Blog Post 6

I enjoyed how the readings focused heavily on symbols and logos and the major role they play in our lives. The significance of symbols has endured for thousands of years but I do find the usage of symbols and logos interesting in contemporary pop-culture. The readings discuss the excessive bombardment of logos in the time we live in and the pros and cons to that. I do feel there is a risk of people losing the significance of important icons and symbols with so many symbols being produced; icons are so common that we pay little attention to their deeper meanings.

I loved the Superman article talking about how Superman wears a uniform, not a costume. Nearly every American, and many people around the world recognize the “S” symbol across Superman’s chest. There is a reason that the character of Superman has endured so long, but I fear people are losing the meaning of the “S” symbol, which represents his character. The character of Superman has always embodied the attributes of the ideal man, someone that can inspire us to become better human beings. It is interesting that his character helped to lift the hopes of Americans during difficult times such as the Great Depression, the Cold War, Vietnam, etc. I find it interesting that the popularity of Superman’s character has decreased in recent years. I have always been a fan of his character, and when I discuss Superman with others, a common response I hear is that he’s not interesting because he is too powerful. Rarely will I hear people discuss the deeper importance of the ideals of his character – Someone who is the ultimate immigrant, choosing to serve others selflessly. I find a character like that very fascinating, primarily because of his values and his motives for doing the right thing. With the onslaught of many superhero films (all of them with their own unique logos) focusing on vengeance and action, it makes me wonder if the significance of the “S” symbol is diminishing.

Now that I have exposed my nerdy side, there are many positive sides to the symbols that have become universal in pop-culture. As a creator, if these symbols are utilized, it can be a way to connect the audience with the material.

Post 6 - Icons

Symbols can be seen everywhere. From the Nike swoop to the Pepsi logo, we have been bred from birth to associate these and many other symbols with a product or an ideal. I loved how the reading dealt with superheroes as American icons. They do represent an ideal held by everyone- the weak and lowly (mild mannered reporters, teenagers, etc) rise to fight other worldly foes. We all have a nerd inside of us that aspires to be that superhero. Or, as the reading suggests, maybe we all have a superhero inside of us that is secretly a nerd. Popular culture is so effective in grabbing people's attention because it takes from elements that we all relate to and weaves it into a symbol- an icon.

It is impossible to escape the reaches of popular culture. References and allusions creep in unexpectedly. I believe that as artists we are to use popular culture as a tool to further connect ourselves with the audience. I may not want to throw in cheap references to brand name clothes or whatever is cool, but it is important to know what is currently popular with your audience. Different icons can be seen as a type of archetype for the underlying reason people like it, and looking into that can be very valuable in relating to your audience.

As an artist, understanding popular icons is a way to keep myself grounded in our culture. Artists tend to distance themselves from what everyone else likes and pursue more "artistic" ventures. I believe that in order for us to create quality, successful films, it is vital for us to understand the audience. The audience is selfish, or at least self-indulgent, at movies. They generally want to have a good time and escape their lives for a bit. What better way to keep my work relatable than to keep in mind what the audience would know? It allows for the audience to own the production for themselves. It's like reaching out and giving high fives to everyone. And who doesn't like a good high five?

Blog 6

Before I even got to the latter part of the reading I was imagining super-heroes as a strong force of iconography in our modern media. Superheroes have been around for decades, but they've always kind of had a more specific audience. Now there doesn't seem to be anyone under that age of fifty that doesn't get into the onslaught of superhero movies that are coming at us. These superheroes iconography is unambiguous and poignant. Just look at all the movie posters at your local cinema. All you need to do is present Superman's “S,” Batman's bat silhouette or Wolverine's claws and already you've got millions that plan on seeing it.

The perspective authors of the essay's “Super,” “Wonder” and “Inside Every Superhero lurks a Nerd,” were all very passionate about the image and iconography of their favorite superheroes, almost as if they were defending the moral character of a close friend of theirs.

Why is that? Why does society suddenly crave superheroes? Why is the iconography itself in our media have such a powerful effect on me. I couldn't tell you exactly, but I imagine its the same kind of idea as James Bond. Here we have an unreasonably fictitious character who is a huge force in our media. Why?

Maybe it's because like Michael Jordan and Elvis Presley, they're just someone for us to romanticize and look up to. We need heroes in our media, and we always will. But what types of heroes are we choosing to glorify?

As an artist this idea of heroes and iconography rather worries me. Like Batman himself said, a symbol can be much more powerful than a man. Ironic as it seems, he was right. The symbols I create in the media that I send out into the world can have a more powerful effect than I'll initially comprehend. It takes quite a bit of maturity not only to create a symbol or icon, but also to control it.

Blog 6

How does the reading explore popular culture and its connection to our everyday experiences? How does your understanding of popular culture inform the art you create? How does it inform you as an artist?

The beginning of the chapter really stressed how drastically the definition of the word “icon” had changed. Icons originally were religious or historic and seemingly untouchable. However, as the reading stated, the term “icon” has “escalated to epidemic proportions”. This means that in our culture today, icons are people or symbols that we recognize or relate to. Some examples of icons are the boy and the girl who mark which bathroom is for which sex, Elvis Presley, and Michael Jordon. Today, these symbols and people are icons in their own rights. Aaron Betsky said, “icons are magnets of meaning onto which we can project our memories, our hopes, and our sense of self”. There are so many different logos and icons that we recognize but the question that is brought up in the poem “Grantwood: American Gothic” is not how we see these icons but how these icons define us as people.

Perspective effects interpretation. This is demonstrated by the article about the “Mona Lisa” and how different factors can affect how a person views and interprets the painting. The painting is an icon, but it is an icon that means different things to different people based on life experience, and other varying factors. For example, in the sketch of the duck/ bunny, there was a study that went along with it that showed that children more often see a bunny when it is Easter Sunday, but on ordinary Sundays, they are more likely to see the duck. That is even true of me. When I saw the sketch I saw the duck but I have a pretty good feeling that if I was looking at it on Easter, my mind would jump straight to the rabbit. It is interesting how diverse frames of mind, even within ourselves can affect how we interpret what we see.

The part of the reading that struck me the most was when it said, “right behind every powerful icon lies a powerful idea”. Examples of this are “Migrant Mother” by Dorothea Lange, the peace sign, the four leaf clover, and the smiley face. Another example not exactly found in the reading is Superman vs. Batman. I have heard that Superman represents how the U.S. views itself and Batman is how foreign nations view the U.S. This is an example of popular culture icons that are packed with more meaning than meets the eye. Popular culture is so deep in our ideologies that we might not even realize it. Popular culture informs me as an artist and influences the art that I create by portraying what people will be interested in and attracted to. Also, popular culture icons shape me as a person as an influence based on how much I watch, listen, or interact with their material. In the article about Britney Spears the author states that the question is not do we like her, the question is do we need her. I would have to say that we do. Along with other pop icons. It is a part of our culture and who we are. Whether we need pop culture as an escape or just because we relate to it and love it.

Blog Post 6

In the reading it states that Russell Baker complains over the current overuse of the term ‘icon’. We casually assign great leaders, celebrities, characters, and companies as appropriate icons. Are these not icons? In most respects these ‘icons’ cannot be symbols because there is no deeper meaning. They stand for something, and they only gain greater significance when juxtaposed. The reading further states that the oldest association with the word ‘icon’ is religion. Well religion has expanded a thousand fold since the days of old. Is Michael Jordan and Nike not religious symbols to those who wear them? I still remember the day I saw a bumper sticker that was part Nike swoosh, part angel Moroni. Was this stating, ‘Just be religious’, or does it say I like Mormons and Nike? The space of acceptable icons has expanded because we firmly believe in individualizing popular culture, in a commercial world.

When I am in my car I hate being stuck behind someone who does not know how to drive. When I approach a stop light in a two-lane road with one car in front of me in each lane I make a visual choice. Who will go faster? I trust the Honda will go faster than the Buick. I trust the two-door sedan will go faster than the minivan. I trust that the vehicle with a Utah license plate will go faster than the one from Montana. I use icons to help me make the potentially better choice. I use icons to classify people and my surroundings.

Popular culture is a fairly horrible word. Rather it is a matter of finding classification in a manufactured world. What may be popular differs from personal interest in sports, politics, video games, foods, movies, comics, tv, music, cars, pets, and ect. Some may argue that true popular culture defies its typical audience, but then it also looses its sense of heritage.

If there is anything that I feel truly defines an entire civil culture it is technology. The current ability of technology directly affects the way in which we interact and express emotion. In a way all stories are becoming science fiction bound. How do characters have serious mortal problems when they have technology that solves such problems? Too often screenplays refuse to address the advent of technology. Character has a cell phone? Don’t worry; they have no reception or their battery died. Now your story might as well be set in 1993. Our problems have changed, but they haven’t gone away. I want to allow my stories to address this.

-Nephi Hepworth

#5

I found the readings interesting for multiple reasons. First of all, it is always interesting to me to read about the experiences of people in a minority group who are discriminated against. As a white male, I'm stereotyped as a majority, though this nation is in a place where "reverse-racism" is almost supported. Additionally, I've only spent about half of my life living in the US. I lived in Japan for nearly 8 years. While I did live on a US military base, there was even a high population of Asian Americans on the base, so for my high school experience, I was in the minority. I identified strongly with Cofer's The Story of My Body, because of the changes in the way people have perceived me throughout my life.

In addition to skin tone, I haven't always met the standards of gender, mentioned in the introduction. At this point in my life, most people I know like that I can cook and make "artsy" things. However, I do remember being teased for enjoying "girl stuff" when I was younger. I still don't get into watching sports very much, which is supposedly the "masculine" thing to do. As a result, I often feel ostracized in social interactions with groups outside of my close friends. This week especially, I don't particularly care who won the superbowl, which puts me in an odd place with all of the sports hype going on. Even as a kid, I watched it mainly for the commercials, not so much for the game.

I feel sometimes, that being "different" has given me a heightened awareness of others' differences and the ways they are treated because of those differences. As a result, I'm slow to make character judgments until I'm close friends with someone, and even then I'm more apt to give the benefit of the doubt.

I suppose what I'm saying is that I identify with "different", so when I create media I tend to over-analyze how others might perceive it. If I'm trying to make a point (especially a criticism) I labor over ways to do so tastefully. If I am aware that people will be offended by something I say or create, I try to find ways to express the sentiment in a way that is either humorous, so they can't help but laugh, or metaphorical, so that I'm not openly attacking or degrading them. I've found that (for me) this is the best way to make media that is both meaningful and entertaining.

5

I thought that the reading did a very good job of showing us how one might go about being true to ourselves while respecting others. I particularly loved The Story of My Body because Cofer did such a wonderful job of showing us just how differently one culture can see things from another. In Puerto Rico she was a beautiful white girl that everyone admired and in the US, she was odd, dark and small. I love how she mentions how out of place that she felt because she was too small for sports. A lot of people don’t understand how hard it is for children in the US who don’t play sports; it’s almost as if they are outcasts of society. I can’t imagine being an adolescent and being rejected by a boy; not because of your looks but because of your race.

As far as how I can better make work that is personal, authentic and true to myself while still being respectful…I think that the more that you know yourself, the better it is to do that. I think that if we are sincere and are doing things from the heart (as cheesy as that might sound), the purity of it will soften others’ hearts and let them understand that you mean no harm.