![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
I've got a theory
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.
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.
Hmmm...
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...
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...
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...
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?