The Blogging Experience

Prior to this class, I had never knowingly read a blog, let alone written my own. I had a vague concept of what blogging entailed, i.e. writing your opinion on current and hopefully relevant topics, but I never saw myself having my own blog. When we were told that we needed to set up a blog for this class, I thought that it would be a pain, and wondered why we didn't just use the discussion board on Blackboard Vista. Once I set up my blog, though, which was surprisingly easy, I saw why blogging is an environment that is far superior to online class discussion boards.

Blogging is a very personal experience. This starts with being able to customize the layout and color scheme of your blog, and continues with the free expression of opinions on topics that I choose, and there for care about. As a result of being able to choose the topics that I blogged about, I found myself writing passionately in my posts. With each post and media critique or analysis, I wanted to prove my point, or at least make an argument for something that I believed in. Once I began a post, the idea that it would be graded was pushed to the back of my mind. This casual blogging atmosphere allowed me to write what I was really feeling, without worrying solely about censorship or apprioprateness. I was concerned with grammar and well-roundedness only because the post would be published to MY blog, which although it was primarily viewed by my classmates, is available for all to see. In fact, I did actually receive a couple of comments from people outside of the class, which was an exciting experience, one that brought to reality the fact that my blog is actually accessible by everyone who has access to the Internet. This is the driving force behind blogging; the potential for anyone from anywhere to communicate their opinions, bring locally or personally important issues and non-mainstream/counter-hegemonic ideas to the forefront, and inevitably influence others.

One of my favorite things about blogging was inserting pictures and video clips into a post. Like most of the technical aspects of blogging, once I figured out how to do this once, it became a simple, comfortable process. The inclusion of videos and pictures not only liven up the appearance of a blog, but also allow the blogger to include the exact picture, commercial, movie clip, Youtube video, etc., that he/she is discussing, making their argument that much more relevant and relatable.

The result of all of this has been an enjoyable blogging experience. I plan on keeping my blog, and using it as an outlet to voice my opinion on issues that I feel passionately about. I like the idea of having my own, personal space amidst the vast world that is the Internet, and the fact that I can give friends and family my blog address, and they will be able to read and comment on my posts. There have been many times in the past when I have had a strong reaction to mainstream media, whether it be frustration, disgust, or jubilation, and now I have a place to channel and express these reactions.

The Axe Effect

One of the areas in which stereotypical and often sexist representations of gender roles is most consistent and blatant in the media is in advertisements for male hygiene and grooming products. The Axe Body Spray campaign is the most obvious, over the top example of sexist gender roles and of the reinforcement of male hegemony and female subservience. The advertisements are based purely on the supposed "Axe Effect" that occurs after men use Axe products. This Axe Effect, as portrayed in the commercials, results in the mindless flocking of scantily clad supermodels, who represent society's hegemonic and virtually unachievable standard of beauty, to an often average looking man, simply because he just sprayed himself with Axe Body Spray.

I have found three commercials from the Axe Body Spray campaign. Here is the first:

This commercial uses clay animation, but has the same effect and the same approach as the majority of Axe commercials. The women in the ad are presented as sexual objects, who all look and act the same. They are all extremely thin, big-breasted, and scantily clad, and they "ooh" and "ah" over the one, suddenly attractive man in the commercial.

Here is the second commercial:

This commercial is the epitome of the sexism and hegemonic gender roles that are the basis of the Axe Body Spray campaign. It takes their usual approach and pushes it to the absolute max, increasing the women to men proportion to thousands to one. Putting aside the fact there are probably not that many women in the world who look like the ones in the commercial, those in the commercial would likely never give the man in the commercial a second look, but because he used Axe Body Spray, they stop what they're doing, which looking at what they're wearing was apparently getting dressed, and mindlessly flock to the body spray user, gritting their teeth like animals. And only the most "attractive" women in the world seem to respond to the product. All of this is topped off with the slogan, "Spray more, get more." Get more what, you might ask. The answer: more women, further enforcing the idea that men deserve more than one woman, and that women should be subservient to men.

Here is the third and final Axe commercial:

In this ad, which is promoted a new scent, "Touch," is yet another example of the objectification of women in Axe ads. Here, the women in the ad, who all once again fit society's unrealistic construct of beauty, are virtually being controlled by the man, and they are enjoying it. The Axe Body Spray gives the man the power to undress them and manipulate them, but rather than be offended, they are simply turned on.

These commercials, while extremely unrealistic, are effective because of the specific audience that they are targeting, and because of the fantasies that are likely fulfilling. While the Axe Effect is extremely unlikely, if the product can achieve just a tiny fraction of what it claims, it will be seen as effective among its users. The fact that women are being reduced to mindless, sexual, animalistic objects, incapable of resisting a man who uses Axe Body Spray, is apparently of no concern to those creating the commercials or, looking at the success of the product, to the consumers.

Thirteen as the Stereotypical Lesbian

I want to begin by saying that House, along with The Office, is one of my favorite television shows. After discussion about portrayals of lesbians in the media and different aspects of lesbian stereotypes presented on TV and in the media, it became evident that "Thirteen," or Remy Hadley (the character's little known and rarely used name) is in many ways exemplary of this stereotype.

On the show, "Thirteen," who's "name" comes from the competition for a job position on House's team during which House numbers all of the applicants, (only one character, though, continues to be called primarily by her number), is diagnosed with Huntington's disease. After her diagnosis, she throws caution to the wind, and begins experimenting not only with drugs, but with women. She goes through a phase in which she "loses control" and has no concern for her body. The members of House's team, especially Foreman, become worried about her and are critical of her "risky" lifestyle, which includes doing drugs and "hooking up" with random, but always extremely attractive women. While Foreman is concerned, House is clearly turned on by Thirteen's interest in women. One episode begins with an extremely provocative sex scene between Thirteen and a woman who she seduced at a bar and brought back to her apartment.

Here is a clip from the scene. If easily offended, or not of age, viewer discretion is advised.

As you can see, this encounter, as many lesbian encounters in today's media, is purely sexual and largely unrealistic. It was most likely intended for the show's male audience, as a some sort of fantasy fulfillment.

As the season continues, "Thirteen" regains control of herself, and begins leading a "healthy" life once again. She "regains her senses" and begins dating Foreman, in a normal, heterosexual relationship. Her reckless, experimental phase is over.

Thirteen's story line exemplifies many of the stereotypical images associated with lesbians, and as presented in today's media. Lesbian representations in the media are often experimental, purely sexual, and short term encounters. They tend to only occur between extremely attractive women, and are viewed as risky, adventurous, and provocative to both the other characters in the show, and the viewers of the show. "Lesbians" in TV shows like House, are usually bisexual and often return to their more steady, long term male partners after their short term lesbian encounters, reinforcing hegemonic heterosexuality.

So, as exemplified by Thirteen, while the inclusion of lesbians in the media has become more acceptable, their representation in TV shows is primarily via sexual encounters, and viewed as a deviation from the heterosexual norm, and a sort of rebellion, as opposed to a serious issue.

Thanksgiving Stereotypes

Watching the Thanksgiving edition of the Jay Leno show last night, I was taken aback by the blatant Native America stereotype used in one of his bits. In the bit, Leno goes door-to-door on Thanksgiving, and at one house, brings with him three "Native Americans" as guests. In the show, the "Native Americans" are men dressed in ridiculous looking headdresses, feathers, and face and body paint. As if this stereotypical representation of the "Indian warrior" wasn't enough, the three "Native Americans" immediately open up a poker table and begin playing cards, making fun of the ownership of casinos by Native Americans, and presenting a stereotype that all Native Americans own casinos and know nothing else but gambling.

We see this stereotypical representation of Native Americans constantly throughout the Thanksgiving season, and we have unfortunately become accustomed to it, but Jay Leno, as many do, takes it far past the Thanksgiving "Pilgrims and Indians" story, exaggerating the stereotypical outfits, behavior, and names of Native Americans even further, and adding a supposed obsession with gambling and casinos. In conjunction with the Walsh article, even with supposed objective historical representations of the encounter between Pilgrims and Native Americans, we see the subtle reinforcement of the primacy of white male hegemony, but with obvious, exaggerated stereotypes such as those used in The Jay Leno Show, this reinforcement is blatant and overpowering. Through representations of race in the media, we can see how our society discusses these issues, and in the case of Native Americans, our discussion of race is extremely inadequate and almost entirely stereotypical.

As of 11/27/09, this episode is not yet posted on NBC.com, but it should be soon. Click HERE to view clips or whole episodes of The Jay Leno Show on NBC.com.

Click-Through Activism With Real World Results

Flipping through the channels today, I saw a story on Channel 7 News, entitled "Cuffed on Campus." The story was about the students at Cape Cod Technical High School who organized a sit-in in protest of a speech given to them by their new dean during a lunch period when the students were served only cheese sandwiches as punishment for not cleaning up the day before. In the speech, the dean reportedly referred to the students in a derogatory manner, calling them "pigs" among other things. In response to their punishment and the speech from the new dean, some of the students created a Facebook group which eventually led to a school-wide organized sit-in, which resulted in the arrest of two students.

Click HERE for the Channel 7 News article and video

When the newscaster mentioned that the sit-in was organized through a Facebook group, I couldn't help but think of click-through activism. Unlike most groups on Facebook that promote a cause, this group led to fast, highly organized action. Although this is a reatively small scale example of click-through activism having real world effects, it is a demonstration of the potential of Facebook groups to organize an actual movement, when all of the members are emotionally invested in the cause.

Mocking "Click-Through Activism"

After reading the Washington Post article about "Click-through Activism," I was curious to find out what types of groups were currently popular on Facebook, and what kinds of causes they supported. In the process of browsing groups, I came across a group that mocks this "Click-through Activism" that is so common on Facebook.

The group is entitled, "An Arbitrary Number of People Demanding that Some Sort of Action Be Taken." Click HERE to view the page.

The description of the group is as follows:

"We Demand Immediate Action on This Crucial Issue!

If nothing is done then however many of us are in this group will be very displeased. We may even comment to express our anger, possibly with bad punctuation or spelling to further communicate our individual but quite possibly collective emotion.

Something Must Be Done About This!"

I found this group, which has over 95,000 members (now including me) to be hilarious, mostly because of its accuracy in capturing the essence of most Facebook groups that claim to support a cause. With its satirical representation of a so-called "activist" Facebook group, this group brings up many of the problems and shortcomings of "Click-through Activism." It mocks the fact that while people who participate in "Click-through Activism" do so to "express themselves as individuals," it is really because of an eagerness to fit in with the collective and an aimless desire to be a part of a cause that they join these groups. The specific cause itself is unimportant, as we saw in the Washington Post article which mentions a psychologist who created a group supporting an entirely fictitious cause, the prevention of the leveling of Copenhagen's Stork Fountain to make room for an H&M clothing store. Within a week or so, the group had over 27,000 members, despite the fact that it was clearly stated on the groups page that the cause was made up. This experiment demonstrates the blind desire of Facebook users to "express themselves" by supporting a cause. Any cause will do.

The group, "An Arbitrary Number of People Demanding that Some Sort of Action Be Taken," also mocks the pointless and ineffective way that most "activist" groups express their anger and emotion about a cause, i.e. via mispelled and poorly punctuated comments that rarely lead to any actual protest or external activism.

I will surely keep this satire in mind the next time I decide whether or not to join a group. The popularity of Facebook gives it the potential to have a real life influence, but until its users start taking the groups and causes seriously, start joining groups for the right reasons, and start making a commitment to support the groups they join, Facebook groups will remain a joke.

What Kind of Tech User am I?

Here are the results of my tech user quiz from PewInternet.org :

You are an Media Mover

"If you are a Media Mover, you have a wide range of online and mobile habits, and you are bound to find or create an information nugget, such as a digital photo, and pass it on. These social exchanges are central to your use of information and communication technology. Cyberspace, as a path to personal productivity or an outlet for creativity, is less important to you.

Overall, this result is quite accurate. I do have a wide range of online and mobile habits and I do tend to use technology and cyberspace primarily for social purposes. While I of course use cyberspace and the Internet for academic purposes, I feel media/technology/cyberspace is often more of a distraction than a creative aid. Cyberspace as a "path to personal productivity" is virtually nonexistent in my life. In fact, while I enjoy using cyberspace, I feel that it actually takes away from my productivity.