grad505cindy

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Additional Written Sources

Fort Lipstick and the Making of June Cleaver: Gender Roles in American Propaganda and Advertising, 1941-1961 by Samantha Vandermeade

What Really Happened to the 1960s: How Mass Media Culture Failed American Democracy by Edward P. Morgan

The Effect of the Cold War on African-American Civil Rights: America and the World Audience, 1945-1968 by John David Skrentny

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Recruitment Posters Visual Sources

U.S. Government Printing Office, November 1969. Samuel G. Michini advertising archive.

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Martin Luther King Jr. and the Media

The Atlantic Post titled "When the revolution was televised" discussed how how Martin Luther King Jr. used the media to their advantage to show the struggles of African American by showcasing racial brutality by non-violent protests.

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"AFTER TOTAL WAR CAN COME TOTAL LIVING, 2018 ink on unprimed, stitched and folded canvas, embroidery, felt, dimensions variable."

While searching for visual sources in supporting "Spread the Fear of Communism." I've come across Alina Bliumis' series based on US cold war propaganda poster published during its time. This had been brought within today's political light in how governments attempts in encouraging pro-war stance of nuclear annihilation. I can also correlate this Information in my counter argument how television has failed America's democracy.

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Uncensored Vietnam War & Vietnam Television of War

Mandelbaum, M. (1982). Vietnam: The Television War. Daedalus, 111(4), 157–169. http://www.jstor.org/stable/20024822

Hallin, C.D. (1986). The Uncensored War: the media and Vietnam. Berkeley: University of the California Press.

The portrayal in the media in comparison to actual footage contradicts American’s participation as an act of heroism. Mandelbaum’s (1986) publication’s “The Televisions of War” examined this idea, suggesting how television failed America’s Democracy. Its huge shift from newspaper to television had made American rethink their morals and in awareness of others, via quote, “Read about war, they could contemplate it with dispassion. When they could see and hear it in their living rooms, they turn against it.”  The demonstrates how what we see on TV has a bigger impact in comparison to an advertisement on a newspaper.

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Visual Sources

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The Civilization Building Role of the Nuclear Family

“The Civilization Building Role of the Nuclear Family.” examined how the structure of the Nuclear Family has a huge impact within society and its culture.  This idea can demonstrate its contribution within its political climate of the time and how the government uses the media/advertisements to their advantage. Having the Nuclear Family, in promotion of ‘conservative’ family values, to have spread this belief amongst viewers that in ways manipulate their mindset and to support and be voting based on democratic values.  

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The Portrayal of Utopian Spaces in Magazine Advertisements

A book that I’ve discovered within the AUT library catalogue called “The Portrayal of Utopian Spaces in Magazine Advertisements.” This source is useful as support my claims in how the concept of the American Dream can be seen as a utopian setting. Despite its links to modern advertisement of the early 21st century. However, it explains the reasoning behind these portrayals – focusing on different aspects such as family, gender etc. The quote: “The pursuit of happiness is a recurring theme in many advertisements.” Is something that I wish to further explore upon and how I can potentially relate it to its political climate in how Americans aimed for a hopeful and stable future.

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Rough ideas in what I would like to discuss within the paragraphs of my essays. Reflecting upon it now their points that I’ve change that I felt weren’t strong points that I would’ve been able to discuss entirely or had felt weren’t that relevant such as the discussion of sitcoms reflecting how society was at the time. A strong point I can potentially research further would be the impact of the civil rights movement and the Vietnam War within their portrayal on newspaper in comparison to television. I felt like that they were strong points in how they had a big influence in American society.

My goal within this essay is to ensure my points flow throughout my paragraphs in which will help answer in how the American Dream is an influence part in media and design within the conclusion.

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Written notes

I’ve recently come across an article journal called “Renaming Blaxploitation by Looking at Today’s Film: Black Heroes, White Villains and Trump’s American.” Here, I’ve discovered the term Blaxploitation which is a genre that showcases African American and their stereotypical portrayal within the media. This is useful to my source in how the ‘whites’ have taken advantage of the African Americans for their beneficial goods. I plan to source this information to correlate it to African Americans and what’s their definition of the American Dream.

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Search at the Library

Using AUT library catalogue, I've found variety of sources that contain information to support and discuss my potential points. Others that may not have any relevance in relation to my research but had gotten me a better understanding in what the era was like since the 50s.

Discussion on book sources I've found:

The America Century, Art & Culture 1950-2000: This book covers artworks that were created and the background of its influence behind it. Despite focusing on advertisment design, however, these art pieces had further developed my understanding.

Artistic censorship in Cold War American

All-American Ads 50s: Provided a variety of primary source of advertisment design with the influence of its era at the time. Establishes the idea of Americans entering the Atomic Age and how it had impact its culture overall.

Black Like You: Discussion of racist advertisement since slavery era and their background behind the advertisement. For example; Aunt Jemima is a African American figure of the mammy stereotype.

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Articles from a different perspective + What I've learnt

As mentioned in the earlier post. Factors that weren't taken into consideration would be The Nuclear Family and the impact of Television and its impact.

The Nuclear Family - Social psychology?, Structure of families beliefs & values impact on society as a whole?

Vietnam War - Having the war being broadcasted on television (The use of television was at its height in popularity) impacted viewers in how they view war.

If I wanted to add in a counter argument or further to support my points. Addressing the Vietnam War and the media would be a good idea.

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Possible ideas/directions

I wanted to explore beyond common knowledge such as the roles of a housewives and their impact in the 50s.

I could potentially look into different aspect of its influences. Watching the documentary, has given me an idea looking into the psychological aspect of it. I could look into psychology cases that taken place since the 50s?

In relations to the feedback I've received. I've decided to look further into the political climate and how it impacted on society.

Resources that I've look at have underlying factors that I could potentially address in my essay.

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"Growing up Female"

A documentary that I've watched on Kanopy, "Growing up Female" released in 1971. This documentary is useful within my research and an understanding in what it was like at the time for young women.

The documentary had interviewed multiple women from race and ages in answering questions in their upbringing as women. It was fascinated how women at such a young age had already in ways been 'manufactured' to becoming a housewife as the girls would be cautious and careful upon attending their baby dolls needs in comparison to the boys who were being 'reckless' and messy outside.

Another question I would like to look further that was questioned was what defines them as feminine and why is it so important was other women to be feminine - their answer was to make their man happy and cater to their needs.

This documentary had also covered how influences such as advertisment, important figures in our lives and music shows how much of an influential impact it has on us.

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Q&A INTERVIEW W/ STEPDAD

I've furthered developed some of the questions from the formative and had made it in relations to the American Dream. With these sets of questions, I'd interviewed my step dad as he's an American himself and his family’s relations to their upbringing and environment.

Question 1. As an American, what’s your opinion on the American Dream?

The "American Dream" is to live a happy life, have a family, a house, a car, etc. It's a traditional European sentiment though, not just an American one. Modern young people struggle with this concept though, as it's become harder and harder to purchase property as the cost of houses goes up while wages don't follow as quickly.

Question #2 Do you think that the American Dream is realistic?

Yes, but it's also optional. There's a lot of different ways a modern family or even a modern youth can live their lives without following the prescribed social norms like the American dream. :)

Question #3 what’s your upbringing like?

My upbringing was good and bad, I had a really loving extended family and a very affectionate and caring father. My Mother did her best, and both parents went through marriages pretty quickly (four each). This meant that I was constantly living with new, and sometimes abusive, step parents. The goods were good though, I never went without. :)

Question #4 Do you think your parents’ feel their hopes/dreams for their lives have come true?

My Mom is happy financially/career wise. She built up a successful business and lives mostly comfortably. I think she's lonely though (she's divorced).  My Dad injured himself a decade ago and can't work though. So his health has declined and he goes through bouts of moodiness/depression. I think he has a lot of regrets, but he loves his grandson furiously - and I think that gives him something to keep his mind off things he isn't happy about.

Question #5 What’s your opinion on racism? Were there any prominent memories of it that stood out to you?

I grew up in rural Georgia, racism abounds. My parents and grandparents were all quite racist, but they also grew up in a time where there were signs in the Windows saying "No N****s" allowed. That doesn't make it right, but they're definitely a product of their upbringing. 

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