Postmodernism

Question 1

what are the four points postmodernists would say about the media?

Answer 1

-society has become fluid, fragmented and chaotic
-identity is not fixed or stable
-no more traditional constraints
-you can pick and mix your identity (increased choice)

Question 2

what is the first reason why postmodernists are positive about the role of the media in our lives?

Answer 2

the new media has allowed us to shape our identity

Question 3

what did STRINATI say about the media allowing us to shape our identity?

Answer 3

‘supermarket of style.’

Question 4

what are some things that are influenced by the media?

Answer 4

-our appearance, fashion and body
-how we organise our lives, relationships, home and finances
-our feelings

Question 5

what is hybrid of culture?

Answer 5

the mixing and merging of cultures

Question 6

what are logos now, no matter where in the world you are?

Answer 6

universally understood

Question 7

what has hydrid of cultures lead to and what is this?

Answer 7

commodity fetishism= consumers believe that buying media products can enhance life

Question 8

what does commodity fetishism lead to in terms of identity?

Answer 8

it constructs and reconstructs your identity

Question 9

what is the first negative aspect of the role of media in our lives, according to postmodernists?

Answer 9

media saturation, we now live in a media saturated society in which media images now dominate and distort the way we see the world

Question 10

who came up with media saturation?

Answer 10

baudrillard

Question 11

what is the death of the social (media saturation)?

Answer 11

the idea that we now have media-led virtual lives, with the media increasingly replacing the role of neighbours and extended kin and socialisation in our lives

Question 12

on average, how long did people in the UK spend on social media per day in 2022?

Answer 12

108 minutes

Question 13

what is the second negative about the media, and who said it?

Answer 13

‘simulated’- Simulacra

Question 14

what does the negative argument of ‘simulated’ mean?

Answer 14

individuals obtain what they experience as ‘real knowledge’ about the world from the media, but this is actually reproduced knowledge about an entirely simulated world

Question 15

what are some examples of ‘simulated’?

Answer 15

-edited photos of models
-fake news
-fake videos
-virtual reality

Question 16

what has Simulacra’s idea of being simulated lead to?

Answer 16

a hyper reality

Question 17

what is an example of the hyper reality?

Answer 17

free the weatherfield one
=storyline on coronation street affected the public, who campaigned for the release from prison, with Tony Blair even getting involved

Question 18

in terms of hyper reality, what are the news and politics described as?

Answer 18

a media constructed spectacle
=makes it hard to distinguish between virtuality and reality

Question 19

what is the third negative of the media?

Answer 19

reality vs hyperreality

Question 20

what did Garrod argue about hyperreality?

Answer 20

reality tv shows, such as Big Brother are blurring the distinction between reality and hyperreality, which leaves audiences confused about what is real and what is media created

Question 21

what are some AO3 points about the positive of media?

Answer 21

-cultural imperialism not cultural hybridity
-exaggerated, other factors will influence our identity
-many people are not able to change through consumption, as inequalities are still apparent
-digital divide

Question 22

what is the AO3 about the negative of media?

Answer 22

cultural imperialism destroys local cultures, causing sameness and promotes a lifestyle that most people in the world cannot afford

Question 23

what do marxists say about the postmodernist arguments?

Answer 23

the ‘alleged’ choice discussed is a myth, instead it creates false needs
= fallacy of choice