Formation of Imagined Communities

1927 Words4 Pages

Look Good but Feeling Bad? In “The man behind Abercrombie and Fitch.” An interview conducted by Benoit Denizet-Lewis displays a glimpse into the life of Mike Jeffries and his views of his company only hiring “good-looking” people and targeting “good-looking” people to wear his clothes. This has been done in order to force his audience to recognize that the issue of acceptance one’s peers and exclusion of a community mentioned by Mike Jeffries, is a result of cultural perceptions and individual self-image. Denizet-Lewis skillfully shows that while Jeffries remarks of not wanting the “not-so-popular” kids to shop in his stores, it poses a question to consumers asking what change in our attitudes will come or if there will be any change at all. Thus comes the issue of how consumers today have a shift in the reasoning behind why one buys clothing and the motivating factors that influence one to buy certain clothing. Denizet-Lewis also demonstrates the different messages that controversial advertisements and statements affect different groups of people and how what they project is really what people desire, though deemed by many people as unacceptable or inappropriate. The author also examines how in the news media, the image has become more important than the message and how images have taken precedent over actual issues and character. As a result of this, various communities have formed by the construct of selling to “beautiful people” and how popular appeal has become an extension of a person. As the CEO of Abercrombie and Fitch, Mike Jeffries has turned the company into a multi-billion dollar brand by selling youth, sex and causal superiority, which gives way to the concept and emergence of an “imagined community.” The definit... ... middle of paper ... ...sther Dyson. First Monday, 1(1). doi:10.5210/fm.v1i1.466 Cebrzynski, G. (2000, March 13). Sex or sexy? The difference is that one sells, and the other doesn’t. [Electronic version]. Nation’s Restaurant News, 34, 11, 14. Imagined communities. (1992). Journal of International Affairs, 45(2), 639. Retrieved from http://ezproxy.lib.ryerson.ca/login?url=http://search.proquest.com/docview/220689061?accountid=13631 Lee, D. (1969). Society and the adolescent self-image. Sociology, 3(2), 280-280. doi:10.1177/003803856900300250 Pentecost, K. (2011). Imagined communities in cyberspace. Social Alternatives, 30(2) Imagined communities. (1992). Journal of International Affairs, 45(2), 639. Retrieved from Sarwer, D. B., Grossbart, T. A., & Didie, E. R. (2003). Beauty and society. Seminars in Cutaneous Medicine and Surgery, 22(2), 79-92. doi:10.1053/sder.2003.50014

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