Danielle Marie Herrera
Prof. Maira
ASA 4 A04
25 May 2017
Merchants of Cool is a 2001 documentary about the methods in which corporations try to effectively market their items to teenagers. According to the film, teenagers are an especially important demographic for corporations as teenagers are the ones who establish what is trendy in the entertainment sector and even in lifestyle aspects such as diet and clothing. Teenagers seem to be the core of self-expression as they are in an experimental spot between childhood and adulthood. I found it interesting to see how "coolhunting" used to be carried out by corporate correspondents - via random surveys in real life, in real time - whereas now, action on the part of the corporation is hardly even needed. Through the rise of social media and the Internet in general, information about pop culture can be accessed without even being asked for. The information about new trends and fads comes at a rapid rate and voluntarily from teenagers around the globe.
I thought Omar's lecture on his field of study was actually really inspiring since he discussed taking something he enjoyed all his life - comedy - and creating research out of it. His presentation also went to show that Asian-American studies can be applied to all realms, from art to science to history. I was also able to connect to his discussion about anonymous everyday acts of cultural resistance, specifically via comedic outlets such as memes and Youtube videos. Social media allows for access to large volumes of comedy on a regular basis, and simple jokes can spark political or more abstract discussion about those in power.
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