Seinfeld Group Presentation

For my group presentation on the television show Seinfeld, we focused on four main questions. 1. How did Seinfeld portray "Radical Romance?" 2.What aspects of American culture is Seinfeld presenting? 3.Is Seinfeld "Modern or Post-Modern?" and lastly, Are they the "norm" or the "other?" Of these four questions I chose to discuss for our presentation on the Radical Romantic aspect of the television show.

For my part of the episode of "The Beard," I chose to focus on the homosexuality aspect of these scenes that we presented. I chose to relate Michel Foucault's argument about homosexuals in "The History of Sexuality" of the "specification of individuals," with the scenes that we presented of Jerry and Elaine discussing on the idea of conversion. Through this comparison I argued that Foucault is presenting the idea that homosexuality is biological and in comparison to what happens in the episode, Seinfeld supports to this argument by Elaine's inability to convert. I was happy to have the class respond to my question whether homosexuality is biological or is it possible to convert or condition a person to become heterosexual.

I was very lucky to be in a group that was so dedicated and focused to make this into a perfect presentation that represented what we have learned so far in this class. Everyone had a role and I am very happy to say that we all completed our duties as a group member. I really enjoyed working with my group members and on this fun and unique presentation about Seinfeld.

Foucault, Michel. "The History of Sexuality." Print. 683-91.

Television and Cultural Identity

Last week we read chapter 10, “Television, Texts and Audiences” from the Barker book. In one part of the chapter, it exemplifies the importance of television through the construction of culture identity;

"Television is a resource for the construction of cultural identity just as audiences deploy their cultural identities and cultural competencies to decode programmes in their own specific ways. As television has become globalized, so the place of television in the constitution of ethnic and national identities has taken on a particular significance" (Barker 331).

Essentially, television is a portal for viewers to judge their own culture and the cultures that they are not familiar with. Yet, while American audiences may watch television shows through a critical approach, knowing that it is a constructed reality, other ethnic communities may see it through a referential view, understanding that the show is exhibiting reality (Barker 331). What this means is that other cultures may think that American shows are presenting a reality based view of how we live, think and act. Shows like "Seinfeld," which shows an exaggerated perspective of New Yorkers may translate to other cultures as how all Americans treat each other. I remember watching a show where an New Zealand  teenager thought that all American teens lived like the teens on the show, "The O.C." This kind of one dimensional observation of the diverse American culture is counter-productive to what this may be regarded as globalization. How can cultures be globalized when singular demonstrations like television represent ours and other cultures incorrectly?

This formation of a false display of our cultures is also shown through films. Much more widely viewed, American movies are usually seen by other cultures as the definitive portrayal of the American lifestyle. Still, movies like, Team America, play on a exaggerated global view of Americans and the post 9/11 aim to stop terrorists, understand how movies formulate ideas for other countries around the world.
 Movies are like an advertisement of one's country, only showing the beautiful, powerful, positive side of their society, and while others may have a specific and perhaps incorrect opinion of the American culture, for a country that is very  enclosed on our own culture this can also affects the American society.
 For example, when it comes to British films, it is the best and only way for me to see how the English culture is like. For some like me, the only way to learn about their humor, tastes and perspectives is through films. Although I am aware that this portrayal of the British lifestyle may not entirely be accurate, I am still entrapped within this specific perspective. Although we are aware that television and films are "make-believe," it is still difficult to leave that mindset when our exposure is so limited to the content of other cultures.

The Effacement of our Identity

In "Material Girl': The Effacements of Postmodern Culture," Susan Bordo argues that, "we are surrounded by homogenizing and normalizing images- images whose content is far from arbitrary, but instead suffused with the dominance of gendered, racial, class and other cultural iconography" (1101).

I agree with Bordo as this statement is evident throughout our society. Although our country consists of a melting pot of ethnic groups and cultures, through advertisements, our identities have been turned into a commodity. She adds that, "the very advertisements whose copy speaks of choice and self-determination visually legistlate the effacement of individual and cultural difference and circumscribe our choices" (1101). Bordo correlates advertisements to effacement, because essentially, they are the same thing. Ads sell an image that they argue, every "body" needs. Makeup, hair color, clothes, and contacts all "cure," our bodily disorder, thus making our sickly bodies healthy.

Through this effacement, these advertisers are essentially constructing our identity and culture into a distinctive product that can only be achieved through consumption. Our identity is to be bought and the higher the bidder goes, the closer they will reach this idealized identity. We no longer live as a singular individual, but within a normalized society that accepts a standardized perception of beauty.

A work by Barbara Kruger alludes to the argument that shopping creates ones existence

Bordo, Susan. Material Girl: The Effacements of Postmodern Culture.