Gym Cultures Prominence In Society Cultural Studies Essay

Gym Cultures Prominence In Society Cultural Studies Essay Gym culture holds a prominent place in contemporary society. Studies1 focused on the physical dimensions of self-concept document the significance placed on physical appearance in evaluations of self-worth. The inconsistency between the real and ideal self is an important trigger within gym culture and this relationship is comprehensively and covertly exploited through media narratives and advertising images. Roland Barthes asserts that an imitated object makes something appear which remained invisible, or if one prefers, unintelligible in the natural object. Structural man takes the real, decomposes it, then recomposes it.2 Unravelling the means by which texts and images recomposed the original is at the centre of structuralist analysis. Concepts of semiology developed by Ferdinand de Saussure form the basis for structuralist methodology. Saussure rejected the conventional view of the linguistic sign as a name attached to an object in favour of the notion of the linguistic sign as a two-sided psychological entity.3 The word sign is used to describe the whole created through the combination of the signified (signifie) and the signifier (signifiant). The signifier is the materially perceptible component such as a sound, picture or written mark whilst the signified is the conceptual meaning. The relationship between the two, according to Saussure is arbitrary, founded entirely on social convention. Signs employed in the discourse of gym culture habitually focus on bodies. Figures 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, and 6 all contain images of young, slim, and attractive 1 Maguire, J. and L. Mansfield, No-bodys perfect: women, aerobics, and the body beautiful Sociology of Sport Journal 5, 2 (1998): 109-137. 2 Critical Terms for Literary Study. Chicago: The University of Chicago Press, 1995. 3 The Oxford Dictionary of Literary Terms. Chris Baldick. Oxford University Press, 2008. Oxford Reference Online. Oxford University Press bodies. The relationship between the photographic images, the signifier, and the concept of youth, health and attractiveness, the signified, combine to create the sign. Roland Barthes however noted that this model focuses extensively on denotation to the detriment of connotation. In his initial investigations Barthes distinguishes between two forms of reference: denotation and connotation. Conventionally denotation is referred to as the literal, primary sense or straightforward dictionary meaning, whilst connotation refers to the range of further associations that a word evokes in addition to its denotation. The connotations of a particular word are a formulated sequence of qualities, contexts, and emotional responses commonly associated with that to which it refers. The context in which the word or phrase is used and the individual inclinations of the audience determine which connotations will be initiated. Initially Barthes suggested that analytically connotation can be distinguished from denotation4 in the same way that a photographic image represents the denotation of what is photographed, the connotation is exposed through how it is photographed. Barthes however later concluded that: denotation is not the first meaning, but pretends to be so; under this illusion, it is ultimately no more than the last of the connotations (the one which seems both to establish and close the reading), the superior myth by which the text pretends to return to the nature of language, to language as nature. The two women in Figure 1 and the woman in Figure 3 are all pictured wearing long pants. The same particular item of clothing is denoted in both advertisements, namely pants. However in Figure 1 the 4 Chandler, Daniel:  Semiotics for Beginners  (1994) pants are cargo pants whilst in Figure 3 the model wears jeans. Cargo pants connote youth, hip-hop and dance culture whilst jeans are associated with the everyday down-to-earth, girl-next-door. The style of pants selected reflect a range of connotations, the denoted image is inherently connotative. Barthes perspective exposes denotation as being no more natural than connotation but rather as stemming from a process of naturalization. Denotation is thus proved to be a product of ideology. Images prevalent in gym culture discourse documents this well. Note the similarity between the models selected in Figures 4, 5 and 6. They are all slim, tanned and tall with long blond hair and have been selected to portray a specific image of femininity influenced by historical attitudes and social convention, which conforms to contemporary westernized ideology. Similar images are presented to both male and female consumers. Fitness magazine (Figure 5) features an image of American television host K elly Ripa, with a byline suggesting that the magazine contains the secrets to how she got this buff, whilst the cover of Mens Fitness (Figure 6) has a byline suggesting that the magazine contains the secrets of how to gain hard abs, strong enough for a night with the featured Carmen Electra, glamour model and actress. Connotatively men should be fit and muscular to attract their ideal woman, and women should strive to be that ideal- attractive, slim, tanned and blond. The selection of celebrities this physical represented ideal suggests that fame, success and wealth accompany the ideal. These associations formed by groups of signs create a cultural paradigm. In the same way the Zumba advertisement in figure 1 is designed to immediately invoke connotations of a gym culture paradigm. The images are of one male and two female bodies. Little of their faces, apart from smiles suggesting fun and happiness, can be seen reinforcing a focus on moving bodies and physicality. Naked midriffs whilst emphasize muscled, slim bodies also invokes sexual connotations. Through metonymy the graphic representation of a speaker emphasizes the role of music and its associations with parties, social interaction. Strong colours are used and orange, the adverts predominant colour believed to be invigorating as it increases oxygen supply to the brain is used to reflect joy, enthusiasm, creativity, attraction, success and stimulation. It is also used to attract attention as it is high visibility. The line Ditch the workout, join the party! aligns working out with having a party. The word join is repeated four times reinforcing the idea of belonging, identifying wit h and being part of a particular group. The language choice is deliberately relaxed and informal, to emphasize fun. The paradigm created is one of youth, music, party, fun, sexual attraction, dancing and fitness, with a focus on belonging. Figure 2 is an advertisement for a Sony water resistant walk-man. Sony employ an approach common to brand-name product advertising, one whereby their product is aligned with culturally desirable paradigms, in this case fitness and health, thus advancing a connotative association between their product and other values their audience might hold. A young man is pictured, dressed in a vest he appears to have been running. The aim is to establish paradigmatic relationships between exercise and fitness and Sonys brand. In so doing Sony hope to include their product in a fitness paradigm and through this inclusion their brand comes to connote all that characterizes gym culture. Whilst Paradigmatic relations rely on familiar cultural associations to create meaning, syntagmatic relations create meaning through the sequence in which the signs are displayed. In Figure 1 the line Ditch the workout, join the party! aligns working out with having a party. In figures 3 and 4 both advertisements rely on an alternative semiotic structure in addition to paradigmatic relations to communicate their message. Both advertisements offer promises of transformation, figure one blatantly telling us before and after. A syntagmatic relation can be represented by the connotative narrative, a sequence of associated events: She joined the gym, exercised regularly, ate the right food, lost weight, and was thereby transformed. Because this is such a familiar narrative to us, the advertisement can invoke it and all its associations by just showing us a single image, the mirrored but subtly altered image of the women that represents the start and finish of the narrative. Our understand ing of figure 4 relies on previously learnt and accepted conventions. Barthes identified these previously learnt and recognised conventions as cultural codes which could be utilized in structural analysis of texts. 5 In contrast to the conventional definition of myth as a traditional or customary story Claude Levi-Strauss and Roland Barthes shifted the emphasis of myth as a plot to myth as a way of thinking akin to a kind of ideology. Roland Barthes 1957 Mythologies brought to light how myths are part of everyday modern life. Barthes demonstrates an idea of myth as a further sign, its foundations in language, but to which further implication is added. To make a myth, the sign itself is used as a signifier, and a new meaning is added, which is the signified. This additional meaning is not arbitrarily, even if the reader is not aware of it. Historically determined circumstances are presented as natural. Predominantly media driven modern myths are created to disseminate an impression of society that is 5 Leak, Andrew N. Barthes, Mythologies. London: Grant Cutler, 1994. compliant with current ideologies. The earlier discussion of the models chosen in figures 4, 5 and 6 is an example of how pervasive myth can be. Barthes characterizes myth as ubiguitous6 being or seeming to be everywhere at once. The tall, slim, blond woman is unanimously presented to male and female consumers alike as the ideal women. In addition myth is axiomatic operating as a sort of fusion of fact and value, it is assertive. Axiological language presenting a theory as a fact is frequently found in advertising narratives. Figure 4 contains a good example: inside everybody is a better body. Myths are not just narratives, but narratives mixed with other signs: Figure 3 suggests, through a combination of images, graphic representation and narrative, that joining their gym will make you younger. Gym culture serves as a good example of how myth permeates consumer driven society. According to Barthes uncovering of the Ideological abuse hidden in the display of what goes without saying lies at the centre of structuralist analysis and serves to warn that since the theft of language perpetrated by myth is so subtle that nothing appears to have been taken8 consumers are affected by it without even recognising its existence. 6 Leak, Andrew N. Barthes, Mythologies. London: Grant Cutler, 1994. 7 Ibid., 8 Ibid., p57

Roswell Crash Government Coverup :: essays research papers

Phenomena of the Roswell crash in 1947 July 8, is one the most famous incidences in our time, the reason we have computers, mobile phones, night vision goggles and Kevlar armor. All this was made possible within one year of the Roswell crash. Roswell crash was covered up for more than 30 years. Then, in 1978, ufologist Stanton T. Friedman restarted the investigation behind the Roswell crash. From what he fond out about the crash showed us that the governments' cover-up was a fraud and we have all the proof we need. In the Roswell cover-up they stated that the debris they found was parts of a weather balloon. A year later they confessed that they lied about the weather balloon and that the debris was part of a secret government project called ?Project Mogul? which was planed to spy on the Russians just in case of a nuclear attack and that they had to cover-up for the security of the nation. The ?Project Mogul? could not be part of a secret government project that cost the government more than $5 million dollars. The project it self looks like someone put together a big balloon kite thing from household things, and our reports also mention 3 people confirming that the RAAF (Roswell Army Air Field) got instructions to bribe some soldiers to pretend that they were part of the construction of the ?Project Mogul?. Even fake files have been made to prove it. In total RAAF bribed 10 people (entire ?Project Mogul? staff was composed of only 10 people) but 3 people mysteriously disappeared, 2 people were shot dead proclaimed for going AWOL, 2 more people still refusing to cooperate from the fear of what the RAAF might do to them and only 3 cooperated knowing they would die from natural causes, so they confirmed that there was a UFO and some of the 500 first hand witnesses said that they saw ?little people? on the crash sight. The government said that the ?little people? were not people, or in that case aliens, but test dummies from ? Roswell Crash Government Coverup :: essays research papers Phenomena of the Roswell crash in 1947 July 8, is one the most famous incidences in our time, the reason we have computers, mobile phones, night vision goggles and Kevlar armor. All this was made possible within one year of the Roswell crash. Roswell crash was covered up for more than 30 years. Then, in 1978, ufologist Stanton T. Friedman restarted the investigation behind the Roswell crash. From what he fond out about the crash showed us that the governments' cover-up was a fraud and we have all the proof we need. In the Roswell cover-up they stated that the debris they found was parts of a weather balloon. A year later they confessed that they lied about the weather balloon and that the debris was part of a secret government project called ?Project Mogul? which was planed to spy on the Russians just in case of a nuclear attack and that they had to cover-up for the security of the nation. The ?Project Mogul? could not be part of a secret government project that cost the government more than $5 million dollars. The project it self looks like someone put together a big balloon kite thing from household things, and our reports also mention 3 people confirming that the RAAF (Roswell Army Air Field) got instructions to bribe some soldiers to pretend that they were part of the construction of the ?Project Mogul?. Even fake files have been made to prove it. In total RAAF bribed 10 people (entire ?Project Mogul? staff was composed of only 10 people) but 3 people mysteriously disappeared, 2 people were shot dead proclaimed for going AWOL, 2 more people still refusing to cooperate from the fear of what the RAAF might do to them and only 3 cooperated knowing they would die from natural causes, so they confirmed that there was a UFO and some of the 500 first hand witnesses said that they saw ?little people? on the crash sight. The government said that the ?little people? were not people, or in that case aliens, but test dummies from ?

Black Power Movement Usa

Cultural Diversity Black Power From the start of our country African Americans had been beneath white society. The civil rights movement of the south put an end to segregation and gave African Americans the same rights as an Anglo American legally. Racism and black segregation were still very much alive though, and if African Americans were ever to be treated as equals they would need to liberate from white society and truly empower themselves. This was the Black Power Movement. The movement for Black Power started during the civil rights movement in the 1960s.The movement was made up of several different organizations and spoke persons with a variety of ideas and views differing from that of Martian Luther King and the civil rights movement. They felt that the civil rights movement to end segregation was not enough and many black power advocates rejected the civil rights movements’ ultimate goal of assimilation. They believed that white racism and institutional discrimination would always be a part of American culture and society, and did not want to be integrated into the very system that for centuries oppressed, denigrated, and devalued blacks.The Black Power movement was built around ideas of racial pride and Black Nationalism with groups working to increase African American control over schools, law enforcement, welfare programs, and other public services in black communities. They felt that to be equal they must liberate and truly empower themselves on there own terms in order to gain power and stand up to the dominant group. Advocates of Black Power were open to the use of violence in order to achieve there goals, which was in direct contrast to the non-violent approach demonstrated by Martin Luther King jr. ,leader of the civil rights movement.The first popular use of the term Black Power as a social and political slogan came from Stokely Carmichael, an organizer and spokesperson for the Student Nonviolent Coordinating Committee (SNCC) a group as sociated with the civil rights movement. The SNCC was made up mainly of younger members who over time became more violent and outspoken in the belief of Black Nationalism. During the civil rights’ March against Fear there was a division between those aligned with Martian Luther King jr. and those aligned with Stokely Carmichael each having there own respective slogans of â€Å"Freedom Now† and â€Å"Black Power†.During the March a man by the name of James Meredith was gunned down and Carmichael is quoted in saying â€Å"This is the twenty-seventh time I have been arrested and I ain't going to jail no more! The only way we gonna stop them white men from whuppin' us is to take over. What we gonna start sayin' now is Black Power! † From then on the SNCC was for the Black Power movement and Black separatism from whites. The goal of Black Nationalism was also held by the Black Muslims a religious group under the Nation of Islam fighting for Black Power.The Bla ck Muslims were a well known organization within the movement. They were angry, impatient, outspoken, and did more then just talk. There goal was to develop the black community economically in order to supply jobs and gain capital solely by using their own resources, which would help them deal with the white society from a more powerful position. One of the best leaders of the Black Muslims and of the Black Power movement was Malcolm X. He was a very well known and heard man who studied under Elijah Muhammad, the leader of the Nation of Islam.Malcolm X believed in black independence from white society and brought his strong views against white racism and discrimination to the public eye more so then maybe any other leader of the movement and became a threaten figure to white America. Malcolm X was later assassinated in 1965 not due to conflicts with white society, but due to conflicts within the Nation of Islam, specifically those dealing with leader Elijah Muhammad. The SNCC and Bl ack Muslims looked at white society as one and in turn formed there own racism and prejudice to all whites and believed in Black separatism and Black Nationalism.The Black Panthers however were a well known group of the Black Power Movement and believed in neither Black separatism nor Black Nationalism. Huey P. Newton and Bobby Seal, founders of the Black Panthers believed in creating a political group for the people, one that would stand up for the opposed against those who oppose them. They felt the national government not white society was holding them down and the struggle for blacks came more from economic exploitation then from racism.Here is a quote from Bobby Seal as writing in his book Seize The Time â€Å"In our view it is a class struggle between the massive proletarian working class and the small, minority ruling class. Working-class people of all colors must unite against the exploitative, oppressive ruling class. So let me emphasize again — we believe our fight is a class struggle and not a race struggle. † Huey P. Newton and Bobby Seal believed in something bigger, something along the lines of a revolution with the strength of numbers and will power of the people leading the way.Newtown and Seal received much harassment from law enforcement because of this message, so much so that Newton was convicted of killing a police officer and thrown in prison causing much uproar in the legions people he stood up for. The Black Panthers are still very much alive today and continue to stand up for the people. Here is a statement from there website, â€Å"We know now, more then ever before, that the will of the people is greater than the technology and repression of those who are against the interests of the people. Therefore we know that we can and will continue to serve and educate the people†.All three of these groups had significant role in the black power movement and there anger and aggression both directly and indirectly helped pa ve the way for black politics. The National Black Political convention was held March 10-12 1972 in Gary, Indiana and was a huge milestone for black politicians to come and we now have a black man in office. In close, looking at the situation I feel there are both pros and cons. I believe the movement for Black Power helped open the worlds eyes to inequality and inspired movements to come such as women’s rights, red power, and gay/lesbian rights to name a few.The movement gave the black community a sense of pride to be black and helped cure the pains left by years of slavery and segregation. In turn though this caused more racism both from blacks and whites alike due to such a strong emphasis on race and black segregation. This racism is still easy to see in present time, although the discrimination is definitely lower. I believe if the civil rights and Black Power movements could have worked as one, things would have turned out better for the black community overall.This is an image of Tommie Smith and John Carlos, two American track athletes who placed first and third respectively giving the Black Power salute on the podium at the 1968 Olympic Games in Mexico City. This caused great controversy and both were kicked out of the Olympic village and were expelled from the games by the IOC. Both men were booed by the crowd when they left the podium and Smith later stated â€Å"If I win, I am American, not a black American. But if I did something bad, then they would say I am a Negro. We are black and we are proud of being black. Black America will understand what we did tonight†.Bibliography . Black Panthers, www. BlackPanther. org . Black Muslims, http://www. infoplease. com/ce6/society/A0807794. html . Malcolm X, http://www. malcolmx. com/about/bio3. html . SNCC, http://mlk-kpp01. stanford. edu/index. php/encyclopedia/encyclopedia/enc_student_nonviolent_coordinating_committee_sncc/ . Black Power wikipedia, http://en. wikipedia. org/wiki/Black_Powe r . In search of African America, http://www. hoover. archives. gov/exhibits/africanamerican/blackpower/index. html . Race, Ethnicity, Gender, and Class 5th edition Pg. 256-258 [pic][pic]

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