Aschrock280's Blog

Annnnnnd we’re done. (Final Portfolio Reflection)

aschrock280 — Wed, 18 Nov 2009 02:43:30 +0000

From Western Society, to Reality Television, we have covered a vast array of subjects and each one made a contribution to Popular Culture. The question is: What now? It certainly has been an interesting quarter and there is no doubt in my mind that I’ve learned about the controversial aspects of popular culture. I had expected these blogs to be more about connecting artifacts of current events to discussions we talked about in class and possibly adding our own flair to them. Needless to say, I was slightly disappointed at the way some of my blogs were viewed and graded, but on the same note, I could have been more clear on what I was relating my blogs to. Therefore, the best work in my eyes may be different than the one I received the highest grade on.

Through this assignment, I learned to connect current events to the way popular culture has an effect on them. In nearly every popular culture medium (video games, television, film, etc.) there was a relation to a topic we discussed in class, which is why I think this is what made the class so interesting. Our generation is witnessing the giant leaps forward in technology in the aforementioned mediums and it is because of this that, that more assignments such as this one will most likely become more and more prevalent in education in the future.

As for my blogs, I tried to make connections to our current topics towards the beginning of my postings and then when it got towards the end of the quarter, I was able to do the same, but also relate some ideas back to what we had talked about before midterm. In truth, I would also try to incorporate some of my own ideas into my posts and maybe (if I was lucky) something humorous to lighten the mood a little. I thought my best post was probably Never Cheer The Good Guy because of all the examples I could have provided other than the ones listed. It talked about popular culture icons becoming villains for the sole purpose of building their popularity and to sell tickets. The post dealt with how we all have that secret desire to see a great villain. In this post, the main idea was in icons becoming villains, they also became cultural memes which was what Kanye West did unintentionally. I felt as if my weakest post came in the form of Let’s Tone it Down a Bit Shall We? This post was fairly weak because everyone knows about obsessive fans…and nearly nobody likes them. It was almost too easy to take the stance that I did, and it felt almost unfair to further point out their insanity once again. In summary, it seemed as though I was shooting a dead horse. I could have taken the harder approach and argued that they were only expressing their undying gratitude, and made it seem as if every celebrity needed super-fans (or else they wouldn’t be celebrities). The post just seemed too easy in my eyes.

If I had to do these blog entries all over again, I would provide more profound evidence to my claims and back them up with stronger artifacts. Since this was my first time using blogs, I was getting a feel for the project throughout the quarter. My blog entries were a personal reflection of a few of my ideas and I would better tie these into the actual topics we discussed. I felt as if my artifacts were very hit or miss with fully connecting with it’s supposed topic and it was much tougher than I thought it would be. Though, thankfully, I have an idea of what to do in the future for these assignments. It is because of this that I am very grateful for this portfolio project. Now that it’s over, I am glad the way my portfolio turned out. I know it is an accurate reflection of my opinions on the topics we covered (largely including hegemonic masculinity, which I learned can be applied to nearly every culture that involves a male) and my frustrations with reality TV. The portfolio even allowed me to express my new found appreciation the show “Glee”. In the end, I hope this assignment only helps me with future blogs that come from my mind… and here is where the credits would roll.

Reply to Lost

aschrock280 — Tue, 17 Nov 2009 00:33:31 +0000

Am I lost? Most definitely. I am not a fan of Lost, but throughout it’s tenure, I have heard the stories surrounding the current plot. At first it was just a story about survivors on a plane crash, then it became more interesting with the discovery of other survivors, then the moster came about, polar bears, time travel, death and other science fiction entities that just made anyone who was not a fan of the show go “…HUH?!”. Erika accurately notes it’s multiple threading as Johnson called it, and it’s complex characters. She is thoroughly correct when she says someone who wants to become a fan should go back to the beginning and start…but let’s face it, not a lot of people have that much time on their hands.

Lost is one of those shows with a cult following and the producers are smart enough to keep the formula within the show. I think that if they wanted to attract a more broad audience, then they would need to simplify the story a bit. While Steven Johnson sees that our society has grown smarter with the need of more complex story lines, he fails to see that even the simple story lines of todays TV shows are much appreciated. It allows us to become a fan whenever we want. Not that I’m comparing Lost to Power Rangers, but the Rangers did follow the latter formula. While they held a basic premise, they were also able to further their own story lines. Lost had a basic premise, but it kept changing, which makes the show harder to follow. Alas, Steven Johnson and Erika are correct in identifying the complexity of new shows. The following clip is a brief history of Power Rangers. It occurred over 300 episodes, and not one season, like Lost.

Reply To Cougars

aschrock280 — Mon, 16 Nov 2009 20:30:50 +0000

Anthony makes many points in his blog about cougars, but I would just like to add a few. While cougaring is becoming more and more common, it is still also a very taboo subject, which is why Cougar Town is such a hit. Cougar Town is based on a fictional enviornment with older ladies going after younger men. If ABC were to have run a commercial marketing the actual thing with CougarLife, they would have been directly promoting it, instead of just entertaining the thought. It’s a very different concept. Also, Mr. Hefner is the man, no doubt about it, but he happens to be a 83 year old BILLIONAIRE. His industry was practically the foundation for modern pornography and he still keeps chugging away. Instead of filth and smut, Hef took a more classy approach to nudity, which is what made his company rise above the rest. It’s not his age and his money that attract younger women, (but it most likely is a factor) but it’s his charm and wit…and his sweet mansion.

Jerry Hall even had her run of Cougarness on her brief, but fun reality show “Kept”. It featured 12 young men vying for her affection with their goal to become Jerry’s “kept” man. She was 50 when the show aired and around 49 when it was filmed. The winner, Seth, conducted an interview with TVSA and found some very interesting answers from him about Jerry’s age and reality television.

Seth: Sorry to let you down. I never even kissed Jerry. I wan’t attracted to her at all. She was a little to old for me. I thought she was a nice person. She just wasn’t my speed.

and

Seth: We did all kinds of pick up shots. They shoot 10 different shots for all of the situations. Reality TV isn’t reality at all. Most of it is for the most part but the producers try to put you in situations in order to get what they want out of you.

He also mentioned how he never saw Jerry again after the show ended. Guess this cub couldn’t keep up with his cougar. The full interview can be read at this link. Cougars have become somewhat more accepted in our society, which is why we tolerate the fact that it exists. I fell however, that society would like to nip it’s expansion at the bud.

Reply to Vampire’s take a bite

aschrock280 — Mon, 16 Nov 2009 04:03:48 +0000

Reply to Alyssa’s post.

It’s true (blood)! Vampire’s have infected popular culture with their venom! And who are we blaming? Twilight. Crazy teen girls lined up at Wal-Mart around midnight just so they could get some of the first copies of the DVD when it came out. Due to my craving for Milk Duds, I was able to witness this first hand…but the point is, the madness is starting up again. With the release of “New Moon”, Twilights sequel, fans are beginning to rile themselves up again in anticipation. Great. True Blood is a more adult version of vampire fantasies, and The Vampire Diaries seems to settle right in the middle. It seems as though Vampires are aiming for global domination *nervous laughter*.

The fans have amassed and are asking for more. Luckily for them, they’re getting it. They’re not only asking for more of the characters, but the actors who play them. Kristen Stewart and Robert Pattinson have exploded in popularity since the release of “Twilight”. So much in fact that MTV has made a special TV show highlighting their rumored romance. Yes, I said rumored. It’s not even a fact. It just goes to show how much people want to see these two together. Taylor Lautner has even had his fair share of fame due to the new movie because of his romance with Taylor Swift (which was all but confirmed by her on SNL). Alyssa is correct when she states that vampire’s are riding a wave of sex appeal, much like pirates did after Pirates of the Carribean was released. So vampires, enjoy.

Reply To Otto Rocket

aschrock280 — Sun, 15 Nov 2009 23:29:42 +0000

First, Otto Rocket is a “giant asshole” as agreed upon. But, David does have a point, he does hold alot of hegemonic masculinity in him. His constant need to always try to prove himself as the better man is something most men feel. As much as I despise Trujillo, his points are well backed up and hard to argue with. Something I feel David didn’t touch upon was Otto’s family. He is the son of Raymond Rocket, or Raymundo as he’s called by his kids. Though he is a secondary character, he represents the familial patriarchy, physical power and control, and heterosexuality much better than that of Otto.

He has two kids and is a single father, which definitely defines himself as well equipped to take care of a full family as he has already done so. His physical features are also impressive, which makes him a definite catch for women. He is single because his wife died before the series started, but the end of the series followed him in his newest engagement. In short, if the show had a prime example of hegemonic masculinity, it would be Ray…but Tito will forever be my favorite character from the show.

….Wow. Props.

aschrock280 — Sun, 15 Nov 2009 22:26:36 +0000

After a hefty day of partying on Friday, I decided it would be best if I had stayed in and caught up on a few hours of studying. After the first hour of philosophy, I grew tired of facing the fact that I was actually STUDYING on a Saturday night. I asked a few friends what they were doing, and it turns out they had done the same thing. With all hope lost, I turned to the one place I knew I could be entertained: Hulu. I normally use Hulu to watch missed episodes of Family Guy or good sketches from SNL, but tonight, Hulu lead me down a different path. Hearing much hype about the new Fall series known as ”Glee” and having watched a snippet in class, I decided to watch the latest episode.

Not only did I feel as if i was losing a bit of my hegemonic masculinity, but I immediately began to stereotype the show as just another high school clique based show. The Glee club drew from many different kinds of groups: footballers, cheerleaders, handicapped kids, goth kids, homosexuals, and minorities. It seemed like Breakfast Club: The Musical met Secret Life of the American Teenager (which I despise among all else). Among all these factors, for some reason I still felt somewhat…charmed by the show. I did not stop with the latest episode, but continued for several more hours to be further drawn into the story. Would I now say I’m a fan? Meh. More so than before.

I feel as if I was going to be a fan, I would be dedicated to watching it when a new episode premiered on TV. I, however, don’t thing that’ll be necessary. I am a fan of the television show “Supernatural” and have followed it for several seasons. I can however see how someone could be a fan of this show, being a former choir member myself. The music was fantastically done, and the baby mama’s drama wasn’t as unrealistic as one might think (Secret Life, take note). It also had it’s funny moments too, which is always welcomed in my realm. So congrats Glee, you don’t suck as much in my eyes anymore.

Howabout Reality Takes a Stab at…oh, I don’t know…REALITY?

aschrock280 — Wed, 11 Nov 2009 21:54:45 +0000

“Like, ohmygod. LAUREN!”

What a common phrase on supposed reality show Laguna Beach and The Hills…too bad it’s become so common that nearly every person who hears the phrase now responds with “Like, ohmygod, shut the f*ck up”. As much as young adults and teens love this so called reality show, they need to realize that producers do indeed control what goes on in the show. If they want some drama to happen, all they have to do is nudge any one of characters in the right direction. This is not reality folks.

Reality shows are comprised of two categories. The reality show with a concept, and the reality show with a game. Reality shows with a concept (i.e. The Real World, Ice Road Truckers, Most Dangerous Catch) is shot more with a documentary feel to it. They cover the lives of certain people with certain characteristics. Granted, editors do make the show more interesting with the way they insert certain clips in a specific way, but for the most part, they are telling the story the way it happened. Reality shows that focus around a big game are a bit more dramatic due to the fact that everyone is competing for the same goal. They also add the element of the game(s) played throughout the show which entertain the masses as well. People grow fond of certain characters and begin to root for them as if they were watching an athletic competition. It is reality, none the less.

But now, because of The Hills becoming such a hit, more producers are trying to influence the direction of different shows. There are also several TV shows that have writers. If it is reality television…why would a show need a writer? It is these little misleading concepts that have many of us worried about the future of reality television. Although they are fully reality, people watch them because they are entertainment. As long as people are entertained, they won’t care if it’s real or not. However, one man is not worried about the future of reality television, because as long as reality television lives….so will The Soup.

It’s So Ridiculous…

aschrock280 — Tue, 10 Nov 2009 04:21:16 +0000

Nowadays, toleration can mean many different things. Toleration can mean respecting ones beliefs or throwing caution to the wind and disrespecting every religion equally. Religion has led to many of the greatest debates that our country has ever seen. Remember when our country was debating over whether we should change the Pledge of Allegiance just because it used the word “God”? Why? The Pledge of Allegiance is not a prayer to an omnipotent being. It is a pledge to the country that you live in, that you will stay loyal to your country. And if you don’t like it….don’t say it! There was also a bit of controversy surrounding the prophet Muhammed after Comedy Central refused to air an image of him citing “In light of recent world events, we feel we made the right decision”. However, later on in the South Park episode, Jesus and George W. Bush were seen defecating on the American flag.

So what is the solution? People should not pick and choose which religions can be picked on and which ones should not. It is not fair to those who strictly enjoy a good joke at the expense of of someone’s beliefs. Granted, as long as the joke is not specifically and consistently hating on a single religion. There seems to be a growing rift nowadays between people who have become increasingly sensitive and those who have grown increasingly apathetic towards the debate. Bill Maher seems to have the apathetic side covered in his movie: Religulous

Reply to Interactive Horror

aschrock280 — Sun, 08 Nov 2009 18:27:54 +0000

Reply to C.C. Wilkins post.

If scary movies weren’t bad enough, they had to create actual games where people can live the horror. Awesome. Not. I have never been a fan of the survival horror genre, but needless to say, it has intrigued me for quite awhile. You run around, get the crap scared out of you, solve a mission, and if you’re lucky: Your Survive. I feel as though there should be a maniacal laugh at the end of that sentence. Let’s be honest with ourselves, if you’re looking for a scare or two, survival horror games were the way to go…yes. I said “were”. I too have noticed a decline in substantial story within video games. Of course, there will always be good games and bad games, but it just seems as though recently, with the rise of technology, there has been a decline in creativity. I can only think of a few games that continue to have broad appeal to the masses with an expansion on their original story (Tekken and Kingdom Hearts to name a few).

So is the video game industry a reflection of the dumbing down of society? Or is it merely a victim of it? It also seems as though the “Military” genre has taken over the video game industry as well. While fan’s of western flicks are familiar with the “Bang, Bang, Shoot ‘em Up” style, games such as Call of Duty add complexity to their in-game missions. So in reality, are we being dumbed down or smartened up to the point where simple features just aren’t as appealing to us anymore? It’s a crazy argument and it’s one that will probably never die.

Let’s Tone It Down a Bit, Shall We?

aschrock280 — Thu, 05 Nov 2009 00:55:13 +0000

We’ve all seen it. That one person we know who is absolutely crazy about something, and not just any something. Oh no, it’s gotta be something in pop culture that annoys the hell out of everyone else (Jonas Brothers, Britney Spears, Internet Memes that just need to go away, etc.). The old saying goes “Imitation is the most sincere form of flattery”, but now, with the help of YouTube, they can now share their god awful obsession with the world. “Fandom” as most have come to call it has evolved over the years and now with video sharing at it’s most popular, Fandom is reaching heights never before accomplished. So what is the line between being a fan and being a super annoying fan? Better yet, what’s the difference between being a super annoying fan, and obsessive? It’s quite simple.

Fan:An enthusiastic devotee, follower, or admirer of a sport, pastime, or celebrity (courtesy of Dictionary.com). Example: I am a fan of the musical act Sum 41. I find their music to be entertaining and I would attend a concert if they came into the area I was in. I am just a fan. If I were to be a super annoying fan…

Super Annoying Fan: Ok, well there is no definition for S.A.F. but when typed into Urban Dictionary I kept seeing things about the Boston area. Anyways, the super annoying fan can take many forms, but one of it’s most recognizable video’s came in the form of the legendary Chris Crocker. Anyone who saw this video and didn’t know what was going on with Britney Spears at the time asked themselves “wtf mate?”…and well, anyone who did know asked themselves the same question…

In truth, the video is the epitomy of the crap that compiles on YouTube. 27 million views? America needs to go read a book or something, because this video definitely falls under the category of Super Annoying Fan. In definition, a super annoying fan is someone who thinks they can directly relate to the object/person of their desire when in reality, we all know they can’t. Our opinions won’t matter though, which makes them Super Annoying Fans.

3. Obsessed: to think about something unceasingly or persistently; dwell obsessively upon something. (Thank you Dictionary.com). These are the fans who aren’t fans. They’re stalkers. And they obviously need mental help. We can spot them a mile away, and we try our darn best to stay away from them if we don’t know them.

So on that note, if you begin to notice your friend has begun a new hobby about following somebody’s life, please, say something to them. Don’t let them cover their room in photos and posters of the Jonas Brothers. Let’s keep our obsessions at a healthy level. Like these two young gentleman: