Seminar Five Notes

Lecture Five Notes

Task 2

Adorno feels that the mass produced popular music has as been standardized. Even when a musician tries to change a characteristic of the music, it is still standardized. He thinks that every piece of popular music is the same. He also goes on to say that the listener to this standardized music is psued0-individualised. This means that the listener already has a pre conception on what 'choice' of music he likes, even though there is no 'choice' because the whole music industry is standardised. He thinks that this standardised music keeps people in line because they don't realise that the music has already been listened too for them.

Its a type of control over the masses that hides its self within all the standardised music that appears to be choice. He even thinks that if people realised this 'hidden agenda' that it would provoke a resistance. But the promoters of this entertainment say they are just giving the people what they want. So it doesn't seem like they are force feeding the standardised music to the masses.

It also appears that this standardised music is easy to listen to rather than Adorno's 'serious music' which gives the listener room to escape the dullness of reality. Because the popular music is easy to listen to it doesn't push anyone out which makes it easy to sell cultural commodities which are hidden behind pseudo-individualisation.

This video of Katy Perry is definitely linked to a nice bit of escapism. The candy cane wonder world that is filled full of nice ginger bread men, beautiful girls and all things nice is linked to the American Dream and especially California. She sings about how nothing compares to these beautiful californian girls which makes both men and women think about being / being with these women. The woman Katy Perry is always branded as her own woman who has a 'don't give a shit' attitude which people love because they like 'individuals' but her herself and her rank music is standardised.

Lecture Four Notes

Seminar Three Notes

Seminar Two Notes

Lecture Two Notes

Task 1

Mobile phones are a good example of panopticism in modern society. A large percentage of the population have a contract mobile phone and once you sign a contract they have certain information about you

' This surveillance is based on a system of permanent registration' (Foucault in Thomas, J, 2000:61) Once these companies have this information on you they can pass out your Name, Address, phone number, age, occupation etc. to authorities if they have liable cause that you are being involved or are involved in something illegal.

'He is seen, but he does not see; he is the object of information, never a subject in communication' (Foucault in Thomas, J, 2000:65)

Although the end of this quote doesn't quite fit because 'he' is a subject in communication because a phone is a communication tool but the tool does make the user an object of information.

People may argue that you can get pay as you go phones which you don't need to sign a contract therefor no information on you has be logged but even then powers above us can listen in and find out where you are in the world through the signal and gps.

'Visibility is a trap' (Foucault in Thomas, J, 2000:64)

Another way to view the panoptic nature of mobile phones is that, even though they are designed to communicate, they may actually be suppressing the level of communication.

'Exercising power over men, controlling their relations, of separating out their dangerous mixtures' (Foucault in Thomas, J, 2000:62) Mobile phone conversations are only between two people which usually focuses on one point. So mobile phones could stop people getting together in large numbers and talking freely (with out a bill at the end) and thinking about new ideas which could be 'dangerous' for people in power.

Also each phone call is expensive, a poor man couldn't communicate with lots of people with out emptying his pocket therefore making the spoken word die out. 'It is an important mechanism, for it automatizes power' (Foucault in Thomas, J, 2000:65). Most of the population have this mechanism and that means that automatically the government or any other organisation with enough power can find information on you, hear what you are seeing, see what you are saying (through text) and find out where you are.

Seminar One Notes

Lecture One Notes

Level 05

- Semiotics Task -

This image of the band 'The Jimi Hendrix Experience' shows the three members of the band photographed at Heathrow airport in 1967. The first signifier that jumps out at you in the image is Jimi Hendrix. He is situated right in the middle of the image, this connotes that he is the main focus of the photograph which is quite obvious because the bands name is 'The Jimi Hendrix Experience'. This focus on the main signifier is backed up by the fact that Noel Reading and Mitch Mitchell, who play bass and drums in the band and looking away from the camera and into the distance.

This also may have connotations of racial differences within the band. Jimi Hendrix is the only black person in the band and is the only band member who is looking at the camera or at you in this image. The photograph is black and white, this has connotations that it is an old photograph and that the band is made up of both black and white musicians whos message was of peace and love which having a black and white photograph could be a statement that it doesn't matter what colour your skin is.

Jimi Hendrix is seen holding some vinyl records which denotes the fact that he listened to music but it also connotes that played and listened to music all the time, he lived and breathed it. This is also point is also stranthged by the fact that he has just walked of a plane and is on a runway but is still holding a few of his records with him because he would have been listening or looking at them on the plane.

The first and second album were realised in 1967 when this photo was taken, this was the peak of the bands popularity and they are seen holding their own luggage. This has connotations that the band, although extremely popular, were still real people and not untouchable super stars because they still carried there own luggage.

The signifier of the guitar seen being held by Noel Reading connotes that they are musicians and that they loved making and playing music so much that they took the guitar everywhere with them including a plane.Noel Reading who actually played the guitar and not the bass, but because Jimi Hendrix was a far more talented guitarist the job was given to him, is seen clutching the guitar it connotes that Reading wanted to be the guitarist in the band ad was jealous of Jimis talent.

The signifier of the bands clothes connotes that they are a very fashionable band becuase their clothes that they are wearing were very popular at the time. The signifier Jimi Hendrixs trousers which are bright crisp looking and probably very new signified that the band are making lots of money through their new found popularity and therfore are buying lots of new clothes, guitars and music.

- Essay Question -

The essay question i picked is

'Advertising doesn't sell things; all advertising does is change the way people think or feel' (Jeremy Bullmore). Evaluate this statement with reference to selected critical theories (past and present).

Here are some books which i may find useful for the essay..

Aronson, Elliot & Pratkins, Anthony (2001) 'Age of Propaganda' New York, USA. Henry Holt and Company

Berger, John (1972) 'Ways of seeing' London, UK. British Broadcasting Corporation

Bullmore, Jeremy (2003) 'More Bullmore Behind the Scenes In Advertising', 3^rd edition, Oxfordshire, UK. World Advertising Research Center

Dyer, Gillian (1996) 'Advertising as Communication' London, UK. Methuen & Co LTD

Williamson, Judith (1995) 'Decoding Advertisements' London, UK. Marion Boyars