Lecture 2

TASK 2

 

Reading over philosopher, Adorno's piece on Popular Music, it's clear that today's society and it's culture and music would not be considered appropriate or likable by Adorno himself. I have chosen a fairly recent popular music video and artist, (Rihanna - Umbrella). In my opinion I think I can epitomise Adorno's sentiments analysing this video and music. 
According to Adorno, the only music he finds favourable is 'serious music', "A clear judgment concerning the relation of serious music to popular music can be arrived at only by strict attention to the fundamental characteristics of popular music: standardization" (Adorno, T, On popular music, 1941:73). Apparently, popular music is standardized, it lacks being unique, "the beginning and the end of each part - must beat out the standard scheme" (Adorno, T, On popular music, 1941:74). Listening to 'Umbrella' by Rihanna, I can hear how there is a lot of repetition in the song. The beat is constant , there is a definite chorus which is repeated throughout, and also contains the repetition within the lyrics. Adorno explores how the use of 'standardization' then causes a 'standard reaction'. Us as listeners are "manipulated not only by its promoters but, as it were, by the inherent nature of this music itself" (Adorno, T, On popular music, 1941:76). We expect the expected, the standardization of popular music means that any reactions given to it will, effectively, be standardized as well, "popular music never functions as 'itself' but only as a disguise or embellishment behind which the scheme can always be percieved" (Adorno, T, On popular music, 1941:76). Rihanna's music video contains all the content that us as viewers expect, and therefore want to see. The repetative beat, the sexual connotations, the fashion, are all factors of mass culture, what everyone as a 'mass' society wants to listen to and watch. Popular music aims to give it's viewers what they want, "the composition hears for the listener" (Adorno, T, On popular music, 1941:77). Could this suggest that us as the viewers, are in fact the musicians, the "products of the same mechanisms which determine the production of popular music" (Adorno, T, On popular music, 1941:81). We create the music that we want to hear? Could it be that Rihanna is mearly a robot, an instrument that gives us what we want?
However, Adorno states how ownership of popular music must be aparent. To avoid being labelled as copiers of one another, individuality within the music's production must be there in order to maintain sales. It is Adorno's theory that supports, popularity is simply mass production, disguised as individuality. Hiding this reality is key, if "unhidden it would provoke resistance" (Adorno, T, On popular music, 1941:78). Rihanna's song, although very much similar to other music releases, is labelled as her own, unique song, afterall, "the illusion and, to a certain extent, even the reality of indivduality achievement must be maintained" (Adorno, T, On popular music, 1941:78). 
Adorno believes that people use mass culture to escape from their troubled world. They wish to engage with something that isn't serious, this is bad however, because it is simply a fraudulent hide out. Although it may be easier to sell that, in which we are comfortable with, "the less the mass discriminates, the greater the possibility of selling cultural commodities indiscriminately" (Adorno, T, On popular music, 1941:81), it only "induces relaxation because it is patterned and pre-digested" (Adorno, T, On popular music, 1941:81). Rihanna's, 'Umbrella', is something easy to engage with because it is what we want to hear, and it seems appropriate. However, is it boredom that we are simply engaging with, after trying to escape it? The repetition and samey attitude 'Umbrella' has, is effortless to listen to because it isn't anything new to our ears. This could just be encouraging a constant state of boredom, that becomes a circle, a "circle which makes escape impossible" (Adorno, T, On popular music, 1941:81).

Lecture 3

An outlook through different perspectives. 

Lecture 1

 

Key things:

- Michel Foucault

- Panopticism as a form of discipline 

- Techniques of the body

- Docile body

Recapping on the Foucault lecture:

- Surveillance + monitoring

- Power

- Disciplinary power

- Control

- Self - regulation, modifying behaviour 

- Power/Knowledge/Body

- Panopticism/panopticon (isolation, constant visibility)

*FOUCAULDIAN TERMINOLOGY *

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The idea that 'Power' is a relationship. Someone has something over someone else. A relationship between two parties, e.g in a seminar, there is the speaker and the audience, the speaker has the power

DOCILE BODY - easily controlled, takes instructions e.g soldier.

Foucault had his methods of creating a 'disciplinary society', without any physical contact e.g torture. Paranoia? Isolation? Self discipline through fear. 

TASK 1

Panopticism is a theory developed by philosopher Michel Foucault which focuses on the relationships between the body, power and knowledge. An example of how this theory could be expressed in modern society, is through exploring the system that operates at the front desk/reception at Leeds College of Art. 

Before you enter the main building, you have to swipe your card/identification in order for the main doors to open. This type of surveillance is "based on a system of permanent registration" (Foucault in Thomas, J, 2000:61). Once you have swiped your appropriate card, you are officially registered into the building. 

However, exploring Foucault's theory and it's relationship with the college's method, we can see how the system is slightly panoptic. The glass doors before you enter enable the 'guards' at the front desk to see who you are, what you are doing and whether you have the accessable identification. According to Foucault, the idea of being watched, self-disciplines, we act and perform differently if we feel our every move is being observed. For strangers trying to access the college, "visibility is a trap" (Foucault in Thomas, J, 2000:64), it gives those inside an authority, a reason to judge, therefore those behind the doors aim to impress. 

Before you enter the main building, you are considered a stranger, you have no authority, the doors become "the constant division between the normal and the abnormal" (Foucault in Thomas, J, 2000:63). Perhaps the feeling that you are 'abnormal' disciplines you slightly, into creating the need to become 'normal'? You want the knowledge and power that gets you inside, being judged initiates this discipline, that keeps the system running successfully. 

In this case, I feel Foucault's theory does relate to this particular system. The 'guards' maintain a "perpetual victory that avoids any physical confrontation" (Foucault in Thomas, J, 2000:66), due to the effective factors resulting in this method of disciplinary security. Strangers entering the college, become docile, they are easily controlled by the authority that sit inside, those who are "constantly centralized" (Foucault in Thomas, J, 2000:61). This manipulation into disciplining anyone who enters, not only maintains an order, a sense of control, but also secretively introduces hierarchy. You are controlled by someone, Foucault explores how, through power, knowledge and the body, it is effectively, yourself.

 

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LEVEL 05