Identity and the wider media
Media Factsheet 121: Identities and the Media
1) The Factsheet discusses how identity is a complex subject. What does it suggest defines our identity?
modern media is thought to be part of the way modern audiences construct and communicate their identity. We are a wired-in culture and we access and are fed images, data, information,
ideas and sounds throughout the day. Every day.
How we define ourselves is based on a complex set of relationships but we can think about our
idea of ‘self’ as being:
• who we think we are
• who we want to be… and
• who we think others think we are
We define ourselves in many different ways and our identities come from the individualised experiences we have. We create a range of identities that change depending on the context we find ourselves in and our relationships with other people. Part of the process of constructing our identities comes from our relationship with the media.
2) Complete the task on page 2: suggest media texts that could reinforce that someone is ...
You are..... … media use to reinforce these ideas? ....
Eg.
I am a political person - I will choose to access media products that take the election seriously and provide political information. I may search for political videos on YouTube. I can watch videos and subscribe to channels that focus on topics and ideas I am interested in. I may read newspapers and political blogs to learn more about the subject that is important to
me. This means I will feel informed and will be able to discuss.
Task.
non-mainstream- I will choose to access the not so typical media products that everyone else is using, eg. the trend of everyone having snap chat - i don't have snapchat. Instead i have non mainstream media such as goodreads, weheartit etc. This means that i identify with the non typical groups and don't share the same beliefs and opinions as those that are mainstream. I am different for accessing this different types of media.
edgy- I read non-mainstream media that has an edgy presence eg. NME and i listen to music that is considered 'edgy.' My social media is full of pictures of piercings, tattoos, grunge etc. i am very edgy compared to those happy go lucky accounts.
a pleasure seeker- I participate and watch media that is thrilling and enjoyable, almost as a form of escapism. It is also possible for me to access the internet to find activities to participate in and social media would also helps with this, following pages etc. that keep me notified when exciting activities are taking place.
fashionable- I access media that has a huge fashion focus such as fashion Instagram pages, weheaertit, pinintrests, polyvor etc. which let me know what is on trend and express my own fashion insight and share my own outfits. Also apps etc. of fashion stores are able to directly notify me when new trends come into store and when there are possible discounts.
witty and fun- i am able to access social media full of memes when i can share as well as allowing me with a platform to share my own humor. There are also many tv guides etc. for when comedies are coming on which i can watch. Many review sites also aid this like imbd so i know what movies i should watch even in the cinema.
cutting-edge- Social media and emails notify me on what is and isn't cutting edge.
3) What examples are suggested for a case study on urban youth?
Youth culture is often stereotyped as being wild, violent and unruly. Urban youth culture is stereotyped as being uneducated, unsophisticated and the clothing choices of hoodies and baseball caps have become symbolic of the whole group.
The Jeremy Kyle Show
Harry Brown and Eden Lake put working class urban youth into the role of villain in their narratives.
threat to urban life and the older generation in Harry Brown
rural peace and the middle classes in Eden Lake.
4) What does Hebdige argue with regards to youth culture?
says that youth cultures show their resistance to the dominant culture through their style choices
Urban youth can show itself to be outside the mainstream by adopting the uniform that is feared by mainstream culture and they learn about this fear in the media representations.
5) What other theorists are referenced alongside Hebdige? How do they link to the issue of youth identity?
The media continues to represent these youths as deviant in an attempt to reinforce mainstream values (Acland) but of course these representations are constructed by people outside this group (Perkins) and in this case can be seen to be a reflection of adult culture’s fear of urban youth (Giroux). Those within the group though have their status as outsiders reinforced.
6) How can we link our Year 12 case study on Ill Manors to youth and identity? What specific examples from the case study could be used to discuss Hebdige’s theory that youth culture challenges mainstream culture and dominant ideologies?
Some rap and r&b uses iconography of youth culture to create a sense of belonging and community. So the youth deliberately try to define themselves against the dominant ideologies of youth. For example, artists like Plan B and Jessie J use this sense
of collective identity to promote music. Therefore this urban identity of youth can be adopted and constructed in many ways.
Youth culture goes against the conformation to 'moral' society being full of drugs, alcohol, fights etc. thus as a collective normalizing all that is alternative in mainstream culture and dominant moral ideologies.
7) What does theorist David Gauntlett suggest regarding the media’s influence over the construction of identities?
Theorist David Gauntlett claims that the media have influence on identity construction and so the way the media stereotypes groups may become part of how individuals see themselves and media institutions are able to use this to sell their products
Where the idea of identity has previously been seen as something personal, the audience’s relationship with the media today in the construction of various identities is bringing the personal into the public space.
8) Do you agree that Hebdige’s view that youth culture will always seek to resist mainstream culture and challenge dominant ideologies?
I feel that youth as a collective tries to go against dominant culture yet this creates a mainstream culture within youth that youth conforms to. This is about conforming to the dominant ideologies of youth culture rather than disobeying (adult) mainstream culture.
Therefore, the current increased use of social media where adult content and concerns can influence youth can cause them to accept their perspectives. eg. the mainstream notion that drugs are bad for you, youth would be exposed to the adult perspective regarding the risks and long term effects of drugs causing them to identify with and therefore change their own beliefs to concern to the dominant ideology because they believe it is correct with its implications. Therefore suggesting that mainstream culture may begin to influence youth a lot more so they won't always be disobedient to dominant ideologists.
Or alternatively, due to the power and influence of social media, youth may begin to dominate it (which they do to a fairly large degree), this would therefore expose the adult audience to their views and opinions which adults might agree with and be infleunced by therefore causing youth ideologies to seep into mainstream culture and make it the norm therefore eventually becoming the dominant ideology (therefore if it is their view, it would become a dominant ideology rather than an alternative one)
Extra notes:
Stuart Hall says audiences can decode media
messages in a number of ways. They can:
• accept the preferred meaning that has been created;
• reject the idea that has been created; or
• negotiate and take some of the ideas on board and reject others
or even create their own meanings.
1) The Factsheet discusses how identity is a complex subject. What does it suggest defines our identity?
modern media is thought to be part of the way modern audiences construct and communicate their identity. We are a wired-in culture and we access and are fed images, data, information,
ideas and sounds throughout the day. Every day.
How we define ourselves is based on a complex set of relationships but we can think about our
idea of ‘self’ as being:
• who we think we are
• who we want to be… and
• who we think others think we are
We define ourselves in many different ways and our identities come from the individualised experiences we have. We create a range of identities that change depending on the context we find ourselves in and our relationships with other people. Part of the process of constructing our identities comes from our relationship with the media.
2) Complete the task on page 2: suggest media texts that could reinforce that someone is ...
You are..... … media use to reinforce these ideas? ....
Eg.
I am a political person - I will choose to access media products that take the election seriously and provide political information. I may search for political videos on YouTube. I can watch videos and subscribe to channels that focus on topics and ideas I am interested in. I may read newspapers and political blogs to learn more about the subject that is important to
me. This means I will feel informed and will be able to discuss.
Task.
non-mainstream- I will choose to access the not so typical media products that everyone else is using, eg. the trend of everyone having snap chat - i don't have snapchat. Instead i have non mainstream media such as goodreads, weheartit etc. This means that i identify with the non typical groups and don't share the same beliefs and opinions as those that are mainstream. I am different for accessing this different types of media.
edgy- I read non-mainstream media that has an edgy presence eg. NME and i listen to music that is considered 'edgy.' My social media is full of pictures of piercings, tattoos, grunge etc. i am very edgy compared to those happy go lucky accounts.
a pleasure seeker- I participate and watch media that is thrilling and enjoyable, almost as a form of escapism. It is also possible for me to access the internet to find activities to participate in and social media would also helps with this, following pages etc. that keep me notified when exciting activities are taking place.
fashionable- I access media that has a huge fashion focus such as fashion Instagram pages, weheaertit, pinintrests, polyvor etc. which let me know what is on trend and express my own fashion insight and share my own outfits. Also apps etc. of fashion stores are able to directly notify me when new trends come into store and when there are possible discounts.
witty and fun- i am able to access social media full of memes when i can share as well as allowing me with a platform to share my own humor. There are also many tv guides etc. for when comedies are coming on which i can watch. Many review sites also aid this like imbd so i know what movies i should watch even in the cinema.
cutting-edge- Social media and emails notify me on what is and isn't cutting edge.
3) What examples are suggested for a case study on urban youth?
Youth culture is often stereotyped as being wild, violent and unruly. Urban youth culture is stereotyped as being uneducated, unsophisticated and the clothing choices of hoodies and baseball caps have become symbolic of the whole group.
The Jeremy Kyle Show
Harry Brown and Eden Lake put working class urban youth into the role of villain in their narratives.
threat to urban life and the older generation in Harry Brown
rural peace and the middle classes in Eden Lake.
4) What does Hebdige argue with regards to youth culture?
says that youth cultures show their resistance to the dominant culture through their style choices
Urban youth can show itself to be outside the mainstream by adopting the uniform that is feared by mainstream culture and they learn about this fear in the media representations.
5) What other theorists are referenced alongside Hebdige? How do they link to the issue of youth identity?
The media continues to represent these youths as deviant in an attempt to reinforce mainstream values (Acland) but of course these representations are constructed by people outside this group (Perkins) and in this case can be seen to be a reflection of adult culture’s fear of urban youth (Giroux). Those within the group though have their status as outsiders reinforced.
6) How can we link our Year 12 case study on Ill Manors to youth and identity? What specific examples from the case study could be used to discuss Hebdige’s theory that youth culture challenges mainstream culture and dominant ideologies?
Some rap and r&b uses iconography of youth culture to create a sense of belonging and community. So the youth deliberately try to define themselves against the dominant ideologies of youth. For example, artists like Plan B and Jessie J use this sense
of collective identity to promote music. Therefore this urban identity of youth can be adopted and constructed in many ways.
Youth culture goes against the conformation to 'moral' society being full of drugs, alcohol, fights etc. thus as a collective normalizing all that is alternative in mainstream culture and dominant moral ideologies.
7) What does theorist David Gauntlett suggest regarding the media’s influence over the construction of identities?
Theorist David Gauntlett claims that the media have influence on identity construction and so the way the media stereotypes groups may become part of how individuals see themselves and media institutions are able to use this to sell their products
Where the idea of identity has previously been seen as something personal, the audience’s relationship with the media today in the construction of various identities is bringing the personal into the public space.
8) Do you agree that Hebdige’s view that youth culture will always seek to resist mainstream culture and challenge dominant ideologies?
I feel that youth as a collective tries to go against dominant culture yet this creates a mainstream culture within youth that youth conforms to. This is about conforming to the dominant ideologies of youth culture rather than disobeying (adult) mainstream culture.
Therefore, the current increased use of social media where adult content and concerns can influence youth can cause them to accept their perspectives. eg. the mainstream notion that drugs are bad for you, youth would be exposed to the adult perspective regarding the risks and long term effects of drugs causing them to identify with and therefore change their own beliefs to concern to the dominant ideology because they believe it is correct with its implications. Therefore suggesting that mainstream culture may begin to influence youth a lot more so they won't always be disobedient to dominant ideologists.
Or alternatively, due to the power and influence of social media, youth may begin to dominate it (which they do to a fairly large degree), this would therefore expose the adult audience to their views and opinions which adults might agree with and be infleunced by therefore causing youth ideologies to seep into mainstream culture and make it the norm therefore eventually becoming the dominant ideology (therefore if it is their view, it would become a dominant ideology rather than an alternative one)
Extra notes:
Stuart Hall says audiences can decode media
messages in a number of ways. They can:
• accept the preferred meaning that has been created;
• reject the idea that has been created; or
• negotiate and take some of the ideas on board and reject others
or even create their own meanings.
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