Whiteness

18th century philosophers “proved” that being white was superior in every way. Centuries have gone by and the color palette of the world is changing dramatically. In the future, white skin may belong to the minority. Yet, in many societies white or light skin is still the most desirable. Why? Traditionally, white skin was associated with “power and privilege.” It is a norm against which other societies measure themselves. Thus, whiteness was and remains extremely powerful. A bride in India or in another Asian country is more desirable and valuable depending on the shade of her skin. Women are prepared to torture themselves by applying harmful creams and cosmetics. Many stay away from the sun for additional pale status. In a world of decreasing economic opportunity, whiteness is still a powerful bargaining chip.

Storey John. Cultural theory and popular culture: An Introduction. 6th ed. Athens: university of Georgia press, 1998.print.p.183

Ibid

The Fantasy of Romance Novels
The best selling literary genre around the world is the romance novel. The ending of each these books provide “perfect triangular satisfaction: ‘fatherly protection, motherly care and passionate adult love.’’(p. 145) A women who has faced loss or a difficult situation, meets a man who can and does care for and nurture her. This is a role that women normally play for men and for their families and the reciprocation of this role is what makes the male hero so desirable. It is not about equality, but rather about role reversal. The romance novel becomes a substitute for the nurture that women lack in their everyday existence and particularly in their marital and romantic relationships. For the reader, the void can be at least temporarily filled by the heroine of the romantic novel. This type of literature can also serve to reduce stress and to transport the reader to exotic locations.

Storey John. Cultural theory and popular culture: An Introduction. 6th ed. Athens: university of Georgia press, 1998.print.

Andy Warhol- An Iconic Figure of Post modernism
Andy Warhol blurred the lines between commercial and noncommercial art. In his opinion, “ Real art is defined by the taste and wealth of the ruling class.” (P.189) What does this say about people’s taste and the value of art? Was he simply mocking his society by claiming that he could sell anything? How could such an unknown artist become an overnight success capable of selling prints of Campbell soup cans? His confidence supports his belief that wealthy people are always looking for something new. Everyone who could afford them desired his prints and multi colored portraits of famous people. He claimed that he never asked a person to sit for a portrait, but was always approached by the individual. People’s desire to “own” his work rather than the “quality” of his art gave it value. When a gallery offered him space, it gave legitimacy to his art.

Storey John. Cultural theory and popular culture: An Introduction. 6th ed. Athens: university of Georgia press, 1998.print.

In Chapter 7 of Cultural Theory and Popular Culture, I found the research by Jackie Stacey fascinating. She studied white British women who attended movies on a regular basis. Based on her findings, she identified three main reasons for their passion for the cinema. They were “escapism, identification and consumerism”[1]. The women identified that going to a movie provided them with an opportunity to escape their boring and mundane life to a fantasy world. These women were running away from the shortages of post war England to the luxury of Hollywood glamor. Secondly, The film going females were able to identify with the strong women on the screen. Thus, they were able to temporarily absorb power from the screen heroines. Finally, Stacey argues that consuming the Hollywood identity gave the women access to transforming their self-image. For the duration of the movie the women could expand the limit of their possibilities.[2]

This study makes me consider whether the factors studied by Stacey apply to today’s female viewers as well. When I asked my mother who fits the age category of the British women for her reasons to go to the cinema she explained the following:

“ When I go to the cinema, I want to see a world that is more colorful and gentle than the one I live in today. That is why I avoid war and violent movies. When I enter a different culture on a screen I can pretend that I am going back to my old home and it makes me feel happy. At the same time, I enjoy watching other women cope with their problems and it makes me feel less alone in my own worries. A strong woman in cinema becomes my role model. I feel more optimistic and capable of changing a bad situation. Finally, movies allow me to get away from my daily boring routines.”

In my experience, I watch movies that reflect real life both good and bad and I can get empowered from either of these if there is some type of transformation. I also believe that in poor countries people adore American films because they offer an escape to a richer and more powerful culture.

[1]Storey John. Cultural theory and popular culture: An Introduction. 6^th ed. Athens: university of Georgia press, 1998.print. P, 139.

[2]Ibid