Final Written Analysis "Reality TV"

The most accurate theory that seemed to best relate to my pop culture topic “Reality TV” were stereotypes.  Turning on the TV for me lately has consisted of nothing but new Reality TV shows popping up left and right.  No matter what channel you are on, every network has taken a bite of this new current popular trend.  TV networks ranging from ABC, BRAVO, VH1, OXYGEN, E, and so many more are all featuring some form of Reality TV.  I believe the reason so many Americans tune into these shows every week is because of the entertainment they implement, one mainly due to the stereotype of women in general.  Over the years women have taken on the stereotype of being catty, two faced, mean big time gossipers toward each other, to the point that it has now become entertaining.  Every Reality TV show we see featuring women all portray the same stereotype.  Women fussing and fighting at each other, physically and emotionally abusing one another, jealousy, gossip, instigation, and manipulation are all traits that these women depict, all while contributing the bad stereotype of women in society. 

Then you have the race and ethnic stereotype Reality TV shows like “Basketball wives of Miami” which created a controversy in the African American community, as being a bad representation contributing to the stereotype of black women as loud, ghetto and bitter.  Or you have “Jersey Shore” which features young Italians Americans calling each other “Guido’s and Guidettes” which has been considered a derogatory name to be called in the Italian community for many years.  So as we see, stereotypes have been used in so many Reality TV shows we watch now in days as a form of entertainment rather than offense, which leaves me to question, are we making progress as a society or are we really sarcastically hurting one another?

The most interesting findings from my analysis was the discovery that all of the theories seemed to tie into my topic somehow.  Everything ranging from: popular beliefs, myths, icons, rituals, stereotypes all the way to heroes and the cult of celebrity all played a part in Reality TV.  I also found it very interesting that these theories also play a big role in the formulas that producers use in the process of creating a plot for the shows.  Having obtained this insight of theories and formulas has definitely helped me look at Reality TV differently.  I am able to apply logic, and make educated determinations in terms of how I perceive all Reality TV shows from now on.  

Journal Article Analysis

My article “Careless Girls and Repentant Wives: Gender in Postwar Classroom Films” is an article that describes life for women during post war years.  The article describes the role of women in society and the many films that were produced to target them and teach them how they should act and behave.  Before World War II took place the role of women in society was to stay at home, have babies, cook clean and take care of the husbands.  This was a traditional role of women since the beginning of time and was simply required by all women to adhere to these roles and if not be considered outcasts to their society.  It was not until World War II took place that the gender role of women in America would change and change forever.  While the soldiers were off to war it is said that fathers being away from their families had a great impact on the children and how the behaved.  Children were becoming ruthless, partying, drinking, doing drugs and being complete rebels to society.  Bills were not being paid, food in the homes were running low and children were out looking to fill the voids in their hearts.  In order to take control of their ruthless behavior many classrooms began teaching about the roles of women and men in society and the etiquette behavior that each of them should possess. 

Girls were taught separate from the boys and were shown many short films about how to restrain from sexual urges and how to keep boys in line on a date.  They were taught over and over that their bodies are special and that they have the power to control their sexual desires whereas boys cannot and that they should assume all responsibility or suffer great consequences if not.  These short films were a success in their teachings so much so that many big movie producers took notice and began filming big movie productions in order to keep up with the current trend.  Films like “Toward Emotional Maturity” was a film produced by Knickerbocker Productions in 1954.  During the film Hank suggest to Sally that they should make a stop at the park to go make out and Sally suggest she would think about it.  On their way from the spring dance they make it to the turning point of the park and Sally is confronting with making her final decision.  In doing so Sally began having flash backs of times she was faced with events that taught her how to control her emotions.  For example she has a flash back of a time her psychologist teacher threw a snake in the classroom to teach them about emotions, next when she spotted her boyfriend making out with another girl and last when a school pep rally turned dangerous and caused her great fear.  This was a mere example to young girls that they are the ones in control and should use past experiences to build up self-confidence to make educated decisions about their bodies.  After her flashbacks, the movies ends with Sally stating “let’s just go home” and the both of them ending the date with a nice mature hug. 

Another point that the article hit in describing the role of women in society was the role of women in the workforce and how it affects their families.  During the war, many women began having to take on the role of being providers for their households.  In doing what they had to do they decided to take off their aprons put on their pants and hit the workforce in order to gain income to care for them and their families.  When the war was finally over and the troops returned home society was expected to return back to normal.  Women would stop working and return where they were to attend to their families and care for their homes.  Not too many women took this lightly, the sense of pride that they felt of being able to do what they were told they could never do was so liberating to them.  They begin to feel independent and gained a sense of achievement and felt that they could conquer the world.  While some women returned to their families others did not and remained in the work force gaining extra income and contributing to their households.  Eventually society began to adapt to working women and many secretarial jobs were created and fulfilled by women.  However married women who began neglecting their homes and personal appearance because of work were looked down upon and many films produced during this time depict how this would bring destruction to their lives and families. 

For example, the film “Who’s Boss” produced in 1950 shows a couple Mike and Ginny going through the waves of marriage because of their different views and opinion of gender role.  Mike, a news reporter and Ginny a newspaper photographer are shown having many communication issues.  Although the film was designed to show the importance of communication between husband and wife it is clearly evident that the film is designed to show the destruction brought on a family by a woman not knowing her place.  For instance throughout the film it shows several clips of Mike becoming increasingly unhappy with Ginny not being able to keep the house clean because she’s working too late.  Not keeping up with her personal appearance, buying extravagant things with her money, or interrupting and talking over him while out in public.  Eventually they get a divorce and Ginny is left in tears wondering what happened and where did things go wrong to which she realizes is her fault.   

While these are just a few main points, the article touches base on many films that were produced to portray the image of numerous roles of women in society.  Roles ranging from: office etiquette, personal appearance, self-respect, marriage, divorce, balance and much more.  Depending on which lifestyle or path the women choose, it is ultimately her responsibility to maintain her self-image and respect for her family.  Failure to do so will bring much pain chaos and destruction all created at her hands. 

When it comes to whether or not I agree with the authors main points I would have to say that I agree to some degree.  Of course my concern would be “what about the men” and why are women being singled out, but seeing that this article was specifically focused and targeted at women I had to be more open minded.  Being a young women born in the 80’s I did not have an opportunity to witness or be a part of the role of women in the early 40’s and 50’s.  Being a woman of great independence and self-respect I have a different view point on life and I rather enjoy my freedom of choice as far as my body.  Knowing the role of women in society in the 40’s and 50’s I do not agree with how the woman was the target of blame for any sexual activity that took place over her body.  I don’t agree with the fact that she was the one who had to assume all responsibility and keep her date (the male) in line because he could not control his sexual urges.  After all it has been proven that many women enjoy sex just as much as men, so why couldn’t both parties be responsible for their own actions? 

Besides that I do however, agree with the point the author made in terms of married women needing to find balance in the homes and careers.  Too many times to we hear the same story about destruction in the households and divorce rates rising, because women are not letting men be men and are stepping out of boundaries by emasculating them.  Not saying I agree that women should give up their careers and follow their husband’s dreams and neglect their own.  I just believe that being able to find balance is necessary in every relationship and is a healthy choice for wives and their families.    

This article is important because it gives us insight on the traditional gender roles of society.  It lets us know who we are, why we behave certain ways, and how we got to where we are now.  Being able to understand the role of women in society during the early 40’s and 50’s gives me a sense of relief and gratitude for the women who fought for their rights and paved the way so that I could be the independent career minded individual I am today.   

Formula's of Reality TV

The theory of formula can be applied to the topic of reality TV in so many ways.  First when we define formula in terms of popular culture we think of a plot that is considered acceptable through values and beliefs of the mass audience.  Most reality TV shows all follow the same formula.  They all feature real people living out day to day life activities in real life settings.  All most every single episode features some form of exaggerated confrontation or drama and confessional sessions from those involved.  Most of the time the dramatic episodes are carried out for the duration of the show to keep viewers hooked and coming back for more.  All of this is because we as Americans enjoy watching other’s drama.  We enjoy seeing others problems revealed and seeing how they deal with it.  It’s almost like we take satisfaction in seeing other people hurt and being able to find things to judge them on to make ourselves feel better.  So TV producers having knowledge of American beliefs and values in terms of entertainment, understand this concept and make reality TV shows to fulfill our desires of being bashful and judgmental people. 

The general formula of reality TV shows have been used over and over because it is an equation of entertainment that has been proven to work and continues to work producing the same results every time.  Some reality TV shows may use a different format in terms of how the story of the show plays out in order to differentiate themselves from the other shows.  For instance, Survivor and Jersey Shore are both considered reality TV shows however, they are two shows that have very different story lines.  Survivor is a show that consists of several individuals stuck in the wilderness left to survive competing for cash and other prizes.  On every episode, each member of the cast is asked to vote off one of the contestants for whatever reason they feel until just one of them are left winning the title “Sole Survivor”.  Each episode of the show contains some level of drama whether it be a fight between cast members or the unfortunate elimination of one of them from the show.  Jersey Shore on the other hand, although does not feature much elimination of their cast members, does feature much back biting, fighting and drama filled episodes just like Survivor.  So the general concept of reality TV is to create different story lines but use the same formulas to keep viewers entertained and hooked so that they will continue to tune in to the show every week, ultimately increasing TV ratings. 

After applying the theory of formula to reality TV it has given me insight on how producers use story plots to exaggerate what reality really is, making it almost more unbelievable then before.  I also now have insight as to what it is that I find entertaining and why.  I now understand why people sacrifice their self-image to participate in an industry that produces multi-million dollars every year.  

Heroes and The Cult of the Celebrity

A hero is defined as “A person that personifies good values and tries to assist others, not for a personal gain but for the betterment of the world”.  When I think about a hero I think of someone who in general goes beyond themselves to help others just because.  Someone that doesn’t need to be praised or celebrated for their hard work and charitable contributions but rather find enjoyment and value in celebrating others.  Hero’s in my opinion are optimistic individuals, they see the bigger picture and take action to fulfill what is right in the world one step at a time.  They thrive off of moral values and abide by their rule of life which is “treat others the way you would want to be treated”.  Of course they are not perfect, just like any other individual they make mistakes but because of their good hearts and desire to do right they learn from their mistakes and strive to be better people.   

When it comes to the topic of reality TV I believe the most applicable theory is “The cult of the celebrity”.  Many people now in days look to celebrities and mistake them for heroes because of their fame and fortune.  They feel these people are divine creatures walking the earth and that their lives are perfect because of the insight they get from television.  A lot of this is established with the help and edits done through Reality TV program networks.  Reality TV shows now in days can include a combination of both pre-existing celebrities and normal day to day individuals who have no celebrity status what so ever.  The main purpose of having a reality TV show is to reach a great level of popularity and to be noticed and recognized by people all over the world.  For some it can be for promotion reasons for others it’s just an opportunity to achieve celebrity status.  Being a celebrity is seen as fascinating because it is depicted as fun and exciting and most people who are celebrities are rich and can afford pretty much anything they want.  The cult of the celebrity has become such a huge trend within popular culture mainly because people want what they can’t have and are finding satisfaction in the glimpses they receive through other’s lives.  Achieving celebrity status creates what is called a fan based which includes numerous individuals who follow, tweet, befriend, talk about, adore, and sometimes even worship these individuals.  They give them so much attention and praise for their works and admire them in many ways.  Having this type of attention is seen as an accomplishment by many people in society and often times becomes a personal desire and goal to strive for. 

The insights that I gain from applying these theories are that as individuals it is important for us to feel some sense of purpose in life.  For each of us it is different and there are many avenues available for fulfilling this achievement. Many people find purpose through the use of social networking, reality TV, in careers, through cultural status or just simply the people in their lives.  But what is important is that we find what makes us happy, something worth living for, something that we couldn’t live without and would die for.  When we accomplish this goal we become not only self-fulfilled but also a potential heroic figure to those that look up to us.  Achieving a celebrity status because society tells us that is how it should be will no longer be a necessary achievement because we realize we have a bigger purpose in life. 

Written Analysis

One of the most controversial reality TV shows to ever be considered to air on the TV network Oxygen was a show called “All my baby mama’s”.  The reality TV show was set to air this spring but because of the many nerves it hit within the African American community, it was stopped dead in its tracks and prevented from airing on the network.  The show would feature a long lost rapper named Shawty Lo, all 10 of his baby mamas and 11 of his children.  It was set out to capture the hard ruff life he lived while dealing with all of the complications of being a father to 11 children, all of which whom had different mothers.  Showing the hard times he faced when dealing with life situations ranging from birthdays, holidays, child support, quality time all while dealing with baby mama drama. 

Shonda Lamb an advocate of Color of Change was outraged when she saw the video trailer for the promotion of the show.  The reason for this is because she felt the show was a disgrace to the African American community and was a depiction of the already assumed stereotype of African American men in society. Men who have unprotected sex with various women, having babies left and right, not having a steady job to care for them and not paying child support.  And on top of that children caught in the middle not having a voice to speak up for themselves about the embarrassment and humiliation they would face from having parents who care nothing about their reputation but everything about making a quick dollar.  Lamb was so outraged by the show she went on to create a petition which was eventually signed by 37,000 individuals.  After the petition reached the 37,000 mark, TV network Oxygen decided that it was best to resign the show from airing and canceled the show.

This show like so many reality TV shows all have stereotypes of some form that viewers have created and categorized them as.  For instance, Jersey Shores “Guido’s and Guidettes” all imply a stereotype Italian which is a sad excuse of a male, or a woman who has breast implants and wears tight clothing.  Another is Basketball Wives which has been accused of displaying a stereotype of African American women as ghetto, loud, rude and ready to fight at the drop of a dime.  These are all stereotypes that have been adapted by society and many feel are now being magnified through the use of TV networks and people willing to put on a show.  When it comes to rituals, all reality TV shows follow a ritual of airing on the same network, on the same day every week at the same time.  And many individuals have also adapted to the ritual of making sure they are on their couches at a certain time on certain days tuning in to watch and be entertained. 

The insight that I gain by applying these theories is that stereotypes are inevitable.  Whether we like it or not they will always be around and as long as there are people willing to contribute to the truth of stereotypes we will never see progress or growth.  As individuals we have to go against stereotypes and be unique and different in our own way.  After all why would you want to be categorized as a certain “type” of being?  Seeking individuality and being your own person is important, not giving into the pressure of proving ignorance right can be a hard thing to do but I believe it is important in order to grow and see change in the way we see and communicate with each other.  

Contemporary Icons

Bald Eagle:

The Bald Eagle represents long life, great strength and majestic looks. The reason I choose this icon is because it has been an Icon of the United States of America since 1782 and is a representation for freedom on which the country has laid its foundation on.   “Living as he does on the tops of lofty mountains, amid the solitary grandeur of Nature, he has unlimited freedom, whether with strong pinions he sweeps into the valleys below, or upward into the boundless spaces beyond.” (USA's National Enblem (n.d.)  Unlike other birds it does not flap its wings but instead holds them straight and soars across the sky, and because of its great strength it has the capability to rise above the clouds when faced with harsh storms.  This symbolic figure can be seen on the back of many gold coins, silver dollars, half dollars, and quarters, and remains as an Iconic figure to the American culture even to this day.  To me the Eagle is a is a symbol of courage and strength  as well as motivation of success when going through hard times because it reminds me that I am strong and confident and that I have the ability to rise above all of life’s storms and demands.

The Cross:

The cross in Latin terminology was a symbolic figure representing death in the most painful and harmful way.  The word used was crucifixion which meant “to fix to cross” and would consist of nailing or hanging someone to a cross and leaving them to hang until death.  Many thieves, rapist, and murders would face this harsh treatment as a way of punishment and execution for their wrong doings.  The reason I chose this icon is because I found it interesting how today in the Christianity religion the cross is used to symbolize the exact opposite which is God’s love and justice for human kind. It is believed that he sent his son Jesus who died on the cross as an intercession to protect humans from the wrath of God.  To me it represents liberty, justice, and freedom from the condemnation of sinful acts and serves as a reminder to the Christian community of God’s love and forgiveness toward them.  Many wear this symbol today as fashion apparel in the form of necklaces, bracelets, earring, or graphics on their clothing’s.  Some even get it tattooed on their bodies holding it sacred to their hearts as a permanent reminder. 

The Mona Lisa:

The Mona Lisa is a piece of Art Work created by the one and only talented Leonardo Da Vinci during years 1503-1506.  It is a painting of a mysterious woman dressed in Florentine clothing with a dreamy landscape visual as a background and enigmatic eyes giving it a heavenly mystery.  It is said that Da Vinci wanted to please her husband so much he decided to spend extra time perfecting the painting to reflect the exact beauty of a woman.  The reason I chose this icon is because over the years this painting has become one of the most famous paintings taking on an iconic figure representing beauty in the form of artwork and has been replicated by many around the world.  It can be seen in movies, in books, on the internet, on t-shirts, coffee mugs, mouse pads and much much more.  In 1911, the painting was stolen by an employee at the Louvre Museum in Paris but was found in a hotel 2yrs later and returned to the museum.  Now the painting has its own climate controlled showcase room which was designed specifically for the painting and cost the museum over seven million dollars.  Currently it is stationed behind a bullet proof glass where over six million people from around the world come to visit it every year.  To me the painting shows The Mona Lisa a woman who clearly has imperfections because of her missing eyebrows but yet is considered one of the most beautiful women around the world.  It lets me know that imperfections are inevitable and that beauty is skin deep.

What is popular culture, and what does it mean to you?

Pop Culture is a set of trends and behaviors that people of society adapt to and accept as a part of cultural norms and values.  It is something or someone that has gained a sense of popularity from others.  Pop culture often consists of fashions, style, personality, music, social media, etc...  To me pop culture is just a circle of trends that are reborn often times by a celebrity or someone that has gained mass audience awareness.  The trend can either be a rebirth of the same original concept but sometimes may include a personality trait of the current culture that it is trying to appeal.  For instance, examples of fashion trends that used to be hot in the 90’s and have reincarnated in 2013 include:  Ruffled blouses, overalls, jean jackets, tight gelled curls, tinted sun glasses, plaid clothing design, and much more.  These fashion styles go through a phase of main stream and are often times initiated by someone that society considers popular such as a celebrity.  Once consistency becomes boredom the trend dies down as something new comes to take its place creating a new era of popular culture.  In general, pop culture is the main stream of society defining what we should be and look like in order to be “popular”.

Why is an understanding of popular culture relevant to you in a business environment and in your present and future career?

Understanding pop culture is important when it comes to business because it helps business professionals to be innovative in their approach when it comes to marketing.  Understanding their client’s perceived wants and needs based on current trend and values is a great way to grab and keep their attention.  If a business is not keeping up with the current wants and needs of their customers than customers are more likely to choose their competitors or someone who is.  It gives companies an extra added benefit and sets them apart from competitors and those around them. At the same time it gives them an opportunity to find commonality with their target audience and consumers making it easier to do business with new or existing customers.  In relation to a future career, it is helpful to understand the concept of pop culture because it instills a skill of innovation that could potentially separate you from other job candidates. 

What would you consider to be an example of a pop culture artifact? And why would you choose it?

An example of a pop culture artifact is the iPhone.  The iPhone has become one of the most known artifacts in today’s day in time due to its innovative features and capabilities that sets them apart from competitors.  This phone has been used by celebrities in movies, videos commercials etc...  It has beneficial features for individuals ranging from business professionals all the way to a college student.  Some of the characteristics contained include emailing, internet surfing, pictures, social media, games, music downloading, as well as touch screen navigation.  Every year Apple comes out with a new updated version of the iPhone intriguing consumers with its one of a kind features making it one of the most popular electronic cell phone devices used all around the world.