Hebdige Pre-Class post- 10/17

Dick Hebdige opens up the reading by offering a definition of "culture," it is important to note however that the definition is extremely ambiguous and has a contradictory meaning. When we look at culture in the larger scope, how can one define or pin point the true meaning of what culture is. It depends, where are we. I think this is something that especially resonated with me and immediately sparked the idea of what makes one beautiful. Obvious, growing up in a western culture that is obsessed with objectification with a patriarchal undertone there where a few quotes that related to ideology. Hedbige drew from Sturat Hall who said "You cannot learn, through common sense how things are; you can only discover where they fit into the existing scheme of things," (127) therefore it is our culture that creats these ideologies of what it means to be beautiful. For women, you don't have to look far to notice that the ideology is slim physique, long hair, minimal blemishes and the list can go one. Just look at your latest issue of Cosmo. Although there are cross cultural differences, in African tribes this ideological has historically been different. Naturally Afro hair and dark skin are considered beautiful. It is interesting to note the affect that our racist superior culture has had cross culture. The next topic Hedbrige talks of that ties in is the idea of Hegemony. "Hegemony refers to a situation in which provisional alliance of certain social groups can exert 'total social authority' over other subordinate groups" (127) Following the same example, our ideologically of beauty has spread to the masses although there is a epistemological hegemony, this may be that is that black women who use skin bleaching creams have a deep racial inferiority complex, aspire to be as white as European women. This can be said true for a variety of attributes, but it is interesting that these issues steam from a need to fit in. Hebdige points out that this just "the way in which specific ideologies work, how some gain dominance and others remain marginal" (128) This image of Beyonce is important, due to the fact that she is such a famous african american female icon. But what message are we portraying to young girls, that you are not beautiful unless you are as close to white as possible. Both of these images show a pretty woman, although the natural on the left is perhaps more beautiful.