Icon Analysis

According to free dictionary.com an Icon is an image or representation; an important and enduring symbol; or one who is the object of great attention and devotion; an idol. An icon has the capacity to cross not only generational barriers but social and economic barriers as well. Knowing this I have chosen three icons, the first representing our youth, the second representing great strength, courage and how to be a leader, the last representing a time in our daily lives when we forget about what is wrong with the world and celebrate what is good and peaceful. My icons are “Winne-the-Pooh, Muhammad Ali, and Santa Claus.” Looking at this, one might say what a strange combination, and yes I would agree, however each icon represents something valuable that we are slowly losing as a society. First, Winne-the-Pooh first appeared in December 1925, when what became the first chapter of the book Winnie-the-Pooh was commissioned as a Christmas story by London's Evening News. (Wikipedia, 2008) Winne-the-Pooh touches people on a personal level; it does not represent the rich or the poor, the educated or non-educated, not even the young or old it represents the innocence and trust of a boy and the time shared with friends. Winnie-the-Pooh exists in American eyes because of a boy named Christopher Milne and his love for his teddy bear and a bear named Winnipeg in the London Zoo. This innocence is what we decorate our children nurseries and rooms with; spend billions of dollars each year on books, stuffed animals, DVD’s and more. In 1993, the Walt Disney Company acknowledged that Pooh Bear is second only to Mickey Mouse in their portfolio of the most-loved and trusted characters known to millions of people all the world over. By 1996, after the second release of 'the Many Adventures of Winnie the Pooh', the Bear of Very Little Brain had proved to be more popular than any other Disney character. (Wikipedia, 2008) Secondly, Muhammad Ali. When you hear his name your mind is instantly drawn to the man who was a champion in the ring. However, many of us also know of Muhammad Ali as a champion and crusader outside of the ring. He is the most recognizable man on earth. And over forty years after he burst onto the scene as a gold-medal winner at the 1960 Rome Olympics, Muhammad Ali remains a magical figure, known and loved throughout the world. (Ali) An icon is someone who is the object of great attention and devotion; this is the exact definition of Muhammad Ali. Over the many, many years his name has been associated with controversy, conflict and great debate, his views and opinions on the war stemmed his actual name change from Cassius Clay. Many facts are known about Muhammad Ali but it is the combination of his humanitarianism, his artistry, and his passion for leading that has the world so in awe of his many talents. He is respected and loved by people of all races, cultures and backgrounds; his awareness for change has lead to his recognition in the ring and outside, earning him numerous awards and honors. Thirdly, in honor of the season approaching I chose Santa Claus, known in every country, every culture and every household. The name Santa Claus has been translated a variety of times, in Italian he is Babbo Natale, in Spain he is Papa Noel, and in French we call him Pere Noel. Whether you celebrate Christmas or not the image of a jolly old man in a red suit, belted at the waist carrying a sack full of toys is known by kids and adults worldwide. There are many variations to the tale of Santa Claus, but the premise in all of them remain the same, he travels at night with his sleigh and reindeer while delivering toys and gifts to good little boys and girls. Santa Claus is the tradition of Christmas; his job is to help us as a society be a little nicer to each other and a little more giving this time of year. To marketers and merchandisers he is one of the biggest marketing tools for advertisement of new toys, and products geared toward the young and old. As the season approaches department stores and malls everywhere will be hiring someone to play Santa, to draw in parents and grandparents alike, just to have their little ones picture taken on his knee. The stores ultimately profit because the object is to tell Santa what you want and then the moms and dads can buy it, increasing the stores sales and profits. The spirit of Santa Claus and the goodness he represents has become diluted in the popularity of gift giving.

References Ali. (2008). The official site of Muhammad Ali. Retrieved, November 15, 2008, from http://www.ali.com Icons. (n.d.) The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition. (2003). Retrieved November 15 2008 from http://www.thefreedictionary.com/Icons Winnie-the-Pooh. (2008, November 9). In Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia. Retrieved, November 15, 2008, from http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Winnie-the-Pooh&oldid=250593451

Weekly Analysis 2-1

How many times have you asked, “does this dress make me look fat?” or you say, “I just don’t like the way I look, I wish I could lose five pounds.” In today’s culture a person’s self-image is outweighed by what society perceives to be beautiful. In days past this stigma was directed mainly towards women, but in modern culture it is now being impressed upon men. This dilemma has led to a new body disorder called “muscle dysmorphia or bigorexia.”(Browne, 2005. p70) When I first read about bigorexia, my thought was you must be kidding right, so I reread the passage to find out more about muscle dysmorphia. According to about.com, men’s health report, July 21, 2006, muscle dysmorphia is described as having the thought that no mater how hard you try your body is never muscular enough. This misconception has stemmed from our young boys believing that they should be built like the action figures they play with or the stereotypes they see on T.V. The biggest culprits behind their low self-esteem are superheroes and sports figures of today. They have taken over what boys and men now see as the perfect male body. Every time I turn on my T.V. I am bombarded with one false image or another, from baseball players to WWF wrestlers, the media glorifies what men should look like in order to considered acceptable. In researching this topic there are few articles to be seen, I believe that educating the young men on the consequences of this disabling disease is very important, effects such as excessive acne, breast enlargement, impotence, baldness, and testicular shrinkage. Unfortunately, no matter how much our young men are warned I believe until the popular opinion in today’s culture is changed and it is no longer about, “who is the biggest” or “who is the strongest” we will continue to have boys and men suffering from this sickness just as many of today’s women are still suffering from anorexia. References About.com (2006, July, 26). Bigorexia: reverse anorexia. Retrieved November 14, 2008, from http://www.menshealth.about.com/cs/menonly Browne, R. (2005) Profiles of popular culture. The University of Wisconsin Press: Popular Press.

Weekly Analysis 1-3

Reality TV: A new way to find love. Back in the good ole’ days, as they are so graciously called, a boy would see a girl he thought was pretty, he would ask to court her and eventually they would wed. As the years went by and time progressed so did the idea of how love could be found. In 1965, Chuck Barris created the game show, “the Dating Game,” the concept took a single man or woman, and tried pairing them with their perfect mate. The objective was to ask a variety of questions to a panel of 3 contestants and based on their answers determine which one is best for them. As with many trends in pop culture one idea leads to spin-offs and copy cat shows. For today’s generation we have VH-1’s, “Flavor of Love, Rock of Love, I Love New York, A Shot at Love with Tila Tequila and the most recent Real Chance at Love,” the premise is the same as on each show the main character or characters is looking for love by pairing off with a variety of men or women and in some cases both. As a society we have gone in the opposite direction of what used to be acceptable in the dating world. The methods once used to find true love are now seen as boring and unconventional. Dating is now done over the internet and reality TV. With the actual reality being that no one can expect to find true love with 15 different cameras, 15 different men and women all being alternated in and out of their bedroom in a matter of weeks. What does this say for us as a society, that we are to busy to take the time and develop own our relationship, or that we have become so callous and engrossed in seeing someone else make a fool of themselves for so called love that we continue to promote shows of this nature.

Pop Culture:

What is popular culture, and what does it mean to me? Pop culture is everything that we accept and latch onto that is happening or hot right now. It the latest of something new and the return of what was once considered old. Pop culture is having the hottest shoes, clothes, or hairstyle, is determined by its audience and what the majority in your particular click accepts. To me pop culture means having standing out above the rest and getting all of the attention because of it. Pop culture means competition to be the best and always have one up on the next guy. Pop culture means I have a reason to be different, it provides an outlet to do and to explore different avenues without recourse because someone else finds it acceptable also. Pop culture gives a sense of purpose and belonging. Why is an understanding of popular culture relevant to you in a business environment and in your present and future career? In order for a business to become successful they must know what their target audience wants and how to provide it. Knowing what is popular to your particular market can assist in the growth of your business significantly. Businesses that take no interest in pop culture limit themselves and the audience they are trying to attract. Popular culture can dictate whether a company’s profit margins increase or decrease allowing for success or failure. In my present career we are gradually moving into the new realm of what is considered pop culture. Within the payroll process there are certain opportunities where pop culture could be utilized, for instance, instead of providing the employee paper checks, one could offer re-loadable debit cards, along with online access to various payroll recorded information. My future career would heavily rely on knowing what is current and how to appeal to the younger demographics. To understand what incentive entice. What would you consider to be an example of a pop culture artifact? And why would you choose it. The Disney High School Musical phenomenon is what I would classify as a pop culture artifact. When the original High School Musical came out it was just a Disney original movie, the success was astounding causing Disney to manufacture a sequel. The original movie stemmed into a media blitz, enticing schools everywhere to perform High School Musical the play. Clothing lines, music videos, CD’s and DVD’s with bonus extras shot of the shelves. The sequel was produced as a Disney Channel original movie, commanding equal attention. With the success of the first two a third High School Musical was born, however this one going straight to the theaters, drawing in an even larger crowd and greater revenues. The High School Musical explosion has drawn people from various genres, races, and economic backgrounds. According to Box Office Mojo, the High School Musical franchise brought in an estimated $42 million on its opening weekend the largest ever opening weekend for a musical.