Hello Classmates!
I find the reading we're discussing very intriguing. "It's gotta be the cheese" seemed to have so many different meanings on several levels. In a way, I thought that the fact that American cheese is individually wrapped in its outside package represents the different cultures in America that co-exist but do not mesh together or cross over at all. I also really liked a comment that another student made in class that we consider it the best cheese there is, because it represents America when in reality it is processed, unhealthy, and overall nothing spectacular. There are many cheeses out there that taste much better. The same messages show up in Culture Jam, as well. A section that really stands out to me (page 78) is the section that mentions "a day in your life" and goes through common American lifestyle activities. Most of them sound very familiar in my life. But what I didn't know, and I'm not pleased to learn, is how artificial and chemically enhanced the supermarket fruit is. It really makes me think twice when I eat fruit now. There were a lot of other things I didn't know as well. Another quote that really stands out is on page 35, and it says "In today's media environment, advertisers rule-the sponsor is king." Do you think that advertisers and sponsors really do rule America like a king? Do you think that advertisers or sponsors influence us and control us more than our own president? People hear what the president has to say, and if they disagree they are not likely to be influenced by it. If someone sees something on TV that they didn't necessarily agree with at first, they are likely to eventually accept it on some level after seeing it many times. I noticed a good example of this on TV today, here is the link: http://www.winrumors.com/microsoft-builds-a-third-pc-store-in-a-house-for-%E2%80%98i%E2%80%99m-a-pc%E2%80%99-commercials Notice that the narrator says "...she wont update her four year old computer..." when in reality computers can last much longer than four years and it even implies in the commercial that there is nothing wrong with her original one. But by the end of the commercial the advertisers convince her to buy a new computer. I think that this is a prime example of the media convincing us to keep up to date with the biggest and best item out there. It even reminds me of a form of brainwashing. I think that Americans are not necessarily hurting anyone with this obsession we are all getting sucked into. But I do think that personal relationships and family dynamics are starting to struggle because of a lack of real intimate communication. That may be my Human Communication Studies mindset showing through. I can't wait to hear what you guys have to say! :)
I love the examples you're using that actually connect Lasn's discussion of our media culture to the media and advertisements we view today!
ReplyDeleteYou make some excellent points here. Keep asking good questions.
Linday,
ReplyDeleteI love what you wrote and so well written. You pulled something I didn't pull out of the book and made me think of other things, thank you! Do you think that advertisers or sponsors influence us and control us more than our own president? I think that this is true in so many ways. I don't think the president or his seat as the influnce that the advertisers and sponsors in our America do.
I have to totally agree with you on this one. Computers do last over 4 years. I have had mine for 3 years now and it is still going strong. yeah it would be nice to have a faster computer with more memory but my works just fine and there is no need to replace it just yet. I also agree with you on family communication. Its not even family but it happens even with your best friend. you find it easier to talk over text or facebook chat than to talk to someone in person. We have learned to hide behind the technology so we can say what we feel rather than face to face
ReplyDeleteI agree with the whole computer thing. I just recently got a new smartphone. The cell phone I had before this new one has been my phone for the last four years, I didn't need a new one, the old one worked just fine I could call people, text, take pictures and video. It is really sad that I didn't need a new phone but since my old one didn't have a touch screen or the internet or apps I felt like I needed to go buy a $200 dollar phone that I didn't need. It is the commercials like the one your talking about that made me want something I didn't need.
ReplyDeleteI think that advertisers and sponsors DO rule America. Take for example any big corporation i.e ( McDonalds, Nike, Reebok), when you watch one of these companies commercials you get your normal brainwashing and advertisement, but notice something new. With the development of Facebook and Twitter, at the end of EVERY major commercial Facebook and Twitter are advertised!!!!! This is not just because these companies use social networking to "communicate" with their customers, it's because these industry leading companies PAY to have their logos represented. So YES! the advertisers "rule" but behind the mask and behind the controls are the sponsors.
ReplyDeleteI love that you loved an example, really shows you went beyond and connected what you saw to what we are reading about. Good job J I also liked what you said about the fruit in stores. I’m a huge fan of fruit. I’m from Lancaster and there is plenty of farm land around to get fresh fruit. I can tell there is a huge difference from the fruit in a store and the fruit grown and sold right from the farm.
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