This essay is supposed to be on “contested meaning,” an argument over what is the true meaning of something, of someone. The only problem with that is that meaning is just something that humans make up. All of this “meaning” that humans talk about is just a bunch of connections that we have made through knowledge of other connections we have made. If we step far enough back in time we can take the example of an non-sentient creature. This creature has been imbued with some patterns that their ancestors have seen to not change throughout generations, and we have given these the name of instincts. But as a (draw good example to maybe a tiger cub learning and playing).
Wrapped inside this word meaning, we often attribute a value to go along with this meaning. It is very difficult as well as very rare for a single person or small faction to create any value in any single thing or concept. Instead, these meanings are handed down to the people from those who are above on the political ladder. This political ladder is the same one MacDonald writes of, referring to more of the “broad sense of the working of power” (190) and the hierarchy of such rather than electoral systems, etc. It is in this way that the “haves” execute their hegemonic power over the “have-nots.” This hegemony is fueled, supported and driven by the media and a certain control it wields and gives. As a result of the control of the media, the “haves,” due to the media’s selling of identity rather than product, create an ideal person that consumers strive to be. Kline states this in her documentary “No Logo.” By creating something that the consumer strives to be, they have invisibly flexed their controlling arm; if one is striving for something, they are c...
... middle of paper ...
...n a revolution. Would overthrowing this hegemony be possible or even beneficial? Could there be a movement toward a completely “Open source” language system, as there was with computer operating systems? Is the need to change not seen since we don’t pay for language as we do with operating systems? Well, we don’t pay with currency.
Language is just meaning and this meaning consists of nothing other than random connections that man has made to try to bring order to the chaos of the world. This assemblage of the signifier (the word) and the signified (that which the word is describing) has no foundation other than that inherited from tradition. Would the world be any worse off if the name for a cow was “duck”? Most of the human population is forced into only a certain set of actions by the media, by the man, by their own language. Is there any escape from this?
In the essay The Chosen People, Stewart Ewen, discusses his perspective of middle class America. Specifically, he explores the idea that the middle class is suffering from an identity crisis. According to Ewen’s theory, “the notion of personal distinction [in America] is leading to an identity crisis” of the non-upper class. (185) The source of this identity crisis is mass consumerism. As a result of the Industrial Revolution and mass production, products became cheaper and therefore more available to the non-elite classes. “Mass production was investing individuals with tools of identity, marks of personhood.” (Ewen 187) Through advertising, junk mail and style industries, the middle class is always striving for “a stylistic affinity to wealth,” finding “delight in the unreal,” and obsessed with “cheap luxury items.” (Ewen 185-6) In other words, instead of defining themselves based on who they are on the inside, the people of middle class America define themselves in terms of external image and material possessions.
In historical context the rise of the free market industries is at its peak. In the year 1999 oil industries, electronics, fast food, clothing lines hit the front line. For the first time ever poor people are able to have what rich people have. Keeping up with the Jones, as many people say. There is this mindset of get it now and pay for it later. This leave most of the working class in debt. While consumers get the latest luxuries they are being “Consumed by Consumerism” (Domigpe). We have all become slaves to the brands of everything we buy. For example, when new electronics come out on the market that is mostly a want, but looks awesome, we buy it to keep up with the Jones and also because the advertisements tell us to. We also need the companies to live, because without them there is no employment. “Because of this circle, which is hanging over everybody in a modern society, the capitalists have pushed us into a place, where consumerism and capitalism go hand in hand” (Denzin). With the deb...
Language is a very powerful tool. It is a means of basic communication, and has been around for centuries. Just like any other tool, language can be powerful in a positive or negative way, and can either work to one's advantage or can result in negative effects. Certain words can touch a certain chord inside someone, so they can be easily influenced by the language. A good example of this is George Orwell's Animal Farm, a fable in which a multitude of gullible animals are exploited by a group of power mongering pigs. Words can appeal to a persons basic needs and desires and conjure up hope or even fear in his or her mind. These emotions can be manipulated by others to their own advantage, and clever use of language can be used to cheat, deceive, spread rumors. In Animal Farm, Orwell shows how the pig's use of influential language manipulates and enslaves the animals.
Language is one of the most important thing in our culture since it allows us to pass on knowledge and can be used as power. Language can act as power when someone change the information that we know which make the person the only one with proper knowledge. If there was no language, our history would have changed dramatically, also even though we had language, the history of our culture might no be true. Names are also another important thing in our culture since it gives us information on what an object is meant to do. Therefore, in a society, the society’s condition is represented by language which can be affected or shown by how much time is passed after the catastrophe, whether an object or person has a name or not, and the belief system that the world has.
Throughout our daily lives we are exposed to an innumerable amount of instances that help to shape the way we perceive our lives and our position in society. It is our responsibility as individuals to recognize these influences and to understand how we might be affected. Vincent Parrillo redefines prejudice and its causes in his essay ‘Causes of Prejudice’ he elaborates on the work of others to explain that prejudice is a complex phenomenon and the result of not only social issues but personal issues as well. In the essay “Framing Class, Vicarious Living, And Conspicuous Consumption” Diana Kendall presents the idea that the media intentionally uses its influence to create divisions in social class in her essay. She claims this influence causes
Language always conveys a message. Language can convey a message that is full of manipulation. In Robin Lakoff’s essay, “Everybody’s a Politician”, she discusses how manipulation is used in day to day conversations, even if one is not intentionally trying to manipulate. Language can be used to dominate others. In the essay, “the Language of Oppression” by Haig A. Bosmajian, he explains the power of using names to define others. Language can change the way a person thinks. In the same essay, “the Language of Oppression” by Haig A. Bosmajian, he also discusses the way someone thinks can be changed by language. Lastly, language has the power to degrade an individual. In another essay, by Robin Lakoff, “You Are What You Say”, she explains how
In Solomon’s words, “American dream encourages the desire to ‘arrive,’ to vault above the mass, it also fosters a desire to be popular, to ‘belong’.” (169) Advertiser whose “ads are aimed at a broader market” (169) are utilizing such kind of human mentality. For instance, Nike is a famous clothes brand to almost everybody. In its advertisement, there are always people in different genders, races and ages wearing Nike’s products running on streets, on riversides or in parks. Through its advertisement, Nike is trying to convey consumers that everyone is using Nike’s products, and you should be one of them. People want to fit in as part of most people, so they buy Nike’s products. Nike’s advertised products make people belong to it. If I were going to buy a new pair of shorts for running, I would consider of buying a pair of Nike shorts because it seems that so many people wear Nike shorts and I want to keep the same with them. People buy those advertised products to increase their senses of belonging, but they are losing their individuality at the same time. Despite many advertised products could decrease the individuality, some of them indeed make people more of
This leads to the negative viewpoint of cultural globalization, that “[it] can lead to a utopian world, [and] some believe it will cause less dominant cultures to be obliterated and economically developed cultures to prosper.” (Issit 1). Although the dominance of English allows for people to speak a common language many can understand, a downside would be losing knowledge of other cultures.
Imagine living in a society where everything is uniform. Anything you wear, eat or think is controlled. Then you realize that your life is not actually yours. This sounds bizarre, but it’s true. Without knowing it, everyone dreams of the same things in life; the perfect job, the perfect family, or the perfect house. We may not all agree to this, but the fact is that we all dream the same dream. In some way, we are all part of one big “cult” because our desires are similar to one another. When the word “cult” comes to mind, it has a negative connotation. American society makes most of its profits by the use of advertisements. In Kalle Lasn’s essay “The Cult You’re In,written in 1996, he uses rhetorical tactics such as ethos, pathos, and logos to illustrate how ads increase a person’s desire for goods and services that he or she may not want. There are some aspects of as in his essay that are rhetorically effective; however, there are some aspects of his essay that are not.
Language is how we express ourselves. There are many different languages in our world. Within those languages there are different dialects. Those dialects are affected by the communities that use them. People add slang or shorten words to make the language their own. This has an immense impact on how authors write. Some authors will attempt to use proper English, but often times will use words common to their community.
Words have meaning. To different people, words mean different things and have different effects. Words can affect our emotions, way of thinking, personality, and our general way of life. words and language are strong tools that we use in our everyday life.The words in our language, written or spoken, mean different things to different people. Not only do they mean things different things to different people, words mean different things coming from different people.For example the word nigger.The word nigger coming from a black person directed at another doesn 't have much of an effect. In fact, it 's a form of greeting or recognition.
Many theorists suggest that consumption is correlated to the identity of an individual, that by purchasing goods from the mass market, it enables us to visibly establish our position within society. This differs from previous times in which a range of factors such as family histories, character and personal achievements played a significant role (Gabriel and Lang, 2006). Instead, there is the idea that the consumer has the ability to gain pleasure over objects, not just solely by the manipulation of objects, but through the degree of control over their meaning. The degree of control is developed and achieved through imagination and provides greater possibilities of pleasure experiences. This suggests that modern consumption can be seen as device that enables individuals to ‘dream’ about the desires they wish to fulfill. (Campbell, 1989: 79) (Cited in Gabirel & Lang, 2006)
The Frankfurt School (Marjoribanks, pg 471) further extend this idea by understanding media as commodifying culture, viewing the media as a hegemonic force, conversely presenting the audience as passive. This perceived passivity has been widely contested (Macionis & Plummer 2002 cited in Marjoribanks, pg 471), and even Gramsci (1971, cited in Majoribanks, pg 471) has critiqued this notion by indicating that in order for a hegemonic ruling to happen it must be consented by the public, thereby placing the choice of submitting to the media and its influences on the audience. Marjoribanks makes a valid point in highlighting the idea of ‘hegemony’ indicates a possibility that the audience can challenge the dominant ideas and overturn consent, presenting the notion that the audience is an active group, rather than passive. Extending this argument Hall’s (1973) encoding and decoding is mentioned; which found that the accepting and rejecting of media messages is controlled by an individual’s upbringing, values and ideals, thereby diminishing the perceived strong power that hegemonic forces have over the public. Morley (1992) agrees, highlighting Counihan’s (1973:43 as cited in Morley (1992) pg 72) conclusions that the media-audience
The word language is most often associated with speech, yet it is also closely related to power. While many see language as a tool of unification and empowerment, it is also used to silence others. Society gives advantages to individuals that speak the dominant language, and those who are not fluent, are victims of social pressures such as ridicule, harassment, and isolation. Language gives individuals the power to manipulate and oppress others. Oppression occurs when one group has power over another group, and use that power to manipulate. Language gives dominant groups the power to oppress minority individuals through segregation, assimilation and hierarchies.
...l not replace English as the global language in the next century. English language has a solid foundation of population and technological field. Since everybody is learning and communicating with each other in English, is it necessary for everyone to learn a new language (Chinese) for sharing ideas? The answer is obvious. However, it is possible that English will not keep its monopoly in the next century. Rather, a small number of languages including English may form dominant roles – each with a special area of influence, for instance, Chinese’s rising will create a bilingual English-Chinese region. In other words, English may supplement or co-exist with other important languages by allowing strangers to communicate across linguistic boundaries. It may become a tool that opens windows to the world, unlocks doors to opportunities, and expands our minds to new ideas.