THEORISTS AND PHILOSOPHERS A2 MEDIA STUDIES CLARA BARROSO & SHAZIA JAMAL
PHILOSOPHERS
CONT PAGE
FREDRIC JAMESON
3
JEAN BAUDRILLARD
PAGE
4
PAGE
5
1- THEORISTS AND PHILOSOPHERS
JEAN- FRANCOIS LYOTARD
THEORISTS
TENTS LEVI-STRAUSS PAGE
6
PAGE
JACQUES LACAN
7
LIESBET VAN ZOONEN PAGE
8
THEORISTS AND PHILOSOPHERS -2
FREDRIC JAMESON He is an American literary critic and Marxist political theorist. Jameson is best known for his analysis of contemporary cultural trends—he once described postmodernism as the specialization of culture under the pressure of organized capitalism. He categorised postmodernism into two parts: pastiche and parody. Pastiche is an artistic work in a style that imitates that of another work, artist, or period.
“IT IS NOW EASIER TO IMAGINE THE END OF THE WORLD THAN TO IMAGINE THE EMD OF CAPITALISM.” However, it does not show an understanding of history and the need to move forward. Jameson believes that pastiche is taking over as postmodernisms most dominant trait. He said that parody is more common to modernism and copies old styles, but it takes a critical view of it. So it asks questions instead of replicating it. 3- THEORISTS AND PHILOSOPHERS
JEAN BAUDRILLARD “IT IS ALWAYS THE SAME: ONCE YOU ARE LIBERATED, YOU ARE FORCED TO ASK WHO YOU ARE” Jean Baudrillard was a French sociologist, cultural theorist, author, political commentator. His best known theories involve hyper reality and simulation. Baudrillard described hyper reality as “the generation by models of a real without origin or reality”. Hyperreality is an inability of consciousness to distinguish reality from a simulation of reality, especially in advanced postmodern societies. Hyperreality is seen as a condition of what is real and what is fiction are blended together so there is no clear distinction to where one ends and the other begins. Simulacra: an image or representation Simulation: an assumption or imitation of a particular appearance or form. ‘’the simulation is never that which conceals the truth- it is the truth which conceals that there is none. The simulacrum is true.’’ Baudrillard claims that postmodern society has replaced all reality and meaning with symbols and signs, and that the human experience is of a simulation of reality rather than reality itself. The simulacra that Baudrillard refers to are signs of culture and media that create the perceived reality; Baudrillard believed that society has become so reliant on simulacra that it has lost contact with the real world on which the simulacra are based. THEORISTS AND PHILOSOPHERS -4
JEAN- FRANCOIS LYOTARD ‘’Simplyfying to the extreme, I define postmodern as incredulity toward metanarratives.’’ Jean- Francois lyotard was a French philosopher and literary theorist. He is well known for his theories on postmodernism and the anaylsis of postmodernity on the human condition. His main focus was on knowledge so therefore looked at the scientific theories.
“I SHALL CALL MODERN THAT ART WHICH PRESENTS THE FACT THAT THE UNPRESENTABLE EXISTS. TO MAKE VISIBLE THAT THERE IS SOMETHING WHICH CAN BE CONCEIVED AND WHICH CAN NEITHER BE SEEN NOR MADE VISIBLE.” He said that older scientific explanations may no longer apply due to the changes in society and culture. Therefore new theories need to be developed that are more relevant for the present. Lyotard believes that there is no certainty of ideas, instead there are better or worse ways to interpret things. This is because of the limited amount of knowledge that humans can understand, so humans will never know this objective truth. 5- THEORISTS AND PHILOSOPHERS
LEVI-STRAUSS
BINARY OPPOSITIONS “OBJECTS ARE WHAT MATTER. ONLY THEY CARRY THE EVIDENCE THAT THROUGHOUT THE CENTURIES SOMETHING REALLY HAPPENED AMONG HUMAN BEINGS.” In structuralism, a binary opposition is seen as a fundamental organizer of human philosophy, culture, and language. Levi-Strauss: Binary Oppositions Argued that meaning in narrative is based upon binary oppositions. He observed that all narratives are organised around the conflict between such binary opposites. Good Vs Evil Human Vs Nature Black Vs White Protagonist Vs Antagonist Humanity Vs Technology Man Vs Woman Human Vs Alien THEORISTS AND PHILOSOPHERS -6
JACQUES LACAN The Mirror Stage: Where infants see their reflections in the mirror and see it as a superior reflection of themselves that they must aspire to. The ideal-I. Seeing iconic rappers who are successful ‘young black males’ may see them as a superior reflection of themselves they could aspire to. Particularly those iconic figures whom have struggled through a deprived childhood e.g. 50 Cent and Biggie Smalls (Notorious BIG). In his seventh Seminar “The Ethics of Psychoanalysis” (1959–60), Lacan defined the ethical foundations of psychoanalysis and presented his “ethics for our time”—one that would, in the words of Freud, prove to be equal to the tragedy of modern man and to the “discontent of civ-
“LOVE MEANS GIVING SOMETHING YOU DON’T HAVE TO SOMEONE WHO DOESN’T WANT IT.” 7- THEORISTS AND PHILOSOPHERS
LIESBET VAN ZOONEN FEMINIST THEORY
Suggests gender is constructed through discourse, and that its meaning varies according to cultural and historical context. Advocates that the very presentation of women’s bodies as objects to be looked at is a core element of western patriarchal culture. Also presents that in mainstream culture, the visual and narrative codes that are used to construct the male body are different from those used to objectify the female body.
“POSTMODERNINSM IS AN ACADEMIC THEORY, ORIGINATING IN ACADEMIA WITH AN ACADEMIC ELITE, NOT IN THE WORLD OF WOMEN AND MEN, WHERE FEMINIST THEORY IS ROOTED.” Feminist perspectives on media are just concerned with how women areportrayed in the media or how many womenwork in the media. We are also concernedabout what kinds of lives they lead, what statusthey have, and what kind of society we have.The answer to these questions will determineour future strategies for communication andnetworking. Communication alternatives need toemerge from our critique of the present worldorder and our vision of the future. ( Bhasin,Khan, 1994) THEORISTS AND PHILOSOPHERS -8