Saturday, February 7, 2009
Assignment 5-1
Sunday, February 1, 2009
Assignment 4-1
I am amazed by how quickly televisions become outdated nowadays. They are now similar to computers in that their perceived useful lives are decreasing drastically. This is due in part to the proliferation of technology, which enables small companies to make cheaper sets than Sony, thus driving prices down. That is, until Sony comes out with their newest 65” super high-definition plasma television that only weighs two pounds. I believe that companies hold onto advanced technology and only give customers a little bit at a time. It may sound like a conspiracy theory, but it makes perfect business sense. Why would they release their top of the line product when the mid to low-level products will sell just as well? Once the technology becomes affordable to smaller companies, the big dogs just have to begin production on their next prototype, allowing them to stay ahead of the curve. I’m sure the same principles apply to automakers; they hold onto futuristic designs for a few years.
Much of the television companies’ strategy is borne from necessity. Consumers always want the “next big thing”, and will do anything to keep pace with the Joneses. If consumers did not clamor for more technology and buy up new television sets as soon as they’re released, then the turnover wouldn’t be as great. I firmly believe us, as consumers, drive markets and affect demand for certain luxury items. I am not an enemy of technology at all; I own two flat screen TV’s, but I do worry that the mindset of consumers who purchase TV’s they can’t afford has already carried over to other things as well. The main concern is people who purchase a TV they don’t need on credit; those same people will probably buy a car that they can’t afford payments for and a house they can’t afford as well. The
Friday, January 23, 2009
Too young to drive, but old enough for big time college athletics?
I read a story recently on CBSSportsline.com about college basketball coaches recruiting children as young as 12 years old. Am I the only one alarmed by this?! The NCAA has done nothing to stop it and is only concerned with making money. An organization formed to govern collegiate athletics has become focused on one thing: money. How is it that the NCAA can justify imposing penalties on a coach for helping a player financially, a la Jim O’Brien (former OSU basketball coach who helped a young foreign player's mother), yet turn a blind eye to the recruitment of babies?
Sunday, January 18, 2009
Assignment 2-1: American Idolatry and Chris Daughtry
Assignment 1-3: Journal Article Analysis
The article I reviewed is definitely not intended for the common reader, let alone anyone outside the realm of professional psychology or sociology. I consider myself to have a decent vocabulary, yet cannot seem to connect with text that includes phrases such as, “I contend that this symbolic trumpeting of pain offers dialectical and diacritical opportunities”, “heterodox fragmentation”, and “coexisting ideological interpellation and rebellion”. I contend that the author used too many fancy words when fewer, simpler words would have conveyed the message just as well. I realize that I am not the intended audience for such material, but feel alienated by the use of language. I do get that the idea behind the article is to examine Robert De Niro’s roles in films and how those roles perpetuate the masculine norms set forth by society.
The article explores Robert De Niro’s acting methods and his history of taking on roles that seem to scream macho. He has starred in some very violent and visceral movies such as, The Godfather, Goodfellas, Ronin, Heat, The Deer Hunter, Taxi Driver, Mean Streets, and Raging Bull, to name a few. According to Schwartz (2008), “the enduring public perception of De Niro remains one of the “top dog” male in a dog-eats-dog world, the extreme individualist who would excel under cultural Darwinian models of survival.” That is to say that De Niro’s appeal lies in the fact that other men want to be him. The power he displays on screen is intoxicating, especially to young men with high levels of testosterone who wish they had some of the power and freedom he exhibits in film.
In Taxi Driver, De Niro plays Travis Bickle, an alienated cab driver who plays “God’s lonely man” (Schwartz, 2008). He is part violent, part vulnerable in the film and that is ultimately what we glean from De Niro. Schwartz describes this as “a hard exterior, composed of fragmented gender norms, while reminding viewers that this identity is in part an act.” She further examines Travis Bickle’s plight as she delves into the meaning behind the tagline, “You talkin’ to me?” According to Sparks (1996), “exaggerated masculine icons in dramas, crime narratives…often have a “number” as one might have in a musical, a moment that defines the protagonist’s image…” I have personally reenacted De Niro’s scene in many instances; whether it’s answering a friend’s smartass comment or messing with my wife, I have used Travis Bickle’s phrase numerous times. In fact, De Niro’s realistic depiction of Travis further solidified that quote as a memorable movie line.
The article explores many of De Niro’s roles in a very logical manner, yet the language was definitely a stumbling block for me. I followed the general meaning of the article, and concur that De Niro represents the exaggeration of masculine norms set forth by our society.
References
Schwartz, G. (2008). “You talkin’ to me?”: De Niro’s interrogative fidelity and subversion of masculine norms. The Journal of Popular Culture, 41(3), 443-464.
Sparks, R. (1996). Masculinity and heroism in the Hollywood ‘blockbuster’: the culture industry and contemporary images of crime and law enforcement. British Journal of Criminology, 36(3), 348-361.
Thursday, January 15, 2009
Assignment 2-2: Icon Analysis
Icon is a term that can be applied to people and things rather easily, but when it comes down to it, only special people and things are truly iconic. I'm talking about someone who changes the face of music, or turns the sports world on it's head. This brings me to my first example of an icon: Michael Jordan. He is an icon in every sense of the word, and he's only in his forties. He singlehandedly changed the game of basketball and his name and face became synonymous with the game he dominated throughout the late eighties and nineties. Who hasn't seen the ubiquitous Air Jordan symbol? His achievements on the court spawned an entire generation of players to pick up a basketball and attempt his high-flying feats. He has moved from the basketball court to the realm of revered athlete. A collector's card from his rookie year in the NBA fetches north of $1,500!