Definition of "Terrorism"

            After the attack of the twin towers on September 11, 2001, an image of a terrorist has been constructed all across the nation. In the “George W. Bush’s Address to a Joint Session of Congress on the 9/11 attacks”, the myth of an “American” and the myth of a “terrorist” are contrasted and the means of “terrorism” is presented. Through the adjectives used to define “us” and “them” and the circumstances portrayed in Bush’s address, notions of the upper class, the Muslim race, masculinity, and perversion are discussed and associated with a “terrorist”.

            The contrast between the occupation of Americans and the extensive preparation of the training of the terrorists show the class difference between “us” and “them”. In Bush’s speech, the stories of police, firefighters, and rescue workers are mentioned. They are the ones who are saving lives and being honored. They are also workers of the middle class. This sends a message that America is about the strength of the middle class. On the other hand, Usama Bin Laden, who is the planner of the attack, is “the son of a prominent Saudi family, successful business group with significant wealth”. Also, the fact that there are many bases, training facilities and sanctuaries dedicated to training terrorists shows notions of upper class because owning these places take a lot of money and power.

The places mentioned in Bush’s address link the Middle East to terrorism. Bush stated that terrorism is “a fringe form of Islamic extremism” and that al Qaeda, which is the group responsible for the attack, has its training base in Afghanistan. In addition, Bush also said how “Egyptian Islam Jihad has a very close working relationship with al Qaeda”. Even though both Bush and Cheney stated that they are not exactly sure who is involved in training terrorists and planning attacks, the fact that they kept on mentioning Middle Eastern countries creates a link between terrorists and people from those countries.

The term barbarian is used to define a terrorist and this relates terrorism to racial minorities. Throughout history, the word barbarian has been used on many different racial minorities like the Native Americans and the Blacks. By naming terrorism a barbarian, a notion of savageness is created. This gives rise to the message that terrorists are from racial minorities and they are uncivilized people.

The symbol of the shield and the act of hijacking place both “us” and “them” on the extreme end of the gender scale. In Bush’s address, he held a polish shield. The shield is the “embodiment of strength and courage” and thus makes Bush, who is representing Americans, appear more masculine. In addition, the stories of the heroic figures like the firefighter who gave up his own life to save someone also show the masculinity of the Americans. Occupations like firefighters, police, and rescue workers all require physical strength and endurance, which are very masculine traits. The terrorists fit into the extreme of masculinity in a way different from Americans. The act of hijacking is a very masculine act because it is very violent and aggressive. It requires physical strength to take over a plane. It takes even more strength to overcome fear of death and eventually commit suicide when the plane crashes. Also, terrorists only needed “knives, cardboard cutters, razor blades… and an airline ticket” to hijack a plane. The fact that the items listed are violent weapons further masculinizes the terrorists.  

            The term “criminal” is used to describe a terrorist and this gives them a masculine image. Since criminals are usually associated with crime and violent acts, they have a sense of masculinity in them. By calling terrorists criminals, a notion of masculinity is added to terrorists because they conduct violence crimes against other nations. In addition, criminals are law breakers who are fearless. By associating terrorists as criminals, a sense of daring masculinity is added to their image.

            The idea of the reproductive family of “us” contrasts with the sexual orientation of the “terrorists”. In Bush’s address, he also asked people to “hug your children”. This creates a notion of heterosexuality and the structure of a married family. On the contrary, the word “pervert” is used to describe the terrorists. This is due their self-sacrifice. Instead of being in relationships, terrorists chose to train tactics of terror for years. Instead of getting married and starting a family, they chose to go on a hijacking mission and get blown up with the plane. These send a message that terrorists are heartless creatures who would rather die for their radical beliefs than to love and create bonds with others.

            The image of a terrorist is constructed after the collapse of the twin towers. Fear gave rise to stereotypes and now our society associates certain group of people with terrorists. In the “George W. Bush’s Address to a Joint Session of Congress on the 9/11 attacks”, the difference between “us” and “them” are discussed and the definitions of “terrorism” are implied. Through the adjectives used to differentiate Americans and terrorists, masculinity and perversion are now associated with a “terrorist”. Through the backgrounds and stories of “us” and “them”, the upper class and the Middle East are now part of what defines a “terrorist” too.

Victoria's Secret 2010 Commercial and the Beauty Myth

                 

                The ideals of beauty are constructed through commercials that advertise products for women. In the Victoria’s Secret 2010 Holiday Commercial, the myth that beauty means slenderness, youthfulness, fair-skinned, and classy is created. Through the camera angle, lighting, settings, and physical appearance of the models, extreme femininity and aspects of the upper class are discussed. The beauty myth in the commercial represents the ideals of beauty talked about in Naomi Wolf’s The Beauty Myth.             

                The facial expressions of the models feminize their characters. The models in the commercial are smiling at the camera, making them more approachable. Since masculinity is associated with stern faces and lack of expression, the friendly and welcoming expressions on the models move them toward the feminine end of the gender scale. In addition, the models are looking straight at the camera most of the time. Direct eye contact shows that they are and are interested. This makes them more feminine since masculinity is associated with apathy.

                The patterns and materials of the outfits of the models further demonstrate the model’s femininity. Since it is a Victoria’s Secret’s commercial, the models are dressed in undergarments and corsets. Lace floral patterns dominate most of the pieces that the models are wearing. This truly feminizes the models because lace is partially sheer and thus makes the models look sexy. Floral patterns are very feminine because flowers are usually associated with women because both are fragile and beautiful. White feathers are used to create the wings of the models. This makes them look like angels. This feminizes the models by making them more innocent looking.

                The clothing and accessories that the models wear make them appear more feminine. Their form fitting corsets and pushup bras accentuates their sexual characteristics like their breasts, backs, and waists. The models are all wearing just panties and high heels, showing their long bare legs. The lack of coverage fit into the ideals of femininity because women look more feminine when they expose lots of skin and wear tight clothes that highlight their figures. In addition, most of items that the models wore are either pink or red colored. These two colors are very feminine and are usually associated with females.

                The figures of the models focus on their feminine traits and fit into the image of beauty. The models in the commercial are all very tall and skinny. They have flat stomach and tiny waists. Their legs are long and thin and their arms are toned. Their collarbones are exposed and nicely shaped. Their breasts are full and firm.  These characteristics are very much feminine and reflect how beauty is viewed in society today. Naomi Wolf said in her The Beauty Myth article, “thirty three thousand American women told researchers that they would rather lose ten to fifteen pounds than achieve any other goal”. She also talked about how “eating disorders rose exponentially”. These show how women try very hard to lose weight because being skinny and having model-like figure is a criterion of beauty.    

                The skin and hair of the models also make them look more feminine. The youthfulness associated with their looks also represents the myth of beauty. The models in the ad all have long wavy hair. Long hair is almost always associated with femininity because men keep their hair short. The models all have flawless skin and perfectly applied makeup. The models all look young, probably in their early 20s. Their wrinkle free skin demonstrates how youthfulness is related to beauty. In Naomi Wolf’s article, she talked about how “cosmetic surgery became the fastest growing medical specialty” and “the terror of aging” in the society. In addition, the light colored skin of the models also fit into the ideals of beauty because beauty is having a complexion as “fresh and fair as the morning”.

                The lighting of the commercial creates a notion of upper class by focusing on the models. When the camera focuses on the models’ faces, the background is usually dark while light is shine on the models. In addition, the light kept on flickering and switching from light to dark to light again. This grabs attention and makes viewers look directly at the models. These make the models look important and upper-class-like because they are the only ones that deserve the spotlight.

                The camera angles and placement of the models in the commercial further show the importance of the models by making viewers look up to them. The camera always shoots the models from bottom up, showing their shoes first, then legs and body, and lastly their faces. The camera is below the models thus they are above the viewers. This could symbolize a higher status and notions of upper class because they need to be looked up upon. Also, the models are always pictured in the dead center of the commercial, making them the first thing viewers see when looking straight.  This further proved their importance.

The settings of the commercial make the models look wealthy. There are many settings in the commercial but the most significant two are the ballroom and the apartment. In the ballroom setting, the model is standing in a balcony looking down on everything. The walls and the fences are all made of stone and marble. They are carved in intricate details. Ballroom dances are usually associated with high class people and luxurious decorations tend to be related to the wealthy. The other setting takes place in a huge room with almost no furniture. The walls are composed of all windows. The view outside the window shows that the apartment is super high and the buildings outside indicate that it is the heart of Manhattan. This instantly adds class to the models because living in Manhattan is super costly. Being able to afford the apartment and use this one huge room as just a chill spot is beyond luxurious. 

The Victoria’s Secret 2010 Holiday Commercial constructs the beauty as being slender, young, fair-skinned and wealthy.  Through various aspects of the video, ideals of beauty discussed in Naomi Wolf’s The Beauty Myth article are reinforced.  The camera angle, lighting, settings, and physical appearance of the models show the extreme femininity of the models as well as their upper class statues. The commercial reflect how beauty is perceived and how it shapes the social and economic dynamics around us.

Carry Out.

 

       Cultural myths are social beliefs people share toward groups of people. In the music video Carry Out by Justin Timberlake, the myth that women should serve men because women are inferior is discussed. The lyric of the song relates women to waitresses in restaurants, making them inferior. The setting, placement of the characters, clothing and expressions of the characters, and the camera angle show the subordination of women to men and how women are like waitresses, waiting to take orders from men.

The lyrics of the song evoke a strong feeling that women should take orders from men. In the beginning of the song, Justin Timberlake sings “I’ll have you open all night like an IHOP”. Relating women to a restaurant like IHOP makes them seem very available all the time. This symbolizes that women are just like restaurants, guys can just “drive through” and make orders whenever they like and women will take their orders. The line “Take my order cause your body like a carry out” also shows their inferiority by showing that men have the power to make orders when women just take orders. Toward the end of the song, Justin Timberlake sings “What’s your name Girl? What’s your number? I’m glad I came. Can you take my order?” This makes women unimportant because all a guy needs to know is the girl’s name and number and then she can just start taking orders from him. This also fit into the myth that women should serve men because they are inferior.

The setting of the music video also constructs the image that women are like waitresses, waiting to serve men. The music video takes place in what seems like a bakery shop because there is a neon sign glowing in the back, saying “Hot Cakes”. There is also a neon sign next to it saying “Drive In”. The signs are glowing and contrast with the dark background. The signs imply that women are like waitresses in bakeries, always ready to take down orders when guys drive through.

                The modes of transportation of the male and female characters in the music video also show their power structure. The men in the music video are sitting in a car while the women are on ice skates. This creates a sharp contrast between them because cars are expensive, fast, run on gas, and strong whereas ice skates are relatively inexpensive, slow, physically operated, and offer no protection. The difference between cars and ice skates show the difference between men and women and how men are superior because they are faster and stronger and can control a vehicle on just turning the steering wheel.

                The scene where the women take orders from the guys shows that they are just like waitresses. In that scene, the girl is bending down with a notepad and a pen in her hand while the guys are still sitting in the car. This makes the guys seem more important because they deserve to sit in cars while women should just stand and take orders. After the woman hand him a drink and his receipt, the guy just crunch the paper up using two fingers like it is garbage. This shows the inferiority of women because they serve men and hand them drinks while men can destroy the paper or women, using just two fingers.

                The clothing of the males and the females in the music video also fit into the myth that women are like servants to men. The girls are either wearing a very provocative outfit or a very French maid looking costume. They were short shorts, corsets, fishnet stockings with suspenders connecting to their short shorts and super high heels. This creates a very sexual appearance and make women seem like they are ready to take orders and serve men sexually. The French maid outfit further proves the point that women are like servants to men because maids usually provide services to their payers. On the contrary, the men in the music video are all masculine. They are dressed in jeans, jackets, caps and sneakers. There is one scene where one of the guys is wearing sunglasses as well. The casual outfits of the guys show that they can stop by anytime for an order whereas the women have to dress provocatively to get guys.

                The expressions of the characters in the music video also show that women serve men. The women are mostly always smiling to the men, trying to please them. This makes the women appear more feminine. However, the guys never smile back in the music video, making them appear more masculine. This further proves the point that guys do not have to do much to get women to serve them when girls have to be all smiley and nice to get guys. The difference makes women seem weaker than men.

                The camera angle and focus of the music video also shows the unimportance of women compare to men. When both the men and the women are dancing in the music video, the guys are always in the front when the women are in the back. The camera focus is always on the guys while the back is a bit blurred out. When the camera is shooting the men dancing without the women, the camera shoots from below and focuses mostly on the upper half of their bodies and their faces. However, when the camera is shooting the women dancing without men, the camera shoots from above because they are usually dancing on the floor. The focus is on their entire bodies instead of their faces. This all shows that men are more important than women.

                Lastly, the interactions and the placements of the characters demonstrate the myth that women are inferior and should serve men. In one of the scenes, two women are dancing with one man and they have their arms on his shoulder for support. This illustrates how women are dependent on men and how they have to look up to men. Also, towards the end of the music video, a woman dances every time a man taps her on the arm. This shows that the man has control over her and her actions thus making her seem inferior. In addition, the scene where the women are serving the man cake is very significant. The man is just sitting in a comfy chair, enjoying everything, while the woman is walking up to him, bringing him a plate of little cakes. This illustrate the point that women are like servants to men because women are the ones bringing up all the good stuff while men can just sit around and wait to be served.          

    The music video Carry Out by Justin Timberlake discusses the myth that women should serve men because women are inferior. The lyric of the song relates women to waitresses in restaurants, making them inferior. The setting, placement of the characters, clothing and expressions of the characters, and the camera angle show the inferiority of women to men and how women are like waitresses, waiting to take orders from men. Various aspects and interactions of the characters all prove the myth that women are like servants to men.

Racial Stereotype in Heroes.

        

Cultural artifacts reflect our values and opinions toward people and things. Television shows are a major component of cultural artifacts. Different racial images are presented through how characters are portrayed and the actions these characters take. The character Hiro Nakamura in the television show Heroes has the stereotypical image of an Asian guy. His physical appearance and the way he speaks contribute to his image as the nerdy Asian male. His background and his occupation also emphasize his Asian-ness. Lastly, his superpower and his actions further exaggerate the racial stereotype of an Asian.

            While almost all of the characters in the show Hero have English names, Hiro has a Japanese name. This immediately places him in a totally different racial category from all the other characters. The full name of his character is Hiro Nakamura. It is very obvious that it is an Asian name because Hiro is like the abbreviation for Hiroshima, which is an island in Japan. Nakamura is a very typical Japanese last name because people tend to associate Japanese names with “ra”, “ma”, and “na” as ending syllables. This is related to the stereotypical Asian because people tend to associate Asian with Asian-sounding names. For example, when people see names like “Lee” or “Chen”, they almost always assume that the person is Asian.

            The character Hiro Nakamura also has the “look” of an Asian. He is shorter than all the other male characters in the show and he is not muscular at all. He wears nerdy glasses and has an Asian looking haircut. His hair is black and straight. The fact that his hair is even at the sides could also be related to the typical Asian “bowl” cut where hair is equal length all around. His facial features demonstrate the look of a typical Asian. He has small eyes, flat nose, thin lips and skin with yellow undertones. This portrays the typical Asian because people tend to think of Asians as short and skinny with small eyes and flat faces. In fact, the word “chinky” is often used to describe Asians because Asians have small eyes. The fact that Hiro Nakamura wears glasses also contributes to this Asian image because people link glasses and nerdy-looking Asians. 

                      The way that Hiro Nakamura speaks further strengthens the image of a stereotypical Asian. Even though the actor playing Hiro Nakamura speaks perfect English in real life, he has to speak with an Asian accent in the show. The character Hiro Nakamura’s most spoken line is probably “Yatta!” It means “I did it!” in Japanese. The accent Hiro has and the Japanese phrases he uses all sharply contrast the other characters because they all speak perfect American English.  The way Hiro speaks reflects the view of our society because people tend to associate certain accents, like the one Hiro has, with Asians.

            The occupation of Hiro Nakamura truly reflects the typical Asian. Hiro is a computer programmer who sits in cubicles all day. His job requires a lot of math and science but not so much of physical power. This illustrates the typical Asian because people always think Asians are good at math and take on jobs that require a lot of brain power. In addition, Hiro’s office attire also contributes to the image of Asian because he wears suits with button-down shirts and ties. His outfits give him the look of a nerd. This relates to the stereotypical image of an Asian because people think Asians as nerds who wear conservative and preppy clothes. 

                    The character Hiro Nakamura finds about future events through comic books. There are many scenes of him reading the comic books. There are also many scenes of him carrying the comic books with him and using it as a guide to find places and people. This truly relates to the typical Asian because Asians are always associated with anime and cartoons. Probably because a lot of our childhood cartoons like Pokémon, Sailor Moon, and Yu Gi Oh are all made by Japanese people and have Asian characters in them, people just associate comics and animations with Asians.

            Hiro Nakamura has the superpower of turning back time and teleporting. This is very different from the superpowers of other characters like being able to fly or shoot fires. He needs to think and concentrate real hard to teleport. This mental superpower contrasts with the physical superpowers of the other characters. This adds on to the stereotypical Asian because people think Asians have tons of brain power but not much of physical strength.  

                      The weapon that Hiro Nakamura carries also contributes to his Asian image. He uses an ancient sword while other characters use guns. This creates a drastic contrast because swords are very old and Asian while guns are relatively modern and Western. The way that he swings the sword and carries the sword on his back creates the image of the samurai, the Japanese warrior. This really link Hiro to the stereotypical Asian because he uses ancient weapons and act like Asian warriors. People usually associate swords, wooden sticks, and Kung Fu with Asians. 

(Hiro’s signature face when teleporting.)

            Hiro Nakamura’s reactions to things also reflect the traits of the stereotypical Asian. In times of danger, Hiro usually try to escape instead of fighting it bravely. He takes the avoidance path by teleporting himself to a safer place. This demonstrates the belief that Asians are weak and cowardly. He portrays one of the typical nice, law-abiding guys because when he saw a dead man, he fainted to the ground. In addition, the first time when he had the chance to kill Syler, who is the Villain in the show, he just placed the sword around Syler’s throat but he could not actually do it. This shows that he does not have the guts to commit a crime. The further strengthened his Asian image because people almost never associate Asians to serious crimes such as murder and rape.

           Cultural artifacts such as television shows all have components that portray certain racial stereotypes. The image of the typical Asian is clearly shown in the character Hiro Nakamura in the show Heroes. His physical appearance, speech, and his actions show the typical weak, smart, nerdy and law-abiding Asian. His occupation and background further completed this image by showing he is the man of brain instead of fist.

Dolce & Gabbana Ad

 

                Many images come to mind when the words “masculinity” and “femininity” are used. Our society tends to associate certain behaviors and looks with a person’s gender. Egoistic dominance and aggression tends to be associated with masculinity while passiveness tends to be associated with femininity. People will often say a person is very masculine if he is confident and tough. On the other hand, a caring and nur­turing mother is often viewed as feminine. In “Gender Role Behaviors and Attitudes” by Aaron Dovor, the stereotypes of masculinity and femininity are discussed and these gender stereotypes are shown intensively in the advertisement by Dolce & Gabbana.

                Masculinity is aggression and dominance. In the Dolce & Gabbana ad, it is very obvious that the men are dominating over the woman. There are five men but only one woman. They are all physically bigger and strong than the woman. The way that the man in the center is pushing the woman onto the ground is very aggressive.  However, the woman shows passivity through her inaction. She does not seem like she is trying to escape or fight back. This supports Dover’s claim that woman usually strive for cooperation and communion.

                The balance of power also shows gender identity. Competition and thirst for power are some more aspects of masculinity. In the ad, all of the men are looking at the woman, making it look like it is a competition of power and dominance over the woman. However, the woman is just lying there with her eyes closed, dependent on the men to make decisions. This fits the stereotypes of masculinity and femininity by illustrating the competition for dominance of the men and the passivity of the woman.

                 The behaviors of the models in the Dolce & Gabbana ad also contributed to the stereotypes of masculinity and femininity. The woman in the ad shows that she has a heterosexual orientation. It means that she dresses, moves, and acts in ways that men will find attractive. This is true because she is dressed in a tight fitting black bodysuit that shows a lot of skin. She is also wearing makeup and high heels. These are very feminine aspects that men often find appealing.

                Dover said that femininity must be expressed through modes of movement and action that communicate weakness, ineffectualness, availability for sexual or emotional service, and sensitivity to the needs of other. This is true based on the ad because the revealing outfit of the woman and her inaction even when she is pushed onto the ground shows her weakness and availability for sexual service. Her body posture displays her subordinate status and vulnerability because she is pinned to the ground and unable to move while the men are just looking down at her. The fact that she has her eyes closed and is avoiding eye contact shows that she does not want to be in conflict with more powerful people, in this case the men.

                Certain body movements and actions tend to show femininity as well. For example, the woman in the ad expresses femininity by having her legs closer together than the men. The way that her toes are pointing inward and the fact that her hands are relaxed also give the appearance of femininity. Her subordinate status is further confirmed through the restriction of the free movement. The emphasis on her sexual characteristics like the light shining on her legs and the S line of her body give her an even more feminine appearance.   

                Opposite from the qualities of femininity, masculinity is built upon toughness, confidence, and egoistic domination. The man who is pushing the woman down in the ad gives an aura of aggression and violence that makes him look very masculine. The men in the ad have a certain degree of emotional insensitivity which makes them even more masculine. The man in the center is not letting the woman go. The men surrounding them are just standing there watching, disregarding the fact that the woman might be in danger.

                The way that the men are standing in the ad also illustrates masculinity. They hold their arms and hands in positions away from their bodies and they stand with their legs apart. Two of the men have their hands on their hips and are looking down at the woman like they are the ones in control of the situation. In addition, the men in the ad are all extremely physically fit. Two of the men are topless, showing off their muscular arms and six packs. Light is shined on their bodies to emphasize their physical power. They all have freedom of movement as opposed to be woman, thus indicating dominance and masculinity. 
                 The angle of the camera and the looks on the men’s faces also indicates masculinity. The camera took the photo of the ad from below the men, thus we have to look up to see them. This shows that that are important. In addition, the men all have stern or serious facial expressions on their faces. This suggests that they are not influenced by the woman. The man in the middle has sunglasses on his face. This might show that he is special and important because he is the only one with sunglasses. It could also be used as a way to display his “coolness”. 
                 The advertisement by Dolce & Gabbana is much more than just a clothing ad. It constituted the stereotypes of gender identity. The ways that the models are dressed and their actions all send messages regarding masculinity and femininity. Like what Aaron Dover states in his Gender Roles Behaviors and Attitudes, the male models process a certain degree of aggressiveness while the female model processes a certain degree of passivity. The men are dominating the woman in the ad and her inaction shows dependence. These aspects all fit and prove our society’s view on masculinity and femininity.