Hugh Hefner Gives Crystal Harris Massive Engagement Ring

I came across this article on the internet and it made me think of the gender roles in society. It showed how stereotypes of what is acceptable in our country depends on what gender you are and how there is a double standard. Since Hugh is a white, successful man from the dominant class he can be socially accepted as a womanizing pimp and can be iconed  as an entrepreneur instead of a disgrace to society.   If a black woman was 80 and running an empire promoting sex and marrying a 20 year old ambercrombi model society would flip but its ok since hugh is a white male.

Mean Girls

Today my neighbors 'forced' me to watch the movie Mean Girls with Lindsey Lohan. In the film Lindsey Lohan plays an American girl named Cady who has spent most of her life living in Africa. The one scene that really stuck out to me in this film was when Cady was asked where she was from and she replied "I came here from Africa" and the girl replies, "but your not black?" It just kinda showed to me how in America we define blackness as foreign and not true American. Depending on your level of pigmentation can determine your level of acceptance. If you look at our black celebs like Alecia keys, Beyonce, Rihanna, Chris Brown they are all mixed ethnicity and not "full black". Rarely are very darkly pigmented individuals displayed prominently in American culture except if they are Athletes.

Clint,

Levi Jeans "Go Forth"

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_uBsV8wAEhw





Historical Significance:

Levi Strauss and CO. (Levi's), is an American denim clothing company that was established in 1873, San Francisco.  Levi's denim wear is notable for their enduring strength, practical use, comfort, and even style.  Levi Jean's has been imprinted in American society with more relevance than any other article of clothing.  Contrary to the modern legend, Levi did not dress the minors of the 1850s, but did in fact clothe those minor's children and grandchildren who would become the first labor workers of the Industrial Western Frontier of the early 20th century.  Factory workers, cowboys, and lumberjacks were all American Western labor workers who sported Levi's in the early 20th century.

Commercial Depictions/Class Concepts:

Levi's "Go Forth" commercial epitomizes the sense of nationalism the brand oozes in this one-minute long pep rally for the American youth.  The clip opens with the neon lettering of the word “AMERICA” with fireworks falling as if it were the “Forth” of July, the most patriotic holiday.  The narrator, sounding as if he were on a household radio stating a national broadcast, announces “America… Centre of equal daughters… Equal sons… All alike indeed.”  We see how the commercial incudes different races of people, most vividly noticed with a kiss of an interracial couple.  This Melting Pot ideology resembles that same melting pot that the School House Rock children’s cartoon so emphatically praises in the chorus as The Great American MEL-TING-POT! The black and white dramatization gives a since of historical importance.  We see individuals running freely in open pastures, climbing fences, walking the shores of bodied waters, and horseback riding.  All of which contribute to the ideology of freedom that we all alike obtain.  The sight of different types of youthful Americans doing all different kinds of activities revisits Walt Whitman’s I hear American Singing.  Both poem and commercial glorify the task of each individual American, a task that “belongs to him or her and no one else” (line 12; I Hear America Singing).  The narrator continues saying, “[We are] strong, fair, enduring, capable, rich.”  The American Exceptionalism ideology is present in the diction, which builds up the idea that we are united in our common virtues.  Later, the narrator states, “[American citizens are] perennial with the Earth, with freedom, law, and love.”  Perennial (lasting; enduring), is strategically used to depict American citizens.  Constitutionally, we were established as a free and lawful nation and will “Go Forth” in this manner. 

Levi’s Underlying Theme:

Particularly, it is more common to see the adolescent bottomed in the Levi Jean.  The words used by the narrative to describe American youthful citizens are also common words that depict the Levi jeans: strong, free, enduring, capable, and perennial.  In the conclusion of the commercial we see two kids running with a banner that shows the slogan “Go Forth.” In regards to the Youth, Modern Age has proven that American clothing style is launched in an infinite amount of direction. The goal of the Levi's brand is to unite the youth of America as one driving force that will one day be the future of a great nation.  The underlying goal of Levi is to exert a sense of nationalism to the youth, give voice to their freedom, and unite them as a product as the future.  As if to say…

We as Levi Strauss and CO. have been clothing those who have partaken in the evolution of America, and we will continue to do so with the youth pulling up their Levi Jeans (instead of their bootstraps) and continue to “Go Forth” with a perennial freedom, law, and love.

Herding Cattle to Herding Cats

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Pk7yqlTMvp8

This commercial is a play on the frontier and Manifest Destiny.  It depicts many white rugged males that embody what Americans were supposed to be in the late 1900s.  Only males are shown in the commercial because during the time of Manifest Destiny only males were primarily working on the frontier.  What I find interesting in this commercial is that a black herder is also included.  In the time period of Manifest Destiny the overwhelming majority of those depicted on the frontier were white.  However, because this is a modern commercial the inclusion of a black herder was most likely to attract a larger audience to their product. Diversity is more encouraged in the media in current times than it was over 100 years ago.

And now I see it's just another pair of shoes

Wings

By: Macklemore and Ryan Lewis

When observing athletes impact on society, aside from the entertainment they give us, the clear place that their impact is largest is in the market. Athletes, as Hilary stated today in lecture, are held very highly in society and are seen as larger than life human beings, ones that we should aspire to be like. With new technologies always being invented, the obsession that we have with technology, and the athletic endorsement, it is hard to avoid these technologies. When Michael Jordan entered the advertising world, technology often became associated with athletes, the biggest technologies being the shoe and other clothes.

For boys and men, athletes are seen as more masculine than other males in the world, and men always want to be masculine. It is this masculinity crisis that drives people to do anything in their power to become just like these athletes that they look up to. The shoes are shown to be part of the athlete's success because they are always wearing them while they play or even break records. It's because of this that we believe if we buy these shoes, which can cost upwards of $100, we will be closer to that goal of being like the athletes.

Macklemore addresses this idea in his song "Wings" and tells us that the idea of "We are what we wear" is not true. It is about consumerism and how companies use our dreams of becoming the athletes and "cool kids" to sell us nothing more than a brand name. In reality, these shoes will not fix the masculinity crisis but this promise is how companies like Nike profit as well as they do.

"They started out, with what I wear to school

That first day, like these are what make you cool
And this pair, this would be my parachute
So much more than just a pair of shoes
Nah, this is what I am
What I wore, this is the source of my youth
This dream that they sold to you
For a hundred dollars and some change
Consumption is in the veins
And now I see it's just another pair of shoes"

Too American?

"American Dad" is about a suburban family that has many adventures befall them. I believe this show represents American Exceptionalism through the characters presented and the events that take place. First the characters are meant to be an over typical american family as well as representing times in American history. The alien is meant to show Americas obsession with aliens, followed by the typical housewife reflecting the time of strong sexism, then the hippie daughter, the german fish, the young boy going through puberty and finding out girls, and lastly, the over American father that believes every stereotype about other countries.

This show is almost a direct parallel of American Exceptionalism. In the show they constantly make fun of every other country regardless if it is true or not. In one example, Stan, the dad, was eating breakfast and his wife, Francine, asks, "How's everyones French Toast?" in which Stan replies, "Smelly and ungrateful, but this American Toast is delicious!" This is just one example of many that shows how "American Dad" portrays American Exceptionalism in its over the top antics and play to stereotypes.

Envy: Not the American Dream

I was recently watching the movie Envy with Ben Stiller and Jack Black and noticed how Stiller loses sight of the American Dream. In the movie Stiller and Black are best friends, neighbors, and co-workers, but the one thing Stiller has that Black does not is a family. However one day Black invents a product that makes fecies disappear and names it VaPoorize, becoming a millionaire overnight.
In class when everyone gave their description of the American Dream majority of people including me listed things such as a good job, a healthy family, and a nice house; something that Stiller had throughout the movie, but quickly lost sight of. As soon as Black became rich, Stiller's jealousy went through the roof and he lost track of how good he had it. He became rude to his family and started hating his job, only focusing on how much money Black had. Stiller loses sight of the American Dream of having a nice house, good job, and a healthy family, and becomes obsessed with money.