SOC 101 Lecture Notes - Lecture 6: Culture Jamming, Symbolic Power, Consumerism
Document Summary
Simpson"s picture darkened on magazine covers (darker skin = dangerous?) Hurricane katrina caucasians carrying food vs. african americans stealing food. Sustain a kind of symbolic violence against women. Women are deformed in advertising images, killing us softly . Feminist magazines that don"t promote mainstream stereotypes. Freedom of the press isn"t actually free. Private owners and backers finance advertising, marketing their biases. Notion that it is good to shop. Consumerism the belief that happiness and fulfillment can be achieved through the acquisition of material possessions. Brands sell a self-image, a lifestyle, a sense of belonging and self-worth. Channel one provides tv equipment in exchange for 12 minutes of viewing daily. 20% devoted to news/public affairs; 80% other topics. Lots of money lost in school time (typically in lower-income schools) Creation of a self-sustaining consumer culture among children. Culture jamming the act of turning media against themselves. Differs from appropriate advertisement for the sake of art or sheer vandalism.
