Is supreme really supreme?

Supreme once a small skate company based in New York is now one of the most recognizable names in fashion. Starting out only selling skateboards and t-shirts supreme has branched out and evolved into a streetwear empire collaborating with brands such as Louis Vuitton, Nike, and Stone Island. Supreme has 11 storefront locations but sells most of their products online through their implemented drop dates. Supreme has designed a clever method to make their products more desirable by limiting the actual amount of each product. The way they sell the products is very crucial to the development of customer support. They have implemented a drop program where they sell new items every Thursday at 11am. 

Supreme is an embodiment of pseudo individuality but not in the traditional sense. Supreme has created a supportive customer base by making their items limited as well as having structured drop program. By having new items released every week that are just a little different from the last the customers will never be unsatisfied. When you purchase supreme you not only get the object itself but you also get this feeling of accomplishment. Since it is so limited and the structure of the drops are so organized almost anyone can just go on the site and try to buy a product. But its really not easy most of the website sells out in under 60 seconds with the most popular selling out as fast as 3 seconds. So if you are lucky enough to check out you actually feel supreme. 

But does supreme really make you feel supreme or is it just all a scam. Most people view supreme as an investment saying that if you purchase a product you are automatically guaranteed your money back on the resell market. This is true but it is only true because the customers made this happen. Without the customers supreme is nothing, we the consumers are what makes something popular it doesn't happen out of nowhere. By releasing new products every week supreme is creating a distraction from what you actually need in life. 

Postmodernism as Explained by a Drunk Man and Jordan Peele

The video was broken up into two parts: “Repeating History,” and “The Good, the Modern, and the Postmodern.” These two parts give us a quick history on the thought that led up to Modernism. The narrator is at a party talking to a woman who misuses the term “Postmodernism.” The rest of the video is meant to act as if the narrator spends the entire party, and even the morning after, explaining in layman's terms what Postmodernism is.

“Part 1: Repeating History” includes a background of Classicism in the Greco-Roman world, which would, in the 18th century, develop a counter ideology called Neoclassicism, which focused on empirical research- Science and logic were used to explain the world. The next counterculture in line was Romanticism, which challenged the Neoclassical thought that facts are more important than emotion. Romanticism would focus on the value of emotionality and personal experience. This would become a point of contention, and the two schools of thought were at odds with each other.

“Part 2: The Good, the Modern, and the Postmodern” Introduces Modernism, explaining that in the context of WWI and technology being made to kill people, creating the Lost Generation and also had brought out names such as Karl Marx, Friedrich Nietzsche, and Sigmund Freud. Social, Economic, and Political beliefs were questioned. Then, Postmodernism comes in as the “rebellious child” as an inverse to the structural thought of Modernism.

The narrator continues to provide differences among Modernism and Postmodernism, bringing back to the progression of technology. Modernist thought praised progress in that technology is the way that humanity improves, whereas Postmodern thought believe that progress may not necessarily be a good thing.One of the last comparisons made in the video was the difference in categorical preference between Modernists and Postmodernists. Modernists love genres, clear cut lines, and nicely fitting things into categories, whereas Postmodernists value what makes something different and unique.

The idea within the video in which categorizing vs. celebrating uniqueness can be directly related to popular culture. Take, for instance, Jordan Peele’s horror/thriller films that have come out in recently. The creation of both Us (2019) and Get Out (2017) in itself is a great example of postmodernism in contrast with modernism. Jordan Peele is known for co starring in the comedy sketch series Key & Peele. His comedic reputation had not failed to be seen within his horror films. If Jordan Peele were to be creating movies and understanding himself as a filmmaker in Modernist thought, he would stick to purely comedy and stay within that genre. This is not the direction in which Peele had decided to go in, however. He, in following with postmodernist thought, genre-bent horror and comedy in Us (2019). Even Get Out (2017), a thriller with little humor involved steers away from the understanding of what kind of filmmaker Peele would be in comparison to his past.

“That’s Just Their Style:” A Look Into Recycled Pop Electronic Music Icons like The Chainsmokers and Zedd.

Do you remember The Chainsmokers’ 2015 song “Roses”? Maybe not, but you’ve definitely heard 2017 The Chainsmokers’ (featuring Coldplay) hit “Something Just Like This.” If you listen to them, they are the same song with different lyrics. The “drop,” is not changed at all. It is completely the same. The melodies are strikingly similar in The Chainsmokers’ “Honest” when compared to their more popular song featuring Pop Artist Halsey, “Closer” as well.

The same could be said for producer Zedd’s “Stay” and “The Middle.” Although it isn’t as blatantly recycled as The Chainsmokers’, the two songs follow the same recipe of distorted female voice, broken down with ticking noises. The same formula is used in the remixes as well. If you listen to Zedd’s remix to Shawn Mendes’ “Lost In Japan,” it is the same distortion and ticking sound. Sure, it could just be that it is Zedd’s “style,” or “sound,” but it seems to be only slightly varied from “The Middle.”

Each of the songs mentioned had their time in the spotlight, and although their popularity isn’t for lack of trying, as they both found a formula that appeals to the masses and decided to not fix something “if it’s not broken.” This, however, directly relates to Culture Industry. As described by Prof. Eaton, 2000s pop electronic music provides an abundance of itself, in only slightly varied versions of the same song, standardizing what it means to be a popular electronic song in the late 2010s. At the risk of sounding like a mass culture theory post- these songs almost distract the audience into thinking that producers such as The Chainsmokers and Zedd are creating groundbreaking sounds, whereas there are plenty of artists (even electronic artists) who do not get the popularity in which they deserve because they do not fit the mold of the top 40. It seems as if every time a “new” song by artists that are just regurgitations of their older songs takes away from the creativity of it all.

Jay-Z, rap sensation, said it perfectly in his 2009 song “On To The Next One:”

Hov' on that new sh*t, [n-word] like "How come?"

[n-word]s want my old sh*t, buy my old albums
[n-word]s stuck on stupid, I gotta keep it movin'[n-word]s make the same sh*t, me I make The Blueprint

An obvious nod to his albums named The Blueprint, Jay-Z makes the point in which artists should not be discouraged from moving forward with their music. Furthermore, there is an almost infinite amount of music out in the world, and staying within the cheap recycled music within the top 40s is just staying within the dictated popularity from whomever has the largest amount of money to market their sound.

Mass Culture Theory in Youtuber Commentary

Commentator and YouTube Cody Ko has a video titled "It's Everyday? No. (Jake Paul reaction). I believe that in this, although I completely agree with the video, and am a fan of it, critiques an element of popular culture through the lens of mass culture theory. This is an older video, being at about a couple of years old. It is about YouTuber Cody Ko reacting to another YouTubers, Jake Paul,  music video to his song It's Everyday Bro. At the time of the video, around the summer of 2017, the song had made it to the number 2 spot on iTunes music charts, second to Justin Bieber's Despacito, making it popular culture. Cody Ko tears the music video apart humorously, but the video as a whole tends to have a gatekeeping elitist feel to it, similar to the ideas in Mass Culture Theory. Cody Ko compares the song to mainstream rap music, which would be the equivalent of someone comparing a teenager's drawing to a Renaissance painter. It focuses on Cody Ko's taste and aesthetics versus the taste and aesthetics of Jake Paul, and in the end devaluing Jake Paul's work. The YouTuber makes a list of things that shouldn't be rapped about, and talks about the quality and creativity that the lyrics are lacking. He says things such as "It's a sad day for music," and  "don't rap about YouTube. It's not cool" (Cody Ko 2017). Although I agree with Cody Ko on this, it is putting down one aspect of popular culture and devaluing it due to believing that the quality that would have been spent on any other mainstream rapper would have been immensely better. YouTuber Cody Ko addresses that music is much harder to make than it seems, and makes the comment: "This video was wrote, shot, and edited in one day... Yeah. It's pretty [explicit] clear, bro" (Cody Ko 2017). Which comes from the Mass Culture Theory of things that have value in them must take time and not be quick and easy. This video is satire, of course, but within that has some pretty elitist views that I would not have recognized at first.

Frank Castle, Cowboy.

Netflix’s The Punisher series is based off of Marvel comic character Frank Castle, who is an anti-hero who is seeking revenge with whoever was responsible for his family’s murder. For the sake being of this blog post, I will be specifically referring to the Frank Castle which is depicted in the Netflix series, not the comic version of him. I believe the series parallels that of the Western genre.

Frank Castle (i.e. the Punisher) is a cowboy. He embodies that of a hyper-ideal image of masculinity in the Western sense. He is, as the cowboy criteria within the “Cowboy and Western in Popular Culture” video describe, white, male, masculine, and self-sufficient. For physical attributes, the Punisher has a very deep voice, almost to the point where it sounds a bit hoaky. He’s brooding and muscular, miserable within his introspection as he becomes a brick wall without emotion (the peak of toxic masculinity entering around the fact that processing grief and emotion in a healthy manner would be a sign of weakness). As for the Westernization, Frank Castle may not have nationalism in the sense that he feels as if he has been failed by his country, but before the tragedy in his life, he was a proud marine. So, in this sense he would make more of a Jesse James (Jesse James: The Outlaw) than a Jace Pearson (Tale of the Texas Rangers Radio Program). He’s the lone wolf trope who works alone because he feels as if danger is around him so often that he wouldn’t want to bring anyone else down with him. He is, then, surrounded by danger in that it is him versus common criminals, corrupted authority figures within law enforcement, or super villains (within the Marvel universe, of course).

Frank Castle’s character mirrors many famous tropes of Westerns. He has a code-of-honor so to speak, in that he does not kill women or children. How admirable. It is a little wishy-washy in the sense, but within masculinity, there is that obligated sense of responsibility to protect women and children, or, those who are weak (We’ll save the feminist argument against this tired ideology of viewing women as fragile flowers for another time). But, he does embody the romantic notion of fighting for a cause, and to defend the damsel in distress, and take her away from the uncivilized danger in which she finds herself in and take her to a utopian place where they can live quietly. Probably on a ranch or something.

Although Castle is not equipped with a horse or cowboy hat, these icons are swapped for a bullet-proof vest with a skull spray painted onto it, and any car that can easily be hijacked.

He roams the country due to being an outlaw, thus moving through the new frontiers of America, and once he “rides into town,” he takes justice from both internal and external threats into his own hands. There is no shortage of gun violence, however. There are even a few scenes in which the Punisher finds himself in a duel.

Image Sources:

https://www.denofgeek.com/us/tv/marvel/278737/the-punisher-season-2-complete-marvel-universe-easter-eggs-and-reference-guide

https://www.syfy.com/syfywire/frank-castle-fully-unchains-the-punisher-in-latest-trailer-for-season-2

Memes: Niche or Not, They’re Reaching You.

If you’ve ever come across a photo captioned by something either eerily relatable or so obscure that you have no choice but to laugh with confusion, you have stumbled upon a newer type of meme. Technically speaking, a meme is anything within culture that has gone viral via the internet, but most commonly the medium for memes is images with relatable captions. Memes are a large part of modern popular culture, as their widespread usage, popularity, and ability to be personalized to fit almost any identity. If brevity is the soul of wit (thank you, Hamlet), then memes are for you. These images have been around for years, and they aren’t going anywhere anytime soon. They are most often a single image with most often than not, crudely dubbed captions that appeal to the audience in how relatable they are. The longer the meme, the less likely it is to be successful… but if that’s the case… is it a meme if it isn’t successful? The very definition includes the fact that it has been passed around from internet user to internet user becoming widespread in a short amount of time.

One example of this are memes that shed light on the human condition and the struggles that come with that. They can be very cathartic to some. Most memes seen scrolling through whatever social media platform you chose are self-deprecating. Although it is not healthy for ones self-confidence or sense of self worth, venting about your inner demons through the lens of humor is cheaper, and frankly more attainable than therapy. The interesting part about this though is that the audience connects with the meme, making the creator not alone in how they view about themselves or what they struggle with. This unity is depressing, sure, but nevertheless uniting. Some memes can be viewed to make light of tough subjects like mental health, but at the same time allow for conversations for such to begin, and allow for the audience to feel as if they are not alone in what they struggle with. Most importantly, though, it is funny as hell.

This is not to pigeonhole memes by any means- memes can range to extremely relatable to the point that it kind of hurts, to extremely obscure and funny due to how out-of-context and bizarre it is. These obscure memes are referred to as “Surreal Memes” (example pictured right). These are harder to break down in terms of relatability because, really, it’s not relatable. These kinds of memes are funny not because of their relatability, but because they fit into a niche of humor that has exhausted all other avenues of memes. For example, a photo

But the important thing to note here is that memes are popular culture because, we, as individuals, can identify with different memes. Whenever someone sends a meme to their friends, family members, coworkers, significant other, or whatever it may be, they are identifying (through relating with the content of the meme) the meme with someone or themselves. Commenting “same,” or “this is so me,” or “so you,” is attaching identity onto said meme.

To be a person who views and enjoys memes is to be a person who has access to the internet. It’s almost impossible to not stumble across a meme while on the internet, especially if you are using social media. Companies sometimes use memes (more often than not unsuccessfully) to appeal to audiences to claim that they are “hip with the times,” so-to-speak. Ultimately, memes are infinite in their range of content, but because of this, people are able to identify with different memes and relate in different ways, but in the end unite the audience with others who have also enjoyed a meme.

Image Sources:

https://i.pinimg.com/originals/09/90/06/099006c769e26cae101051e25fc71133.jpg

https://i.pinimg.com/originals/aa/21/20/aa2120546e670c51b1c628f3d401b6c8.jpg

https://i.pinimg.com/originals/1f/a5/13/1fa5134110a8a6cff102a279814844d0.jpg

https://www.reddit.com/r/surrealmemes/comments/78a84v/l_e_g_g/?st=j966uxn9&sh=3973a549

Module 15 - Zombie Narratives

I will be analyzing module 12. This module contains the popular culture of zombies. We were assigned to watch one of the earlier movies. I choose to watch the movie king of the zombies, produced in 1941. I will also be dissecting the subject through the lens of race. Although slavery of the African-Americans was outlawed, that does not mean they were culturally accepted immediately. This was displayed in the movie on several occasions. One occasion was when the Mantan Moreland, who played the character Jeff. Jeff and his white associates, seem to be on good terms, but Jeff remains a subordinate as he is their valet. The portrayal of an African-American during the filming of the movie would hold African-Americans to a secondary role. Both actors and the characters that were portrayed would generally be secondary characters. This is affirmed as all of the entire servants of the Dr. Sangre were only of color. Jeff is casted as a comedic relief for the movie, making little jokes and talking about with smart remarks. At one point, Jeff asks to spend the night with his white associates, who were a portrayed as a more prestigious role such as a pilot or a colonel in the military. Even the main evil antagonist was a white actor as well. The portrayal of the servants in the movie shown that they were happy and content with their position in the cultural hierarchy. Not interested in talking back to their master or achieving more. At one point, the slaves notice one of Jeff’s associates was slacked and converted into a zombie. The servants were surprised because they have never seen a white zombie before. This does not seem normal to the servants, but because of the circumstances, the Doctor has to kill one of the associates to prevent further snooping. Eventually, Jeff and his remaining associate manage to escape the island and return to the mainland. Although strides and changes have been made as popular culture constantly changes, a good example of this would be Star Wars. They have successfully casted a minority, as well as a female lead. Despite a few major movies recently, representation of women and minorities in movies are still bleak or unchanged (Bahr, 2017)

CITES

King of Zombies. Jean Yarbrough. Perf. Dick Purcell, Mantan Moreland, Henry Victor. Distributor, Sterling Productions inc. 1941. Film. 
Bahr, Lindsey. "People Want to See More Diversity in Movies, but It's Not Happening Fast Enough." Business Insider. Associated Press, 31 July 2017.Web. 26 Apr. 2018.
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Cowboy Vigilantes

https://digitalcomicmuseum.com/index.php?dlid=16967

After reading and reviews Four Favorites 001 by Ace Comics, I can tie it in with a few different learning modules from this semester. Four Favorites Comics focus on superhero’s as the main characters. Consistently solving crimes and fighting bad guys, the superhero’s portrayed in each comic differ in ways, but ultimately push the same idea. In some cases, the superhero’s could be portrayed as cowboys. These superhero’s do different things to fight bad guys in a way that may not be looked at as right or safe, but do what they can to protect civilians and themselves. While they are referred to as superhero’s, not all cowboys wear cowboy hats. In this case, some may wear capes. The idea of a superhero’s such as Batman in modern day comics / movies brings the idea of a vigilante or “cowboy” in reference with superhero’s in general. Someone who does what’s necessary at all costs to protect something or someone, regardless of rules and regulations. 

roy rogers and trigger comics #99

https://archive.org/details/RoyRogersAndTriggerComics99


In this comic we see deputies roy rogers and Pat Brady attempting to catch thieves who are stealing meat from local farmers. Roy Rogers and Pat get in to a shootout with the criminals and the criminals fell. After they use their dog to track the criminals down and end up apprehending them and bringing them to jail. To me this comic was most similar to our section on cowboys and westerns. Roy rogers and his partner are portrayed as two white men bringing justice to a town through any means necessary whether it is killing or arresting the criminals. It plays in to the idea of the cowboy and how they were seen as bringing justice to unlawful places, these two men apprehend the criminals and "save the day'  through their use of violence to catch and apprehend the criminals.

Module 11 - Comics blogs

Phantom Lady Feminist Viewpoint

The blogpost i will be writing about this week is about the "Phantom Lady" series, #23. Produced in April of 1949. The link will be provided at the end of the blog itself. In this comic, the senator is traveling to India. The people there worship tigers, that is all they know. The senator is mislead by a spy to lure him to a trap while they organize to steal oil from the "Tiger people". Unfortunately, the senator and his son both get caught and the phantom lady has to save the day. She eventually free's the two and goes back to the "Tiger People" and convince them to stop praying to the tigers and fight the invaders, which they do and repel the invaders. From a feminist viewpoint, i personally feel the fact that they have a heroin with her own comic during the time period a strong step forward as there aren't many female heroes period. Most often, female characters in comics are sidekicks or the wives or part of the "Ms. Pacman" culture. Where the females are essentially the female versions of the male super hero, such as Batman and Batgirl, or Superman and Supergirl. Unfortunately, the portrayal of the Phantom Lady could be better. She goes into battle with a skimpy top showing maximum cleavage and a super short skirt. This could be possible that this is apart of her super powers and that she can go into battle dressed in practically nothing and still come out unscathed. Another thing is the front page of the comic, which shows her bound against her will and once again, at maximum cleavage. This also shows the "male gaze" where a man would stare at a woman. This is important as many argue that it objectifies women. Andy from the conservationist mentions "The “male gaze” invokes the sexual politics of the gaze and suggests a sexualised way of looking that empowers men and objectifies women. In the male gaze, woman is visually positioned as an “object” of heterosexual male desire. Her feelings, thoughts and her own sexual drives are less important than her being “framed” by male desire."(Theconversation.com). This also shows the typical damsel in distress on how so many women are portrayed in every aspect of entertainment. Once again, attempting to make sales or better entertainment at the expense of womens' suffering.

CITES

Phantom Lady :23 1949 = http://digitalcomicmuseum.com/index.php?dlid=12188

Loreck, Janice, and Andy Simmons. "Explainer: What Does the 'male Gaze' Mean, and What about a Female Gaze?" The Conversation. N.p., 05 Jan. 2016. Web. 08 Apr. 2018.

http://theconversation.com/explainer-what-does-the-male-gaze-mean-and-what-about-a-female-gaze-52486

POSTMODERNISM

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NjcrdBvGNqw&index=4&t=0s&list=PL8YtsooGljrlPkr7Ija54C6TtpCElse9j

I chose to use the video “Postmodernism in Advertising Explained” to write my post about. This video goes in depth about how postmodernism is shown in modern day advertisements, with two prime examples. The video refers to two advertisements, one for mend cologne, and another for clothing. In both, the symbol being portrayed is unclear to the viewer if they are unaware of what the advertisement is for. In other words, the cologne advertisement could be a reference to many different things, as it features tan well toned men covered in oil feeding grapes to each other. Is this a grape ad? Is this a gym ad? Upon first glance it is very unclear as to how the advertisement is trying to capture the viewer’s attention. An example I found in a similar situation is an advertisement I found for Levis jeans. Although there are jeans in the photo, it is very confusing as the person holding the jeans is a mermaid. In other words, someone who does not necessarily wear jeans (the mermaid) is promoting a pair of pants. In my opinion, this is to attract viewers in an effort that is different than other jean companies. People who appeal to the idea of mermaids may buy the jeans as they correlate the jeans and the mermaid in their mind. Although this attracts the viewers as it is different than “normal”, it’s still a weird approach when there are so many different advertisements constantly appearing in places we look on a day to day basis such as social media, the news, search engines, emails, promotional mail and so on.

Postmodernism video

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NjcrdBvGNqw&list=PL8YtsooGljrlPkr7Ija54C6TtpCElse9j&t=0s&index=4


In the YouTube video "Postmodernism in Advertising Explained," postmodernism is defined as "The state society is in now." This video explains how postmodernism is tied into advertisements such as Dolce and Gabbana or Chanel advertisements. While these companies try to portray a certain modern age by selling products or services, customers are left confused by what the company is actually selling or producing. Some of these companies have unclear advertisements which is why advertising as a whole is highly related to postmodernism.  In many ways this relates to the current modern age where digital advertising and social media throw so many advertisements and promotions at consumer that it is very difficult for us to digest all of them. This leads to uncertainty and ambiguity and only promotes more confusion among consumers. Although this type of advertising may be making us more efficient because we learn how to digest the information faster it does not necessarily lead to us learning more about the products or services being offered.

Pop Music / Pop Culture

For my post, I decided to use an article I found based on current day music, coming from Dave Grohl in the Foo Fighters. In this article, Grohl talks about how he can’t stand when he asks his kids what they are listening to in today’s day in age, and hears that it has to do with songs coming from singers such as Katy Perry. Grohl goes on about how he thinks that the music that people are creating, as well as listening to in modern day society, is basically trash in comparison to what used to be considered “Chart Toppers”. I found this article to be extremely one sided, although I may not necessarily agree or disagree with what Grohl was arguing. He uses the line “It’s fun to listen to, to turn up in your car when you’re in traffic, but there’s no substance at all. It’s devoid of any meaning.” While Grohl may not see the meaning behind certain songs and genres played on the radio today, such as Katy Perry for instance, that does not necessarily mean that they lack meaning, but perhaps just the meaning he is looking for. For Grohl to argue that there is no meaning behind these songs and lyrics, it is just as easy for someone to say that there is no meaning behind songs that Grohl was a part of, as well as listened to in prior years if it lacks the meaning they are looking for. 

www.nme.com/news/music/foo-fighters-140-1219744

Jordan Mania

The mass production of Jordan sneakers has been a on going conversation within the community of "Sneaker heads".  With Jordan sneakers you have the originals that were released while Michael Jordan was still in the NBA and the rereleases, which are a reproduction of the original. The most sought after Jordans are numbers 1-23, each design that originally released were given a number and then a name identified with, by a color (i.e Jordan 12 Playoffs or Jordan 7 Bordeaux) pictured below. Over the years the releases have included new colors that would not be considered original and more numbers to continue on with Michael Jordans legacy.

Jordan 12 Playoff via Flightclub.com




Picture via Flightclub.com

Over the past 7 years the demand for a pair of Jordans has risen, that has not gone un noticed by the Jordan Brand. Since the rise, they have started to release more pairs within a set release date. Prior to this, there would have been a set number on how many would be released in total, making them more valuable. You would not have found a pair on the shelves more than an hour after a Saturday 8 am release. People were willing to pair almost 5 times the amount paid for them at one point. Now you  can find pairs still on shelves weeks later because of the over producing and higher costs of a pair of Jordans.

How Netflix is Changing Mass Culture

This week I found an interesting video called "Netflix's War on Mass Culture" and I immediately thought, "Oh no, they're not going to tell me that Netflix is bad! Are they?" The reality is both yes, and no. As I watched the video, despite its daunting title, I found that the narrative was somewhat open for interpretation and I will answer to that later on.

The video basically outlined how the normal practice of watching television had gone on in previous generations and how Netflix is different from that. At first the video accuses Netflix of trying to replace the foundations of television with a new system based on the current values of the internet generation and also of trying to change viewer behavior. Of course in my mind I say, "That's great that such things can evolve as we do!" However, this video takes the opposite approach and claims that Netflix has a hidden agenda.

Even the Netflix logos have a cool history! (source)

The origin story of Netflix is generally known by the average American; it was at first a DVD mail order service that after a while began to offer some of its most popular shows and films via online streaming. Its also infamously known as the company that eventually brought down Blockbuster Video, a VHS movie rental store that refused to "get with the times." Therefore proving that evolution of entertainment is imperative.

In the history of entertainment, many shows and events were broadcasted live, as reliable technology for recording video and audio didn't come until much later. Thus live entertainment was, for much of history, seen as commonplace. Even as pre-recorded shows began to air, live television did not disappear, as today we still have live news, sporting events, award shows, reality shows, etc. Though the focus now has shifted to pre-recorded shows being the majority and live television being the minority. Having our choice of scripted shows to watch echos the retail market, just like people could go to Blockbuster and pick out only what they wanted to watch rather than being subjected to "what's on." Also, unlike cable companies, Netflix pays attention to their viewers, what they watch and what they like, and uses algorithms based on the genre or starring actors to predict other shows you might be interested in.

Netflix knows what you like! "OITNB" was their top rated show last June. (image source)

The video states that mainstream entertainment is based on a large pillar of popular culture, flanked by smaller sub-cultures and that Netflix is attempting to change this architecture into a world of “fandom islands” where people rarely interact with others outside of their island. It gives people less exposure to things that they wouldn’t normally watch but I don’t see that the unity of people loving a show will cease because of this. It in fact adds a more profound sense of connection. For someone to find another person who likes the same obscure show that they do, instead of being crowded out by the overall tone of what the majority of people are watching, makes that show and that connection even more special. They argue that entertainment only based on fandom is non-traditional and un-American, but I have so far seen very little change in the unity and passion of people who have made the transition to online streaming.

In the past, network “event television” aimed to get a large group of people watching the same thing at the same time - but what is the harm in a large group of people watching the same thing, but at their own pace? Netflix is viewed by a large amount of people, but that doesn’t make it less valuable, in fact people are watching more hours of television than they did in the 1990s. This makes it even more important that we pay attention to what we are watching and make it more readily available, rather than restricting people to less choice because of tradition

Even cable networks have "On Demand." They have to admit it is part of our modern era of entertainment. (image source)

The anti-Netflix argument in the video uses the viewpoint of Vladimir Nabokov who believes that humanity’s “highest yearning” should be to leave behind all desire to be “current.” I however, argue that modern people have a very high regard for being up-to-date on all parts of culture, especially where they consider it to be a part of their identity. This does contrast to a time, even a hundred years back, when people were wary of new inventions such as television or even electricity - but today a vast number of people take great pride in wearing the latest trend, going to see the newest movies, and sharing the most popular memes. What’s wrong with that? I say nothing!

The Greatest Show on Earth No Longer

After reading in Time Magazine that the Ringling Brothers' Circus was to close down after 146 years I was somewhat saddened but not entirely surprised. I began to wonder why circus shows have lost favor in modern society. I figured it would make a good topic for this week's blog post after I found myself really trying to dissect what had happened and how I should feel about it.

The easy answer as to why circus shows have become less popular is obvious; tv shows, movies, video games, and the like have begun our new digital age of on-demand entertainment. Whereas at one time most people only had books and theatre to distract themselves from their everyday lives and struggles, we today can conjure an entirely different world to focus on in mere seconds. Yet, this is only one aspect.

Barnum & Bailey elephant show act circa 1900, Encyclopedia Britannica.(source)

One of the biggest reasons cited by the circus owners is that ticket sales drastically declined after the retirement of the elephant acts. After long battles with animal rights groups, after which their allegations of abuse have been proven false, the elephants were sent to a reserve in Florida where they could happily live out their days. However, even after the Ringling Bros gave in to those demands, attendance numbers sharply declined. This comes as an especially painful blow, as they had just announced their first female ringleader.

So, what do we have the circus to thank for? How should we remember it as an important feature of a bygone era? Well, originally the Ringling Bros competed with the Barnum and Bailey circus, PT Barnum's show centered around exotic animals and acts featuring stunts performed by animals and humans alike. The Ringling Bros began as jugglers and daredevils, but they didn't garner much attention until the purchase of their first elephant in 1888.

Ringling Bros and Barnum & Bailey postcard circa 1931. (source)

At one time the show, which lasted for 3 hours, featured high-flying trapeze acts, stilt walkers, human oddities, carefully choreographed animal exhibitions, dancers, and magicians. In 1890 the most popular act was simply a dark room where people would pay to see the newly invented electric light bulb! This hardly even mentions the culture of side-shows, which focused more on the aforementioned human oddities, and other wonders considered too macabre or strange for everyday entertainment. Even Winston Churchill himself begged his parents to take him to see Barretta the "Boneless Wonder," though they denied him. (Library Source)

I think one of my favorite memories of circus culture is the colorful posters that enticed the local population to come see the wondrous show. These posters used such beautifully selective imagery and illustrations of the acts and actors, portrayed in a cartoonish caricature style that is similar to modern comic books. Today some of the most famous circus performers are memorialized only by these caricatures, as photography wasn't used in mainstream society until the very late 1800's. I believe that the very attitude of their showing, and us getting to witness, such amazing feats and acts will live on in our hearts for at least another generation. The sparkle and dazzle of lighting and sequined costumes forever reflected in our minds.

Circus poster lithograph featuring portraits of 5 of the Ringling Bros at left. (source)

I Am A Cosplayer and I'm Not Sorry

Firstly, I apologize if this comes out in a terrible format because I have never really "blogged" before, so I hope the technical aspects take care of themselves.

As per the title of this post, I can confirm that the area of pop culture that interests me the most is Cosplay. For those who have never heard this term before, it is the combined concept of "costume" and "roleplay," meaning that you not only dress as a character that you like, but you act like them, and while dressed you do your best to fully become them. Now, there are definitely many different levels to this act, as any beginner or casual fan could tell you but that shall remain a topic for another time. I will simply state that I would consider myself at the upper echelon of cosplay, in that I try to make my costume as accurate as I can and do try to speak or act as that character would most of the time.

Myself as Maya the Siren from the "Borderlands" video game series at Boston Comic Con 2015.

Cosplay is important to me for more intrinsic reasons than I could probably count, but the most major reason is that it is very social by nature, there are thousands and millions of others who like to wear costumes to conventions and I just plain love making friends! Secondly, it speaks volumes to my artistic nature; not everyone endeavors or is capable of making their own costumes, but it is an artistic challenge that I thoroughly enjoy testing myself on.

Myself, my husband Nick, and friend Sammy as characters from "Metro 2033" and "Fallout" at PAX East 2016.

As to what I expect to learn - conversely I intend to include the things I know in order to contribute to the amazing discussions we are about to share and I expect to learn more about the things I have likely been avoiding. For instance, I have never been particularly fond of zombies. The original idea of roaming deceased humans is wildly entertaining, but I feel it has become very overrated. The market has been completely saturated with zombie-themed things and frankly, I quickly tired of it. However, I promise to give it another chance as perhaps one of my classmates enjoys that part of pop culture and would be willing to elaborate in order to convert me :)

Myself at Boston Comic Con as Ezio from the "Assassin's Creed" video game series at Boston Comic Con 2015.

Lady Gaga and Fan Indentification

Click, Melissa A., Hyunji Lee, and Holly Willson Holladay. "Making Monsters: Lady Gaga, Fan Identification, And Social Media." Popular Music & Society 36.3 (2013): 360-379. Academic Search Premier. Web. 24 Apr. 2016. 

Melissa A. Click, et al. loos at fandom surrounding Lady Gaga. In exploring the relationship between Lady Gaga and her fans the authors draw from three areas of research: fan identification, monsters & the monsterous and the celebrity and social media. They also interviews fans. Fans, according to Click, et al., identify with Lady Gaga through her message of empowerment and self acceptance. The authors note the work of John Caughey in examining the fan and fan object relationship. Caughey writes that over time, fans will often incorporate a celebrity’s values into their own attitudes. With Lady Gaga many of these values are already present and are validated and strengthened by Lady Gaga’s engagement with her fans. Fans of Lady Gaga call themselves “little monsters” and consider Lady Gaga the “mother monster”. Perceiving themselves as outcasts, this is a way for fans to embrace their differences. Monster generally has negative connotations in our culture and this is a way for fans to own this word. With Lady Gaga as “mother monster” and protective mentor she becomes almost a parental figure further strengthening a fan’s identification with her. Click, et al. notes the importance of social media in the popularity of Lady Gaga. Lady Gaga is very active on social media and goes beyond the self-promotion of most celebrity’s. She often will interact directly with her fans, most often through twitter. She will respond to a fan’s artwork or cover of her song. This response to the interpretive aspect of her work allows fans to “see the real authentic person behind the celebrity.” This social media engagement with Lady Gaga “both enable and amplify” the identification fans have with her. 

I thought this article was very interesting in that the authors find a very strong fan identification when a celebrity validates their values, particularly when it is done through personal engagement on social media. This, they find, empowers the fan base. 

Masculinity in popular culture

I find I learn best about popular culture through YouTube videos. There are so many videos available involving popular culture and certain ideas that have to do with popular culture on the Internet. The video I chose to examine above is called, Masculinity in Popular culture. This video discusses how the men being portrayed in our sports games, movies, television is teaching domination and aggression.   The average young boy spends 40 hours a week watching television and 15 hours a week playing video games. All of the entertainment they are watching are portraying different male archetypes. You have the strong silent guy who is always in control, the hero type guy who is engaged in violence 24/7, the thug who is violent, and last but not least the “man-child” who is immature and funny. The video discusses how media images have an affect on these little boys who are watching these shows, movies, etc. Our young boys look to these men and think this is what they should be; how they should act, and how they should look. The men our children, brothers, cousins are watching are fictional characters that they should not look up too. Another thing the video discusses is the United States army's use of training some if their individuals for battle by video games because of the similarities. Should these little boys be getting ready for battle? The violence our male television characters and our video game characters show should not be available to our young boys. I recommend if you haven't seen the video "Tough Guise" to go out and watch it because it also touches base on this topic.