we had a discussion about what identity means and how we recognise and define it.
we began by considering the main aspects of identity - you/me.
- what makes you you?
interests, opinions, knowledge, looks, physical build, understanding, interlect, geography, accent, family, friends, education, personality, tastes, political views, aesthetic attraction, understanding, wealth, ,marital status, era born into, diet, etc
there is a dialectical relationship between physical and social factors in determining identity.
- how can you express your identity?
clothes, food, posessions, style, music, house, home furnishings, opinions, interests, electronic items, social media, hobbies, attitude, fashion, tattoos, piercings, accent, how you act, associations.
subjectivity - our idea of who we are is complex and multi determined
looked at the circuit of culture diagram - culture is the framework within which our identities are formed, expressed and regulated.
from this we went on to look at Lacan's theory about the 'mirror stage' and when one first might recognise ones own identity/existance.
hommlette - when your a baby you dont understand the separation of the self from others - your just a scrambled up bunch of parts.
mirror stage - (metaphor) a kid sees itself in the mirror and recognises its self as an existing being separate to everyone else.
then - there is a recognititon of ones own sounds (voice,speech etc) and the ability to communicate and have others reply to you.
- the sense of the self (subjectivity) is built on an illusion of wholeness and receiving views from others.
- results in ones own subjectivity being fragile.
- constructing the 'other' -
in the same way that we create our own identites, in opposition to what we are not, so does society.
the problem is that it relies on the assumption of opposition and radical otherness.
by recognising you own self and your own traits you associate your self with a stlye or type or train of thought etc - this implies that you are not the opposite (or any other form) of that and so you are excluding and dismissing anyone who is the opposite or different. for example someone who wears trackies and trainers is othering someone in a suit because that is what they are not. whether or not it is intentional or out of dislike is irrelevant becuase its about the exclusion of what you are not.
chosen media image -
this advert depicts oscar pistorius in stop motion starting a race. a general advert for nike, yet it still presents the concept of othering significantly. the sweat and sheen show muscle definition, the 3 stills of the start up show the stamina and physical agility of the runner, the skin tight lycra suit shows his stamina and fitness, and the black brackground shows him and the focal point - all important. the advert is designed to imply the quality of nike products to runners, communicating the idea that nike products will make you this good and this fit and this desirable. the advert assumes the physical make up, ability and quality of its target audience; the runner. in this way it others any individual who is not a runner or who does not practice physical activities. furthermore, due to the depitcion of the type of runner targeted, the advert others any runner who is not of peak physical fitness and ability. in this way the advert is contradictory in its message because it shows how nike would imagine the target audience but doesnt show the actual target audience which is more likely to be those not in peak physical condition and who want to better themselves. hense the use of an individual the audience might strive to appear like. in this way it others its own target audience as well as those unrelated to the products and intents of the advert. the strap line is also giulty of othering as it relates the speed of the model to that of a bullet, which in reality is impossible, but nonetheless presents the idea that the audience is the fastest out there. in reality this is untrue and therefore is an example of othering those slower than the model in the advert.
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