Pop Culture

Nowadays, popular culture is taking over millennials lives by storm. There are many controversies on whether this is creating a positive impact on society or leaving a scar. By definition popular culture is culture based on the tastes of ordinary people rather than an educated elite. By examining the popular culture of a generation or a country in itself, it can really communicate a message about the values and ideologies of that group of people. The representations that we might see in a western community might be completely different that the media representations that you might see here in the UAE. For example, in advertisements or reality TV in a western community will be most likely to show less traditional and custom content than an Arab community.

This relates back to the idea of becoming what you consume in the media. Thus, the popular culture is a representative of that community. The pop-culture that is being heaved at young minds is causing them to flourish in a world of synth culture. Synth culture is media that is in-authentic or “not as it seems”. This can cause real harm to the youth. While watching a documentary we got to see what goes on behind of the scenes of a public figure’s social media account. It was really interesting to see that they actually hire companies, this company in particular was called “The Audience”, and these companies run their social media accounts of hopes of attracting a bigger following. To reflect upon that, it is really eye-opening to me and many to see our favourite celebrities’ accounts and realise that it truly isn't them that you are interacting with online. Yes, their content may be authentic, but they certainly are not the ones posting and running the account. That pops up the question of how authentic is the media in representing culture and how real is the content that they are throwing out into the world. For example, the Oreo cookie participated in many social and political messages to gain a bigger following. In one of the posts on Facebook, the Oreo cookie had rainbow filling to represent that it was with same-sex marriage. Just by that one post the shares and likes increased by thousands. This one cookie became revolutionary. Many of the times when industries want to advertise their product the will those same viewers to their advantage. When advertising “The Hunger Games”, they essentially had competitions between the viewers on who could effectively advertise it the best. This shows that advertising schemes between these industries can sometimes question the authenticity of popular culture as a whole and jeopardise it into becoming harmful, and damaging to society.

Target Audience

There is a quite a shocking difference in both the ads that are posted above. Even though this is the same campaign that ran at the same time, both pictures take a completely different side. It is clear that they were trying to target different genders in each add promising the other one some sort of dominance or authority, if they take part in their challenge. They use the need to dominate to draw in their audience knowing that using diction like "rule" and "first" will attract people with the need to gain power and be in charge, ultimately coming up on top. If these ads were to be separated it would be very easy to come to the conclusion that these ads were using sexist strategies when in reality they are just appealing to their target audience. The men’s slogan, “One more thing for men to rule,” is juxtaposed with the women’s slogan, “Ladies first. Men second.” While both ads are attracting the need to dominate the ad directed towards men can be considered as pointing to the frequent dominance of men beyond this challenging Nike ad. 

Do You Think That Advertisers Have a Moral Duty to Avoid Stereotyping People?

To add to the array of controversies that this world I have come to spill the beans about what I think is quite the important subject to discuss and open conversations about. Advertisements have been part of my life and I’m sure a lot of other people’s lives for as long as we can remember. Wether they were there to advertise meat to the American citizens during the world war or to promote the upcoming movie of “Keeping Up With The Kardashians”, ads were always a way to communicate a message. The underlying goal of all ads and commercials is to persuade individuals into buying the product or buying into their ideas. They were never there for people to go to when they needed a source of information or education. Advertisements are displayed in the media, and mass media has allowed them to be ubiquitous. During our day the amount of times we might see an advertisement is not countable. You’re driving in the highway and you see a McDonald’s billboard, you’re on the bus and you see a Louis Vuitton poster, you walk into a building and you see an etisalat ad, worst of all you go to the cinema and you sit through an hour of commercials before your movie starts. By living a life where you see an ad every where you go and at any time, it is safe to say that ads have the ability to manipulate pupils into buying their product with minimal effort. People usually are blinded by this and are tricked into these advertising regimes of white literally drilling images and slogans into our minds. This can easily change our state of mind and sometimes even opinions on the world we live in without us batting an eyelash. This is where one might find it very dangerous if advertisements where to send out “fake news” and spread stereotypes and hate dissemination against racial and gender groups.

Therefore, what can and cannot be presented in an advertisement has to be taken very seriously and sensitively. So to answer the question, yes I do strongly believe that the publishers of said commercials have the moral duty to ensure that their work is appropriate for the viewers. To keep a somewhat balance on our society and contribute to spreading love not hate, ads that present false representations and offensive assumptions about race, gender, age, beauty, and so on, should be taken down immediately as this will lead to a divide in society and more present discrimination. It is crucial that advertising discourages and not encourages discrimination, it being such big platform. By having such a big effect on our society it is our duty to ensure that this effect leads us to a better tomorrow.

Ad Analyzation

These advertisements that are presented above reveal a lot about todays society. All four ads have a very similar message and instil the same principals in young children’s minds. As you can see the toys that are intended for females (in all the ads) hold quite the different role than the male. In the bottom pictures you can see that the girls are always given the lower status. In the picture on the left the boys are given the role of the doctor while the girls are given the role of the nurse. The picture on the left the boys are given a medical centre kit while the girls are given a beauty studio. On the top pictures however, come from a company that likes to place “It’s Girl Stuff” and “Girls only” tags on their cleaning product and cleaning trolley toys. These toys imply that all girls can achieve is a broomstick. Also that cleaning and housework is also intended for the female gender and it is not the responsibility of man. These companies are trying to attract young girls to their products by brainwashing them to believe that these are the roles that they are only able to achieve. They show the world that all girls are good at doing is looking pretty and mopping floors. From a young age girls are being taught to only work behind the scenes and get constantly discouraged to pursue an academic role. This reveals that our society still has a lot to improve on in terms of creating toys that boosts young girls confidence and fits them into academic roles. Society still holds these ideologies that woman are the weaker gender and are not able to carry a high status. These beliefs can not and should not be passed on to younger generations. 

MLK's speech

During MLK’s legendary speech the audience is able to pull the dramatic purpose and the array of powerful intended audience members. MLK is able to attract important political influences at the time by evoking the image of how corrupt our society is and how, “we reuse to believe that the bank of injustice is bankrupt.” He is reminding the reader of the idea of how flabbergasted society is to see these leaders who believe that our society is not suffering. Furthermore, he is also mimicking the religious individuals by the use of ethos in his speech. He mentions at the end, “we will be able to speed up the day when all God’s children, black men and white men, Jews and Gentiles, protestants and Christians, will be able to join hands…” This enhances of the mood of religion in his speech thus ringing in the people of people and emotionally ties them to his speech. The overarching purpose of this is is to represent the movement that one day see an America where are colours are accepted, where it will be free and the future generations will be able to live in peace. This will re-enforce the context because it will ultimately effect the way he uses language and was he choses to include. His attended audience will also be a major factor that will affect the context because who is planning on attracting, he will write a different way an use different language. 

MLK’s unforgettable speech was no doubt influential to the American people and that was all set by his style and structure. In his speech he uses phrases like “Let freedom ring!” “Now it is time to lift our nation…” “I have a dream”. There are all phrases that stress the effect of a call-to-action, and the style is what helped develop his context. He also uses many inclusive terms such as “we” and “us” to help further develop his structure and convey the impression of his context. He also carries the tone of hope in his style, a hope that America will be inclusive and successful. He started off his speech by drawing in the reader and capturing their attention. He did this by mentioning straight from the start what this speech will do. “This will go down in history as the greatest demonstration  for freedom in the history of our nation.”

Letter To The Editor: Sarah E. Needleman 

It truly saddens me to have express my concerns on this topic as I find it completely absurd that this is even an issue. As a concerned linguist that has been studying the english language for several years, I was quite flabbergasted at some of the points that were brought up in the article, “Thx for the IView! I Wud <3 to Work 4 U!! ;)”, by Sarah E. Needleman. 

In the article it is stressed that speaking in this “casual tone” english is looked down upon, and is a significant turn off when it comes to hiring managers. It was mentioned that even though the candidate that was interviewed for this role was, “qualified”, “enthusiastic”, and “the intern she craved”, the hiring manager had a complete change of heart as she received an email with the candidate using “exclamation points and smiley-face emoticon”. 

To belittle all the skills and potential that this candidate might have, and judge off of the language she chooses to use when sending a thank-you email, is completely absurd. In the article it is said that using that idiolect hints at immaturity and questionable judgment, which (in further analyzation) is the polar opposite. For example, during the interview the hiring manager evidently was impressed by the candidate, which meant that the candidate was able to code switch from her natural dialect, to a more academic/“proper” english. This shows that not only is the candidate equipped with both the dialects, but is also able to use them in the right contexts. 

The english language has been around for many years, and each time a new dialect of english arises it is always discriminated against and frowned upon, yet that english that was once frowned upon is the english that is now considered “academic”. To be quite frank, the language of the youth now, is just a result of new and upcoming technology. As long as more and more technology is founded the more and more our language will evolve. To perceive that as “disrespectful” is illogical, as it was a mere thank you email, and not a letter to the congress. The hiring managers look at this language as unprofessional, and fear it following to the work space. This idea will only have its place in certain careers. Some careers depend on being able to have formal speech in your communication, some careers are purely skill based and formal speech is not a requirement.

With that being said, if a candidate goes through the process of an interview and is able to hold a formal conversation with you, and is able to meet the criteria that you are looking for in an employer; then I am almost certain that changing your mind over a couple abbreviations in a thank you email would be characteristics of a very “immature and questionable judgement” person. 

Bob Marley's Legacy

April 24, 1978 

Bob Marley's Legacy:

Interviewer: 

“We just about witnessed what might be a life changing event for many citizens of Jamaica. At this very crucial moment in Jamaican politics, two political leaders joined hands with Bob Marley on stage at the “One Love Peace Concert” as a truce and a celebration of the ending of constant killings. Bob Marley’s emotional performance raised money and improved the conditions in the Kingston ghettos, Marley’s hometown. The audience that night was divided by love as sections of the house were named: togetherness, love, and peace. Thanks to Bob that night opened many eyes and we could go as far as saying helped stop the on-going civil war. 

I’m sure everyone would very much like to hear from the ”King of Reggae” himself on how his music could change a whole community for the better. Thank you for taking the time out to speak with us here on The Rolling Stone.”

Bob Marley: 

“ It’s a pleasure being here”

Interviewer:

“So everyone wants to know, what galvanised you to do such a thing?”

Bob Marley:

“You know, seein’ your country/town that you grew up in, almost go down in flames, its heartbreakin’ you know, and me just figured I have such a great platform to raise my voice and stand up for peace and stand up for a truce, and that was kind of the backstory to the “One Love” song that I preformed. This would have to be one my favourite songs to preform, because it has such a compelling message behind it. A message of unity, peace, and love. It has a warm and light hearted feeling that when we are together, anything is possible man.”

Interviewer: 

“There seemed to be almost a peak in those 5+ hours of the concert. To you what would you see the highlight was?”

Bob Marley: 

“You know I’m all about showing unity and a sense of togetherness. So me call on Michael  Manly and Edward Seaga to hold our hands together up high while singin’ “jammin’”, and show Jamaica that we will stay together even in low times. During the concert I said that: “I invited people of the slaves to shake hands to show the people that you love them right, to show the people that you gonna unite, show the people that you’re over bright, show the people that everything is all right.” Me tried so hard to send a message across to these people, and hold them tight in arms. I know I don't talk proper english very good but I hope it was clear to everyone what my purpose was. I want to give love instead, I want to make love drown hate.”

Interviewer:

“Seeing as you like to take part in politics wether its in your songs, or while preforming in concerts, don't you ever get scared that doing so, might cause in a rage in someone that disagrees and potentially hurt you?”

Bob Marley:

“When you say take part in Politics. I don't know what it is You say stand up for my community and take part in my rights. I know what that is. I don't care what man doesn't like, my rights are myself. My life is myself, you know.  All I have is that. I am able to say, I don't want this I want that. Me a rebel man. Me a revolutionist. 

Interviewer: 

“So when you look in the mirror, is that what you see?”

Bob Marley:

“I take no bribe from no one, meh fight my problems single-handed. My music, is the future. It is the escape. Me see myself as someone who don't have no help for no man.” 

Interviewer: 

“Well there’s no doubt that your music, has brought hope to the people in Jamaica in time of great catosrphe and a time where people had very little light left, but your music seemed to allow them to hold on to that little string of happiness they have left. Do you agree that your music and talents rose to fame in perfect timing?”

Bob Marley:

“Well, very much. There was political and social problems in Jamaica and people in poverty and bad living, they needed someone to give them hope. They needed something fresh and vibrant, a sort of boost. Everyone needed positive energy and a fresh perspective, and I hope that with my music that was something unforgettable.”

Interviewer:

“I’m sure that the people of Jamaica will thank you very much for everything you provided. Thank you for spending this time with me, I’m sure the pope of America will appreciate it just as much. We all can’t wait to see what the future of reggae looks like.