AMST Youth

[awesomeelegantdetectivebouq-blog]

The movie “Mean Girls (2004)” is about a girl named Cady Heron, who has been home-schooled by her zoologist parents and has lived the first fifteen years of her life in a jungle in Africa. At the age of sixteen, with knowing the survival rules she has learned so far by living with the wild animals, she is all set to experience a new page in her life- high school life in the United States. At her high school, Cady meets two teenager, Damian and Janis who suggest her to stay away from “The Plastics”, a clique of A-list, mean, beautiful and famous girls in the high-school, which is led by Regina George. Gretchen and Karen follow Regina in the clique. Regina, Gretchen and Karen show interest in Cady and accept her in their group. Things go well until Cady falls in love with Regina’s ex-boyfriend, Aaron Samuels. After Regina gets to know about it, she plans to take revenge of Cady by persuading Aaron to get back into relationship with her. Cady gets upset by Regina’s actions and she along with Damian and Janis plan to bring down Regina’s status by cutting off her resources. The movie ends with an awesome note that everyone is good and perfect in their own ways. It doesn’t have to be ideal as depicted by the society.

The movie starts with Cady’s nervous parents dropping her at her first day of high-school. I think at the start of the movie itself a glance of current youth culture is showed though I feel it is exaggerated. The teenagers are shown chilling out before the class, talking to each other, making fun of other peers, etc. When a guy enters the classroom, he is kissed by his girl-friend. Then, when the teacher comes, Cady bumps into her by mistake splitting teacher’s coffee on her. When teacher tries to remove off her sweater, her shirt is stuck to her sweater and students see her bra. As we have talked about the media’s influence on youths, by showing this youths do get affected and they assume that this is the real high-school life. This makes them look down upon and in turn disrespect their teachers. Then, in health class, a guy teacher warns students to not have sex and if they have sex they will get pregnant and die. Ok if we keep the humor apart, when young people are watching this movie, they do grasp a different and not always true type of view. Ya it’s true that having unsafe sex can impregnate a girl, but, a girl doesn’t die after getting pregnant. I think what the teacher is trying to tell is correct, but, the way of telling it to students is inappropriate. Even though Cady is really good in math, to get Aaron’s attention, she does bad on her math tests. I really like when the math teacher tells Cady that getting good grades is more important than having a boy-friend at this age.

The movie is a perfect example including the historical stereotypes about girls we learnt in the documentary “Miss Representation”. As in the documentary, the movie shows that girls are all about their looks, the way they represent themselves in the society, their attractive bodies, their weights, they bitch about eachother and they being sex-objects. It depicts a typical girls’ world by emphasizing on “The Plastics” clique. To be accepted in the society (here high-school), girls are forced to think about and follow the ideal image of a woman pictured by the society. In this movie, the ideal woman is Regina who has a perfect body and is the Queen bee of the high-school. Boys are attracted to her. I think these conventional stereotypes about women discourage them to value their own intellectuals over their looks and physiques. The movie shows that girls (Regina and Cady) fight with and plan revenges against each other for a boy. They are mean to each other. If media keeps on depositing these stereotypes in the society, it will take so long for women to gain gender equality and respect in our society.

Also, as we have gone through some articles about African-American and Latino people, I would like to point out some related instances from the movie. A couple of times, only black people are associated with Africa. When Cady tells Regina that she came to the US from Africa, she is questioned by Karen that how she can be from Africa as she is white. I came across this racial stereotype in the movie.

The last thing I want to mention is how the people you hang out with affect your behaviors and actions. I had talked about this in my Disney movie analysis of Oliver & Company. In the Disney movie, the kitten initially hangs out with dogs, who are engaged in criminal acts, and then, he himself unknowingly gets into criminal acts. In “Mean Girls”, when Cady hangs out most of the time with “The Plastics” girls, she begins to become one of them. We tend to behave or think like the group of people we are with. Also, teenage is the age when kids are most likely to get into bad things as they still don’t have a good understanding of the real world and they get persuaded easily. This is the age when peer pressure has a huge impact on them.

[clfrench05-blog]

I liked your points about the movie and relating them to stereotypes, behaviors  and actions. Though in this movie i also believe it’s worthwhile to point out Cady wanted to fit in. We see this all time in schools, people and youth wanting to be apart of the cool kid group. Cady even went to extreme measures to fit in, when it was just supposed to be a joke and prank. About halfway through the movie we see that it might not be a joke, or prank  anymore, she wanted to take over the cool kids group.  Relating to our class, it’s all about youth’s wanting to fit in and feel accepted somewhere. Cady was accepted by her “real friends”, but that wasn’t enough she wanted Regina’s crew to accept her. Eventually making her want to be Regina and take over her crew. 

[destinymjohnson-purdue-blog]

I love the fact that you guys focus on how important group think is in the way young people perceive themselves. I feel as though the reason for why this is such a big deal in high school is because of outside social influences and initial rearing. Some social examples would be clubs, which require you to participate with others in a particular activity, which typically results in the development of a unique mini culture. You have uniforms, mottos, and spend a great deal of time together. Group think is also instilled in earlier years, most kids participate in little league sports and dance groups, that both introduce them to group think and gender constructs. By the time they get to high school there is an extreme desire to continue to exist within a place of belonging, whether they be cliques or clubs, and as a result social constructs and strongly instilled in youths at an early age.

[darrenamst201-blog]

The Perks of Being a Wallflower

The Perks of Being a Wallflower tells the tale of a Charlie, an extremely shy introvert, and his experiences in his first year of high school. The movie started with a letter by Charlie to an anonymous friend about his problems and how he wish to change in high school.  He didn’t really change and was harassed by his fellow students, but he did make a friend in is literature teacher.  Later and he met two seniors who welcomed him into their circle of friends and showed him a place where he belonged.  The movies goes through the hardships, the problems, the fun times, and the sad times of Charlie as he goes through his first year of high school with these group of seniors.

One of the biggest things in the movie was the idea of conformity.  Charlie, in his letter at the beginning of the movie, tells the viewers that he had problems prior to high school and didn’t really talk to anyone outside his house all summer.  He wished to change this when he goes into high school.  It didn’t work out and instead he shied away from anything that comes in his path.

In his Advanced English class the teacher would ask the class questions that no one seems to know the answer to (“which author invented the paperback book”).  Charlie knew the answer but wouldn’t raise his hand. Instead he wrote them down on paper in front of him and when the teacher walked by he saw.  With his next question he even threw out the incentive of a “free A on anything except the final term paper”, but Charlie still didn’t raise his hand.  After class the teacher asked him “why didn’t you raise your hand.”

Throughout the movie Charlie always acted like an awkward kid (even after he joins the seniors group) and it took people with stronger personalities to force him even slightly out of his shell.  Despite his awkwardness and shyness, after spending time with his friends and conforming slightly to their style, he started to act a bit more outgoing.

The film also goings into social norms and how some things needs to be kept hidden.  An example is when Charlie found out that his friend was gay by walking into his friend’s bedroom during a party and finding him kissing with another guy.  When Charlie walked out of the room, his friend came out and told him to keep it a secret.  It’s understandable since through the movie the words “fag” and “faggot” had been used as general insults thrown around the school and sticking your neck out in this situation would be committing social suicide.  In addition to that the town is predominately Christian and the viewers often see Christian rituals and church attendance.  Indeed one day Charlie’s friend’s partner’s dad did find out and started beating his kid.  That ended that relationship.

The movie also talked about child abuse.  Throughout the movie we often see cuts of when Charlie was younger or events from the past interwoven with the present scenery.  Sometimes is because Charlie is either stoned or high but later in the film the viewer’s does find out that Charlie does have a problem and see visions. Apparently what happened in the past was that Charlie’s aunt had sexually assaulted him and he repressed those memories.  In addition to that on one day his aunt went out to buy a present for him but was hit by a truck and died.  Charlie blames himself for that.  After working it out for a few weeks at the hospital he came out seemingly better and not as weird or awkward.

The film does a good job portraying kids in their youths in high school and the problems they go through. Looking at this film from where I am in life (almost graduating college) reminds me a lot of the times I went through in high school.  Sure my high school life was not as weird as Charlie’s, but we all know a person like Patrick, who finds his awkwardness and pain behind a show of extraverted confidence. We all know a person like Charlie who is observant and quiet who is always agreeing, trying to fit in.  We all a person like Sam who lacks self-esteem and seeks attention and undervalues herself.  The characters and stories seems to strike out at you.  And you get to see the shy, introverted Charlie slowly grow over the course of the movie, and even though he is still introverted at the end, he realized that, despite everything, they are alive and “[they] are infinite.”

[destinymjohnson-purdue-blog]

This analysis is AWESOME. It connects very well with my own film, which similarly struck out to depict the socially diverse norms of high school students and how these different individuals can connect with one another.  Ultimately, what we all seem to be finding is that adult power has an incredible influence on the way in which these kids perceive themselves and others. In my film The Breakfast Club an example of adult oppression and abuse would be when Mr. Vernon threaten to physically assault John Bender, only after verbally degrading him to the equivalent of garbage. This, as was expressed earlier in the film, not the first time that John had be subjected to suck adult abuse, and as a result he was the strong, outspoken and honest character that in a sense lead the rebellion during their Saturday detention. This could be similar to the abuses that Charlie faced from his aunt and how that may have ultimately turned him into an unnatural introvert.

[destinymjohnson-purdue-blog]

Final Course Review

For my mind map, I decided to try and convey the way in which youth culture is seen through the eyes of the youth.  WE ARE YOUNG, is infused with photos of young people expressing themselves in the various ways that they do. In this segment, I also tried to express what being youthful means both individually and socially. In WE ARE LEARNING, my goal was to indicate the many ways in which we as young people are receiving the world. There are many things that we are taught both institutionally, socially, and recreational at a very early age. This was something that we addressed when covering consumerism, toy culture, and sexuality. WE ARE GROWING represents the things that youths develop as a result of the environment they are placed in. Like the LA/Salvador, and Dummy Smart articles, youths grow, usually against the grain, and begin to develop their own identities based on the geographic and social location they are in. Usually, they develop a culture and a lifestyle that they can fit themselves in after being rejected by ‘normal’ society. WE ARE CHAGNING meant to represent the different paths that demographically diverse youths take. Some allow themselves to fall into the socially constructed system, while other don’t. Like the podcast on Hispanic youth and the documentary Teenage, new communities, identities, cultures, and social norms can arise when enough regulative pressure is applied to youth populations. The following section is like an acceptance of the inevitable, because as we have seen the trend of adult oppression and power over American youths has continued, which means that in the end, the rebellious youths found their way into their social bins picked out for them and grew up to continue the cycle. Perpetuating the disconnect between rebellious youth and their adult predecessors. Nevertheless, in the throes of youth and adventure, there will always be a degree of freedom that we only experience when we are young.

[destinymjohnson-purdue-blog]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pfhIcgGpWhs

In the 1985 film The Breakfast Club directed by John Hughes a group of white middle class misfits are forced to spend a Saturday in detention writing a paper on “who they think they are” as a result of their delinquent activities. The stereotypical personalities of the average high school population are represented in this group; the brain (Brian Johnson), the athlete (Andy Clark), the basket case (Allison Reynolds), the princess (Claire Standish), and the criminal (John Bender), as is described in the opening dialogue. Initially, it seems as though the different spheres that they exist in will permanently keep them from ever being social equals, but when faced with adult adversity they unite and support the cause of youthful rebellion, a sign we see in the first 10 minutes of the film. Much like the readings that we have been covering, this film seems to follow the trend of youths acting out, adults attempting to compartmentalize and control them, and through their resistance to this, youths consequentially ‘define/find’ themselves.

The Breakfast Club partakes in a number of different rebellious activities, smoking weed, sneaking out of the library, having dance parties, the works. And through these activities, the youths progressively begin to learn more about each other’s backgrounds and themselves. So, in the end the figure out that they are not as different from one another as they assumed. One of the biggest commonalities they discover in the early phases of the film is that they are all in some way or another oppressed by the actions of the adult figures in their lives. The jock is pressured by his father and coach to be “a winner” – he explains this by comparing himself to a race horse, while the preppy princess is stuck between her dysfunctional parents who use her as a way to get back at each other. On the other hand, we have the criminal whose parents condemn him like the rest of society and discriminate against him in every possible way, and the nerd who is pushed so hard to be an academic stud that it becomes a crutch when he’s faced with mastering a skill that requires more than just his brain. The only individual in this film that doesn’t actually have to be in detention is the basket case, whose parents don’t even care that she’s spending her Saturday there. What’s interesting is that these pressures are what caused them to act out in the first place.

Issues of sexuality, social association/identification, abusive authority, parental negligence, and youth rebellion are brought to light as the day continues on. One by one, each person confesses the real reason for why they are in detention and with their confessions arise the truth behind issues they face as individuals and as a group. We see the ways in which adult constraints and their attempts at control deeply affect the youths that are at the mercy of their actions, and how youths, through going against their adult figures, use one another to find their own identities. In the end, the youths are united into the “Breakfast Club” and the adults are ostracized from the world they’ve created for themselves, much like the HIV patients in the Podcast and the minority youths in Rios’ Dummy Smart analysis.

This movie does a great job of breaking down the flaws behind the social structures that high school students are supposedly preordained to fall into and the way in which adults attempt to control them during this time. What it all really boils down to is that kids are just being kids. One thing that I did notice though was that though there was social diversity, there was no ethnic diversity presented in this film. It would be interesting to see a remake of this film that included that.

[destinymjohnson-purdue-blog]

Article Response

This article is a little scattered but the idea and concept of youth identity which fosters the creation of youth cultural norms is not hard to pick up. Greaves talks about how the biased ways in which youth are represented in the media for the purpose of profit has a huge effect on the way in which youths in America see themselves and how they act as well.  Not only that, but Greaves implies that through the constant encouragement of consumerism directed towards youth, the ways in which the media portray them has a huge impact on the things that shape youth culture. A great example of this would be what Greaves referred to as the “bubble”. In this high paced consumerist world where fighting to make a name for yourself (and succeeding) is all that society sums you up by, it is not surprising that the youths of today have become consumed with themselves. Capturing every moment of everyday of every activity experienced by one person has become the new method of social communication as well as da cultural north among American youths. And this mentality is enhanced by products being produced in order to promote the “selfie” composition, like the selfie stick. Other products like social apps (Instagram, snapchat, and Facebook) are another way that the Bubble is perpetually encouraged. This cultural norm of narcissism is has grown into quite the monster over the years and as Greaves indicates has depleted the potential of narcissism is has grown into quite the monster over the years and as Greaves indicates has depleted the potential of youths today from being able to see themselves as both individuals and an influential force in the future of the world.

http://www.tigweb.org/youth-media/panorama/article.html?ContentID=295

[destinymjohnson-purdue-blog]

Reading Response

Rios’ examination of male delinquent youth was very eye opening. Though there were many theories on the origins of the criminalized population and the foundations that lead to its emergence, Rios believes that there is a more logical explanation behind the motivations to act as these trouble male youths in American do. In short, he explains that as a response to their criminalization, an identity bestowed upon them by the social systems they dwell within, male youths of ethnic minorities embody the negative characterization as a way of resisting against the system. This made me recall the situations of the different youth groups and identities that were covered in the film Teenage and Zoot Suit Youth that we covered earlier. Similar to Rios theory, as a result of a lack in social and/or economic support new youth identities were created to defy and resist the social system that had abandoned and then labeled them. The only difference between the hooligans, flappers, jitter bugs, hobos, and freaks is that these groups are ethnically specific and their label has not passed with time like the fashion of the aforementioned groups. Another difference that I’ve made note of is that in the minds of these young boys there is little to no hope for them when it comes to ‘making it’ within the system as a result of their ethnic background and how they are subsequently profiled.  As a result of this hopelessness these youth found ways in which they could regain the one thing that mattered most when living in a society that is geared to criminalize and marginalize you at every turn, respect. Though Rios states that their acts of defiance were for the sake of changing the system, I believe that it was more so for the purpose of making an impossible system easier to deal with, because to the young boys it doesn’t matter that they have no hope of succeeding the ‘right’ way, because at the end of the day they know their worth and will at the very least be respected for it.

[destinymjohnson-purdue-blog]

Ｒｅａｄｉｎｇ　Ｗｅｅｋ　6

I enjoyed Zilberg’s analysis of the ways in which two places can be equally and inversely affected by the events that occur within one another. Zilberg’s argument was really focused on the frame of social reinforcement that shaped the transnational identities of Latino youth. She makes note of the ways in which geographic, cultural, and social affiliation play a huge role in the self-development of these teens as well as touches on how changes in location can result in a change in their originally developed identities. The two men that she interviewed for her research each seemed to have gone through this change in a different manner due to the time in which they were initially introduced to America. For Weasel his transnational self was much more fluid because he left for America during a time in which El Salvador was not yet slit in two. Gato, on the other hand had a strong sense of belonging both in El Salvador and America because of the huge and heavy movements that were resulting in the youth of his time having to choose what kind of a future they wanted (socialist or non-socialist). Identities were found in the location and through the side that you chose during Gato’s time. These observation made by Zilberg clearly demonstrate the importance of geo-spatial identity and how it heavily affects our youth to this day. Something that I’ve found to be interesting is the fact that though people are still keen to asking someone they meet, “Where are you from?”, it seems that the importance of  geo-spatial identity is at a much lower degree than that of young adults. I’m curious as to how similar situations regarding deportation and immigration may be affecting other minorities (Asian, African America, and other people of color).

[miguelyouthculture]

Disney Movie: Sleeping Beauty

What I found interesting about Sleeping Beauty is the apparent foil between Aurora and Maleficent. Aurora, the story’s main protagonist, is depicted as youthful, innocent, and beautiful princess. Maleficent is the story’s main villain, who curses the baby Aurora out of spite from not receiving an invitation to the child’s christening. She is cunning, intelligent, and completely evil, according to the three fairies. Although Maleficent was drawn to look sinister, both her and the princess are still models of physical beauty.

Physical beauty is a big theme in this movie that others might overlook. The three fairy godmothers are the only female characters (aside from Maleficent) who deliberately take action to change the course of the story. The fairies are not physically beautiful, as opposed to Maleficent and Aurora. The Queen, Aurora’s mother who is never referred to by name, is a beautiful woman but is a passive character. What I got out of this movie is: in order for a beautiful woman to be considered “good”, she must be passive, innocent, and basically unintelligent. Aurora meets all of these criteria; she is the passive “damsel-in-distress”, and must rely on the help of others to be saved. Meanwhile the beautiful Maleficent is considered “purely evil”, even though she displays other virtues such as intelligence, steadfastness, and determination. 

This movie might be an insight into the misogyny of the times when it was released. Beautiful women are objects to be protected, and “saved”. A beautiful woman cannot be smart, confident, or outspoken. If she is, then she is dangerous.

[destinymjohnson-purdue-blog]

I completely agree with your assessment on the two different ways in which beauty can exist. But perhaps a different message can be seen to explain the logic between the dichotomy drawn between the protagonist and antagonist of this movie. In comparison with a young girl born in to a wealthy family, completely helpless and yet possessing riches and respect beyond her imagination, Maleficent could be seen as the woman who had to make her own way, by any means necessary, beautiful or not. Her not being invited to the christening could be viewed as a result of her status (not being of royal or prestigious lineage). It is just a thought but i think that this concept could definitely fit into the context of today’s culture. 

[emilyespich-blog]

Hercules Analysis

Hercules is a movie about a who goes from “zero to hero just like that!”  Hercules didn’t fit in with all the other kids in Greece.  He was big and clumsy and everyone tried to avoid him.   He felt like he wasn’t like everyone else, and he wasn’t.  He decided to “go the distance” to find out where he came from.   His adoptive parents, whom he loved dearly, told him about the medallion they found on him when he was a baby.  It was a symbol of the gods, so he goes on a life-altering journey to find out where he comes from.  He finds out he was born a god but was turned mortal by his father’s evil nemesis.  Zeus tells Hercules that he must perform acts of a true hero before he can be restored as a god and return to Olympus where he feels he belongs.  

Hercules starts rigorous training with Phil.  Through a coming of age montage he becomes a fit, ready-for-action hero.  Hercules is then physically equipped to take on all of the monsters terrorizing Greece.  These heroic acts, however, do not lead him back to god-hood however.  The act of saving his damsel in distress is the act that does so.  The moment he decided that another person was more important to him than his own life was his most heroic moment.  

Disney portrayed a lot of ideas and lessons through this movie.  Hercules came from a town where he was not appreciated and his talents were seen as hindrances.  But he and his parents refused to let that stop him from becoming who he was meant to be.  He kept on fighting and looking until he found where he belonged.  Hercules was able to decide his own destiny.  He did not let people’s words or the fact that he was turned mortal stop him from becoming a god.   That is a very important lesson for kids to be able to learn.

Once Hercules did regain his title as a god, he decided that was not what he wanted.  He had found something even better than a prestigious title, love.  He chose to give up what he had been fighting for to chase an even bigger dream.  This is something that is important for kids to understand, too.  Just because you have made it to the top, does not mean you have to remain there.  Hercules achieved one of the goals, took just enough time to appreciate the benefits and then moved on to the next.  

This movie also uses a very rich vocabulary and an elementary introduction to the greek gods.  The sheer educational aspects to this film are remarkable.  Disney movies are well known for their educational experiences through entertaining movies.  Hercules is not an exception to this normality. 

[boilermakerspecial-blog]

This is a good analysis, and I agree that this movie, as well as many others, often involve the main character starting out toward one goal and in the process stumbling upon another, even more important lesson or realization. This supports the idea that the journey is at least as important as reaching your goals, because it is during this process that we learn the most about ourselves and others. I think this movie also supports gender stereotypes by socializing boys to feel as though they must be physically tough and brave to be a man, and also that it is there job to protect and save women, who are portrayed as weak and defenseless.                  

[destinymjohnson-purdue-blog]

Going off of your mention of gender stereotypes, I’d like to point out how though Hercules was clearly set on a path towards higher purpose, the woman he fell in love with was found not only in the lowest of company but also portrayed as sneaky, not trust worthy, and manipulative. Also, she was an extreme sexual symbol (as were many of the other females in the film). Something else that was portrayed was that she was always the damsel in distress and in constant need of being saved. So yes, though there were many good aspects of the movie that instill moral guidance and self-confidence when it comes to men, at the end of the day women were still put on a much lower pedestal only capable of achieving success through falling in love and depending on their male counterpart.

�

[clfrench05-blog]

Children and Consumerism

Growing up my parents taught me how to be a consumer. We would go out to eat, on vacations and to all of these places constantly to spend money. I would even do chores around the house to receive money, to then go spend it on things. When I reached my older years of grade school, about third grade what items I had shaped how my peers seen me. At this age, I begin asking for specific items and gifts that I needed, so I became a consumer myself. I began seeing what other people had and thinking that I too needed those items.

As middle school came around, it only became worse and I needed more and more items to fit in. When I entered high school, I went to an all white private school so I stuck out. During the year I spent there I believe my peers taught me to be a consumer and definitely influenced my process on becoming one. I wanted everything that everybody had. So I got a job and started buying everything. When I go my first job at sixteen, like many of my peers, I reached my peak in consumerism. I was gaining freedom, learning to be adult and spending my money, how I wanted to. I would see something at the store or on television that I wanted and I would go but it. I didn’t need to ask my parents permission or for money anymore. A culture norm that conditions youths to be consumers is, what we have will influence our lives in every social institution we go through while measuring our level of successful with what we have.

Going through these social institutions like work, family, school and so on are greatly impacted by consumerism. In school, if we aren’t having and buying the latest items we aren’t “cool”. At work if we aren’t dressing nicely and buying all of the items we are “unprofessional”. This process and effect that consumerism has never ends. It impacts youths because, what we have measures the level of success.

We see high paid jobs with expensive cars, homes and clothes. While we see somebody driving down the street in a Benz we automatically assume they are success and associate success with them, because of what they have. My Dad drives a big truck. It’s nothing special and not a Benz, BMW or hundred-thousand dollar car. When seeing my Dad in public and driving his car, nobody thinks he is as successful as he is. He doesn’t wear the latest or cleanest shoes and he still uses his iPhone four. But my Dad owns five restaurants and has a Masters degree, he is success. But by the standards of consumerism…he is not because success is measured by appearance, while appearance is influenced by consumerism.

[amstyouthculture]

Absolutely, Chezney!  Modern consumerism is all about appearance, whether it is to look rich (faux gold or knockoff designer goods), look authentic (faux international souvenirs), look nature-friendly (faux wood), look badass (temporary tattoos), or look smart (prescription-less glasses).  Because we know that everyone speaks the language of fakeness, we spend most of our time trying to determine if the things people consume are “legit.”  This has little to do with the identity that people have or perform but the identity people project onto them (i.e. that person dresses too rich, too sexual, too black, too white, like a gang member, too feminine, etc.). Very thought-provoking, so thanks for sharing!

[destinymjohnson-purdue-blog]

I feel like something I completely forgot to consider for this assignment was the social conditioning that we receive when we are growing up that also drives us towards becoming consumers. Part of the reason for that may because I was never a very social individual and was always occupied with extracurricular activities. But nevertheless it was something that I still experienced to some extent. I think that during our early adolescent years, for females in particular, make-up and beauty products become a huge driving influence in our initial introduction to consumerism. At this point and time it becomes socially important to ‘look good’ or look a certain way. This is the time in which we create our ‘image’ and define ourselves and clothes, accessories, and make-up are the first elements that come to mind when initiating this process. As you made note of before, whatever image it is that we create through our consumerist practices will essentially continue to be an important social factor, though the materials may change a little. This is something important to consider because in all reality this process of image building during adolescence has veered away from the ideals of “actions speak louder than words (or the clothes you wear)” and have become much more superficial. I feel like that might even be why some youth extreme culture has arisen like, cyber bullying, and extreme tattooing and piercing maybe?

[destinymjohnson-purdue-blog]

The Aristocats :)

Disney Film Response

“The Aristocats” is a film about a family of cats and their adventures in France during 1910. Owned by Madame Adelaide Bonfamille, Duchess and her three multi-colored kittens are abducted and abandoned by the evil butler Edgar. In the film we see an integration of the classes as a result of the cat family’s efforts towards finding their way back home. Their first encounter is with the charming, clever alley cat, Thomas O’Malley who offers to assist them in returning home. Throughout the movie the group meets a number of odd and unique characters including a jazz cat band and some waddling geese. These interactions between the upper and lower class could be viewed as a symbolic representation of what was going on throughout Europe at the time. But, most importantly unlike the typical Disney film, the youth, which in this case are kittens, are exposed to the culture and lifestyles of different ethnic and social backgrounds. It is obvious throughout the move that with each new companion they meet, their unique qualities rub off on children. This falls in line with the concept of rebellion that we’ve been covering throughout the course as many of these habits and cultural activities were seen as rebellious and socially unacceptable (among the upper classes) in real life.

A wonderful example of this would definitely be the children’s introduction to jazz music by the Alley Cat Jazz Band. Around this time period jazz was beginning to make its way to European culture and its reception was spilt between the upper and lower classes in vehement disregard and immense appreciation (Ostendorf). These extremes were not depicted in the movie, but the introduction of it and the role it played in riveting the youth of the time and initiating a closing of the gap between the classes is can be seen here for sure. Also, there are definitely strong multicultural implications throughout the movie one of them being the fact that the kittens are all different colors and a number of the different animals present clearly hail from places other than France.  

Some moral implications that can be observed throughout the film as just about everyone, except for the crappy butler offers assistance to the cat family in their quest to return home. There also seems to be a contradictory presentation of the cat family in general because, though they are of a pampered high class there are very few moments in which they seem to be looking down on or criticizing of those were not. 

http://www.ejournal.at/Essay/impact.html

[video-hall-of-fame]

omg

[odinsblog]

Sandra Bland, in her own words: “It’s time, y’all. It’s time.”

Ms. Bland was a 28-year-old activist who often spoke out against police brutality and racial injustice. It’s time for us to stand up for her now.

#sandrabland #BlackLivesMatter #justiceforsandra

[kimreesesdaughter]

Hearing her voice. Seeing her living and breathing. Now she’s gone. I’m tired of the genocide against Black people. It’s time y’all. Rest in Power Sandra.

[itsmelielli-blog]

Raising Consumers

1) I think children learn to be consumers mainly in the home from their parents, simply through example. Children often grow up to consume similarly to their parents because from a young age, because they are exposed to what and how their parents consume, even if parents never explicitly talk about it. For example, a child from a family who shops mainly at grocery stores that sell locally produced and organic food are likely to consume the same type of food as adults.

2) With more than 250 products, children in over 90,000 K-8 schools in the US can cut off box tops from products and use them to raise 10 cents a piece for their school. The participating brands are advertised as being in support of education by raising money to improve education. This is one example of how major corporations use schools to start establishing brand loyalty at an early age. In this example, young children may get used to buying brands that participate in the Box Top program and then they are more likely to stick with those same brands throughout their life.

3) Throughout time, gender has been constructed as a huge American cultural norm that is enforced by consumerism; girls wear pink and boys wear blue. This social concept did not exist until retail stores became popular in the 20th century and chose to market blue for boys and pink for girls. This continues to be largely enforced by marketing for clothing, toys, school products, movies, and much more. For example, I saw over and over again working at Justice (store for tween girls) how girls obsessed over products that were bright and sparkly or depicted the latest Disney princess, while their brothers would often not even step foot into the store. This would not happen without years of retail stores enforcing gender norms through marketing. 

[amstyouthculture]

These are all stellar examples, Melissa!  Eating organic food and eating vegetables are ingrained in youths from the very beginning, although we continue to use gender (men like more meat and less veggies), racial (”uncivilized” ethnicities or races eat mysterious meats), and class (poor people use food stamps to buy candy and soft drinks) stereotypes to determine why people eat the way they do.  My mother was a 4th grade teacher and they received so many box tops from children that they could fill fish tanks or trash bags very quickly with all the contributions from students, yet I had never thought about it being a tool for brand loyalty - brilliantly simple.  Superb work, Melissa!

[destinymjohnson-purdue-blog]

Your connection with the box tops was so clever. I never would have thought of that. What it did make me think of was how the purchase and application of box tops not only encourages and instills different aspects of consumerism but also builds a sense of community and community service for kids at a young age, which falls in line with the common theme of “strong community = strong nation” and the way in which adults have targeted children and families as the foundations for such strong communities.The use of box tops is like a consumerist way of building strong a community/nation, essentially killing two birds with one stone.

[destinymjohnson-purdue-blog]

Young Consumers

One cultural norm that I think influences consumerism among the youthe is the expectations that come with reaching the age of 16. There are so many celebrations, rites of passage, and privileges that come with the 16th birthday and many of them can be considered to be teaching methods of consumerism. First when you turn 16 you get your license and are legally able to drive where you want, thus expanding the extent and freedom of your consumerism. Then naturally, in most cases, the car comes next. Some parents may purchase the vehicle for you simply delaying the realization that as convenient as cars maybe, they are still a part of the consumerist economy and you will eventually have to pay for it. Thus comes the need for a job, which will then lead to the increased level of freedom in your consumerism abilities. This pretty much becomes an endless cycle from then on out, and all the while your parents, are typically coaching you through it, making you understand the value of products and services rendered, and teaching you how to balance, manage, and spend your money. Pretty much laying the stepping stones for when you become an adult.

Required and elective courses in some classes are built upon curriculum that solely focuses on how to be a consumer. Thought I can’t recall specifically how they were titled it was not uncommon for me to here of fellow peers taking courses that were teaching you how to write a proper check. Not only that but a good majority of the classes that I took required outside purchases to be made in order to have the proper material to succeed in the class. Thought typically parents would bear the responsibility of purchasing these items, students are still exposed to a kind of ‘forced’ economic consumerist participation. Something else that could be acknowledge as a way of introducing consumerism to our youth is sporting events that are held by the school. It’s socially unfit for you to go through high school and not go to at least one football game, thus as a result of the social pressure you persuade your parents to give you the money so that you can participate in this common social and cultural event.

Some cultural norms that I would say condition the youth towards consumerism (though I’m not sure that it counts) is music videos and music content in general. A vast majority of the things you hear on the radio these days has to do with cars, money, and women. This type of content is mainly directed towards the youth as they are the largest and most adaptable population which in turn promotes a kind of consumerist behavior that is socially driven.

[destinymjohnson-purdue-blog]

Reading Response

Sammond does a wonderful job of interweaving the truths of American Society during the early 1900s with the fictional tale of Pinocchio as he critiques the intensity and extremity of the hegemonic efforts made in order to stamp out the image of the immigrant through cultural assimilation to that of the ‘normal middle class American’. These ‘progressives’ knew no boundaries when it came to what could and could not be enforced, changed, or regulated and the main target audience was the immigrant children. There seems to be a recurring theme of acknowledging that the children are the future and then adults taking advantage of the pliable minds of American youth in hopes of molding them into the desired adult and maintaining the ever strengthening sense of assimilated nationalism. Even with these efforts to ensure that the future immigrant generations completely denounce all ties with their native cultures and customs to become more productive Americanized citizens of society the constantly looming presence of racial difference and inequality continues to prevail. Through his observation of the level of importance that popular culture held in the influences that it imposed on the youth of the lower and upper classes, he analyzes how Walt Disney invoked such ideals of attaining Americaness through his films for children, Pinocchio being one of many that would follow.

[destinymjohnson-purdue-blog]

Toy Paper 2

The toy that I chose to analyze was Barbie. This particular franchise owned by Mattel has been a consistently growing and developing product since its debut in 1959. Barbie and many of the other dolls including Bratz, Monster High dolls, and others are made of soft PVC (for their heads) and ABS (crylonitrile-butadiene-styrene). Much of the products used in Barbie and her counterparts today are environmentally conscious from the hair down to the paint that is used to create all her different expressions and make-up. In the toys early years of production, Barbie was actually originally made in Japan before Mattel decided to seek manufacturing assistance from other countries like China, Indonesia, and Mexico. Unfortunately, the most that I could find regarding the step by step process of how Barbie was made, was a YouTube video on how a similar doll is created in the manufacturing companies in China. Mattel has faced a great deal of change and criticism over the years since the creation of their popular toy which I fear may be the reason why there is so little in depth information regarding the detailed process of their product distribution. Either that or I such at research. :(

http://www.designlife-cycle.com/barbie-dolls/

http://www.wikinvest.com/stock/Mattel_(MAT)/Filing/10-K/2010/F46621212

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W2_FF1paBew