Depressed? Really?

Is depression the new normal state of being or is it a cultural phenomenon? This is the question which was displayed on the last slide. I think it's both, they are overlapping but one state is above the other. Currently I think it is a cultural phenomenon but in a couple of years or so it will become a normal state of being.

As I was looking through the presentation they brought up a few things which were causing depression. One main source was the media. I was really pissed off because looking back and analyzing my exposure to media, I realize that it has significantly impacted me. I remember watching Avatar for the first time and then being depressed for almost a week afterwards. I wanted to live in that perfect land where everything was perfect, mountains were flying, and you could have a pet bird! That would have been sweet. Lord of the Rings is another example, especially the Hobbit Land where everything is perfect and you get to share everything. Media is a huge influence on depression, and the more we get exposed to it the more its going to impact us. It's crazy how much more people are taking anti-depressant pills. I work at a pharmacy and I notice that so many of the drugs are antidepressants. Its especially devastating when you see young kids or young teenagers taking antidepressants when they should be full of life and joy enjoying their young years. It will become a state of normal being, if we continue to live the way we are living heading into the path of media's fantasies.

Craigslist Personals

I chose to open this project up because it sounded like a really interesting topic, full of potential for cultural analysis. Unfortunately, I felt it underutilized a great idea, and only skimmed the top layer of what could have been discussed. I agree with what was said about Craigslist ads promoting docile bodies in the sense that it forces its users to work within the confines of the program. But I felt that , while the group seemed to focus particularly on sexual ads, they completely overlooked the agency that numerous individuals are portraying by placing such personal material on the internet.

I also wasn't very impressed with the last slide, which discussed the fundamental heteronormative nature of personal ads. I don't mind the claim, though I don't necessarily agree with it, but a bisexual male stating that he is "not the traditional boyfriend" being used to illustrate his conscious self-perception as an outsider is quite the long shot. Why must he be referring to his sexual orientation? It seems just as likely that he's referring to one of his many other personal traits.

Overall, I was a bit let down by the direction this group chose to take on such an interesting topic.

Twilight Connections

The Twilight project sparked my interest because like many I am a Twilight fan. Clearly they are fictional and meant to be read as fiction, however, I can definitely relate to the interest in vampires as entertainment. After Twilight, books series and TV shows have become centered around the idea of vampires and it interests me. I think the connection between vampires and romance can depict the reason that the population especially females like this form of entertainment.

Previous movies such as Star Wars, Lord of the Rings, and Harry Potter all played into the fantasy worlds of people’s minds, however, this is the first that I know of to incorporate fantasy with romance.

In my experience, the majority of my guy friends enjoyed these fantasy movies and my girl friends thought they were kind of boring (at least Star Wars and Lord of the Rings.. even though I personally go against this claim because I loved these movies and always watched them in theatres with my dad.. I’m slightly stereotyping so go with it). Twilight attempts to incorporate this fantasy world along with a romance story sparking interest for both genders.

Cyber Bullying

I saw the title of your project and it caught my eye. I felt the need to comment on it because this is an issue that I feel almost everyone is a victim of. It's amazing how cruel people can become when there are no consequences to their actions. I think the main reason that online bullying is so prominent, that it is a way for people to take out their anger and irritation they feel in the world around them. It's scary to think of what people are capable of when there are no consequences to their actions. I started playing online games when I was a kid, and I got bullied all the time by other players. People can be so mean and say very cruel and degrading things, that even though it's just online, it's not, it does hurt your feelings, even though there is not any actual contact with the other person. There's an old saying that goes "sticks and stones can break my bones, but words will never hurt me" this is not necessarily true. I believe words are one of cultures most powerful tools.

Twilight

While scanning through the list of Capstone Projects, I immediately stopped at the one about the Twilight Saga. I’ll admit it, I am a huge fan. No, I’m not one of those crazy obsessive people that pack up their lives and literally move to Forks, Washington in hopes of running into the Cullens (You can read about these people on mylifeistwilight.com). But I have reread the series, and I have seen all the available movies countless times. The first time I read the series, I literally didn’t do anything else… and that wasn’t uncommon for a teenage girl reading the books for the first time. The way Stephenie Meyer tells this dramatic love story is so addicting; somehow you are entirely able to connect yourself to this unrealistic world of vampires and werewolves.

There was a part of this groups analysis that I could agree with completely, and it is about Edwards’ controlling aspects and Bella’s unhappiness when he is gone. While reading New Moon I wondered why Stephenie would promote the need of a male figure in Bella’s life to be necessary for her own happiness. After Edward leaves she completely shuts down, and it’s not until Jacob Black comes into her life that she begins to feel alive again. Yes, it is very easy to get caught up in all the romance and fantasy of these books, but I do agree with this group there are many messages sent out to young girls that 1. You need a man (or vampire or werewolf) in your life in order to be happy 2. Controlling and stalker-ish behaviors aren’t creepy, but sexy And 3. Putting yourself in danger is the only way to get back the person you love (as seen in New Moon)

The group also stressed the impact on relationships that this saga has created. Many men feel they cannot live up to the romantic ways of Edward Cullen, or be the suddenly super-hot best friend that promises to love you forever. And, this is very true. This book sets unrealistic standards for love, and we as females realize this kind of love is not possible in real life- which is why many of us become obsessed with these fictional characters. We know we can’t have them, but the idea of them makes it worth it. It is similar to the people with post-Avatar depression, they want to live in a world that is as beautiful as Pandora and realize it is unattainable, and that is how many Twihards react after reading the series.

All in all, the analysis was pretty good. I could tell by reading it that none of the group members were huge fans because of a few misleading points based on the series but all in all it was really good. They even pointed out a few new things to me that I had never caught onto before. Good work J

Child Beauty Pageants

The capstone projects that caught my eye and viewed were on Beauty pageants. Many groups analyzed Child beauty pageants, which was the main reason it caught my eye. In previous years I have seen television shows like ‘Toddlers and Tiaras’ and ‘Little Miss Perfect’. These shows are all about child beauty pageants, and the reality behind them. Watching these shows, I have seen many interesting things. For example, parents who spend thousands to parents who take out loans or work two jobs just to pay for these pageants. Many parents will go to the extremes, over Child beauty pageants. This is why I choose to further look into these capstone projects.

While reading these capstone projects many pointed out these things I have already known, plus much more. These project groups really analyzed not only what goes into these pageants but much more behind them as well. A huge concern I have, “Our parents really doing this for their children or for themselves?” As these projects all said, the parents do it in belief that their child will be able to speak publicly, have confidence in themselves, and just to have fun. As the outcome for the child are said to want to be successful when she grows up, win prizes, likes the competition, and to do it just for fun. I believe this can be true that some parents are doing it just for the fun of it or because there child is interested in it. While other parents do it to live a dream they never got a chance to. As you see on some of these shows and even in these capstone projects you can tell that some parents take it way overboard. And some parents even go to the extent to bribe their child into doing well.

Child Beauty Pageants are highly controversial for young girls in our culture today. These pageants relate to the society and the image to be perfect. As the capstone projects said, it shows these girls that they have to be perfect, and that their natural beauty isn’t good enough. I think these child beauty pageants push young girls to start bad habits early, like not eating well. They seem to push girls into thinking that beauty is everything and so is winning, and if these goals aren’t accomplished they won’t be accepted in society, which is totally false.

Before reading these capstone projects on child beauty pageants, and after really thinking about them I use to think it was for the fun of it. And that some of the little girls looked cute getting all dressed up and wearing fancy dresses. But after taking a deeper look, I took a step back and really looked at the overall picture and what was really happening, it wasn’t so cute anymore. The biggest thing that got me was the parents, and the way they acted. Why would you ever push your child to such limits to win some prize, is it really worth it? And to even spend thousands of dollars on these pageants or even work two to three jobs. Personally to me it’s not worth it and it only seems to hurt the girls in the long run. It is giving them false images of what they need to be in order to be accepted in our society. They do not excessive beauty enhancers, to be perfect, and these parents should see this. They should see that their daughter is perfect naturally, just the way she is.

By the way, Great job to all of you who did your project on Child beauty pageants! They turned out great!!

SpRiNg aWaKEnIng!!!

I read the capstone project on the Broadway musicál: "Spring Awakening". As an english major I have had plenty of close experiences with the world of theatre. This capstone project was an interesting overview on the history and cultural importances of "Spring Awakening". Well done Caitlin. But, I must say that I feel that there may be too much credit given to "Spring Awakening" in your presentation in terms of groundbreaking material brought up in a musical. I am sure that part of your approach is that the musical covers a vast array of topics. it is the schmorgasborg of sexual angst/teen drama in a musical, I suppose. But by no means is "Spring Awakening" groundbreaking, if anything it is just shoved down the audiences throats in a catchy fashion. The subject of abortion was even brought up as early as 1966 in "Cabaret" and homosexuality has been on the musical stage since the creation of musicals. I suppose my point is that the theatre has had its experiences with controversial material in many different venues and the such and the limits have been tested and pushed. This same sort of logic applies to cinema and if it weren't for the FCC I am sure it would have been surpassed by television. Admittedly, a masturbation scene on stage is certainly shocking, but what is being said by it? Sexual revolution? or a bawdy wow factory to stir the audience into a frenzy. I think both aspects work, but I think the forefathers to theatre and the art of performance have tackled much of the issues covered and brought up in "Spring Awakening" and that instead the audience being targeted is a younger crowd. In short, the material is getting raunchier for a younger audience. They are selling sex to the Glee generation (middle schoolers and college freshmen). I suppose this is the best way to keep audiences interested though, especially young hormonal ones. Sex sells as we all know, and that certainly applies to the theatre. Would you agree?!

Ashley Madison(.com) is a homewrecker?

First off, great job to the group who did that capstone project! It did exactly what a cultural studies project is supposed to do (at least I think). You really analyzed this website from multiple angles. You presented different points from psychological, sociological, and philosophical points which really added body to your project. Also, I loved the use of Hobbes, Rousseau, Marx, and Bordo (all of which have no seeped their way into my daily thought process)
One of the best points of your project is that this website is made for those already dishonest and cheating. So often when we see these types of things do we see through the constructed view our culture has made us, through the structure of feelings. I'll be honest, when hear the name Ashley Madison the words "dirty, cheating, home-wrecking, slut-creating, pieces of shit that ruin the holiness of Marriage." My feelings are so docile to culture that my body refuses to give it more thought. I never thought that most of the people who would go on this probably have a history of cheating. Then in the subject of cheating itself, I love how you pointed out the gender inequalities that our society has created. It is very interesting how we perceive promiscuity and fidelity differently based on gender.
Overall, great piece, you really captured the basic essence of the course! Good luck on the finals to all!

Disney Princesses

I "read" the Disney Princess capstone. I really liked this presentation for many reasons. For starters I had never heard of prezi.com, so i thought the lay-out of the project was really cool, (side note* i will probably use that sight for my next project I have to do next semester, so thanks for the idea team!) But anyways, the other reason I was drawn to the project was because as a little girl I so absolutely loved Disney Princesses! Ariel was my favorite princess, I loved that she would use humanly things such as a fork, to comb her hair! Ha I do have to admit that I even was the Little Mermaid for halloween! (my mom made a home-made mermaid costume, which made all my friends jealous!) But now that I am older, and I watch the Disney movie series, in the eyes of a college cultural studies I do have to admit that the "princesses" that the Disney franchise has marketed over the last 60 years are very much an imaginable concept of what women should be portrayed as. I commend Disney for improving over the years, to the point where they added different races of women to the bunch, but their efforts were not enough. Where is the overweight princess? Or the princess with glasses? Or the short princess with the athletic build? As much as Disney has tried to appeal to more audiences and become more culturally diverse, they have failed to step away from the one stereotype that still is glued to the name princess- beauty. Why is it that in order to be a princess you have to be drop-dead gorgeous? If that were the case they might as well limit the sales of princess merchandise to petite, cute little girls, and not even let the chubby girls buy the princesses, because it is putting the idea that you have to be thin, long-legged, and beautiful to be a princess, and chubby girls are never going to be that. As much as Disney is trying to break the cultural gap, they really need to try further!

Cheating

I decided to look at the project called Our Love Affair with CSCL. This was about a website called AshleyMadison.com, which is a site where married people can meet people and have affairs with them. I think that this is very interesting and also, pretty disgusting. I know that there are many dating sites and stuff like that but it totally surprised me to see one for married couples. Users can pay if they want to have an affair and there is even an option, if you want to pay more, to get a "guaranteed affair."

What really stood out to me was the fact that the CEO Noel Biderman, who created the site claims that he is not a user on the site and that he would be shocked if he found out that his wife was cheating. This makes me think why did he make the site then? Obviously he can make a lot of money from it and thats probably why he did it, but that should create a moral dilemma for him. Without knowing it, he is probably breaking up hundreds of marriages a year. I think that this site is horrible for many reasons and says a lot about our culture in general. I hope that one day in the future I can find a nice, loving wife that does NOT use AshleyMadison.com.

An Interesting Theme Shared by "Jersey Shore" and "Abercrombie & Fitch"

The Jersey Shore and A&F capstone projects really stood out to me because they both emphasize an interesting theme: The high premium and high value our culture places on physical appearance. Many anthropologists render physical appearances as one of the most important if not THE most important aspect of social relations in our culture. As displayed in the A&F capstone project, retail marketers place high emphasis on advertising "hot bodies" and attractive faces to sell products, and the "Jersey Shore" project shows us how the "Guido/Guidette" culture emphasizes frequent exercise and tanning in order to "fit in" or to look "presentable" as a legitimate Italian American Guido or Guidette. These two projects expose what I believe is one of our cultures biggest flaws, that physical appearance serves as a channel through which personality traits and characteristics are manifested. We are JUDGED as individuals by how we look on the outside, and the concept of "docile bodies" ultimately determines whether or not we're "representing" our culture well enough; for example, an obese African American individual who applies to work at A&F simply isn't going to get hired, and a scrawny, white, redheaded individual living in upper East New Jersey is not by any means going to fit in with the Guidos and Guidettes. If the men on the reality series of "Jersey Shore" weren't as physically fit or attractive as they are perceived to be by many, then "Jersey Shore" would NOT be MTV's all time highest rated show, similarly to how if A&F didn't market half-naked men and women they wouldn't be such a successful retail company. Advertising physical appearances of cultures is kind of like "spreading" cultural traditions; displaying A&F models to someone who is not a part of that culture might become compelled to diet or to exercise more often, and someone who is watching "Jersey Shore" for the first time might become compelled to start tanning and lifting heavier weights in order to attract more women (as the men on the show do). As shallow as this sounds, There are few things more powerful than human attractiveness. The value of physical appearance is something we are taught by our culture early on, and we are reminded of its value on T.V., in magazines, in movies, in ads, and also by our peers. Unless you're the Dos Equis man ("The Most Interesting Man in the World"), then you too follow the standard appearance "guidelines" of the culture you belong to, whether you were born into it (someone born in New Jersey and nurtured into becoming a Guido), or if you're TRYING to gain acceptance into a culture (someone aspiring to be an A&F model, but may not have the genetic makeup for it). I don't know if the students responsible for these projects intended to highlight physical appearance, but it is certainly the underlying factor that has propelled both "Jersey Shore" and A&F to the heights that they have reached within our culture.

Bridalplasty: For Better Or For Worse Is No Longer Good Enough

The Capstone Project that I felt I needed to say something about was called Plastic Surgery: The Transformation to "Bridal Plasty", and it was presented by Lauren Jones, Constance Holmes, and Jen Hedahl. I chose to write about this Capstone Project (out of almost 30 other Capstone Projects) because it did not take very long for me to formulate an opinion about what it was talking about. I believe this group did an excellent job of leaving their own opinions out of their Capstone Project and only providing facts and quotes and other peoples' thoughts about the topic they chose. If I wrote about the show Bridalplasty, I would have found it very difficult to stay on the 'ethnographic' side.

This YouTube video can summarize the television show that this Capstone Project is about: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uKFTd6ZEV1w&feature=channel.

Impressive
This group did a great job on their Capstone project. I really enjoyed looking through the PowerPoint they made. They presented something they found interesting and they left it open for the audience to formulate their own opinions. A slide they included in their PowerPoint, titled 'Ignoring the Facts', was very nicely put. They point out how the show does not address any of the dangers of plastic surgery. They are not encouraged to eat healthy or work out at all, but they are rewarded for winning challenges by being given procedures to improve their appearance. They tell us that a girl who was voted off right in the beginning that did not even want as many procedures done as the other girls but had a 'valid deformation due to removal of cysts in her breasts'. All of the other girls seem to want plastic surgery for ridiculous and unnecessary reasons. The group says that since the show displays a celebrity lifestyle of wealth and good looks, it argues for superficiality. I love how they said that! It sounds great. This group had a great way of putting things. Another slide I found a lot of interesting information on was titled "Reality?'. It really makes you think twice. I read that the host, Shanna Moakler, said to a contestant when she was booted off, "Your wedding will still go on, but it may not be perfect." Insane! I like how the group included the argument that could be made about why exactly Shanna Moakler decided to host this show. And what is this I hear about one of the activies being that the girls change their vows to include sex daily and foot massages? The plastic surgeon who performs these procedures... how does he feel? This group definitely did their research and came up with plenty of information to talk about in their Capstone Project. I can tell that they worked hard and did not try to talk about anything they were unsure of (also known as "B.S.-ing"). The PowerPoint presentation is really easy to read through, kept me interested and fired up, and it makes sense!

Questionable

What ever happened to natural beauty? What happens if the groom is not longer attracted to their fiance when she reveals the new her at their wedding? What kind of twisted show is this? What has our society come to? Do these girls realize how beautiful they are at the beginning of the season without any plastic surgery operations? What if something were to go wrong with a procedure? Would the show still be on television? What do the men of the fiances think of this business? How many people who watch this show would like to take part in these activities? Is any part of this show illegal? What ever happened to needing plastic surgery and not just wanting it? Who is paying for these surgeries? Should we really be promoting plastic surgery to be such a casual thing? Does the concept of this show make anyone else as sick as it makes me? Who the HECK is the doctor giving these procedures? What if all the girls end up looking the same?

Wrap-Up

In conclusion, I really enjoyed looking at the Capstone Projects I got a chance to see and I found this specific Capstone Project to be particulary interesting. I think most of us have at least considered what it would be like to get plastic surgery at least once in our lives, and I think I am happy that this show can remind us about the reality and insanity of it. If you don't need it for anything else other than to make yourself look like what you may think is better than who you already are, why would you get it? I wish I could have saved these girls from appearing on this show. "DON'T DO IT!!!! LET ME SAVE YOU!!!" These are just my opinions. I am open to seeing what other people have to say about this show/Capstone Project, especially if it is something positive! Very nice job to this group. :-) Thank you!

Astrological Sign Capstone Project

The realist in me wants to absolutely disregard astrological readings and simply believe that life is up to chance. However I should not completely disregard ‘star gazing’ because for some people it acts as a sign of good hope, of faith, and for me being a Christian I have a duty to hold faith. It is hard for me sometimes to truly weigh the importance in faith in my life with how I am supposed to live it. I believe I have faith in something, in God, but I’m not sure and if you showed me someone who was absolutely concrete and sure about life I would think they were lying or just ignorant. That’s just how I feel. Faith to me, I wouldn’t say blindly but something close to it, is looking into something that I have no control over and hoping the best turns out. I believe in destiny and fate because I do believe there is a plan for me.

I don’t want to hop on board the astrological bandwagon however because my faith to me isn’t determined by the stars. It is hard for me to believe in horoscopes because I have no idea who writes them and who gives the people who writes them the means to do it. I know to some it is a science but the current writers of horoscopes now must be simply following the patterns of the predecessors and the predecessors before that until it comes down to one person who thought about this kind of reading. It just doesn’t make total sense to me, but then again neither does my faith.

I also feel like astrological readings are at time creepily correct, but there are so many readings out there that just because a small number have come true doesn’t mean they are all through a science. Us as a people tend to jump on things we know, and forget the things we don’t. Take Nostradamus. A philosopher who predicted such things as Hitler’s rise over Germany, the World Trade Center Collapse, and our soon to be 2012 apocalypse (however never in specifics only through interpretation.) Although ‘spooky’ Nostradamus made hundreds of astrological sign readings that haven’t come true yet. Time may tell if he was right, but for now it just seems like a popular culture thing.

But I am no basher to faith, and if this is people’s faith then so be it. I am a man to faith and I know there are critics to what I believe in, but apart of faith is just believing no matter what people say and to live strongly in faith.

CNN: The #1 Name in News

I watched/viewed the Capstone Project on CNN. I found the layout of the group’s powerpoint nicely done and interesting, as it as screenshots directly from CNN’s websites. Yet, as I looked through the information I saw how narrow minded and assumptive the group’s project was. On the third slide they talk about how different country’s had different news and looks on their website – as if CNN wanted to segregate people, which I found to be a very extreme look at what CNN is doing. Obviously people within the same cultural and geographic borders will care about similar things, this is the basis of the first unit of CSCL 1001 – and not CNN’s somehow scheme to make Americans only look at American news, it’s just common sense.

Secondly, the group attempts to make the argument that because TBS, the corporation and collection of TV channels/networks that owns CNN, owns so many entertainment-based channels that they their news channel must be bias. The group failed to say how this would make the news bias (political, religious, sensationalist, etc), but obviously all television networks have the number one goal of entertaining people, even news networks, this is the basic assumption of television taught in any general level political science course. Certainly ANY network, or any media source from newspapers to radio, wants people to watch/enjoy/participate them, that’s a fair assumption. Then in the seventh slide the group assumes that CNN is liberal and Fox is conservative. If I was going to buy into this generalization I would think that MSNBC (or NBC in general) would be the more liberal network and CNN would be, perhaps, left-leaning politically. Yet they make the claim that CNN is centrist (as if most of the American population), which, in my mind, would make them “the most trusted name in news.”

Then, lastly, the group reiterates that CNN’s goal is to “give people what they want” and that CNN’s relationships “can definitely bring these claims [of honesty] to question.” I think that the group fails here to properly conclude the theme of their project: CNN, the media, and “news.” They fail to talk about CNN’s use of twitter during broadcasts, different programs, or even the reporters themselves – which make me question the legitimacy of their project. Like ALL television that people watch today CNN wants viewers, money, and acclaim, CNN is not biased in this way comparatively, at least no bias is shown by this particular project.

Eric R Best

Music--the means for the messages found in GLEE

I am writing in response to the project on Glee. First I want to say props to whoever did the youtube piece! I am a Glee-watcher myself and thought it was a great recap of the show, and it particularly showcased the MUSICAL aspect of the show, which unfortunately seems to be completely left out of the analysis part of the project! In the Circuit of culture, there is the “production” section. What is so important about Glee is that the show (and all of it’s themes, characters and controversies) are made possible through the means of music. In the powerpoint, there are references to how popular the show is and its appeal to people of all ages. The producers of Glee are genius. They set out to produce a show that would appeal to ALL audiences. Young, old, gay, straight, men and women. The themes and messages embedded in the show are either controversial (such as gay rights, teen pregnancy and divorce), or completely stereotypical (high school love, jocks v. geeks, etc). These issues in themselves would not appeal to a very wide audience, but the goal of the show is to reach as many people as possible. What is something that appeals to all audiences? Music, of course! Music is truly a universal language and can cross any boundaries between groups of people. The music in Glee is fun to watch and listen to and really puts you in a good mood and gives you a feeling of solidarity. There is something about watching a group of people put on a truly great performance that makes you connect to them want to be part of the experience. The music of Glee allows for the messages and propaganda of the show to be accepted—or at the very least, heard— by the audience. Without the music, Glee would not be nearly as successful as it is. It would simply be a controversial soap opera that would likely have gone off the air after its first season. Music affects everyone, and you could do a whole project on the role that music plays in our culture. But the main point of music is that good music connects people and appeals to all. The music sucks people into becoming Gleeks, and once they are caught up in the show, they are then bombarded with political and cultural messages (some of these messages come from the song choices, themselves), but it is too late for people to back out…they are already hooked! The producers are brilliant. Week after week millions tune in. And as long as they keep putting in a few hit songs, the producers of Glee have the power to promote whatever messages they so please to millions.

Reponse to "Religion"

I really enjoyed looking at your project about religion in our world. I'm a Catholic and it was nice to read about the Christianity section. What would have been great was if you had gone into some of the faiths within Christianity, such as Lutheran, Baptist, and Catholic. You could have shown how they are alike and different, and maybe why that is. One aspect that stood out for me was the section that said "Their lives here depends on their afterlife; whether they may go to Heaven or Hell." This is true with all Christians, but Catholics also believe in Purgatory, which is a state of cleansing before you reach Heaven...basically, if you still have the stain of sin on you, you can't enter Heaven, so you need to go to Purgatory first and be spiritually cleansed and made ready for Heaven. But in the end, it's either Heaven or Hell. But seeing more of a compare/contrast in the Christianity section would've deepened your project i feel.


(Bishop George Niederauer, right, presents LDS Church President Gordon B. Hinckley with Catholic Community Services' Distinguished Humanitarian Award on Oct. 5, 2004).


The aspect of religion in our society definitely plays a role in how we view one another. Just as I was writing this blog at my Granpa's house, two men knocked on the door. They were missionaries from the Mormon church. My grandpa is Catholic too, but he enjoys talking to them, so he asked them to come in and he wanted them to meet me. I talked to these two guys (Elder Brooks and Elder Gardner...Elder means "missionary") and i was a little hesitent to talk to them, but that's what culture has done to me...every time i see mormons out on their bikes and white shirts (stereotypical) i tend to avoid them and not talk to them. But these men were very nice and they respected my Faith and i did theirs. We talked a little a bit and I could see that we shared common ground (i.e. Jesus, missionaries, family oriented, etc). What was really nice was that I gained more respect for them. I'm sure it's difficult to leave home, to not watch tv or anything until your 24 months are up...that's what these young men do. They also travel all over and get doors slammed in their faces, so I can only imagine the hardship that makes on their daily lives to know that people don't care about them or their faith. I respect them, but I would never convert becuase I'm firmly rooted in my Catholic faith.




They are met with a lot of opposition, and I'm not saying that their beliefs are right or not, but people still need to treat them with respect. Check out this
vid (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=onlo8bLSTVE).

Overall, your project was very well done. You got the aspects of some of the major religions down to a 'T' and you explain their beliefs fully. Religion plays a HUGE role in culture and my own life, so this project definitely stood out to me and I hope my suggestions and clarifications helped you out!!

Bridezilla? Plastic Barbie? Marrying a lady who is more fake than real?

"Bridal Plasty"! Not only did this powerpoint catch my attention because of its name (which I recognized) and the fact that my roommates and I had watched this show the other night (horrified to what we saw), but the fact of these two words put together ring so terribly, and I love that there wasa capstone project done about this in order to analyze this media shock. Although in my opinion a few years from now this "shock" may not be so shocking, based on the fact that the representation of women especially now that this show has come out, and there WILL be more like it, is that all of these ideals and perfection based bodies, faces, and anything else are REAL and ATTAINABLE with a little money and work done. It is that much easier to THINK you can feel good and happy about yourself by fitting a standard which our culture has created to be wonderful.

Reality is F**ked up! Since when did it become normal for Women to complete a puzzle on a reality TV show and then grab a syringe and go to an "injection party"?. The thing that we as viewers, and media consumers need to keep in mind is the shows that reach the air and are getting decent ratings are because it is what we want too see and actually enjoy watching. As much as people say this is repulsive and creepy, the TV stays on the same channel. When Survivor came out people couldn't believe there eyes and what they were doing, eating etc. However, how long did that show last? Many seasons with variations and variations! And then after survivor came other shows that were based off of it. This leads me to think that since Bridal Plasty is one of the first in its ways of new reality, this definitely won't be the last of its kind.

"Entertainment Network", celebrities, good looks, skinny girls this the appeal that everyone wants to see and be. The docil body plays so much into this 'site' and its reflection because its about becoming like someone that society has made to be ideal. It is literally girls competing in order to change into that IDEAL. As much as they want to make this show about getting married and all of the things that go into on that side,(one part of the show when I watched it had to do with vows and rings), the

overarching point is that girls want to be a version of perfect that society has influenced and made up in a sick light. The idea of CHANGE, is that these women are not okay the way they are whether they are actually big girls or small have sy

mmetrical faces or not, because of the reinforcement that is all around. ...So now that this show is actually on television and not just an idea that the minority of the population has, although some people may look at it as stupid and grotesque, a lot of people may and eventually will be forced or swayed into thinking that actually all of this non-sense, makes sense. It could become a norm, or worse a reality for all.

My favorite part about this capstone project was the reality versus fantasy appeal. I think one interesting thing to notice along with this, is the fact that if everyone gives in to becoming this plastic, fake, made up woman, what is the next thing that everyone is going to need to do or become in order to feel satisfied? If you know anything about culture or how society works, the norm is always changing, just like fact, and as years go on what is considered rational and okay will be drastically different from a few decades before that. I can only imagine what my grandma would think if she saw this show. Good thing she doesn't get E!. However my point is that if we allow this to truly take away from individuality, there will be something else that becomes the "outsiders" standard. Just as Tanning in a tanning booth has become acceptable, tolerated and a casual normal thing that girl take part in, PALE will soon enough become the new TAN as all girls begin to look leathery, nasty, orange and die of skin cancer.. JUSt sayin. The point is, this is just ONE idea that we could easily be sucked into and let transform our ideals and culture because a few people think its okay, and soon to be many more than that.

My final point is that if we look at the ideal of perfection it is only because someone (media) has decided and influenced that skinny, big boobs, nice curves (but still skinny) at the same time with long legs (did I say Skinny) and this and that and this is what a woman SHOULD look like. It is literally ONE opinion that so many let influence them. If we haven't realized by now that each human is so unique in themselves that there are 700 billion different versions of perfect, we are stupid for letting media and others who can't think for themselves throw away money, time and life by accepting something that is FAKE, PLASTIC and the OPPOSITe of BEAUTIFUL. And it's funny when people like Heidi (from the Hills) get all this work done in order to fulfill societies obsessed standards that she herself became obsessed with due to the fact that thats what we have been told looks good, and then we hate on her for being so fake and looking TOO much like barbie. None of this stuff or worrying about it will ever be satisfying.. so although it is something we are influenced by lets screw it and realize there are other things we can do with our time and money, like being happy, eating, and worrying about life maybe family, friends work?? and living it fully....things of that nature.

However there will always be something that seems messed up at the time, and eventually it becomes so pressured and powerful it no longer stands out as crazy and obscene. Lets hope that this is not one of those things!

BridalPlasty

I remember when I first saw the commercial for the show BridalPlasty and I thought it was an honest to god complete joke. I felt completely disgusted and appalled by what I had just seen. It’s sad to think that a woman needs to completely change herself in order to have a perfect wedding. In most cases, the guy asked you to marry him because he already likes the way you look; he’s not expecting you to get a ton of plastic surgery. Honestly I don’t think plastic surgery is every necessary unless it will have extreme health benefits for the person, like in the case of severe obesity or a constructive nasal problem. Also the use of plastic surgery being given out, as prizes like on a game show is just utterly disgusting. To think of all the necessary surgery that needs to be performed on people in order to save their lives and the surgeons waste their time on surgeries that are completely impractical and unnecessary. I’m looking at the pictures of all the women on the show right now and they all look absolutely fine and actually probably what society finds very “attractive”. Even if they weren’t “attractive” according to society’s standards, they would look beautiful they way they are. I also find it very ironic that the one woman who the surgery was slightly “necessary” was the one who was off the show first. It’s like it’s not interesting unless it’s completely ridiculous and impractical.

One thing I would have been more interested in would have been the opinion the grooms. It would just be interesting to hear exactly what they feel about this. It’s sad that our society has created such insecurity in women about their looks that they feel like they need to completely alter them. In case you didn’t know, we’re supposed to look like humans, not plastic dolls or otherwise we’d be born that way. There needs to be a whole culture shift in the USA regarding body image, starting with the way we eat and the fact that were always sitting down watching tv or on the computer, which is where we encounter these images and societal claims that make some believe they need to completely reconstruct themselves.

Awkward Turtle

I thought the investigation into awkward moments of the class was fantastic and hilarious!! It reminded me of a lot of moments in class that made me cringe and ask myself why I joined the class in the first place. However, looking back, I can just laugh at how ridiculous the whole situation was, while also appreciating what I learned.

I really liked the incorporation of the professors' interpretation of awkward. One would wonder how awkward someone like, say, Robin's boss, would feel sitting in our classroom where students are encouraged to question the foundations of what they are being taught instead of just sitting in our giant lecture hall taking notes

One thing I think should be noted is that the awkward moments mentioned in the presentation were all about actions taken by our professors or our classmates, but I assert that something can be awkward without anyone but the self realizing it. For example, it was awkward sitting during our history lectures and talking about Mato Nunpa as a white privileged woman from suburban Minnesota. Discussing others' perspectives that are against your ideology, and recognizing 'white guilt' is a disarming experience where I didn't know how to contribute appropriately to the class.

I also did my own experiment during the science portion of the class. I sat on one side of the room to the extreme of one ideology that I wouldn't have normally aligned myself with. No one knew I didn't "belong" there except for myself. I felt like I was unsafe and that my ideas were unsafe because I knew that no one around me would fundamentally agree with me.

In the abstract, of course my ideas were safe. Of course I was safe. Everyone worked hard to make the classroom an open environment for sharing ideas. So then why did I feel awkward and out of place? Is it because I was an embodiment of the docile body, uncomfortable with not following directions to sit where I was told? Foucault would probably say that the only reason the concept of awkwardness exists is because of social constructions of what is reasonable to act like in public. The reason it was hard to watch Robin act like he had tourettes is because we have all been taught socially that it is strange and unnatural for a man to act that way, and so we don't know how to react.

I think if the group had incorporated some more of the docile body analysis we had in class, then we could hash out whether or not we really have been engaging in the docile body or if we have been trying to fight tacit acceptance of social norms in class by questioning them every Tuesday/Thursday at 9:45 in the morning.

Cheaters

I chose the 'love affair with cultural studies.' First off the title caught my eye because at first I was thinking it had something to do with the class itself possibly. When I opened it I was definitely pulled in a different direction. This Capstone project is on the website titled AshleyMadison.com. The description and part of the powerpoint described this as a website for married people whom are seeking out a 'casual affair' that can be kept secret from their spouse. Being the curious being that I am I typed in the website in my search box and looked up the site right away.

That didn't get me too far... because there was no way I was signing up for this obviously. The main picture made me let out a little laugh though, it is of a woman tugging at a mans pants, it gives the depiction that they are about to "jump each others bones" (which is why they used it for this site I am guessing).

I think that this site is terrible. I really wish I would not have opened this project and that I would have chosen something else. I would not know the website existed and would be happier that way.

I find myself to be a strong believer in the practice of marriage and feel that it is extremely sad that there is a service and even worse people working for this service that aid in its destruction.

There are MILLIONS of people who use this site. I feel horrible for their spouses that are unaware.

This might all go back to my own personal experiences of infidelity in my life. I have dated people who have not been faithful and I have felt pain from those situations. I can't imagine that on a bigger level when you are married. To me, marriage is like a lifestyle. Every aspect of your life is really apart of your marriage. All of the things you own, where you sleep, what you eat, where you go out, if you have children, pets etc. Its all connected to your significant other. That other person is supposed to be there for you and you should always be able to count on them. I, like many, want that someday. Maybe I want it for reasons that have been brainwashed into my head by the culture around me. Either way, it doesn't change the fact that I hate this web site and I think that it is awful.

Marriage is supposed to be sacred. This website is making it seem like it is silly and okay to run out on.

All the people who use it are just a bunch of damn cheaters.

Gross.

"life's short, have an affair."

I wonder if they have heard of the saying "once a cheater, always a cheater."