Assignment 1-3 - Article analysis summary

This article appears to be intended for a college level audience. It is published in The Journal of Popular Culture, which is a peer-reviewed academic journal. It is the official journal of the Popular Culture Association and the particular article I chose, The Gospel According to Spider-Man, was written by Niall Richardson. He is a PhD student in the Department of Media Studies at the University of Ulster, located in Northern Ireland. The main theory of the article is that the movie Spider-Man is a Biblical allegory. The thesis alone is sufficient to indicate that the target audience is the writer’s peers.

The parallels provided by Richardson for his theory
Superhero narrative in Spider-Man in relation to Christianity
1.) Unlike Superman, Spider-Man does not represent a paragon of goodness that protects the innocent and weak simply because it is the right thing to do. The author suggests that Spider-Man is forced into being a hero because he is trying to atone for his sins and transform the shame of his longing after Mary Jane into guilt. That way, it is possible for Spider-Man to manage this guilt.

Motto: “With great power comes great responsibility”
1.) This motto is repeated several times throughout the movie and Richardson suggests that it represents the idea of Christian humility. The fact that it is first told to Spider-Man by his Uncle Ben is of significance as well. Uncle Ben is seen to be a very religious man and has one of his lines in the film taken directly from the Bible. The author further goes on to say that the phrase summarizes the Biblical motif of Christ, who used his power for the good of mankind, not for self-gratification. This is one of the tenants that is taught by the Christian faith. All Christians should aspire to maintain humility and meekness while in possession of great power, which are Christ-like qualities.

Christian Shame / Guilt
1.) At this point in the paper, the difference between shame and guilt are explained. Basically, shame is described as a part of one’s being and you cannot get rid of it, no matter how hard you try. It is a part of you. Guilt, on the other hand, is something that the Christian faith allows to be atoned for, thus eliminating the guilt from the person’s conscience. It is in this respect that the author describes Christianity as a convenient religion because it allows shame to be transformed into guilt.
2.) It is the guilt of allowing his uncles death that is the driving force behind Spider-Man. As mentioned before, Superman protects the innocent out of a moral obligation to do good and help mankind. Spider-Man, on the other hand, is obligated by the death of his uncle. He feels that if only he had stopped the criminal that killed his uncle when he had the chance, his uncle would still be alive. Instead, Parker let the criminal pass out of spite toward the fight organizer for short changing him on his winnings. The criminal went on to carjack and murder Peter Parker’s uncle, leaving his aunt a widow. This need to atone for his guilt drives Parker/Spider-Man to protect the innocent from the criminal element in the city.

Spirituality versus Flesh
1.) In the final pages of this paper, Richardson Niall discusses, as he describes it, “the Christian tension between spirit and flesh.” He surmises that Christians are “ashamed of their physical, lustful bodies… a key teaching of Christianity dictates that the subject should attempt to transcend the body and foreground the spirit or Biblical word.”
2.) Spider-Man faces the supreme dilemma at the end of the movie when he is forced to choose between saving Mary Jane or a trolley full of innocent children. In this scene, Mary Jane represents the lustful desire while the innocent children represent the greater good of Christianity. This point is driven further by the Green Goblin quoting scripture directly from the bible when he says “suffer the little children” when outlining the dilemma to Spider-Man.

Assignment 5-1

I can quit at any time, seriously...

In 2007, U.S computer video game and software sales tallied 9.5 billion in receipts (Entertainment Software Association [ESA], 2008). The video game industry is huge and one of the most popular games in the multi-player online genre is World of Warcraft, with over 10 million monthly subscribers.

World of Warcraft is the fourth installment of the Warcraft universe, created by Blizzard Entertainment. The first three games in the series were not massive online games, they were strategy games which only had limited elements of online play that allowed a few players to battle each other on static battlefields. World of Warcraft is a massive multiplayer online role playing game (MMORPG) that allows thousands of players to be on a single realm at a time and with over 200 realms, total player counts in the millions of users is normal (Blizzard, 2008). The environment is no longer static, but instead it is open ended and allows the player to explore the game in a non-linear fashion.

My experience with World of Warcraft was a short one. A few friends of mine were playing regularly a few years ago and convinced me to give it a try. After playing the 30 day trial, I determined that if I were to be successful at creating a powerful character, it would require too much of my time. Eventually, many of my friends came to this conclusion as well and quit playing the game. Some quit and have been ‘clean’, while others still play on a casual basis. For me, paying a monthly fee and only playing part-time would not be worth it, financially. I will stick with rocking out to Guitar Hero for my casual gaming fix.

References
Blizzard Entertainment. (2008) FAQ. Retrieved July 28, 2008 from
http://www.worldofwarcraft.com/info/faq/realms.html.

Entertainment Software Association [ESA]. (2008). Industry Facts. Retrieved July 28, 2008
from http://www.theesa.com/facts/index.asp.

Assignment 4-1

Mac: “Hello. I am a computer that does everything right.”

At this point, I think that nearly everyone has seen the Apple commercials with the two guys that are supposed to be representations of computers. One is a chubby, business type in a brown suit. He represents the PC. The other, is a more casually dressed, younger actor that represents the Mac. I suppose that Apple is not allowed to come out and say that the tragically ‘un-hip’ actor is Windows or Microsoft, due to copyright infringement.

It isn’t that I love Microsoft and hate Apple, I just think that the ads tend to be a bit misleading. To me, they portray the idea that Windows machines are for business use only and are incapable of running anything “fun”, while Apple machines are the best at graphics, music and multimedia. I personally know sound engineers and multimedia production shops that run entirely on Windows and wouldn’t have it any other way.

My personal feelings? There is a right tool for every job, but Windows seems to fit me just fine. There are applications that I use for my job that simply will not run on a Mac platform. I like the flexibility of upgradeable hardware and that is a feature that Apple doesn’t offer. That is not to say that I will never own a Mac, I am just not in a hurry to go out and buy one to replace my current laptop. For me, a Windows machine “just works”.

Assignment 3-1

Comics: from the newspaper rack to the server rack.

As with television and radio, the internet has also transformed print media and one of its oldest components: the comic. The increase in web comics is tied to a couple of factors. The open platform of the internet as a medium allows anyone to publish a web comic. There is no need to create a comic with mass appeal to gain syndication with major newspaper outlets. With a web comic, you can appeal to a niche market, which many do. Using the internet as a medium also enables a way to easily archive the comic. This makes it easier on the current readership to keep up with the comic without having to dedicate time each week. It also allows new readership to easily catch up on old entries.

As the first video game generation enters adulthood, Penny Arcade was created to appeal to this audience. From its humble beginnings in 1999, Penny Arcade quickly grew from a simple web comic to a full blown web portal for anything related to video games. The site is written by Jerry Holkins and drawn by Mike Krahulik. Video game reviews on the Penny Arcade site are some of the most trusted in the industry, due to their policy of refusing to endorse a game just because the developer may buy advertising on the site. Advertising revenue for Penny Arcade is driven by the amount of hits the site gets each day, which number 2 million, according to Holkins (“Penny Arcade,” 2008). If you are a fan of video games or technology and you don't already have Penny Arcade bookmarked, give them a visit at http://www.penny-arcade.com.


Homestar Runner is another web comic among the short list of self sufficient web comics. Described by Wikipedia as a Flash animated cartoon, it mixes surreal humor with references to 1970s, 80s, and 90s pop culture, notably video games, classic television, and popular music (“Homestar Runner”, 2008). The site was created by Mike and Matt Chapman in 2000 and just 3 years after going online, the site was serving 300,000 visitors per day (Dean, 2003). The humor at homestarrunner.com is not for everyone and can best be described as corny, but I find that the Strong Bad emails give me something to look forward to each week. If you would like to see more, you can find Homestar and the rest of his friends at http://www.HomestarRunner.com.
(Images courtesy of Wikipedia.)

References
Dean, Kari Lynn (2003). HomestarRunner Hits a Homer. Retrieved July 14, 2008, from http://www.wired.com/culture/lifestyle/news/2003/06/59261

Homestar Runner. (2008, July 14). In Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia. Retrieved July 14, 2008, from http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Homestar_Runner

Penny Arcade. (2008, July 11). In Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia. Retrieved July 14, 2008, from http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Penny_Arcade_%28webcomic%29

Assignment 2-1

I am enrolling at Hogwart’s next semester.

Well, not really, but I have told myself for a couple of months that I need to finish reading the rest of the Harry Potter series of books. Although the originality of the basic plotline can be contended (I think it is a bit like Tolkien toned down), there is no way that anyone can argue the success and rabid popularity of the 7 book series. The fact that J.K. Rowling, the author behind the Harry Potter universe, is among one of the most translated authors in history is a testament to the worldwide appeal of these books. At last count, the series had 63 languages to its credit (Maul, 2005). Book sales have been estimated at over 400 million copies across the entire series (Flood, 2008). With numbers like this, it is no wonder that Rowling is cited as the highest-earning novelist in history, giving rise to a franchise that is valued at 15 billion dollars.

With the addition of each new book, midnight release parties have been held at bookstores nationwide. During these events, children and adults alike dressed as their favorite characters from the series and waited in line to be the first to read about the latest adventures of Harry Potter and friends. The final book in the series was released July 21, 2007 under much secrecy, although it seems that there wasn’t quite enough. One distributor, Levy Home Entertainment and DeepDiscounts.com have been named in a lawsuit brought by Scholastic, the US publisher of the Potter series, for releasing the book on July 18; a full 3 days before the release date. This error allowed some to try and cash in on the frenzy surrounding the final installment of the series – one copy found its way to eBay for $175 and a series of digital pictures of the book were selling for $100 (MSNBC staff, 2007).

As a fan of the fantasy genre, I am excited to see resurgence in the interest by the general public and the growth of this pop sub-culture. With more popular fantasy book series’ being turned into movies, including the Lord of the Rings series, the Chronicles of Narnia and Pullman’s His Dark Materials trilogy, things are looking up for the future of fantasy.

Resources:

Flood, Alison (2008). Potter tops 400 million sales. Retrieved July 9, 2008 from

http://www.thebookseller.com/news/61161-page.html

Maul, Kimberly (2005). Guinness World Records: L. Ron Hubbard Is the Most Translated

Author. Book Standard, retrieved July 8, 2008 from

http://www.allbusiness.com/retail-trade/miscellaneous-retail-miscellaneous/4402645-1.html

MSNBC staff (2007). Distributor mails final Potter book early. Retrieved July 9, 2008 from

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/19816389/

Assignment 2-2: Icon Analysis

Define 3 icons.

Doing a quick Google search, I found no less than a dozen slang terms for America’s (and much of the rest of the world, it seems) favorite fast food restaurant - McDonalds. Whether you know it by MickeyD’s, Mick-Dick’s, or the Golden Arches, McDonalds by any name is a pop cultural mainstay. So much so, that it has spawned a naming convention for another recent icon – the McMansion.

The term McMansion has been coined in the last 10 years and refers to the recent trend of building large homes, which all have similar traits, suggesting that they are built in an assembly line fashion like a McDonald’s burger. This name can also allude to the homes’ apparent wealth, but poor taste.

In recognition of the GoodGuys PPG Nationals car show being held in Columbus, Ohio this weekend, I would like to choose the American muscle car as my final icon. Steeped in a deep tradition and colorful history, the American muscle car is truly a piece of history and pop culture.

Why I chose these 3 icons.

I chose McDonalds for the simple fact that it is the world’s largest chain of fast food restaurants. Serving more than 47 million customers per day at over 31,000 locations worldwide, the global influence of McDonalds is significant. Given the cultural impact of McDonalds, the inclusion of McMansions easily reinforces the idea. This trend of building these types of homes also reflects on the ideal of ‘bigger, better, and more’ that seems to have taken a grip on American culture in recent generations. Can you look back at the American muscle car era as a starting point to this ideal of excess, the notion that you always need to one up the next guy? Perhaps.

What the icons mean to me.

Growing up in the 80’s, I feel that this era was the golden age of the Golden Arches. Many of the iconic characters that are associated with McDonalds were created during that time. These include Grimace, Hamburglar, and Birdie the Early Bird and these characters were used extensively in an effort to market McDonalds to children through commercials, direct to video shows, and onsite playground equipment that began appearing at some McDonald’s restaurants during this era. If that were not enough, who could forget the birthday parties hosted by the characters themselves at the local McDonalds? Any kid who had his birthday party at Mickey D’s was granted instant popularity. Unfortunately, I was never one of those kids!

(Photo by John Delano of Hammond, Indiana) Urban sprawl and the seemingly pervasive materialism are the driving factors behind the McMansion – an home that is often too large for the surrounding area and constructed in such a fashion that it does not blend with its environment. Typically these homes are over 5000 square feet and the façade is built using materials and architectural features found in a traditional mansion, but the sides of the home are finished in lesser quality materials, such as vinyl siding. The homes are often not constructed with the initial occupant in mind, but instead focused more on resale and general mass appeal. Often times, there is little thought applied to heating and cooling efficiency, with windows and high ceilings being the norm.

The muscle car is a classic piece of Americana. Not only did these cars show dominance on the American road, but it was also a display dominance that America as a country was trying to project during that period. The 1960’s through the early 70’s was the era of the American muscle car. It was during this time that models such as the Ford Mustang, Chevrolet Camaro, Dodge Charger and Pontiac 442. Nearly every major domestic auto manufacturer had at least one muscle car in their product line up and the competition to be the biggest and best was fierce. This competition carried over to the consumer, but wasn’t only contained to the car and the road, it permeated other aspects of life as well.

Assignment 1-4

What about Wikis?

This week, I am writing about wikis. A wiki is a development tool whose power lies in its simplicity and diversity. It can be used to collaborate on a broad range of topics or a single topic. One of the most popular wikis is a site called Wikipedia (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Main_Page). As the name suggests, this site can be thought of as an online encyclopedia with a twist: anyone can update or add new content. While this is not without its drawbacks (there have been instances of malicious or erroneous content), Wikipedia is generally well policed by the community to prevent such incidents.

Today, you can find wikis ranging from diverse subjects, like Wikipedia, to a single topic, like my Motorola Q9 cell phone (http://www.motoqwiki.com/index.php?title=Motorola_Q_Wiki). In the business environment, wikis have become particularly helpful as collaboration tools. Take for example a technology help desk scenario. Since wikis can be updated by the internal help desk staff, it would be quite easy for them to be used to document a problem and have the solution be documented there as well. When another help desk person runs into a similar issue, they can simply search the internal wiki to find the solution. Another option would be to extend this internal resource to the outside to allow customers to find solutions to their problems as well.

Wikis are not only useful for solving problems, but they can be more general in nature as well. One example of this is a wiki that I have linked on my iGoogle page called wikiHow (www.wikihow.com). This is a How-To wiki that is constantly updated. I have seen articles ranging from how to rotate your car tires to how to chill a can of soda in 2 minutes. While it may not be totally useful, I find much of it interesting. As with anything, your mileage may vary.

Assignment 1-2

What is popular culture and what does it mean to you?

For me, popular culture is one of those things that you know what it is, but it is hard to define. In my opinion, it is what is popular right now – similar to a fad, but it may or may not have a lasting effect or staying power. In doing research for this assignment, I found that my definition of popular culture was somewhat incorrect. Popular culture surrounds us at any given time. We see it on the television and in movies, hear it on the radio or around the water cooler at work, and read about it in magazine and internet articles. Popular culture reflects on the current nature of people’s way of life, but it also influences it as well.

Why is an understanding of popular culture relevant to you in a business environment and in your present and future career?

Popular culture can be an important aspect of the business environment. By having an understanding of popular culture, you can better reach your customers as well as your employees. Consider the phenomenon of social networking sites, such as MySpace, Facebook, and Friendster. Although these sites have traditionally been used to connect individuals together, businesses are starting to see it as another way to reach their target audience. Also, nearly every band – from major label stars to unsigned garage bands now have a MySpace page.

What would you consider to be an example of a pop culture artifact? And why would you choose it?

One of the most prolific and confusing artifacts of pop culture is reality television. Specifically, Survivor comes to my mind whenever anyone mentions reality TV. Generally, I fail to see the appeal of these shows. I can see an allure for these shows from the point of view from the corporate TV executives: they are inexpensive to produce as compared to a sitcom or other TV series. There are no actors being paid, little or no sets to construct, and very little script to be written. Survivor, and other reality shows like it, are low budget and relatively high ratings, which equate to big profits for the TV networks that air them. Personally, I haven’t seen much appeal for most reality TV shows out there with the exception of The Amazing Race. Unlike Survivor, the scenes for The Amazing Race changes from week to week with very little drama and secrete alliances that are found in Survivor. Instead, The Amazing Race focuses on 2 person teams racing against each other across the globe and competing in challenges to see which team will advance. I find it educational and vastly more entertaining than the “who gets voted off this week” melodrama of Survivor.

Popular Culture

I created this blog for my popular culture class. Perhaps I will post other things to it as well, we'll see.