Television and Text

Televsion affects more people than any other medium. It shapes how we perceive things. Most people get information through television. "Though we are currently witnessing the rise of new digital media, television remains the most widely accesible mass media"(Barker, 315). He breaks down how television is interpreted. One of the topics he talks about is what is considered news. "What is news" is talked about in journalism classes. They get straight to the point. For example, the news is straight to the point. Some stories have more air time, while others are cut short. Lately, it's been about the Nov. 2nd vote. Who's going to be governor? Barker then talks about television using soap operas as another example. Soap operas have a certain criteria in which they fit in. The story line and the location all play a part. We also watched the movie, "Team America" World Police. I haven't seen in so long, but the story line involved a re-enactment of Bin Laden and terriost attacks. While this movie was funny, it also depicted images of reality. But this movie ties to Chapter 10 because it deals with how someone could interpret terriost attacks versus seeing images on youtube.

Chris Barker. Cultural Studies Theory and Practice. Third Edition. Chapter 10.

What makes you male or female? _ Judith Butler

Her article talks about homosexuality and heterosexuality. She also talks about how gender plays a role in defining what roles male/female are. From what I read, she claims that gender is biological. It's gender that seems to define what makes a "natural" woman and a "natural" man. What's interesting is that the world seems to influence these decisions. When there is a case where the man does "traditional" women roles, he is then going against gender rules. The same could apply to lesbians. According to Judith Butler, " A butch can show husband-like qualities such as being the provider" (726). She also explores a person "wanting to be" and "wanting to have". She suggests that a person cannot have the same qualities. We also talked in class about "first date". Gender plays a role in this example because a lot of women, including myself, believe a man should pay on the first date. There are some women who are bolder and insist on paying for both meals or mainly their's. It aslo depends on the culture. Westernized ways are a little laid back when it comes to dating. A traditional date involves a really nice restaurant and getting to know each other. Radically, a female or male might kiss or even sleep with each other on the first date. Society praises men for having sex on the first date, while females are degraded. Hence, gender roles encourage a double-standard.

http://moodle.csun.edu/file.php/6477/Readings/Butler.pdf

Not The Knife...Susan Bordo

Wow. This was a very interesting article. I like how it talked about plastic surgery. It is a big issue. I think there are more women getting cut up than men. It’s sad, because in the end, you still won’t look perfect. There are some circumstances that I understand where getting a scalpel cut into you is necessary, but to hide imperfections; nonsense. I’ve seen people with plastic surgery and it’s noticeable. I mostly see plumped lips, breast implants, and liposuction. They even have fake butts. Janice Dickenson is one person I would like to point out that has gone too far with going under the knife. Why is she still trying to look young? Didn’t she have her moment already? The body can only take so much. Amazingly, magazines encourage this unrealistic dream that a human being can just sculpt a particular part on their bodies. Get realistic. We are not perfect. Susan Bordo also talks about DuraSoft contact lenses. They came to a conclusion that African Americans should wear a more ethnic looking color lenses. According to a transcript on the show, “...Black women like the way they look with green contacts, because it’s more attractive” (1101). Bordo then goes into details about race and how it does matter. She talks about the Mammy character. She also uses Essence magazine as an example to show how it’s still a challenge to have just true African American beauty. Although, this magazine caters to African Americans, she points out, “Beauty features celebrate the glory of black skin and lush lips; other departments feature interviews with accomplished black women writers, activists, teachers, many of who model styles of body and dress that challenge the hegemony of white Anglo-Saxon standards” (1108). She also points out that dark-skinned women have a difficult time breaking into the market. Later, she discusses Madonna and her resistance to just “being like everyone else”. According to Bordo, “Madonna refused to be subjected to patriarchal control” (1110). What she defined as sexy was in her opinion. After gaining some weight, she decides to do a vigorous workout. Although she admits she’s not trying to get a “perfect body”, she still cares about how her figure looks publicly.   

Susan Bordo. ‘’‘Material Girl’: The Effacements of Postmodern Culture”. Chapter 10. PDF file

http://moodle.csun.edu/file.php/6477/Readings/Bordo.pdf

Chapter Four---What brought about this radical romance?

Chapter four talks about how politics came into play with some of the late 1960s movies and 1970s films. This chapter actually relates to the first article we got called, "Politics of Culture". Everything we do is influenced, "in my opinion" by something or someone. Tamar McDonald goes into details about several movies that reflect the rise of radical romance. One of the topics she discusses deals with women coming into the masculine role. Women are not just in survival mode. Women are actually taking a stand to worry about themselves. The 1970s was also a period that invloved women who went about things nontraditionally. If they wanted just sex, that's what they got. It was no longer about a connection. She then  draws evidence about the "self-reflexivity" theory. She dissects the movie, Annie Hall and My Best Friend's Wedding. I didn't see all of Annie Hall, but My Best Friend's Wedding was a great movie. I do remember Julia Roberts trying to postpone the wedding, but it didn't work. Her other friend, Rupert Everett, is gay, but seems to be there when she falls. Confused and hurt, she accepts the way things now are. Her radical romance ended when she didn't get THE guy at all.

Foucault---The History of Sexuality

Michel Foucault discusses the idea of monogamous marriages and taboo sex. He focuses on the 18th century and 19th century era. He first talks about the "codes...couples were supposed to live by" (683). One of these codes dealt with no "extramarital affairs" (684). Foucault then talks about how homosexuality was recognized as an actual sexuality. The title, "homosexuality" became a meaning for anyone who identified with it. Another point that he brings up is "powers and pleasures" (689). From my understanding, I learned that outside influences encouraged people to get out there and explore. His argument is in favor of the heterosexual couples, but exploring your sexuality was becoming the norm.

Michel Foucault. The History of Sexuality. Chapter 3

Sula---Fictional Love

Sula was an interesting book. The reading was a bit complicated, and after discussing the book with Professor Wexler, that's the norm of her writing style. This book has the readers looking through the eyes of Sula herself and Nel, Sula's bestie. I personally liked the way the group presented the story itself. There were many themes that involved the main two characters mentioned above. Some of the themes mentioned include: Sula/Nel, The Valley/ The Botttom, and Life Before/ After Sula. There were times throughout the book where I wasn't sure of who the specaker was. Sometimes I would go back just to figure that out. Sula relates to our class theme because the radical part is love really never existed for anyone. Love was discovered, manipulated, and forgotten. Sula thought love was nothing more than just lust and short lived. Nel, however, tried to keep the tradition when she married, Jude. While Nel believed a life without children was no  life at all, Sula took after her mother, Eva, who just enjoyed the company of a man without committment. I think love should have been a theme for the group. Love was something I notcied throughout the book that wasn't unconditional.

How RADICAL is this?

Okay...So, we have finished watching The Graduate with Dennis Hoffman. I thought this movie was interesting as it sparked my attention. It was made a while ago but still depicts the life of the youngster who thinks the mom is hot or vice versa. Dating the mom or a "cougar" seems to be radical enough to me. This movie reminds me of so many comedies that show a love story gone wrong. The guy gets the girl. loses her, then gets her back. However, when they are riding back on the bus, they both look in dismay. Did they really make the right choice? Something else I noticed....the father was more hurt about Benjamin having an affair with Mrs. Robinson than with her. That's radical because she came onto him.