Research Progress

     Currently, my research topic is focused on how pernicious activity depicted in films (use of tobacco products, substance abuse, and premature and/or unprotected copulation) psychologically instigates viewers to adopt similar practices into their own lives. Initially, my topic pertained to the effect a medium has on the perception of its content. I then refined this topic to analyze different mediums that convey the same content, specifically novels and their theatrical adaptations. From here, I altered my research topic to study the influence of harmful practices portrayed in The Royal Tenenbaums, The Darjeeling Limited, and Requiem for a Dream. Upon further contemplation, I realized this was far too specific to attempt to analyze the psychological effect of three films on viewers; this topic would have required an original research experiment. Further refinement yielded my current topic.

     Thus far, I have collected four scholarly sources relevant to my topic. Each source provides a psychological study that analyzes the effect harmful practices shown in films have on viewers. Two of these sources specifically focus on cigarette smoking in films, while the other two analyze premature copulation and substance abuse in films. Having only read one of these sources in its entirety, I have not yet garnered a sufficient amount of information to begin writing my paper. However, even with only one source read, I learned that relating or resonating with a film's protagonist can impel viewers to try smoking cigarettes or smoke more often if the protagonist is shown smoking in the film. I'm looking forward to discussing this variable as well as the many others that comprise the overall effect of films on viewers.

     As far as structuring my paper, I plan to first discuss the evidence offered by the aforementioned scholarly sources. I think this will provide a strong foundation. Then, I plan on identifying several films and conducting semiotic analyses of each. After breaking down each film, I will incorporate the findings from the psychological studies in order to determine if there are any reoccurring variables present within the films that may possess psychological influence. The films I am hoping to do so with are Requiem for a Dream, The Royal Tenenbaums, Drive, and The Place Beyond the Pines.  

Research Topic

          I have altered my research topic quite significantly. I plan to research whether depictions of illicit and pernicious activity in films instigate similar practices by viewers in their personal lives. I plan to use three films relevant to popular culture as examples: The Royal Tenenbaums, The Darjeeling Limited, and Requiem for a Dream. My research question is as follows: Does the depiction of self-mutilation in The Royal Tenenbaums and substance abuse in The Darjeeling Limited and Requiem for a Dream instigate viewers to subsequently exercise these practices and the like? This research topic is immensely relevant to popular culture. What the media exposes to society tends to influence the way in which society functions in most, if not all, of its facets. By determining whether or not a correlation is in fact established using these three films as examples, the magnitude of film's influence on societal members' psyches can be amounted. Currently, I am certain that the content depicted in mass media, especially film, almost invariably parallels values that proliferate within the popular culture of the time. Knowing this, I would like to attempt to discover if mirroring back the values and decisions that are presented to viewers psychologically impels them to adhere to and implement what they are exposed to. As of now, I would determine that depictions of illicit and harmful activity in film does indeed impel viewers to do the same. However, I am ignorant if this response from viewers is on the subconscious, conscious, or both subconscious and conscious levels. As such, in order to develop this research topic into a stronger essay, I must study the process of psychological influence on human beings in conjunction with the added effect of film as the medium conveying the psychological effects. 

Response Essay # 4 Rough Draft

Chris Fernandez

HON 101

Response Essay # 4

11/3/13

           Photography is a medium whose central function has remained the same for many years. The common phrase “A picture is worth one-thousand words” implies just how powerful of an impact a photograph can have on those who view it. In this sense, all photographs posses the same essence, serving to provide members of society with the chance to not only capture memories but preserve them as well. A mere glimpse of a meaningful photograph can instantly transport the photographer or even a random viewer back to that point in time when the photo was taken. Consider, for instance, the photograph taken of the sailor and nurse kissing in Times Square after World War II had just ended. This photograph captures the excitement, relief, and patriotic pride that proliferated at this particular point in time. Photographs such as these, however, are becoming less and less common. Most photographs the average person views are on social networking websites or applications, such as Instagram, Tumblr, and Facebook. Instagram is a social networking application offered primarily on smart phones. Tumblr is a blogging website that can aptly be described as a virtual network of diaries. Facebook is intended primarily for social networking, helping friends and family to stay in touch as well as offering the ability to learn more about newly met people. In the context of photography, the function of these applications and websites is merely to share photographs and videos with one's followers or friends. The underlying function, however, is quite different from the former and painfully apparent. Through the use of Instagram, Tumblr, and Facebook, the amount of likes one receives for his or her photographs has become a general indicator of one's hierarchical status within societal culture, specifically within the realm of adolescents.

           Of most social networking applications, Instagram is the most centrally focused on photographs. Within this application, users establish accounts that enable them to post photographs. Users are provided with the opportunity to “follow” other instagram accounts, which are typically their friends' accounts. There is also the option to apply a filter to the photographs one has posted for the sake of enhancing the photograph or diversifying its effect. However, a key feature of this application is a feature of Tumblr and Facebook as well. This feature is the ability to “like” photographs users have posted. For Instagram, this particular aspect has seemingly become the most significant. As most would already assume, the major demographic of Instagram accounts belong to teens in high school. Therefore, many adolescents utilize Instagram as a gauge for popularity within their particular community. Clearly, the more “likes” one receives, the more popularity he or she possesses. This nonsensical method of judgement is unfortunately employed quite often within educational institutions. An unofficial scale of rank based on the amount of “likes” one receives is as follows: Less than five “likes” generally indicates a low status; greater than five, but less than twenty “likes,” suggests mild popularity; more than twenty “likes” most likely indicates a high level of popularity; finally, more than fifty “likes” deems the user to be especially popular. A major reason as to why this irrational and unethical system of ranking exists lies within the application's accessibility. The majority of teens possess smart phones, which is generally the only way in which one can use Instagram. Because teens are already addicted to their phones, Instagram is frequently used, bolstering the implicit use of this ranking system. This application rarely allows for photographs void of social connotation. At least on Instagram, a picture is now worth one-thousand likes as opposed to one-thousand words.

Response Essay # 3 Rough Draft - No Country for Old Men

*CONTAINS SPOILERS*

           Entertainment's general appeal to society is the brief opportunity to escape from the mundane reality of life. Television programs, films, and even video games offer depictions of compelling lives under fictional circumstances drastically different or incredibly similar to those of viewers. Rooted in all mediums of entertainment are values, sometimes apparent and sometimes subtle. These values are intended to parallel those presented within society. The majority are merely based on common sense. However, there are occasional instances within entertainment, primarily in film, in which values society purposefully avoids acknowledging are directly addressed. In cases such as these, a contradiction is established between society's publicized values and the realistic values existent within said society. Murder, for instance, is deemed immoral by society, yet murder is committed every day within society. Society, therefore, inherently fosters the growth of its pollutants. The recognition and display of this process in the art form of film makes for a captivating stimulus from an emotional, mental, and political context. The 2007 film adaptation of Cormac McCarthy's novel No Country for Old Men exemplifies the contradictions that arise from unfiltered and honest depictions of modern day society.

           The film No Country for Old Men, directed and written for the screen by Joel and Ethan Coen, follows a Texan hunter's perilous flight from a sadistic assassin after discovering an immense amount of money left in the aftermath of a fatal drug transaction in the middle of the desert. The film features actors such as Josh Brolin, Tommy Lee Jones, Javier Bardem, Woody Harrelson, and Kelly Macdonald. Reliant on high suspense and realistic violence, most would generally assume the film's primary audience would consist of adult males. This is not to say, however, it is not favored by differing audiences. Aside from the fast-paced action and gruesome violence, the film presents a compelling story along with distinct characters.

           Society teaches that avarice is negative. Greed, therefore, a characteristic seemingly innate to human beings, is a quality one should actively combat. This popular culture value is renounced by society yet embodied by its leaders. In the film No Country for Old Men, the protagonist, Llewelyn Moss (Brolin), stumbles upon a horrific scene in the middle of the desert. After discovering several corpses, Llewelyn tracks the single man who had escaped only to find him deceased under a tree with a briefcase containing two million dollars. While he clearly comprehends that the money within the briefcase was used to purchase illegal drugs and caused the deaths of several men, he still takes it with him, without any apparent remorse or guilt. Greed is evident within this action. Llewelyn does not report the deaths to local authorities nor does he offer aid to a dehydrated man begging him for water. He places the value of the money above human lives as well as the law. Society would condemn Llewelyn's decision to steal the money, but in reality, the majority of people placed in his position would have done the same. In this way, the film offers insight into the reality of human nature as opposed to societal nature.

Advertisements' Manipulation of Consumers

 

           Modern day society depends heavily on mass media for information, trends, and creative stimuli. We make ourselves vulnerable to each and every facet the media offers, specifically the internet and television. Over time, advertisers and marketers have strengthened and enhanced their manipulative tactics against consumers, while the majority of consumers have simultaneously become oblivious and even more susceptible. The development of the internet's inner workings has yielded new programming methods, such as cookies, beneficial to marketers in that they enable internet tracking of consumers. This tracking is conducted in order to personalize advertisements to consumers in order to increase the likelihood of them purchasing the advertised products. In actuality, major corporations, such as Target, track consumers in order to specify which of the store's products are relevant to consumers and thus more likely to be purchased. In conjunction with the media, marketers possess the ability to make consumers believe they need to purchase certain products. 

          For instance, a person could see a target commercial for Taylor Swift's new album. Interested in the artist, this person browses websites related to Taylor Swift. Target can then specifically offer a discount on the album or other products associated with this celebrity directly to the consumer. Unfortunately, advertisements are not always designed to be pleasant in nature. There are a plethora of advertisements that function directly off of the inhibitions and emotions of consumers. The style of marketing involved with playing off of consumers' insecurities typically depict a certain looking person consuming or using the advertised product or service. This actor or actress depicted in the advertisement usually possesses the aesthetic society deems “attractive.” However, the majority of consumers do not possess the same aesthetic and automatically believe they should, thus making them believe that purchasing the product will help them to attain this particular aesthetic. There is also the form of advertisement that exploits consumers emotions in order to bolster the appeal of the product or service. In any case, advertisements will generally stop at nothing to get their product purchased.

Advertisement

          I originally decided to show a television advertisement for Guinness Beer in class that I saw this past week, which heavily functioned on emotion. In the commercial, several men in wheelchairs are shown playing basketball, during which, one of the players falls over. After the game, every player stands up from the wheelchair except for one, who is revealed to be actually disabled. The commercial then shows all the players drinking Guinness Beer together. While this entire scenario bears no relevance whatsoever to the actual product, it connotes friendship, loyalty, and dedication. In fact, the narrator even says these actual words and then goes on to say, "The choices we make reveal the true nature of our character." Therefore, the commercial generally sells the lifestyle of being a good, moral person. By drinking Guinness Beer, you're then being a good person. I instantly felt emotionally sympathetic to this commercial even though I'm not even of legal age to purchase the product. As such, I consider this to be quite a successful advertisement. Throughout the commercial, a heartfelt piano ballad provides an almost fragile undertone to the context of the advertisement, easily capturing viewer' attention as well as their emotion. Furthermore, this advertisement strives to demonstrate that all are equal, no matter the circumstance, thus attributing this quality to Guinness Beer itself. An advertisement that is capable of accessing a viewer's emotion so proficiently is certainly likely to increase sales of the product featured within the advertisement. Even in the case that viewers are too young to purchase the product, this advertisement still establishes Guinness as an ethical and respectable brand.

Here is a link to the commercial: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xwndLOKQTDs

The Rising of Popular Culture: A Historiographical Sketch Response

          Popular culture has not always been regarded as a topic worthy of scholarly study, as conveyed in LeRoy Ashby's article “The Rise of Popular Culture: A Historiographical Sketch.” In fact, for an extensive period of time, many felt culture could not and should not be influenced by the general masses, otherwise trivial and inane culture would disseminate throughout society. Furthermore, many believed culture should consist of sophisticated and classical elements, thus creating the concept of high culture. This elitist outlook would become progressively obsolete with the advent of the 1960s and 70s. During this period of history, the rights revolution transpired. Interest in the people as opposed to elitist social groups, institutions, and corporations became prevalent. For the first time in a long time, individuality and independent thinking were reaffirmed. American society was changing drastically as the nation struggled with racial conflict. The general masses could not be contained any longer. People with no authority whatsoever came together to stand up for what they believed in to make a difference, to solidify their entitlement on their societal culture. They were the ones living within society, so why shouldn't they have the right to determine its conditions? As a result, an eruption of popular culture took place that forever altered the fiber of American society.

           Over the last few weeks, my conception of popular culture has changed immensely, or rather, has bolstered immensely. I have realized how significant popular culture is to society. Now, whenever I contemplate the concept of popular culture, I imagine a network that every member of society is connected to. This network is fast-paced and always thriving. News and information are accessible in a mere second within this network. Consequently, we are all affected and influenced by even the slightest change within the network that is popular culture. We constitute popular culture, thus we are popular culture.