Representation #2

The other day i saw a commercial on tv that i found very interesting. This is the commercial. It is a Dr Pepper commercial, specifically Dr Pepper 10, a new low calorie variant of the drink. The idea of the commercial was that the drink was only for men, and it showed a man walking through a set with a backdrop of men doing stereotypical things. Now, im a guy, but i dont walk through my shed and, like in  the commercial, ride electronic sharks, slide down poles, or have a clubhouse where i watch explosions. In my opinion, i think that the commercial is a terrible representation of men in our society, and it shows us as dumb adrenaline junkies who like to do stupid things. Also, the words thet the man says are also stereotypical and unjust, like the closing lines, where he says "keep the gardening and lady drinks, we're good" presumably to the female audiance watching the commercial. This commercial is a great example of how men are misrepresented in the media. In my opinion it is unjust, and its not fair that this happens.

What Happened tp Music?

BEN HERE! What happened to music? Chilli Peppers, Rolling Stones, R.E.M, Smashing Pumpkins, they  all were good bands, but suddenly it seems as bands have dissapeared and solo musicians have taken over the scene. Either that or dubstep and electronic music, if you can call it music. I guess we still have bands, like Arcade Fire or small groups, but these musicians have been pushed aside to make space for pop and hip hop music. I am a fan of older music, particularily from the 90s, because of the sounds and music created by my favourite genre, alternative rock. I enjoy listening to Oasis, because they sold their music, and not their looks and image. Todays music industry is all about the image, and not about the music. I think that this should change, and that it needs to, because i want to see those big bands and awesome music on top again, and not more Justin Bieber and Katy Perry dominating the charts.

media representation

One thing that i have learned in this class is that of the issue of media representation. before this class, i never thought much of what i saw in movies and on t.v. now, whenever i watch a commercial or a movie, i think of the stereotypes and representations of the different social groups. Different religions, different cultures and even the foods that they eat or are promoting generally are stereotyped in the media. Black actors are put forth as lesser than white people, descriminating against them. Women are generally either seen as lesser then men in movies, but are shown as much smarter than men in commercials for various products. I will blog more about this issue in the near future. peace