Narcissism as Liberation and Deep Play: Notes on a Balinese Cockfight

569 Words2 Pages
bulb-icon

Recommended: Subliminal advertisement thesis

Comparing Susan Douglas' Narcissism as Liberation and Clifford Greetz's Deep Play: Notes on a Balinese Cockfight

The method used by Susan Douglas in her essay “Narcissism as Liberation” to describe the way a particular event to practice might have a deeper meaning seems to differ somewhat with that used by Clifford Greetz in “Deep Play: Notes on a Balinese Cockfight”. In the former, the author concentrates on the method which would be best described as “direct approach”. In her explanations of the themes behind different advertising practices and their implied meanings she makes it sound as though the ones responsible for the advertisements infuse these subliminal messages on purpose into the context. She describes the play on women’s feelings to cow them into thinking that they are never the ideal and should always be working to perfect their bodies (using the advertiser’s products) is an intentional subliminal message that is infused into every commercial advertisement is done because that method seems to be effective. She stresses that the media and corporations have shaped...

Show More
Related

  • Analysis of the Documentary: Killing Us Softly 4 and the Role of Women in Advertising

    533 Words  | 2 Pages

    The documentary Killing Us Softly 4 discusses and examines the role of women in advertisements and the effects of the ads throughout history. The film begins by inspecting a variety of old ads. The speaker, Jean Kilbourne, then discusses and dissects each ad describing the messages of the advertisements and the subliminal meanings they evoke. The commercials from the past and now differ in some respects but they still suggest the same messages. These messages include but are not limited to the following: women are sexual objects, physical appearance is everything, and women are naturally inferior then men. Kilbourne discusses that because individuals are surrounded by media and advertisements everywhere they go, that these messages become real attitudes and mindsets in men and women. Women believe they must achieve a level of beauty similar to models they see in magazines and television commercials. On the other hand, men expect real women to have the same characteristics and look as beautiful as the women pictured in ads. However, even though women may diet and exercise, the reality...

    Read More

  • Beast In The Jungle Narcissism Essay

    1034 Words  | 3 Pages

    A narcissist is one who believes “he or she is ‘special’ and unique and can only be understood by, or should associate with, other special” people. They exploit others for their own advantage, lack empathy, and are “preoccupied with fantasies” or ideals that can be unrealistic. They believe they are the “primary importance in everybody’s life”. (“Narcissistic Personality”) Henry James’ theme in his short story, “The Beast in the Jungle”, is about a man, who is so egotistical and self-absorbed that he misses what life has to offer him, in particular, love, because of the narcissistic behavior he is doomed to live a life of loneliness and misery. John Marcher, the protagonist of “The Beast in the Jungle”, is about a narcissistic upper-class man who believes his life is to be defined by some unforetold event. He focuses only on himself and as a result, he neglects everything and everyone in his life. Marcher meets May Bartram, a woman who knows his secret, and instead of pursuing a romantic relationship with her, or even a genuine friendship, he uses her for his own benefit. Henry James utilizes a variety of literary devices to convey this theme in his story, such as the title, symbolism, dialogue, and the use of a limited third-person narrative. Henry James leaves us our first clue to the theme in the title, “The Beast in the Jungle”. When one thinks of a beast, they typically imagine something big and ferocious; Marcher’s ego was just that.

    Read More

  • Narcissism In Daring Greatly By Brene Brown

    1312 Words  | 3 Pages

    As human beings we long for a connection with other human beings and hope that the connection is positive and helps us overcome our fears and struggles. A very first step to connect with one another is to overcome the anxiety about our self-shame and start daring greatly.

    Read More

  • Lionel Messi: The Greatest Player In Outliers, By Malcolm Gladwell

    1207 Words  | 3 Pages

    In order to be successful, failure is inevitable. When one fails, it is essential for them to practice tremendous hours to develop their skills and master their craft. In beginning of the book, Gladwell explains “The emerging picture from such studies is that ten thousand hours of practice is required to achieve the level of mastery associated with being a world-class expert in anything” (40). Messi was certainly not the best player in the world as he made a debut in the spanish league but becoming professional at the age of

    Read More

  • Advertisement Analysis: Covergirls

    731 Words  | 2 Pages

    The world we are living is a fast paced ruled by the media. We are surrounded by images of, perfect bodies, beautiful hair, flawless skin, and ageless faces that flash at us every day. These images are constantly in our minds throughout our lives. Advertisements select audience openly and target them with their product. The advertisement is implied in order to be like the people in the advertisements you must use their product. This approach is not new to this generation, but widely used today. The advertisements grab people attention and persuade them with the appearance of beauty and happy women that looks sophisticated to people eyes.

    Read More

  • Plato's Allegory Of Cave: The World Of Beauty

    1373 Words  | 3 Pages

    Thus, we can assume that the audience itself, the members who believe in the content of ads and its sincerity, as well as, people who agree with the portrait of the women that is being created are the only prisoners in this particular situation. “To them, I said, the truth would be literally nothing but the shadows of the images” (Plato 868). On the other hand, according to the Jean Kilbourne, author of “Two Ways a Woman Can Get Hurt” what is not mention to the public is the fact, that many women from the very young age during the process of finding out the truth and being blinded by the “light” are fighting with depression, low self-esteem, eating disorders and sexual harassment. “I contend that all girls growing up in this culture are sexually abused – abused by the pornographic images of female sexuality that surround them from birth, abused by all the violence against woman and girls, and abused by the constant harassment and threat of violence” (Kilbourne

    Read More

  • Malcolm Gladwell's Outliers

    1411 Words  | 3 Pages

    Gladwell explains that we have bought into the thought that successful people are made from only hard work; instead, he says they “are invariably the beneficiaries of hidden advantages and extraordinary opportunities and cultural legacies that allow them to learn and work hard and make sense of the world in ways others cannot” (67). Gladwell defines an outlier as a person that looks at achievement in a different way than most others do. According to Gladwell, successful people come to be because of collaboration, time, place, and culture. An outlier is not necessarily a genius, but rather a person who was presented an opportunity and has many hours logged working at their craft. I can personally connect with the ways of an outlier because I have witnessed my mother be extraordinary my whole life through practice and hard work. One of Gladwell's case studies was done on the Beatles life and how they became so successful with their rock and roll music. Gladwell goes into detail on how the beatles got their start at these clubs in Germany where the clubs were run down and the people in the audience didn’t really care about what they were listening to. The only reason that playing at these clubs was beneficial to the beatles, was because the gigs were 8 hours long and they played every day of the week. So once The Beatles started to gain

    Read More

  • Rousseau and Marx: Property and Inequality

    1831 Words  | 4 Pages

    ... in a way that lead to inequality. Marx similarly argues that private property has led to inequality, because it has put the means of production into the hands of the bourgeoisie, thereby subjugating the proletariat. Even though both men resided in different centuries, their theories are similar because they perceived the singular issue of inequality. As theorists they did differ on where equality would lie; Rousseau believed that man had lost equality as he evolved out of the natural state, whereas Marx believed equality had yet to be realized.

    Read More

  • The Battle Between Gun Control and Gun Rights

    1116 Words  | 3 Pages

    Spitzer, Robert J. The Right to Bear Arms: Rights and Liberties under the Law. Santa Barbara, CA: ABC-CLIO, 2001. Print.

    Read More

  • A Well Regulated Militia

    423 Words  | 1 Pages

    A well regulated militia, being necessary to the security of a free state, the RIGHT of the people to keep and bear arms, SHALL NOT BE INFRINGED.

    Read More

  • Sexism In Canadian Society

    1062 Words  | 3 Pages

    (Jhally, Kilbourne, Rabinovitz, 2010) The amount of money put into advertisement worldwide in 2011 was $464 billion. (Pavlik, McIntosh, 2014, p. 268). In our society, sexism has become a normal part of our everyday life based on the ads we constantly see and because of the society we live in. Women are represented in ads as objects and not as human beings. The advertising is convincing us that the most important goal for a woman should be to become “the perfect woman” and for a man to find one. Dove has a commercial called “Evolution” demonstrating the idea that “the perfect woman” does not truly exist. They show the transformation in which models go through before photo or video shoots. The makeup applied to create a flawless face and the hair extensions attached to create the ideal look are only the beginning of the issue. After the photographs are taken, we are taken through a visual process of the editing done to the images: Bigger eyes, smaller nose, bigger lips, higher cheekbones, slimmer face, bigger chest, smaller waist, smoother skin, these are only a few of the changes they make while editing these pictures. These ads create an unrealistic and unattainable idea of

    Read More

  • Analysis of The Dove Campaign For Real Beauty

    1839 Words  | 4 Pages

    In which way the seller’s chief goal is to sway their possible spectators and attempt and change their opinions, ideals and interests in the drive of resounding them that the produce they are posing has a touch that customer wants that will also be in their advantage, therefore generating false desires in the user’s mind. Dove is vexing their viewers to purchase products they wouldn’t usually buy by “creating desires that previously did not exist. ”(Dyer, 1982:6). In its place of following the outdated mantra of beauty- advertising campaigns that endorse an unachievable standard of attraction as the norm, Dove’s campaign has taken a concern that touches the lives of loads of young and old women: self-observation in the face of ads that don’t mirror the realism of women’s looks. Dove is saying that it’s all right to be ordinary, and that you’re not less than for not being what certain advertisers reflect to be flawless.

    Read More

  • The Effect of Advertising on Women's Body Image

    1387 Words  | 3 Pages

    To sum up, it is often said that advertising is shaping women gender identity, and some have been argued that the statement is true, because of the higher amount of sexual references of women that advertisement show and the damages that occur on women’s personality and the public negative opinions of those women. As well, the negative effects that those kinds of advertisements cause to young generations and make them feel like they should simulate such things and are proud of what they are doing because famous actors are posting their pictures that way. Others deem this case as a personal freedom and absolutely unrelated to shaping women gender identity. On the contrast, they believe that, those sorts of advertisements are seriously teaching women how to stay healthy and be attractive, so they might have self-satisfaction after all.

    Read More

  • Propaganda from the Beauty Industry

    1213 Words  | 3 Pages

    There are so many forms of propaganda that surround our lives on a every day basis, and these negative messages persuade and shape our thoughts of perfection, of who we are, and who we ought to be. The beauty industry and its’ advertisements is one type of propaganda that ultimately characterizes the way we think of ourselves. The media is relentless in reminding us every chance they get why women need to be perfect and what we need to achieve that. There is endless pressure as women to have a perfect body and appearance. The beauty industry’s aim through advertisement is to make women feel as if we need to buy the beauty products in order to look and feel like the models on television, magazines, and in commercials. The beauty industry is very successful because as women, we often feel compelled to buy whatever is necessary to look “perfect.” In years past the beauty industry has been solely focused on the obvious beauty tools such as makeup, hair accessories, lotion, etc. However, we have become more intrigued by even more aspects of the beauty world such as undergarments and everywhere in between. In other words, media propaganda is more interested in the “selling of sex” now than ever before. An unfortunate yet accurate depiction by actress Helen Mirren reads, “Flesh sells. People don’t want to see pictures of churches, they want to see naked bodies.” Just as Mirren knows this to be true, so does the beauty industry and they have taken it and ran with it.

    Read More

  • Women and Advertisements

    2559 Words  | 6 Pages

    image of themselves in real life. They are almost computer-generated women like in the movie Simone. Indeed, with the technology we have now, advertisers can transform a product into perfection, at the same time, misleading the consumer into seeing it as “real”, and thus permanently providing impossible standards (Ingham). More and more women are becoming dissatisfied with themselves trying to be this fantasy person created by the men in our society. This distorted view of reality, portrayed by advertisemen...

    Read More

More about Narcissism as Liberation and Deep Play: Notes on a Balinese Cockfight

Open Document