twitter can create an identity which does not specifically represent them. Unlike in real life where somebody who is applying for a passport or a drivers licence one or more proof of identity is needed, however, social network sites do not require this level of information. An identity can be created simply by a user supplying a valid email and some basic information which, apart from the email, is not checked to see if it is accurate (Facebook.com). Users can also create more than one profile as long as they have a valid email, users can also create a profile in any name they choose, which may not necessarily correspond with the real life identity (Facebook.com) (Myspace.com) (Bebo.com) (twitter.com).

Users on social network sites are not limited to what they can broadcast or how it is broadcast. It is because of this that the users can portray any image wanted. Social network users can broadcast their ideas, images, work and countless other things to the people ‘following’ them or the ‘friends’ they have (Dorsey, Glass and Williams). However, unless the privacy settings are changed to limit access to the profile of a user a passer-by can view the entire profile (Facebook.com). Users can also choose what information to add to the webpage, with social networks allowing it’s users to add their favourite books, movies, music and people. However, social network sites allow advertisers to display relevant information to a user corresponding with this information.

The photos put onto these social network sites can also allow users to portray a self-identity of their choosing; Facebook has an ability to ‘tag’ people in photos, however the user has the ability to remove these ‘tags’, by removing these ‘tags’ the user can adhere to their desired image. Social network sites that allow its users to upload their own ‘profile’ photos in turn allow the users to convey an image of any quality to produce any image desired. The photos usually found on social network sites such as the photo sharing website Flickr have shifted from “special and rarefied moments” to pictures of social gatherings, parties and Susan Murray identifies these as “one’s discovery of and framing of the small and mundane” (Murray). Murray’s use of the words “small and mundane” is a way of defining the change from developed photo’s placed in photo albums, to digital photos uploaded to every corner of the internet (Flickr).  

Digital culture also allows its users to broadcast to only a select few. Allowing them to have a select few ‘friends’ that can see what they broadcast. This helps the user to create an identity of their choosing.  On social network sites a user can choose to have 50 ‘friends’ or 500 as well as choosing who to broadcast to out of these ‘friends’ they have (Facebook.com). By choosing these friends the user is choosing to only interact with a few people, and with a click of a mouse, decline others.

Internet forums allow users to converse and post with people who share the same interests; this also allows the users to create a self-identity within the forums thus letting them interact with people who share the same basic self-identity. For example, online game forums are created with one goal in mind, to give its users a place to talk about the game or organise groups these forums are chosen in the knowledge that the users are there because of the shared interest. For example, the users of the internet forum Team Quitter.com gather because of the shared interest in a particular game (TeamQuitter.com).

Digital culture allows its users to create self-identities that do not always correspond to their real life identities. This is accomplished by uploading photos, moderating the people who can see what is being broadcast, allowing the users to broadcast with small restrictions and online forums give users the chance to broadcast and interact with people who share the same ‘identity’ by gathering groups of like-minded people together.

Works Cited

Bebo.com. Bebo. 1 July 2005. 31 May 2001 <www.bebo.com>.

Dorsey, Jack, et al. Twitter.com. 15th July 2006. 31 May 2011 <www.twitter.com>.

Facebook.com. Facebook. Febuary 4 2004. 27 May 2011 <www.Facebook.com>.

—. Facebook:Privacy. 1 January 2011. 31st May 2011 <http://www.facebook.com/policy.php>.

Flickr. Flickr. 1 Febuary 2004. 31st May 2011 <www.Flickr.com>.

Murray, Susan. "Digital Images, Photo-Sharing, and Out Shifting Notions of Everyday Aesthetics." Journal Of Visual Culture 7.2 (2008): 147-163.

Myspace.com. Myspace. 1 August 2003. 31 May 2011 <www.myspace.com>.

Shuker, Roy. Popular Music: The Key Concepts. 2nd ed. London: Routledge, 2005. Print. Popular Music: The Key Concepts. 2nd. London: Routledge, 2005.

TeamQuitter.com. Team Quitter. 1 January 2006. 28 May 2011 <http://www.teamquitter.com/phpBB2/index.php>.

twitter.com. Twitter. 15 July 2006. 31 May 2011 <www.Twitter.com>.