Pecking into Popular Culture

Hello my name is… Kim.

February 3, 2009 at 1:47 am | Posted in Introduction | Leave a comment

When I first saw Dr. Strangelove’s blog page my first thought was, “what’s with the Barbies?” After a couple weeks of wondering this I decided that I needed to know. So I asked him. The answer I got surprised me. I thought they were just a weird random obsession. But no, the Barbie for Strangelove is a symbol which represents our hegemonic society. The Barbie doll is a mass produced example of what society teaches us women are supposed to look like. And with the option to purchase accessories for Barbie (Barbie Beatle, Barbie convertible, Barbie dream house, Barbie clothes, shoes, etc.) these dolls are teaching girls at a young age to consume. Strangelove feels the Barbie Doll is a good figure head for our Capitalistic society.

So because Dr. Strangelove had such a detailed reason for his header image, I figure before I start my blogs I need to explain my reason for my woodpecker. I have a few reasons:

1. I took the picture myself, in Ottawa. So it is something that I’ve created myself during my educational journey, much like these blogs will be.

2. Spending time with nature is a way for me to make sure my head is still on straight. I saw the woodpecker on my way to the gym, in between homework, classes, looking for a job, and maintaining my social life; my busy, busy schedule that our capitalist society teaches us we MUST have. The woodpecker slowed me down and made me ask, “Am I the kind of person I want to be?” It’s easy to forget who you are and who you want to be when the media is constantly telling you who you SHOULD be and who you SHOULD want to be. Nature takes me away from the busy city, technology, and advertising to where I can just be me and only me, to where things are simple and peaceful.

3. I watched the woodpecker for awhile. It works hard pecking at away at the tree, one little piece at a time–just as I will be with these blogs. I will peck away and try to make something of the ideas of popular culture which are presented in front of me.