I've got a theory

[garnigal]

Now, this is just a theory. I haven't done any research or scientific exploration into this theory, I haven't even really logically thought it out. It's not even really mine - lots of other people have done research into this (probably - too lazy to look it up. I'm sure we talked about it at school, though) Maybe theory is the wrong word. I've got a belief. And I'm looking for your opinions of my belief.

As many of you know, I read a lot. I watch a lot of TV, I'm just basically trapped by the whole "pop culture" phenomenon. As many of you do no know, I have a degree in English Rhetoric and Professional Writing. This means (very little) that I spent 4.66 years thinking critically about the written word and "designed" information (we had some classes in advertising, brochures, web sites, that kind of thing).

I don't pretend to be an expert. Wait, yes I do, because I am an arrogant little shit. But I know I'm not. I have some knowledge of basic design principles and how various techniques can impact an audience, but there are many people out there (not just in the wide world, but also on my friends list - looking at you syo) who have either done a lot more research/thought into this topic (or areas of this topic) or who are just really freaking smart. I am lazy, and not nearly as brilliant as some of my friends give me credit for (however, I am apparently a damn fine actress - I'm not smart, I just play one on TV).

Anyway. My theory involves the subliminal effects of entertainment. I'm not talking about the overtly violent or dark stuff; that gets enough airplay, and I'm really not into censorship. I'm talking about the innocuous stuff; fairy tales, Harlequin Romances, the sort of ubiquitous stuff that every one is familiar with and accepts without question.

I am prone to romanticism. I have a pink-shaded image in my head of how relationships should be. I attribute a lot of that image to the romantic stories I read. Over at Chez Miscarriage, Grrl was discussing her expectation that her new son would feel the loss when she took him home, rather than the gestational surrogate, and the irritation she felt when people assured her it wouldn't be like that on the strength of her biological connection. I suggested that is due to the plot of "finding your way back to your biological family" which is used in a lot of fairy tales and myths.

Based on conversations with some of you, I know you have some of the same ideas (Hi, whatawookie!) about pop culture that I do. You worry about allowing your children access to messages you don't agree with or you don't know how to counter. What interests me is the effects of some of these ubiquitous messages on adults - are adults as susceptible to these messages as I suspect? what parts of your own beliefs do you think are formed by this type of message? what do you suggest we do about these messages?

Sorry about the "seriousness" of this post, but it is something that has interested me for a while (but not enough to do the research, apparently) and I'd love to know if anyone else has an opinion on this topic.

Comments

Hmmm...

[whatawookie.livejournal.com]

I am also not aware of any formal research done specifically about subliminal messages. Overt messages (advertising junk food, for instance), yes. Subliminal (Girls find math hard! Only boys can be heros! Your value as a woman is to get married and live happily ever after! As a boy it is your job to slay the dragon and you aren't allowed to find it scary!)... not so much.

I know it's been informally discussed, studied etc. for a very long time. There are many "old sayings" that focus on the basic accepted truth that what you saturate yourself with, you reflect/become. "You are what you eat." "Run with a skunk and you smell like one", that sort of thing. Yes, I used the word truth, and I used it deliberately. Go ahead and flame me. I think it is a truth.

Are adults affected? Oh god yes. Why else did I buy an Aussie Dual Personality hair product and a toothpaste with breath strips in it this month? I think some people are less affected than others, and that education may provide a correlation to the amount you are effected or the direction from which you are affected. There are formal studies that do show a clear correlation between different socioeconomic classes and media saturation/influence.

At every level of our lives, we are affected by both designed messages (so deliberate advertising), pop culture messages (as the information generation we are beyond saturated in pop culture) and by our peers. I suspect the effect each of these has waxes and wanes with each age phase of our lives, but I'd have to sit down with a pen and paper and do some thinking and make some observations.

I'll call you when I'm done ;-)

Re: Hmmm...

[garnigal.livejournal.com]

One of the things that I see in a lot of women in particular is the desire/expectation for a perfect romance. A relationship that's just so together - you want the same things, you are compassionate and considerate of each other, etc.

I think this myth encourages women to subordinate their own wants/needs to that of their partner, in the belief that their partner will reciprocate. The whole "nothing is more important to me than your happiness", "if you're happy, I'm happy" trap.

Men don't read Harlequins, so they don't realize what we are doing and what we are expecting in exchange.

Re: Hmmm...

[sandraregina.livejournal.com]

The whole 'woman must be subordinate to the man' is way older than Harlequin, though. We're making progress in that area, but there's millenia of back history to get through. I'm not sure Harlequin is to blame for that.
The Romance, thing, though. Why the hell did that movement take off so hard? And why does it appeal to women so much, when it started as a boys-club literary thing?
Too tired to think of answers today. Just questions.

Re: Hmmm...

[garnigal.livejournal.com]

You are definately right about women's subordinate position being a long-standing belief. I guess what I didn't make clear was a feeling that otherwise independant, decisive and capable women try to care for their romantic partners. It's something I am guilty of, myself: I have a career, at the moment I'm the sole breadwinner, I'm relatively outspoken about my beliefs. Despite this, I continue to fall into the habit of trying to make things easier for Derek, whether that means doing dishes and laundry, being his sounding board, dropping whatever I'm doing when he asks for my attention, whatever.

I'm a feminist, but I still cater to my boyfriend. How much of that is attributable to the stereotypes put forward by the literature I read and the movies I watch?

Then again.

[whatawookie.livejournal.com]

It could be bunnies.

Re: Then again.

[garnigal.livejournal.com]

That reminds me, my clematis is doing a lot better now. It's about two feet high and has a flowerbud on it. My roses are awesome, it's covered in buds and blooms and I've already cut seven or eight blown roses off.

[sandraregina.livejournal.com]

Oh, I definately think you're on to something. I don't doubt that it has been studied, but its such a subjective thing, and so 'below the radar' that it must be bloody hard to pin down.
All I can say about it is that you try to minimize exposure to media influences, you get educated as much as possible, and you have parents and/or other adult figures helping you out as you grow up.
First, I think its important that we internalize social cues and other 'subliminal' messages, to a point. We're social creatures, and we have to get along with each other (not nicey-nicey all the time, but just basic politeness, knowing the social 'rules', etc) and know how to communicate with each other (even otherwise useless 'how's the weather' type small talk establishes a community bond) - or we go crazy. Isolation is not good for humans, whether its physical or social.
However, there's a lot of crap out there, dangerous messages that I'm not sure were intended to come out the way they did, and now they're building on themselves. I'm also certain its been that way for a long, long, long time (Christian indoctrination in the European middle ages, anyone?)- its just harder to get away from now.
I hope that if I ever have kids, I'd be strong enough to resist the t.v. thing until they were older, when I could discuss what they were watching with them. That I could be strong enought to be 'mean' and not buy the latest thing because it was being advertized. That I could read to them and talk about the world with them so that as they grew up they could resist certain messages (you're too fat; reading isn't important; you have to have a boy/girl friend at all times or you can't be happy).
I don't know, however. Lack of time, a desire to keep your kids happy, social pressure, etc. is hard to fight. And, even if you can do your best, and do everything you said you would, kids are their own people, and ultimately they do what they want in the end. You can only hope your influence was strong enough to ensure they're decent human beings - the rest is up to them.
I know we see the overtly 'bad' stuff more easily than the 'innocuous' stuff, too. Its easier to resist, and to explain why it should be resisted.
Me, I know one otherwise 'innocuous' effect the media (especially radio) has had on my life - I have an internal 'soundtrack' and need music - appropriate music - at various events in my life. How lame is that?

[sandraregina.livejournal.com]

And its not bunnies (Anya or no Anya)
Its the squirrels in my neighbours attic. Always up to something...

[garnigal.livejournal.com]

I don't know. I was certainly willing to blame it on the bunnies when the damn things ate my clematis within 12 hours of planting it.

[sandraregina.livejournal.com]

Sure it wasn't the squirrels? Nasty buggers eat all the bird seed, dig up gardens looking for nuts and places to hide nuts, and catch on fire while running high-voltage electricity lines and set neighbourhoods on fire (in Seattle, I think).

(I find the whole bunny thing interesting - definately media/pop culture influence - and every time I think of squirrels now I think of punks smoking cigarettes and planning nut bomb attacks on oblivious humans, thank you very much Gary Larson).

[garnigal.livejournal.com]

Hee, the music thing never occured to me. I have playlists set up on my computer according to mood - what I want to hear if I'm depressed, bouncy, focused, etc.

[sandraregina.livejournal.com]

Heh. Glad I'm not the only one. I'm tired today so I feel like something more orchestral. Lord of the Rings soundtrack, here I come...