Cultural studies is particularly
helpful in our discussion of technology and the media’s mediation of culture.
As I have discussed in previous posts, the media acts as a socializing force which mediates “between economy, state, and
social life” (Kellner, Habermas 10). Thus, the socio-political is very much
tied to the ways in which we represent and perform identity. It seems today
women in the media are likely to resemble an empowered, sexually liberated
ideal—which supposedly contradicts the passive, overly charming, waiting until
marriage mediated woman of the past. Is there really much of a difference
between the two? I would agree with Liesbet van Zoonen in arguing no—these two
ideals of womanhood are essentially the same. Today’s mediated woman is no more free than the mediated woman of
the 50’s. She is still bending over backwards to play by the rules of—emotional
self-restraint, modified behaviors, and “effortless” labor in the name of
aesthetic ideals. Every moment of mediated postfeminist womanhood is strategically
planned, just as we saw in the Pink Think
article. As cultural studies scholars it is easy to see how this mediation
compliments an American neoliberal individualism, which, wraps up antiquated
ideals of womanhood in the guise of an attractive new wrapping paper —or the
wrapping paper of the “free” liberated woman.
Further, we see that media and
technology are taken up by women (and men) in active ways. Media and technology
allow women to try on different hats so to speak—to “try out different feminine
subject positions” and to highlight certain aspects of themselves as women. Therefore, delineating ways with which women
appropriate and negotiate their own identities within the confines of mediated
culture.
Critical readings of mediated
representations can help us better understand and educate our children on how
ideologies of girl identity come to be produced, negotiated, and performed by women
and girls in American culture. Here it is important that we challenge ourselves
through reflexive engagement of our own “dominant-hegemonic”
and “negotiated positions”.
Supplemental Reference
“Habermas, the
Public Sphere, and Democracy: A Critical Intervention.”
(n.d.): 1-17.
Web. 11 Dec. 2010.
Hi Robyn,
ReplyDeleteI agree, I don't believe females are any more "free" but rather, are basically asked to choose multiple facets of life to explore since now all these options are presented to women--and women feel bad about not taking advantage of all these options, hence 70 hour work weeks, children, traveling, constant grooming, etc. etc. I don't see men being pushed into taking on more domestic roles as well as their career roles--still seems a bit unbalanced to me...
I love your focus on "modified behaviors" and I would add "modified bodies" as well. Though many people are slim by nature, many are not. But all women - and men really - are no expected to adhere to an idealized, overly lean and muscled body. This is interesting when you consider that the average size - I think it's a 14 now I think - is larger now but the media is asking women to be smaller than ever. What does that mean to our constant self esteem?
ReplyDeleteIt is odd how much society makes us obsess over our bodies isn't it? I guess in my own case I see my own body as just a shell. I have felt this way for a very long time. I've pretty much always felt that your mind is what matters. How you treat others is what matters. This striving for a perfect body is based on a false premise as it does not exist. It can not be obtained over the long hall. But you can always expand your mind and treat others well. Those things last.
ReplyDeletehaul*
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