Hi all:
This is a pretty easy and straight forward read on the
early stages of consumer society.
Sort of interesting to realize
how long the basic elements of it have been around, since probably the
18th century.
But, as we will see, it wasn't until the 20th
Century that it came to full flower.
The reading also begins to open the discussion of how to define a want as distinct from a need.
Pick a quotation from the
reading, type it into comment box, and write about why you picked it.
Thanks.
Nick
Pick a quotation from "Setting the Course." A minimum of two
sentences. Type it into the comment space below, and then say why you
picked the quotation.
Did it tell you something you didn't know
or hadn't thought about?
Was it unclear to you?
Do you find what
the author says debatable?
Do you think it particularly important to
the argument of the piece?
This is a rather long piece with lots
of detail, some of it interesting, and ideas tucked in all over the
place. Pay particular attention to mention of the social organizational
functions of consumer society or consumer society as a form of "social control."
Hi all:
"Why the Self is Empty" is an academic article. It's
too long, the print is too small, its full of citations and names you
won't (and don't have to) know.
Forget that stuff and read for
the main idea. Cushman is trying to talk about how consumerism shaped
identity as older and more traditional forms of identity formation
slipped away.
Do as you did with the last blog comment. Pick a
quotation you find interesting and then write about why you found it
interesting (you agree/disagree; something you had not thought about
before; important to over all argument; no clear or confusing).
You might end up using this article or parts of it in some way in your paper 1. Clearly it ties in with parts of the other readings that all, so far, mention the role of consumer society in the creation of identity.
Thank
you.
Hi all:
This article is by Zygmunt Bauman. I have never had any
heroes (except maybe for Micky Mantle and Bob Dylan). But now Bauman is
my hero, not so much for what he has to say about consumer society, but
because he is still saying lively, interesting stuff at 85 years of
age. I can only hope my brain works as well as his at 85.
He is a
pretty astute observer of consumer society. Formerly an academic
sociologist, he is widely read in sociology and other stuff. In this
article he brings up Nietzsche. Not the usual sociological stuff.
You
have to take time with his writing. It's not fast food; you can't just
swallow it down on the go. You have to sit down and chew a little.
Again,
as with previous posts to the blog, pick an interesting quotation, type
it in, and write a few lines about why you picked it. Or try to
paraphrase his line of thinking. You can of course include a quotation
in this too.
I think this is a pretty interesting article. We
all want to be happy, I guess, and Bauman talks about the difficulties
of finding happiness in a consumer society.
Nick
Hi all:
To get the ball rolling, write what you think
might be the first two paragraphs of your paper 1.
Approach this
writing as a rough draft. These paragraphs may or may not appear in
your final paper.
Post these paragraphs to the blog and be sure
to bring hard copy to class.
Thank you.
Nick
Hi all:
As part of your preparation for paper 2, please write two
or more full paragraphs giving your thoughts, reflections, response to
the readings and discussion of advertising to children.
Also
bring hard copy of these writings to class for purposes of discussion.
Thank
you.
Nick
Hi all:
For this blog comment, do as before.
Find a
quotation from "The More You Subtract, The More You Add." Type it into
the comment box and then write a paragraph or so of response.
Remember
paper 2 may be about either advertising to children or advertising to
women.
This is a way to start thinking and writing about paper 2.
Nick
Hi all:
Start your paper 2 by writing 2 paragraphs (that may or may not appear in your final paper). This is to get things going.
You have two areas to write about: advertising to children, advertising to women. Pick one.
But if you have something else you want to write about advertising (based on all the readings) now would be the time to try it out (in these two paragraphs).
Hi all:
For this entry, write a two paragraph plot summary of the Truman Show. This will help to build your memory of the Truman Show and may also serve to reveal what parts of the film you find most important (in light of your developing interpretation of the film).
See you.
Nick
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