Christopher post 1

In today’s society, we are all surrounded by different images, which have special meanings and representations. These images can be everyday logos, symbols of a nation or institution, or even advertisements in magazines. One common image is a Pride Flag, which has come to represent the LGBT community in our society. This image is very simple; it is the seven colors of the rainbow stacked one on top of the other. A pride flag serves as a representation because it is used to create a safe network for gay men and women to show them safe and accepting places in our culture. This image tells the truth to the members of the community because with all the oppression and prejudice in our society, there needs to be something that gay people can associate with to make them feel safe. When using Barthe’s model, the flag signifies the safety and acceptance of gay culture in places where the symbol is displayed. The image of the flag plus this meaning of acceptance is what makes the pride flag a symbol of gay culture throughout the globe.

Another image with a common association is the distinctive plaid which represents Burberry, a famous British clothing company. Also a simple image, this design represents the world of high fashion, and has become synonymous with raincoats, cologne, and even socks. Its connotation is beauty, wealth, and affluence, and it is a desirable pattern all throughout the world. However unfortunate it may be though, this image is also representative of high expense, and of things that many people (including myself) want, but can not have because it can be so expensive.

In our lives, advertisements are all over the place. One recent advertisement campaign, which has had a rather outrageous effect on people, is the Dolce and Gabanna ads. One of the less risqué ads can be found here. At first glance, the image appears to represent the aftermath of a homosexual orgy. It is obviously just a group of male models told to stand there and wear fancy clothes to advertise the new line of clothing (or in some cases, to lie there with no clothes on at all). Today’s society is becoming more and more accepting of such ads and images, which once, long ago, would have been completely shot down and even result in huge scandals and lawsuits.

A fourth image is one that we, as students at Rollins College, see pretty much every day. It is the Rollins College seal. The seal is a picture of a sun rising above a body of water (presumably our very own Lake Virginia), with the motto Fiat Lux, or Let there be light. It symbolizes the prestige of our fantastic institution, and the wonderful education that we as students are receiving here. But it also means, to many of us, our whole lives—our new homes, where we sleep, eat, party, hang out with friends, and spend our entire days.

A final image is probably the first thing that many of us see when we wake up for the day. The display screen of an alarm clock is a different kind of image, but nonetheless a very prevalent and intriguing one. When viewed at the beginning of our day, when that ever-so-peaceful (read: absolutely horrific and annoying) sound awakes us from our dreams. It represents the start of a new day, and tells us exactly what should be happening at that specific time. To analyze the digital clock display using Barthe’s model, the numbers appearing on the display signify the time of day, and depending upon what time it is, the meaning of what is going on around you changes. Together, this equals the sign of what time of day it is.

An example of an image which is considered “high art,” is Vincent Van Gogh’s painting, and one of my personal favorites, A Wheatfield, With Cypresses. This painting is displayed at the National Gallery in London, and on the Rollins campus as well, in a reproduced print hanging above my bed. It is considered a form of high art because mostly because of its extreme beauty, its fame, and its well-known creator—one of the most revered artists in the history of art. It is also hanging in one of the most prestigious museums in the world (as aforementioned, the National Gallery in London). A form of “low art” perhaps might be the emblem on a Ralph Lauren Polo Shirt. Yes, the small embroidered man riding a horse is a very famous image, which is entirely recognizable by most western-educated people. However, it is easily recreated, and is at one point displayed on the breast of many people.

Based on chapter 5 of Practices of Looking, I would say that the media has both a democratic and oppressive function in our society. As an example of democracy, the press has absolute freedom in what it can do and say in the media, according to the First Amendment of the constitution (freedom of religion, assembly, press, petition, and speech). There are ethical debates displayed in newspapers, magazines, and oven on television, which allow for peoples’ own interpretation, agreement, or disagreement.

The media is however oppressive as well, because of the lack of bipartisanship in our news programs on television, and even in newspapers. We all know that Fox 5 news leans more towards the right and tends to glorify conservative or republican opinions, and make liberal ideas seem less than they are. At the same time, we have programs on CNN, and even newspapers like The New York Times which tend to be more liberal in their views and opinions.