is the fake news the real news?

Here we are, at the second last blog of the year.
So the question this week is involving whether or not satirical news like Colbert Report or The Daily show can be considered a mainstream form of culture-jamming?

In my opinion, yes it is. The beauty of these shows is that it "Denaturalize[s] the media images that we see every day by making us notice and question their underlying images" (O'Shaughnessy & Stadler, Media in Society, 214). We are consistently shown the news, but it is parodied in a way that we become aware of possible fallacy and hypocrisy in an entertaining manner. And I love these shows because of this.

However, from the strictest sense, these shows, although mainstream, do not follow the caviat that "Cultural jamming...can only come from outside commercial culture, not from inside the media industry" (O'Shaughnessy & Stadler, Media in Society, 214). which means that any formal media source, like these shows cant be a form of cultural jamming. Although, because they do not sell, or promote any product or service, unless it is a by product of the story they are covering, I feel that these shows in it's spirit, are the most mainstream source of jamming we have.

Demonstrable Demographics

Ok so here goes the fourth instalment of responses.

After reading about the many ads everyone chose, i began to realize how much product out there is being actively directed to us! okay i'm not that surprised, seeing as we are the prime demographic. for the most part, we don't have significant others or dependants to spend our money on, and we have just enough energy (or enough energy to find energy) to do and buy all the things we didn't know we wanted. To live the dream.

We are portrayed as the inheritors, the next generation of movers and shakers. We are next in line for global domination! We are in our Halcyon Days, and media wants to make us into the best buyers and subscribers we can be. Media wants to shape us, Liam Dunal (http://dunsey.wordpress.com/2013/11/08/what-the-hail) says

" In reactions to this [Nike] ad (and most ads) aimed at both men and women, it is clear that both sexes are “supposed” to follow unrealistic standards of beauty."

We are being cultivated into being the smart, pretty, successful ones who are responsible and rake in the Scrooge McDuck-sized piles of money..... to then spend on the products that made us this way. And the Media is pushing us into these vaunted ideals of being a population of Jessica Albas and Ryan Goslings so we can be 'perfect'.

But that's not all, media isn't coercing us to be supermodels, it uses shock value to continue it's goals. okay that sounded way over the top for this example, in fact, those goals are very important to our wellbeing. Jessica Znaczko (http://jessicaznaczko.wordpress.com/2013/11/07/cpcf-1f25-blog-entry-3-what-the-hail) chose one such article. Not gonna lie, she chose a rather shocking picture, which is pretty normal for a MADD ad.

"Although there is no product being advertised in this specific advertisement, it does convey a deep message and warning to young adults. "

After reading this, I realized good advertisement sells an idea or feeling, not a product. The implanting of guilt, fear, inadequacy, belonging, and happiness are exactly what good advertisements are selling. It doesn't matter if it's medical insurance or Mercedes, all ads sell implicitly or even explicitly the fear of without.

These ads Hail to us in a very personal way. the first one plays on our perceived inadequacies and the second reminds us that we are very much mortal and the decisions that all of us in this demographic make have very real consequences. These ads make us grow up quickly, which is exactly what we want. we want to be treated as adults, as independent and free people; but at the same time, we can't stand the idea of being old. which is why ads like the one Alison Sparham (http://allisonsparham.wordpress.com/author/allisonsparham/) chose was so memorable and funny. for those that don't feel like following the link, it's a Super Bowl commercial for Taco Bell, where a group of elderly people were pulling late night shenanigans that we are wont to do. This very entertaining clip actually shows us a few things we as young adults love: role-reversal and parody.

 "This commercial reminds us who we are, and relates to us through reflecting our lifestyle, and then parodies us... It also reflected our hailed lifestyle, which gives us identity [...] by making the commercial about the elderly, it is in this part that we find the humour."

These articles paint us into this paradigm where we are carefree and want nothing more than to be immortal and perpetually awesome. I don't know about you, but that is exactly what I want. And these ads are exactly what I want in my life. A perfect body, to not die horribly, and to still have fun when I am ancient. Even if I have to eat Taco Bell to do it.

What the Hail?

And here we are, blog entry #3. today I will be talking about how ads target me, the white middle class male student. there are a couple out there that do speak to me more than other ads, but I think the ad that returns to memory the most is the ad from Molson Canadian titled 'Beer Fridge'. You've probably seen it, a busy street corner somewhere in Europe, and a big red fridge is conspicuously in the middle of the plaza. The native population gathers and then they notice the only way to open it is a Canadian passport. then a Canadian steps up (we don't get a good look at him) and opens the fridge and all the Europeans get to drink Canadian beer and they all live happily ever after or whatever.

This speaks to me because most beer commercials are targeted at the young adult, but this particular one is aimed at the backpacker, being set in a unnamed european town where a tourist or backpacker (because he carries his passport with him) fulfills the role of helpful Canadian and 'saves the day'. This successfully hailed me as a helpful Canadian by willing me to accept, then recognize myself as one, then internalize these values as my own (O'Shaunnesey, & Stadler, 2012).

And of course these ads are only tailored to the Canadian, and not the beer drinker in general because the solution or hero is a Canadian and not just any passport. so this relates to my national identity of the Canadian; using the mode of address to interpellate the national ideologies (O'Shaunnesey, & Stadler, 2012) of being Canadian and fortifying the cultural identity that we travel far and wide helping those in need (in this case thirsty people).

Now I am not a huge fan of Molson Beers, but I am a fan of being Canadian. And that is exactly what made this ad successful.

(non-class related) Death of Halloween

This past Halloween, I went to the girlfriend's sister's place to watch scary movies and hand out candy. and as the night wound to a close, we looked in the bowl, and we had tanked most of the candy. Now, this isn't surprising by any stretch of the imagination, cookies and cream chocolate and reeses are my guiltiest of pleasures. But it wasn't empty from children.

We had 5 groups of kids all night. thats it! What could possibly keep kids from wandering the neighbourhood as superheroes developing a wicked chocoma? was it cold and kinda rainy? Well ya, it's late autumn, this isn't a phenomenon. was it a school night? yes, but it was a thursday night!

I am actually baffled by this. Are kids seriously because it isnt convenient for them to get the candy? No lame hyperbole here, but I remember blown from door to door by a bitter wind! It was half the perverse pleasure of it. I was Batman! what was a little cold to the Dark Knight himself? 

I feel like we are experiencing the the swan song of a once great holiday. and no matter how much candy companies and costume makers struggle, it's hard to beat being the easiest costume for halloween, the Couch Potatoe. I am left with very little answers, and just with a bleak string of questions. Where did my halloween go? We as young adults with rock it until we are too old, and then what? Will we see this lovely holiday slip into obscurity and parody? Is it because we have become too afraid of the big bad world to send our children out into the night? To bring home anthrax M&Ms or razorblade apples? To all those that dressed up as something that wasn't a sexy/slutty _____ , I adore you and don't ever change.