ashlayla, hebdige

The Hebdige reading was a little difficult for me, but it was also a review of what I had learned in CMC 100. Culture is defined in many ways and varies in different countries. The American definition of culture is different than the Russian definition culture.

“The media, as Stuart Hall (1977) has argued, not only record resistance, they “situate it within the dominant framework of meanings” and those young people who choose to inhabit a spectacular youth culture are simultaneously returned, as they are represented on T.V. and in the newspapers, to the place where common sense would have them fit.” (155)

“Each new subculture establishes new trends, generates new looks and sounds which feed back into the appropriate industries.” (155)

When I read these quotes it made me think about some of the newest Dove commercials. Today, younger generations look up to the people that they see on television. When a little girl sees a pretty, skinny actress or model they want to grow up to be like them. When a girl combines the style of two different celebrities that they look up to, they create a new trend or “subculture.” I thought of the Dove advertisements because they are trying to send a message to younger girls that they are beautiful just the way they are. It’s okay if they look up to these celebrities but they shouldn’t completely change themselves into an unrecognizable person. It’s okay to borrow ideas from the celebrities because it creates a new trend.

I hope that when we talk about this topic in class I am able to understand it more because I did have a hard time reading Hebdige.