Melissa Chow
30th May, 2017
The first reading, “A Woman’s Place”, emphasizes sexism that is prevalent in our “consumer culture”. A lot of the slogans for these sexist phrases were both related to the women’s place in the house as well as the difference in work and leisure. Fiske points out that the mall was one of the only places women could stroll through unaccompanied in the past. Indeed, since women were expected to take care of the house and prepare meals, women had to go shopping for ingredients or other miscellaneous items for housework. Another thing was that working was considered a masculine activity while housework is more feminine. Again, this derives back from times where men were the sole breadwinners of the household. Therefore, Fiske brings back the main idea that in our society, women are considered consumers (purchasing goods for the household) and men are the producers (bringing back a paycheck). At the same time though, the fact that women are consumers makes it seem to them that they have power, the power to choose what to buy. I can see that point, but I kind of don’t know how to feel about it. I think both sexes should produce and consume. The “Reclaim the Streets” reading definitely reminded me of the BLM movement that is prevalent right now. I think that streets are where most people can actively see and think about these issues. Like the flash mobs in the street in Dubai. They were done in the middle of the day, in a busy area so that people would most likely see, and be forced to see and think about gay rights.
30th May, 2017
The first reading, “A Woman’s Place”, emphasizes sexism that is prevalent in our “consumer culture”. A lot of the slogans for these sexist phrases were both related to the women’s place in the house as well as the difference in work and leisure. Fiske points out that the mall was one of the only places women could stroll through unaccompanied in the past. Indeed, since women were expected to take care of the house and prepare meals, women had to go shopping for ingredients or other miscellaneous items for housework. Another thing was that working was considered a masculine activity while housework is more feminine. Again, this derives back from times where men were the sole breadwinners of the household. Therefore, Fiske brings back the main idea that in our society, women are considered consumers (purchasing goods for the household) and men are the producers (bringing back a paycheck). At the same time though, the fact that women are consumers makes it seem to them that they have power, the power to choose what to buy. I can see that point, but I kind of don’t know how to feel about it. I think both sexes should produce and consume. The “Reclaim the Streets” reading definitely reminded me of the BLM movement that is prevalent right now. I think that streets are where most people can actively see and think about these issues. Like the flash mobs in the street in Dubai. They were done in the middle of the day, in a busy area so that people would most likely see, and be forced to see and think about gay rights.
I hadn’t
really thought too much into advertising before Omar’s lecture. Now that I
think about it, it really is important to think about the POV of the
advertiser. I remember a couple of years ago there was a controversial Cheerio’s
commercial where there were two fathers and their child. Controversial because
many still believe being gay is a huge sin, but I don’t think we need to give
those people attention. Anyways, while I think a lot of us would go, “Awww...
sweet!” I am sure that was planned by General Mills and that General Mills is
not really a human with real thoughts and emotions. Anyone can play into the
themes pushed by advertisers, including Asian Americans. If we just sit idly by
and consume the messages I think it would be really easy to be sucked in and
become one of society’s drones that don’t really form their own opinions. I
think this was a theme pushed by one of the first readings in the class,
“Popular Culture”.
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