This image represents the number of cell phones America throws away “every few minutes”.(Zaleski)
These images represent what our society has come to. The importance we have put on following trend has trapped us into supporting mass consumption as a whole. Adolescents, teenagers, young adults and adults themselves are giving into this new wave of mentality which puts such a great deal of importance on having the latest and greatest in technology.
I recall buying my first ever cell phone at the age of 17, which was to only be used during emergencies. My parents had given strict restrictions on my usage of this new phone. I kept that phone for a few years before it died on me. In today’s society it is rare to find a ten year old kid who doesn’t own a cell phone (at least the kids I’ve come across!) We’re paying so much attention to the advertisements and catchy cell phone commercials displaying the newest and coolest cell phones which are apparently ‘free’. Luring the younger demographic to their 3+ year contract, after they sign this they are surprised to see they have hidden service charges that leave them with a hefty bill. The marketplace with the help of the corporations are finding creative and unfortunately successful ways of attracting the younger demographic.
I would hope that these images would be as inspiring to you, as they have been to me. If you’re in the market for a new phone, ask yourself, “Is a new phone really necessary?”
After a day 426,000 cell phones are thrown away in total.
If different social groups have different practices or beliefs they are bound to cause formations. Personal experiences and personal memories cause people to relate to certain practices in the social world. According to Grossberg, this is what causes people to have such different meanings in practices which take place in these formations. This can be seen on the web, where many different communities are formed and converged together. Youtube channels with subscribers can be seen as community of people with similar interests who form a bond.
“The dominance of the image, the proliferation of satellite media which exist beyond the control of national governments- all suggest that while nations as imagined communities, may yet intensify, the nation-state no longer possesses the hegemony it could once call upon.” (Grossman 48)
NK
Grossberg L., Cultural Studies. Journal Staffs. Routledge: London.
Corporations feed us bullshit everyday through false advertising and the worst part is, we allow them to get away with it. We are faced with countless ads which make fautly promises and being the loyal consumers that we are, we believe this bullshit. Even the media feeds us bullshit because the media, corporations and the marketplace are all related to one another.
Dr. Strangelove defined the concept of truthiness (bullshit) as:
“Truth isn’t defined by the facts of the matter, but how true you feel it is.”
We’ve all bought the cream, car, cell phone, cd, and so on, in hopes of achieveing what the corporations have promised us. In fact, I recall recently purchasing a bottle of hair shampoo which claimed to eliminate frizzy hair. Once I got home, and tried it for myself, I felt disappointed that my hair was still frizzy-if anything it was frizzier than before I used it! Thinking I perhaps misused it (how many ways could one possibly shampoo their hair?), I read the directions. After reading the directions I felt so angry. The directions informed me that in order for this product to tak effect, I must also use the companies conditioner and styling mousse for best results. What? After spending $9.00 on this shampoo, I wasn’t prepared to buy new conditioner and styling mousse because I was happy with what I was alsready using. This company converged nearly their entire line of products to sell to each consumer. I must say that it was clever but unsuccessful, with me atleast. Bullshit!
This music video explores the aftermath of media consumption and how exploitation of consumers appears in our everyday lives. Pop singer Pink may exaggerate this idea, but she presents it in an honest way.
Well-known comedian Louis C.K, give his own insight about capitalism and the new generation that he describes as ”spoiled”. After watching this video on Youtube, I couldn’t help but laugh and shortly after feel sad. Is this what our society has come to? We are excessive consumers who are begining to take things for granted.
Skinny Barbies is just a tool used by the market place which produces an insecure society of consumers who are victims of the marketplace.
According to the Times Online:
The study found that the Barbie dolls, which are far thinner than traditional shapes, particularly at the waist, make girls want to be unrealistically slim when they grow up. The researchers from two British universities claim Barbie dolls could promote girls’ insecurity about their image which in turn may contribute indirectly to insecurity and eating disorders later in life. They say the study is the first to identify body worries in such young children. “This [study] demonstrates that it is not body-related information conveyed by dolls per se that has a direct impact on young girls’ body image, but by Barbie dolls specifically, which represent a distortedly thin body ideal,” says the study, led by Helga Dittmar, reader in psychology at Sussex University. “These ultra-thin images not only lowered young girls’ body esteem but also decreased their satisfaction with their actual body size, making them desire a thinner body.” (Times Online)
In targeting an insecure and impressionable audience, the marketplace is almost guaranteed to have a stable economy. People need to buy things to make themselves happy.
Here we go again with the exploitative parent recording their young child and posting it on youtube. This young baby shown in the video above, appears to have uttered his first words-” Beautiful and dirty rich”. I don’t find this particularly entertaining, but rather disappointing to see that the women recording this boy is his mother. Throughout the video, his mother gets somewhat irritated that he has forgotten the words, even I can barely memorize lyrics to my favourite songs, let alone a baby.
I recently came across this mock limited-edition Barbie creation which bluntly shows how the marketplace converges in order to subconsciously tell us what we should buy, especially when we’re at a young age.
Mattel recently announced the release of limited-edition Barbie Dolls for the Delaware market:
“Hockessin Barbie: This princess Barbie comes with an assortment of Kate Spade handbags, a Lexus SUV or Chevrolet Suburban, a long-haired foreign dog named Honey and a cookie-cutter house. Available with or without tummy tuck and face lift. Workaholic Ken sold only in conjunction with the augmented version. ” (Delaware Online)
“Greenville/Centreville Barbie- This yuppie Barbie comes with your choice of BMW convertible or Hummer H2 or Chevrolet Suburban. Included are her own Starbucks cup, credit card and country club membership. Also available for this set are Shallow Ken and Private School Skipper. You won’t be able to afford any of them.” (Delaware Online)
This may be overstating the notion that the marketplace (Mattel/Barbie) converges with other corporations to show us the power of meanings reinforcing the patterns of belief and action. The marketplace gives Barbie the meaning of perfection, by making her slim, perfectly coiffed with a full face of makeup. This reinforces children to believe that this how they should be in order to be accepted by society. As these children get older, they consume the trends, such as drinking Starbucks coffee, driving a Lexus, Kate Spade handbag and an American Express credit card.
This only leads them help make capitalism as strong and powerful as it is today.
This is exactly what is wrong with the media in today’s society. Karolina Kurkova,24, has made a living off of being the 8th highest paid supermodel in the world. After walking the Victoria Secret Fashion Show in December, she has been heavily criticized for her weight.
According to Bnet, “It is well recognized that children’s play is a major contributor to the process of socialization and that objects children play with demand some internal representation. In particular, the way children relate to their own bodies, and the bodies of others, is largely mediated by representations of the body in popular media. These images may create mental depictions of what is to be expected in later life including gender and ethnic stereotypes and body image (Wilkinson, 1987).”
This essentially shows that our minds as a society are being warped to believe that a stick thin-figure resembling Barbie is considered to be normal. While Kurnikova’s curvy and healthy figure is heavily criticized for being ‘fat’.
The style of music can have political views such as punk rock. Punk rock band Green Day, recorded the song ‘American Idiot’ to help shed light on American alienation through subliminal messages in media content. After analyzing their lyrics, it is clear that they refuse to be alienated to believe what a capitalistic society wants them to think. It’s an enlightening song with lyrics that empower those who refuse to be used up by the marketplace.
–American Idiot–
Don’t wanna be an American idiot.
Don’t want a nation that under the new media.
And can you hear the sound of hysteria?
The subliminal mindfuck America.
Welcome to a new kind of tension.
All across the alien nation.
Everything isn’t meant to be okay.
Television dreams of tomorrow.
We’re not the ones who’re meant to follow.
Convincing them to walk you.
Well maybe I’m the fuckhead America.
I’m not a part of a redneck agenda.
Now everybody do the propaganda.
And sing along in the age of paranoia.
