Blog #3

Growing up I loved playing with my baby doll. I was happy to take her everywhere, feed her, change her, push her in her stroller, etc. so having and taking care of my baby doll was a big part of my childhood. From my baby doll I learned how to be responsible, kind, loving, etc. I specifically learned how to take care of her by noticing how my mother, along with others, took care of their own children. As I took care of her it gave me a sense of accomplishment because I felt like I was doing something important. Throughout my life I received many baby dolls as gifts which made me so excited that I could not wait to grow up and have a child of my own.

            When I look back on this cultural artifact I do feel slightly different. As a little girl I grew up focused on ways to become a better mother in the future through playing with my baby doll. I did not focus much playing with other toys like those related to the career [doctor] I aspired to be. This is ironic because now I am more focused on obtaining a career than having children. When I think critically about the toy baby doll I feel slightly negative towards the idea. I feel like it reinforces the idea of society that a women’s primary role is to take care of her children. I say this because It is heavily populated in the “girls” toy section and is covered in colors associated with girls constructed through society. However, the toy does have a positive impact by helping shape the personality of the child along with developing helpful characteristics. I think the toy is a great gift but the people giving the toy to the child should be aware of the message they may be inflicting on the child. They should also introduce a variety of other toys that may seem “out of the ordinary” so traditional gender roles are not reinforced, but this is just my opinion.

Blog #2

Prompt 1: My cultural artifact is Katy Perry’s Part of Me Music Video which is from the Teenage Dream: The Complete Confection album.

Katy Perry Part Of Me Music Video

Prompt 2:

Katy Perry would be the main creator of this message however many other people helped including; Lukasz Gottwald, Bonnie Mckee, Max Martin, Ben Mor, Tony McGarry, Danny Lockwood, etc.  The “text” is a music video about a girl whose boyfriend cheated on her but instead of being the typical weak heart-broken girl who cries all day and cannot function joins the military and shows lots of strength physically and mentally. I think for the most part this music video is unlike most of the pop songs at the time because it challenges typical gender stereotypes.

The camera follows the main protagonist, Katy Perry, on her military journey after being cheated on. It shows the tough conditions she and her fellow marines are put into when training which many people can only imagine is like. The scenes look very real to what military training would be like however I have never experienced it, so I cannot be certain. I can only infer from what I have seen from movies and heard about from others. I personally know many people in the military, so the video grabbed my emotional appeal very quickly. The video also includes many females in the military doing the same physical labor as men which is very empowering for me.

 I have never experienced any part of this myself. This media text has taught me that no one can ever take away my strength and who I am as a person. It reminds me that my life does not revolve around a single person, that I can be a powerful independent person on my own. However other people may understand this message very differently from me because they have experienced what it is like and how damaging it can be to be in these tough situations.

The music video could send an unintentional message that all men are cheaters. It also does not consider how a man would feel in the same situation. Some conflicting messages can come into mind when thinking about doing something as drastic as joining the military after a break up. It seems that the protagonist does not consider all the aspects in her life that would be affected such as their relationships with friends and family.

The media controls the creation and transmission of this message. The song will only be heard if it makes it to the top billboard/hit list. Although some listeners/viewers would benefit from the message of the music video we must also remember that this was created mainly to profit the investors and artist.

Blog 1

Girls & Boys Youtube Music Video

Prompt 1:

The cultural artifact I choose is the song Girls & Boys by Good Charlotte. The song was released back in May 9, 2003 and reached popularity in September 2003 for approximately 13 weeks on the Mainstream Top 40 billboard songs. It is mainly about the stereotypes found in many relationships during the time period due to how men and women act in society.

Prompt 2:

Throughout the song there are references to gender and gender expression. First the song begins with the opening lyrics “educated, with money He’s well dressed, not funny” which assumes that if you are a wealthy educated guy you have to look and act the part. While the line “But he’ll foot the bill in all situations because he pays for everything” enforces the gender role that if you are a male you always have to pay for everything while in relationships.

The song goes on to say “girls don’t like boys Girls like cars and money” which assumes that all girls are straight and gold diggers. Followed shortly after by the lines “vacation and shopping sprees These are a few of her favorite things” which assumes that girls like to take part in feminine activities that involve spending money. Finally, the song implies that only the good-looking girls who are thin with nice bodies will like rich guys by saying “The girls with the bodies like boys with Ferrari’s." 

Although the song talks about gender and gender expression I do not think it attempts to challenge or push back against any traditional ideas. I think it merely emphasizes them throughout the song.

Prompt 3:

            I do not think the song has impacted the way I think about my own gender identity and expression because I do not agree with the ideas that are presented in the lyrics. I do not revolve my world and mind around them so they have little effect on me. I would just listen to the song because I thought it was catchy.

Prompt 4:

The cultural object is the song Girls & Boys. The social world in which the song exists, and acts is in the American society of men and women from the early 2000s and on. The creators of the song are Joel Madden and Benji Madden, members of the American pop punk band Good Charlotte. The intended audience may be teenagers/young adults who are fans of the band.