A Good Lecture
The first week of class now over. It was tremendous. Strangely enough, I think the class that I might enjoy the most is the one I was fearing the most, Mass Media in a Globalized World. The professor is just hysterical. A large part of the lecture was analyzing magazine advertisements. While this may not sound entertaining, it was. Photograph number one was an old picture of the Marlboro Man taken about 20 years ago. He's sitting on a stool with his legs splayed and crotch very central as he looks back over his shoulder. He's holding a brand in one hand and a cigarette in the other.
Prof: Tell me about this ad. What is your reaction to it?
No answer from the class.
Prof: He seems very sure of himself, doesn't he? Look at the way he's holding that stick thing. All 'I've got my stick and my cigarette, ha ha!'.
Class laughter, but no response.
Prof: Well, look at the man. Is he gay?
Some guy in the back: Yes.
Class laughter.
Prof: Quite possible, and this is because images of masculinity have changed since this ad was published.
She continues with this for some time before placing the next photograph up. It is of a man and a woman lying head to head on the grass. The man is topless, wearing only jeans, and the woman is wearing his shirt (barely), very strappy underwear and black shoes.
Prof: Tell me about this ad. What's going on here?
Guy in the front: He just banged that girl.
Class laughter.
Prof: How can you tell that?
Guy in the back: She's not wearing her clothes.
Prof: Right, and they both look...satisfied, correct?
Class laughter.
Guy in the front: That guy's a player.
More laughter.
Prof: Now what are they trying to sell?
Girl on the right: It says Guess Footwear...so shoes?
Prof: Right, but what are they actually selling? Sex, right? What is the message sent here?
Girl in front of me: Buy our shoes and get banged by a player?
Class laughter.
Prof: Absolutely. And would you buy those shoes? I bet not. Well maybe you would, but I should hope not!
Class laughter. She dismisses us at this point. A very successful lecture.
Other than that, I've found out that my fourth year lever anthropology class is a seminar, and that there are only 7 of us in the class. There is no exam, and no midterm. It's entirely participation and presentations. It seems to be pretty good so far, although somewhat intimidating.
And now I'm off to pick up my glasses and contacts that have come in. Finally, vision again!
Prof: Tell me about this ad. What is your reaction to it?
No answer from the class.
Prof: He seems very sure of himself, doesn't he? Look at the way he's holding that stick thing. All 'I've got my stick and my cigarette, ha ha!'.
Class laughter, but no response.
Prof: Well, look at the man. Is he gay?
Some guy in the back: Yes.
Class laughter.
Prof: Quite possible, and this is because images of masculinity have changed since this ad was published.
She continues with this for some time before placing the next photograph up. It is of a man and a woman lying head to head on the grass. The man is topless, wearing only jeans, and the woman is wearing his shirt (barely), very strappy underwear and black shoes.
Prof: Tell me about this ad. What's going on here?
Guy in the front: He just banged that girl.
Class laughter.
Prof: How can you tell that?
Guy in the back: She's not wearing her clothes.
Prof: Right, and they both look...satisfied, correct?
Class laughter.
Guy in the front: That guy's a player.
More laughter.
Prof: Now what are they trying to sell?
Girl on the right: It says Guess Footwear...so shoes?
Prof: Right, but what are they actually selling? Sex, right? What is the message sent here?
Girl in front of me: Buy our shoes and get banged by a player?
Class laughter.
Prof: Absolutely. And would you buy those shoes? I bet not. Well maybe you would, but I should hope not!
Class laughter. She dismisses us at this point. A very successful lecture.
Other than that, I've found out that my fourth year lever anthropology class is a seminar, and that there are only 7 of us in the class. There is no exam, and no midterm. It's entirely participation and presentations. It seems to be pretty good so far, although somewhat intimidating.
And now I'm off to pick up my glasses and contacts that have come in. Finally, vision again!
posted by Haley @ 12:44 p.m.
