Written Analysis 5

                                                  

                                                  Written Analysis 5

Melissa Tucker

Popular Culture

Professor Whitney Iles

Aug 7, 2014

Introduction

            For this weeks analysis, we will be discussing how the various theories and different analysis have best related to the topic of the superhero be the hero true life or fictionally speaking such as the heroes from our favorite movies and/or comics.

Which theories seemed to best relate to your popular culture topic?

            While we went over this in depth in my first analysis, I do feel that this one is worth reiterating. The Myth theory is one that comes up time and time again in our culture, and I feel that it does because we have passed into a new millennium and we feel that most stories are “mythical”.  The myth that was discussed in my first analysis was the myth of the “American Dream”. I was watching a new report the other day and I noticed that in places like China and India, there is a rise in more and more people coming into the “middle class”. People are making more money as their economies are doing better so they feel that the myth of the “American dream” should be theirs. They want the two story house in suburbia, with the two cars in the driveway and the two point whatever kids and the white picket fence, everything that the “Americans” have. The irony of all this though, as that while the middle class may be doing better in other parts of the world, back at home, the middle class continues to struggle. This is true with the superhero. Many people in other countries see “Captain America” as the epitome of all that Americans stand for. Justice, truth, and the belief that all people should be free of tyranny. However this myth in more recent years has become more and more disillusioned by many Middle Eastern cultures and is seen as a lie. It is all perspective. I once read in a favorite book of mine that “evil is a point of view”. And ever since I read that line, I think of it at least once a day. I think about it when I watch the news, I think about it when I watch movies or TV shows. And I think that the reason I believe this statement to be true is because it is true. We may see “Red Skull”, (the villain in Captain America) as evil, but to look at things from his point of view, we are the evil ones.

What were the most interesting findings from your analyzes?

            I would have to say the most interesting things I came across while delving into my analysis over these last few weeks is that fact that we really reflect ourselves in our heroes. I knew we did that to some extent but I really never realized how much we really put what we want, (our values, our strengths) into our superheroes. Deep down we all want to be good people and do the right thing but in the end we are all human. We have human emotions. “To err is human” right? But the superhero can do no wrong (for the most part) and even when they do mess up, they are able to fix their own mistakes in such spectacular fashion that it almost makes the mess up worth it in the end. The bad is exposed and the wrongs have been righted. But the irony of this is that even with all the super powers and the incredible wealth and power that these characters have, they still all seem like they are missing something in their lives. Be it romance, peace with family or just longing for a more simplistic life, they all have something missing. And I think that one thing is being human. We all have heard the phrase “the grass is greener on the other side of the fence”. Sometimes though, it’s best to just sick back, drink a beer and enjoy your horrible dried up brown grass and be happy that we even have a yard to call our own.

How will you think of your popular culture topic differently based on your analysis?

            I think that the superhero will always hold a special place in my heart. Growing up I read many comics and one summer I remember spending almost all the money I made from mowing lawns at the local comic shop. It was worth it in the end because I had some amazing “friends” to read up on all summer and also I made some good real life friends at the comic store as we would talk geek to each other all summer at the park while reading our favorite comics under the shade of a tree. I think it’s important, especially for children, to have good solid role models. A foundation if you will to show them how life should be. The superhero can show them that it is good to have compassion, morals, and values, and to try to do the right thing even if that is not always the most popular thing. The only thing I would view differently about the superhero, (and I chalk this up to being an adult pure and simple) is that sometimes, that’s not reality. But, it’s good to hope. And sometimes, hope is all we have and all we need.

Journal Article Analysis

Journal Article Analysis

Melissa Tucker

Popular Culture

Professor Whitney Iles

July 31, 2014

Introduction

            The journal article Faith and Bad Faith in Do Androids Dream of Electronic Sheep? By Donald Palumbo is an article that describes the subjects that are raised in the book that inspired the movie Blade Runner. It talks in length about the questions raised by its main characters and also the many themes that are present in the film and the book. This is what will be discussed in this paper.

Article Analysis

            In the article, Mr. Palumbo describes how both in the book and the movie that the main character Deckard, a bounty hunter/detective, struggles with subjects such as empathy, going against social norms, detachment, social anxieties, stereotypes and various other human emotions throughout the story. The story is set in the future, where artificial intelligence has been made reality and the A.I. robots that have been created start to rebel against their makers. A few of the A.I. escape their prison and are treated as fugitives. Deckard is part of an elite team of bounty hunters dubbed “Blade Runners” and is tasked with finding the rouge A.I.’s. During his investigations, he has an empathy test that he has to give to potential rouge A.I., to determine if they are “human” or not. Based on their reaction times and the answers that they give, they will be deemed either human or non-human. If they are non-human, they will be further interrogated. Along the way, Deckard starts questioning himself and what it is that he is doing to the A.I.’s. Mr. Palumbo often compares what Deckard is going through and also the world that Deckard lives in as living in “bad faith”.  According to Palumbo (2013), “Deckard and his entire society do live in bad faith. Affecting artificial dispositions generated by the “Penfield mood organ” to avoid feeling “hopeless about everything… despair… about total reality,” people go through the motions of a normal life even though the world has already been destroyed, and they know it”. (p.6-7)

            He discusses how in the novel, the government often tells “humans” that they need to leave the “contaminated” Earth for the off world colonies, thus separating the humans from the “non-humans” even further. He explains that this is reflection of how bad faith can be placed in those in power simply because it is easier: “Of course, as Mercerism, its empathy-based and implicitly government-sponsored religion, is integral to and inseparable from this society’s bad-faith effort to define “human” as “possessing empathy,” it, too, is a locus of bad faith.” (p.9)

            He concludes by showing that the irony of the whole thing is that the android do show as much if not more human emotions then the humans do, thus proving his point that by putting “bad faith” in those in power often can lead to our downfall. The android are almost dangerously close to humans in their interactions:  “…while they lack empathy, the long list of human qualities the androids do exhibit—anger, self-pity, loneliness, sadness, bliss or joy, jealousy, vengefulness, fear, curiosity, anxiety, lust, impatience, intuition, hope, anguish, and even love—also includes faith and bad faith” (p.12)

                                      Agree or Disagree with the Author’s main points?

            All in all I would have to agree with Palumbo’s theories. During Deckard’s journal to self discovery, he often wonders if he himself is an android. That is the biggest question that you ask yourself when watching the film. However, in the book it is much more defined. He often sees that there is a proverbial “wool being pulled over everyone’s eyes” by the government and those in power (corporations). The novel was written during a time of turmoil in our world, when capitalism and socialism was at odds with each other and the world, and by putting “bad faith” in those in charge we often paid the ultimate price for that faith. It also shows how we really need to start thinking for ourselves. We can and should ask questions and while faith can be a good thing, sometimes, putting too much faith in something or someone can defeat the purpose of our basic “human” instinct which is survival.

Importance of the article

            I believe that this article is important, especially in today’s society. As a daughter of an evangelical pastor, I was always taught that faith is the most important thing in life. That putting faith in something can help you not only get through the tough times but also, that it can help guide you as a moral compass might. However in today’s society, where we put so much faith in others, be it our government, our big corporations, or in our religious leaders, we need to also be very much aware of the truth of things as well. Palumbo describes this well in his article as he explains that we must make sure that we should not succumb to “bad faith” or “blind faith” as then it turns something that is good into something that is just a crutch to get us through and help us survive. There are many examples from nations all over the world that put bad faith into those who wield the power and those people have suffered for it. The most important lesson I have learned from reading this article is to make sure that you stay informed. Staying informed is the best weapon against bad faith, because it allows us to make informed decisions and not have bad faith. I would like to think that not all faith is bad faith but sometimes there is a very thin line between the two.

References

Palumbo, D. (2013). Faith and bad faith in "Do androids dream of electric sheep?" The Journal  of Popular Culture, 46(6), 1-13. Retrieved from Electronic Journal Center, July, 2014.

Written Analysis: Formulas

                                            Written Analysis: Formulas

Melissa Tucker

Popular Culture

Professor Whitney Iles

Aug 1, 2014

 

Introduction

                For this discussion we will be talking about how formularies fit into the topic of superheroes. The best way to describe formularies with the superhero are in the movies. Since superhero movies became popular way back in the early to mid 1940’s, there have been a steady incline in the interest of the superhero in our movies. The formula has stayed pretty much the same until the late 1990’s early 2000’s. 

What theories seem to apply to the topic, and how do they help analyze it?

            The theory of convention seems to come to mind most when thinking of the superhero movie. For example, if you look at early superhero movies you will see that there is the common theme or “formula” present in almost all of them. They focus on action, fantasy and/or a science fiction element, a focus on the origin of the superhero’s power, and includes a climatic fight scene with a “super villain” or archenemy. Almost all superhero movies are based on a comic of the hero and will include some elements from the comic just to make loyal fans of the comic happy.

            The early superhero movie would include some special effects, (but didn’t focus on them), and would include some satire/comedy element, and would have a romance blossom between the hero and the main female character. Throw in some good fight scenes with the main villain and you have box office gold. Some great examples of this formula would be the Superman movies of the 1980’s and even the “B-movies” of the 60’s and 70’s like Mr. Freedom (1969) and The Wild World of Batwoman (1966).

            However in later years, we started to see a transition from this conventional formula to a new one. The old elements were still there, but with a newer, more edgy tone. The film that really started this trend was 1989’s Batman directed by Tim Burton. With Mr. Burton’s dark take on the superhero, he really brought a edginess to the character. There was still the old formula present, (big elaborate fight scenes, damsel in distress that was the love interest of Batman, climatic end fight with the hero’s archenemy the Joker, and lots of explosions), but we also got to see the realistic side of Batman. We saw how conflicted he was when he would see Vicky Vale (the damsel in distress I mentioned earlier) and how he wanted to save her and take her away from the danger but wasn’t able to because he had to hide the fact that he was the Batman.

            This has evolved even more with the more recent superhero movies. The Iron Man movies, The Spiderman movies, and even a “reboot” of the Batman movies has an even darker tone to them and a gritty “realism” that would not have been present had these movies been made thirty years ago. It is all due to a shift in what the audience wants to see. Yes they want to see lots of cool fight scenes and explosions and special effects, but today’s audience wants more than that as well. They want to see “the man behind the mask” so to speak. They want that edge of realism to their superhero, and that is because, as I had mentioned in an earlier analysis, the audience wants very much to relate to that hero. They want to be like them, and the Superman of 1978, is not the Superman people want to watch today.

What insights do you gain from applying these theories to your popular culture topic?

            The best way to sum this all up is the fact that audiences want more from their superhero. They don’t want to lay down $10 or more for a movie ticket and see a hero flying around acting like they are morally better than everyone else for 2 hours. They want a more gritty, realistic hero, because that is how the real world is. Yes they want to escape the real world for 2 ½ hours, that’s why people go to the movies. But they also want to be able to see that yes, Superman or Batman is an awesome superhero, but they are also simple men as well. When they take the costume off and are no longer the hero, they have everyday issues to deal with, (stereotypes and prejudices) and deal with those issues mostly the same way we would. And that helps us to relate to them. It is why audiences keep going back for more. My personal favorite type of hero is the “anti-hero”, the one that helps saves the lives of people and trouble and wants justice done but also, does things with a little bit of sarcasm and has a nonchalant attitude about the whole situation. I’ve noticed in my research that this is how most audiences feel today and I truly believe that it is because it is a reflection of our society and the constant turmoil we feel with the state of things in the world.