Culture jams: Who' watching

http://dir.yahoo.com/thespark/category/Culture+Jamming

very interesting read 

Love it or hate it, if you think its art or havoc, cultural jamming makes us take a double look. Anita Harris referred to it " as a number of techniques that use the vary material of consumer culture to undermine its messages and power" (Jamming Girl Culture:Young Women and Consumer Citizinship, P, 168). However you see it, either on the internet or street signs you'll take a mental picture because your not used to it. The idea that people are used to a certain thing and will feel threatened when shown the true colours of what they believe in. In our society its either your in or out of what is considered a social norm, and if your out your less heard and excepted. Our society follows a certain standard of living and some of us need it to feel normal. Cultural jamming threatens the normality of the society. It is not something you see everyday so i don't think it has an effect at the moment because not everyone is aware of it, and it only effects those who see it and understand it. culture jamming is the creation of a contrast between corporate and mass media images and the realities or perceived negative side of a corporation or media. It could be done symbolically through the internet with videos, or by street grafitty. Cultural jamming reawakens a sense of wonder it makes you think about the society and the environment you live in as well as the products and services you buy. Its ideas stimulate personal interpretation and independent thinking. Culture jamming is intended to expose it is a reaction against social conformity, Many culture Jams are simply aimed at exposing questionable political assumptions behind commercial culture so that people can momentarily consider the branded environment in which they live. Websites like Adbusters, which  consideres itself as an activists magazine known for its anti branding campaigns, yet its black spots sneakers which is a shoes with a black spot instead of a logo where a corporate logo is expected. To me a black spot is still a logo and still recognizable like a Nike logo. Adbuster is encouraging it's readers to help spread the "black spot" just like Nike encourages it's consumers to buy their shoes. Which leads to my point in that Adbusters just like Nike in ways are both selling a symbol and a product. I believe Adbusters adds have become the opposite, their resistance to adds has become a form of advertising itself. I don't believe culture jamming is considered elicit, that involves how well and widely it's message is being received, and if whoever is viewing it is understanding it's content. It also has to think of the individuals social location since for example i live in Thunder Bay, a small city we are not aware of cultural jamming. It is present in larger cities and its absencent in small communities. Even in bigger cities it is harder for a culture jam message to reach an audience. Even taking all of todays technologies like youtube and blogs it is still hard for cultural jam to reach a mass audience. I for one never knew what cultural jamming was or meant until taking this course, and i have lived in a big city before Thunder Bay, even tho it is present on a global scale not everyone who views it will be able to appreciate it's meaning. Since educated individuals are part of the elite in our society, cultural jamming can not deny it's elitism. As persons socio economic background will bring different understanding to culture jams. A middle class individual who can afford to go to university is more likely to be exposed to knowledge that a person from a less class will not be. And the individuals who are knowledgable will understand the artsy messages of cultural jamming where as others will find it atrocious, in his article Ryan Moore explained how "Although problems of consumer capitalism are being addressed, many people consider culture jamming not only personally offensive, but also offensive to the vendors". (http://canadiandimension.com/articles/3998/). Culture jamming is not a good feminist tool because it is Elicit and does not reach a big audience. Women need to find a better tool that can reach a wider audience in order to have their messages reached for everyone and specially in every socio economic background. 

"Fiesty"

Silenced

http://msmagazine.com/blog/blog/2011/04/05/no-comment-tilly%E2%80%99s-follow-up/
This was the image that caught my eye when I was looking up images of culture jamming and women's health. This t-shirt is sold by a popular chain in the united states. I find it hard to believe that an image like that would be put up with in today's highly outspoken media world. That no one in the company's advertising department flagged this image as offensive is even more astounding.
The feminist movement which happened over thirty years ago was to irradiate the idea of women as the "silent stay at home wife and mother" that is written about in papers like Betty Freidan's "The Problem That Has No Name".  Therefore to see images today that reflect that unwelcome ideal are surprising and unwanted.
The point of this entry is to reference how feminism is still being caught, whether it is done in a positive manner or not. In this case, it is on the negative side, where males continue to hold power over women.

** the text reads "Enjoy the Silence" and in parenthesis under neath "drawing of girl with tape on mouth"
~ Rosebud

Barbie as an Elitist Figure

http://www.usatoday.com/money/industries/retail/2002-12-24-pregnant-doll_x.htm

Before I started this assignment, I had never learned about culture jamming, but that is not to say I had never seen it before.
The first topic that came to mind was an article that I had read in my intro to Women Studies class last year by: Susan Jane Gilman. I like where she references that; "Somewhere, somehow, a message seeped into out consciousness telling us that we weren't good enough to be a bride or model or queen or anything because we weren't pretty enough. And this translated into not smart enough or likable enough, either".
Her two points become even more clearer as she makes references to barbie dolls. The view that if your not society's idea of pretty, then you can't do anything or be anyone important and subsequently this means lack of intelligence.
On the topic of beauty her reference of Barbie as, alien, is interesting. She hits the fact that Barbie was nothing like her or her friends in looks or social standing. "We urban, Jewish, Black, Asian and Latina girls began to realize slowly and painfully that if you didn't look like Barbie, you didn't fit in".
I see that as Mattels marketing flaw. They have made Barbie into an idolized image of the 'ideal feminine beauty' that for most, if not all, of the earths population can not attain.
In a final quote she seals this ideal with; "They ultimately succeed where Hitler failed: They install in legions of little girls a preference for whiteness, for blond hair, blue eyes and delicate features, for an impossible uberfigure, perched eternally and submissively in high heels".
I think that is a powerful statement, and unfortunately far too true in the case of many products for mass consumption today. Which is why her culture jam idea's for a more relatable Barbie are so intriguing. Some of her ideas include; Dinner Roll Barbie, who is significantly larger than Barbie, Bisexual Barbie, Body Piercing Barbie, Butch Barbie, Harley Barbie and a few others. My personal favourite is the anatomiclly correct Barbie called "Our Barbies, Ourselves" which includes information about the female anatomy and the ability to be pregnant.
I like this Culture jam Barbie because she reminds me of Matels attempt of this type when they brought out Barbies friend Midge in the "Happy Family Set", who was pregnant. I was an only child and had always wanted a younger sister, so to be able to act out that scenario as a child was fun and helped my feelings of longing for something I could never have. It was mere weeks after I was gifted the doll that she was pulled from the shelves of all stores. "...some parents think she is a little too real for their children". This is a snippet from the online portion of USA Today magazine of which I have included the link. That quote in a way sums up the idea that Barbie is, literally, untouchable. That she is the perfect women that every girl should strive to be, even though it is nearly impossible to be her. Therefore, Barbie is without a doubt an elitist figure which many have culture jammed.

~ Rosebud

Sorry!!

Sorry everyone this was meant to be posted to Pop Culture!!!
Bakerella

shopdropping part 2

Here are some pics and videos in regards to Shopdropping a form of culture jamming I had trouble uploading before!

Bakerella