Activism now!

Both documentaries and the reading illustrate pretty well what is this networking revolution about. Because I’m international, watching this kind of videos of people protesting and having troubles with the military or cops that tried to suppress acts of rebellion towards the government are not so unusual as is in the States. I actually, value the power of manifest and rise your voice against something that you disagree, even though it might not be what I believe or share my own values, I defend the right to express yourself freely and peacefully. Sadly, and as you can see in these two examples, both kind of manifestation provoke some sort of violence.

So we can better understand what activism is, I look up the word in the dictionary and is defined, “the policy or action of using vigorous campaigning to bring about political or social change.” Because of this definition and how is explained in the text and, showed in the two documentaries in order to have activism there should be some sort of reaction, and counter reaction against what is being put into attention.

In the case of the documentary about Kony this is an example of activism and true rebellion because is sudden, violent, and call some political involvement.  The video viral and by the fourth day on YouTube over 30 million people already have watched and learn about this character. As the director would say, “ We are going to make Kony famous.” Not because he is a good guy, but because he is one of the most terrible assassins in the planet, and we need to stop him. Jason Russel the director of this film use media to raise his voice, and give a voice to the voiceless. Also made a call of action to actively participate in his non-profit organization. He also described the power of Internet saying “Right now there are more people on Facebook than there were on the planet 200 years ago. Humanities greatest desire is to belong and connect and now we see each other. We hear each other.” Putting this information in the audience power, he put Kony into our own hands. As the reading said “Movement  are local and global at the same time.”

 This documentary travel all around the world, meaning that now that we’ve seen this documentary, is in us to really do something about helping with this cause, whether we are concern or not.

All this huge campaign provoke many reactions, one violent spread, and another violent critic from the people who watched it, criticizing the director for profiting and using most of the money to support his own non-profit.  Those are the perks of direct democracy; people would react, and would do it immediately.

All this fuss, provoke a violent revolution in Internet, which was taken to the street to manifest and ask for answers about Kony.  Another example  about some similar case, is the A Death of Tehran, on the contrary of the Kony example, the  protests, and  other kind of movements started on the street, and where taken to the media to create collective conscience about the things that were going on in Iran.  Usually this is the most popular way that most of third world countries or countries that still have direct democracy would manifest their opinion by protests.  This documentary is about the examination of  the death of Neda Agha-Soltan and the protests against the controversial 2009 Iranian presidential election. The polemic death of Neda Agha- Soltan lighted the fire of  the people who was protesting and this documentary keep alive her memory, as a martyr and a symbol of the cause  in the people against the government  and its supporters.  What internet and PBS made with this documentary was taking something local becoming a universal issue. Another important thing that internet made trough the You tube video of this woman dying was to share a “specific culture, the culture of autonomy, the fundamental cultural matrix of contemporary societies.”  Taking it to a personal level, and the autonomy of watching and decide for ourselves if this is or not acceptable whether we live or not in Iran.

In short, violence as a matter or violent information load, physical violence, violent opinions and reactions are all include in the effects of activism and how quick and popular this can be in an era when internet shorten distances and facilitates communications. Manifest opinions and protest for something that would call people’s attention is a valid way to show democracy and tolerance with those who think differently and those who might be suppress for all sort of economic or governmental power that may dictate someone’s actions unfairly.

Protests in Chile and activism through media.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YzsOqxy53e8

thriller protest for education.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=if68iitWFsQ

Camilla vallejos one of the head of the protests.

X2

X Man stereotypes I would start with the more obvious kind of assimilated stereotypes such as wolverine the “man.” Fighting and chewing tobacco, women on the other hand are more thoughtful, and hardly ever fight. For example Jean’s powers and behavior, she uses the power of the mind and can control things, although she is this powerful, she usually seems very fragile and out of control.

Even though the battle is not between sexes, there is still an inferential difference between these two. 

 “By inferential racism I mean those apparently neutralized representations of events and situations relating to race, whether “factual” or “fictional,” which have racist premises and propositions inscribed in them as a set of unquestioned assumptions.”

Another example of the description on inferential as Stuart Hall describe in The White of their Eyes  the example of storm and mystique. Both have some inferential heritage that depicts and shape part of their personalities. Storm looks somehow African American, her character is strong, and she is one of the biggest advocates of equality for mutants, she also depicts this African American who is been fighting against the system to have the same opportunities and not being look down only because of her race. All these values are represented in lines when talking with another stereotype the nigh crawler, “Sometimes anger can help you survive.” With this sentence she is showing the hard path she has strive to fight for her rights as a “mutant.”  Another example as I already mention, and a bit less obvious is the case of mystique, which as human is a Russian beauty, she is cold, and not afraid of killing and scheming as long as she can succeed on her goals. She is the master of disguise and what better to be an spy than being able to imitate any human she wants to.

One other interesting dialogue is when the Night crawler is talking to mystique:

Nightcrawler: Then why not stay in disguise all the time? You know, look like everyone else.

Mystique: Because we shouldn't have to.

 This is a big statement on how races and differences shouldn’t make us feel like we don’t belong. As in the speech on national culture, there should be universalize values  that  doesn’t discriminate because of race, something that create national consciousness that would be directly connected to international consciousness to live and grow. In other words, mystique is saying that no one should try to pretend and forget about his or her race, heritage or culture only to belong to the “predominant” culture.

To finalize speaking of inequality, the scene on Bobby’s house made much more sense when I knew that Bryan Singer one of the creators of the story is gay. Bobby was coming out of the “closet” in front of his family. It was interesting to see that conversation from that perspective and how metaphorical this whole mutants existence can be in the film. Especially when Bobby’s mother ask him if he has ever try not to be a mutant.

In conclusion, the film X2 signal many interesting topics that can be related to both texts, talking about how national culture matters so this can help in building a universal consciousness of the different taking it as a whole and not as something to be afraid of.  In the words of professor X to Wolverine “we are not as alone as alone as you think.”  Although, inferential racism, inequality and assimilated discrimination are all still struggles of society, the fact that there is more and more representation on the “minorities” in the world changes the collective thought in a way that the white capitalist realize that he/she has never been the majority.  

Bibliography

Bibliography

Arnett Jensen, Lene. 2003. Coming of age in a multicultural world: Globalization and adolescent cultural identity formation. Applied Developmental Science.

This book would basically help me to put my topic into a high school context in which the importance of cultural identity is always a trend. The author gives different examples about the influences that globalization has influenced younger generations. The lack of interested in their cultural background and the rapid foster of  pop culture that predisposed a more globalize perspective.

Globalization winners and losers 2005. , eds. Films for the Humanities & Sciences (Firm), Films Media Group., Journeyman Pictures (Firm) and Journeyman Pictures (Firm).New York, N.Y.: Films Media Group.

I will use this book to illustrate the downfalls of globalization and how some       countries were more affected than others. Even though I would write about the benefits of globalizations and transnationalism. I still want to show the critical situation that this mostly economical system provokes in other countries outside United States.

John Tomlinson. 1999. Globalization and Cultural Identity. Chapter 23. PDF e-book.

This book is key to my point of view about how we already live in a globalize world and the importance of keeping cultural identity. There might be naïve to think that globalization can be stopped or even rejected. On this chapter Tomlinson  explained the importance of  identity as treasure, and cultural power.

Lau, Jenny Kwok Wah. 2007. Hero: China's response to hollywood globalization. Jump Cut: A Review of Contemporary Media.

The author of this article explained the turn in Chinese cinema and gives some examples of successful Chinese films that have been more popular than Hollywood films in China. I would center my theme in cultural identity in basically Chinese cinema and its response to Hollywood (globalization).

Münch, Richard, 1945. 2001. Nation and citizenship in the global age : From national to transnational ties and identities, ed. Richard Münch.New York: Palgrave.

Richard Munch described the importance of the melting pot of different nationalities and identities within one country. How these different cultures may co exist and learn from each other and the impact that capitalism has in all cultures.  Transnational ties are very important to explain the worldwide popularity of Chinese culture.

Szeto, Kin-Yan, 1971. 2011. The martial arts cinema of the chinese diaspora : Ang lee, john woo, and jackie chan in hollywood, ed. Kin-Yan Szeto.Carbondale: Southern Illinois University Press.

This is the continuation of the film that I would use to represent the power of cultural identity and its effects in the world. The different films that show Chinese martial arts and how Americanize these films may be. As well as to evaluate how representative an authentic these films portray Chinese culture.

Rosen, Stanley. "China Goes Hollywood." Foreign Policy no. 134 (January 2003):

94. Academic Search Premier, EBSCOhost

With the previous book we would evaluate the representation of popular Chinese cinema, in this book the author explained the authenticity and the changes that Chinese films made to become even more popular. Super production and block Buster such as Crouching Tiger and Hidden Dragon are examples that the author analyzes.

World cinema : Critical approaches 2000. , eds. John (W John) Hill, Pamela Church GibsonOxford; New York: Oxford University Press, 2000.

        

        This book is about film history, is mainly to have some background on Chinese cinema and prominent director before and after globalization made a real impact in this country. It also narrates the changes on representation from cultural cinema to pop Chinese culture.

Yen, Donnie. Yip Man 2: Legends of the Grandmaster. Directed by Wilson Yip. Hong Kong, 2010.

        

       This film is the biggest and more didactic representation  of the treasure and the power of cultural identity. Ip man a kung fu master, fights with a British boxer that make fun of Chinese martial arts. Ip man is a well center person that demonstrate the value of his traditions in a world that seems to trash everything that is not a product of globalization.

Yip, Man Fung. 2011. Martial arts cinema and Hong Kong modernity: Bodies, genders, and transnational imaginaries.

        

        Man Yip described the effects of martial arts in china. For what I’m most interested on this book is the sense of transnational imaginaries that transcend from kung fu, to other martial arts in Asia. Another important aspects in the change that Hong Kong has to become a more westernize city, and how this influence in the new cinema.

I want to start my theme with a more macro look to what is globalization and cultural identity so that people would be able to have some more empathy with my focus. The definitions on globalization as the process by which the experience of everyday life, marked by the diffusion of commodities and ideas, is becoming standardized around the world. And the definition of cultural identity as the identity of a group or culture, or of an individual as far as one is influenced by one's belonging to a group or culture.

Having these two definitions in mind it would be much easier to explain about how these two elements have been so influential in Chinese cinema and why it is important for everyone to understand the importance of their example.

In the film Ip Man 2 the main character said “Martial Arts are the heart of our people.” This means that martial arts is essential in Chinese traditions and because of that it is important to learn it and to pass it on from one generation to another. Even though we already live in a globalize world, Chinese films show the value of their history and traditions through their films. These films are not purely educational, but they are popular films in China and around the world.  As well as the western culture is around the globe, China as found a way to also become globalize. Although, the process of becoming globalize has some sacrifices to do with its audience. Hollywood being a representation of capitalism and globalization has a patter to create block busters and China has change in some how their way to make movies because of the globalize influence in their directors. These melting pot of different cultures is what creates a transnational identity that not only identity one but several cultures, still more Chinese than anything else.

My point on these examples is that even though we live in a country that is the pure representation of capitalism, still is possible to save and value our cultural identity, no matter the state, country or background we have. Keeping our cultural identity goes beyond films and art, while film is part of our lives and supposed to sometimes be a mirror of society.  The multiples misrepresentations and the constant remakes of films to Americanize the stories are for our daily consumption. These are not to educate but merely to entertain.

In conclusion, Chinese cinema to my opinion has found a good balance of some transnational representations that have helped them to better expose and to honor to their cultures and traditions. Chinese films having their own personal signature have earned the praise and a worldwide recognition in different films festivals and in the selling ticket office. Ang Lee, John Woo, Jackie Chan, Bruce Lee, Zhang Yimou are all great artist that have shown their culture in different ways and forms. More than a competition against Hollywood, is taking something unique that cannot be copied to share it with others in a way that other people may become interested. 

Mean Girls and the Portrayal of Women

The texts by Laura Mulvey and Angela Mc Robbie reveal some important light about how women stereotypes take place in cinema and media in general. Both referred to the objectification of women and in one case the idea of phallocentrism and scopophilia. On the other side how post-feminism may have a backlash on its own idea. The film Mean Girls is a good exponent of how popular culture is touching these ideas and at the same time using comedy to entertain and maybe backlash what post feminism is implying. The examples of Cady, Ms. Norbury and many others are interesting role models that show the role of woman nowadays.

 In the example of Cady, thus we realize how a home-school girl changes due to this new reality, which is attend to high school for the first time.   Cady recognizes different groups and tendencies, how girls behave in another different and somehow similar jungle that she used to lived in back in Africa.  She makes friends and has a crush on Aaron Samuels ex-boyfriend of her new “friend” Regina and popular boy. She starts by approaching him by a process of castrating herself as described in the Laura Mulvey text. She lower her grades in Math and look for a way to have Aaron as a tutor, also she changes her clothe to a more provocative style so she can be in “control” of the situation also as Mulvey describes a socophilia  or becoming an object to be look at as an spectator.

Even though as the post feminist opinion this change that Cady is having in the film is a critique to the plastics and a mockery to actually make a big joke to Regina. Cady changes her attitude, and the point of becoming a plastic to make fun of ,  goes to come to a be one. So the joke is on her more than in the plastics. Even though the joke is in place, they are both Cady and the plastic serving to a higher patriarchal world in which being attractive and accepted is more important than anything else. Just like the advertisement of Claudia Shiffer taking put her clothe and making a statement that even though that is a sexist ad, and that feminism is being taken into account, just to make clear that feminist ideas are no longer necessaries because she is in “control.” The result is still a similar to a pointless sexist ad.

Another interesting point is the case of Ms. Norbury, the other new role of woman that represents the post feminism backlash. A divorced and professional woman with no children who tries to help Cady to be the best in her math class. Ms. Norbury represented by Tina Fey screenplay writer and a big expository in media of feminism and post feminism. She represents the fears and consequences of being an independent, and more intellectual woman, just like the example of Bridget Jones’ Diary the film both characters are in their mid thirties still with an unresolved lives.  Both even though with an apparent good ending, still in the patriarchal world. These characters presents themselves bitter and problematic, on one side they aim good goals, on the other they are unhappy. The portrayal of a successful woman influencing Cady would destroy the whole film, although if she would have turn herself to her mother, a professional educated woman with an stable family, things would have turn differently.

Finally the others extremes of portraying and mocking of feminism is the roll of Janis, a manly and not so visually appealing woman that look for justice against Regina. Janis is the stereotypical feminist: possibly lesbian, bitter, and opinionated. Mrs. George is another extreme of post feminist ideals; she is a “cool mom” with extremely liberal ideals.  She has no responsibilities in teaching values to her daughters, probably a consequence of a suppress teenage life with a more conservative ideals. Last, the little daughter of Mrs. George that is watching and learning how to be sexy and provocative since her early stage of life.

In conclusion, Mean Girls touches each one of the pointed main topics on the texts. The whole idea of the portrayal of woman in media is a complex issue. Debates and discussions about it are essential to shape the identity on this genre. Either the Mulvey and Mc Robbie text explained how this portrayal changes over time, with a similar façade, but with different meaning. 

Cultural Industry and Hunger Games

There are many thoughts when it comes to this a priori unintelligible text and the film Hunger Games. The summary of what I got from the text was what my grandma use to say about the TV, “ That thing is making you stupid!. You re not thinking, you just plug into different world.”  She used to say that until she discovered Brazilian soup operas and now she is just one more in the system.  One more in this Uniformity of Culture that alienates people to be part of this sameness that the text describes. In the Hunger Games film trough media and intimidation of these 12 districts, one of the reasons  they put on this show of Hunger games is to demonstrate how brutal are humans, and putting them in a situation in which they have to kill to survive, all the worse values in society were put into place to show them that they are lesser and that they deserve to be under the district 13, or the one social system they have to rule. 

In the text they pointed that explained this pointless competition in the Hunger Games.

“The advantages and disadvantages debated by enthusiasts serve only to perpetuate the appearance of competition and choice. It is no different with the offering of Warner Brothers and Metro Goldwyn Mayer… The unified standard of value consists in the level of the conspicuous production, the amount of investment put on show.”

In today’s media there are many examples of how we can be manipulated to chose certain things such as advertising. Universal things like women like chocolate and man eat meat, all that are things that media recreates, and works with different brands  so it doesn’t matter if we eat M&Ms’ or Hershey’s, both are chocolate at the end, and people buys that.

Although, that doesn’t mean and I may feel a bit more optimistic than Horkheimer and Adorno about oneness can also be achieved by media.  In the Hunger Games Peeta and Katnees had an important dialogue that shows Peeta as someone who is rebelling against the system.

Peeta: I wish I could show them that they don’t own me. If I’m gonna die, I still wanna be me.

Katnees: I just can’t afford to think like that. I have my sister.

Although the one who achieved that goal unintentionally was Katness as a symbol of the oncoming revolution of the districts, Peeta said what she thought could never conceived because she had other more important priorities. 

Another example that I can think of, about someone who also wanted to call the attention of mass media was Andy Warhol an avant-garde artist with famous painting such as Campbell’s soup cans oil in canvas, he criticize this sameness that people is buying. He never had to explain his point when he put on display his piece of art, because the people would make the point for him. When people would see the painting, they would only see the same can over and over again, and would miss the point of the picture. Audiences in New York and around the world were very categorically critical with a painting that would show how we oversight individuality for sameness.

In the text they the writers also express how media creates a certain reality that people seems to be translating to the world and both feeding themselves to a created world that the people support because of what’s in the media they consume. It’s a whole circle that feed from each other and creates a sense of reality and how things are supposed to be.

“The familiar experience of the moviegoer, who perceives the street outside as a continuation of the film he has just left, because the film seeks strictly to reproduce the world of everyday perception, has become the guideline of production.”

This means that stereotypes, social classes, and others are mostly typify by the media around and the political system that govern it. This show that the district 13 put for their own district of lavish especial effects and glamorous people is to create a world of entertainment and high emotions, but with little of humanity. On the contrary, the same dehumanization is happening in the other districts but not to entertain but to intimidate. Its one world or the other but media serve and feed both.

In conclusion, there are many examples of how Horkheimer and Adorno may be right in certain things, but they are forgetting the important role that media takes to educate and make conscience, to reveal and to teach people around the world. There are many points that I might agree on this, but I still firmly understand and believe that artists, educators and many others can benefit from media and the role than may have. We live in an almost capitalist world that is feeding from us constantly. It is on us to see what we get, especially as filmmakers, to make a difference in our own field. Positively influencing with work that inspires and provoke some critical thinking.

I watched this film when I was on high school, this filmed was banned in the states because it was too violent, years later Hunger Games comes in :/  just a thought.