Post Class- Lyotard

After Monday's class I am finally beginning to see the light at the end of the tunnel. Dissecting some of Lyotard's key quotes has allowed me to feel much more comfortable with an extremely wordy essay. One of the first things that Dr. Cummings pointed out at the beginning of Monday's class is the idea of realism. This is a term that I have encountered numerous times in CMC courses, but until now I do not think I had an accurate understanding of the term.
Realism is the notion of reality. Media studies examines realism, while cultural media studies explores anti-realism. As a cultural studies student, I have learned to critique all forms of media I encounter. The image of Katy Couric is a perfect example of this. What Dr. Cummings showed the class was an image compiled of two side by side images of the news anchor. One was the original image, where she is heavier and more wholesome looking. The image placed directly next to the original is a significantly slimmer and brighter version of Katie Couric. The purpose of this image is to display the anti-realism that is displayed throughout our media today.
One of Lyotard's quotes that Dr. Cummings pointed out on Monday was, "Realism "stands somewhere between academicism and kitsch". It provides 'correct' images, narratives, and forms designed as "the appropriate remedy for the anxiety and depression the public experiences" (Lyotard, 41). Kitsch, I learned, relates to something that is considered not high art or poor in taste. A collectible could be dubbed as "kitschy". An example of this in between would be these images in the media. We are presented with something we are familiar with and can find some truth in and thus we gravitate and relate to them.
Keeping with the same theme of altered images in the media, I found a very similar double image, like Katie Couric's, of Jessica Alba. With the help of examples from present media, I know believe to have a little bit of a better understanding of Lyotard and realism.