I was definitely unaware of the term culture jamming prior to this course, however this does not mean that i was unaware of the mockery of common advertisements in order to put forth an important message that perhaps many people have thought critically about, but have been too shy to comment on because they feel voicing their opinion will not do much as they are not corporate and therefore the "little guy".
Culture jamming allows for a voice that is almost always unheard by corporate companies and shoves the true message of the advertisement or rather the hidden message behind the advertisement as well as skeletons of the company to be revealed to passers-by. I believe that this is positive toward changing ignorant minds and introducing the harsh realities behind advertisements, products and how advertising messages can shape, humiliate and dehumanize people. The fact that companies reserve the right to buy space in which to do these things to people and 'guide' them along the path of ignorance definitely deserve to be shown the same respect by the people brave enough to voice a counter-opinion through the same mode of communication/medium.
-Dougie
Good thinking rant! Keep going looking for feminist culture jammers!
ReplyDeleteThe Doctor
I was the same with not knowing what culture jamming really was, yet also was still aware of mockery’s of common advertisements. Before doing further research into culture jams, it was easier for me to just see humor in them and not a deeper message. What culture jamming really is striving for is to prove how ridiculous some advertisements (etc) are towards women and other minorities. Women are fighting for social justice and media is a major area that needs revamping. Culture jamming is one of many techniques used to put the message of women deserving social equality out there. I personally believe that this techniques is a good one, but we can’t solely rely on it. It is apart of a larger group of techniques. Not every technique will work for everyone, so we must use a variety of techniques to get the message out. Without studying culture jams a little, their message didn’t mean a whole lot to me. With more education the message is stronger. But this is not to say that the first time someone else saw a culture jam that the message didn’t hit home for them. Different minds respond to different types of ‘protesting’. I think culture jamming is creative way to get the message out and easier to respond to. Culture jamming doesn’t feel like traditional feminism that some people think women’s studies is only about. Media affects everyone and culture jamming provides all of us with another way to respond to it.
ReplyDelete-Goldilocks
Totally agree with being unaware of culture jamming as a way of shedding light on corporate control. I did think just of mockeies of companites as just that -- mockeries.
ReplyDeleteFor that reason, I don't know how effective culture jamming can be, beccause the average audience is less aware that it is a protest and a message and moreso that it is just a joke or a 'bash' of a company. Culture jamming also is not, in my eyes, not the average way for feminist outcry; I have a hard time understanding a lot of the forms of culture jamming that I see because I don't think to look for it.
-- OwlEyes