SIGNS Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

SIGNS - Essay Example 10). While the signifier referred to the material aspect and sound image of the sign, the signified denoted the mental concept (pp. 10-12). However, for Peirce, the sign consisted of three elements not just two. According to Peirce, the sign â€Å"has a relation to an Object, which relation entails an interpretant† (pp.21). Although Peirce linked the sign to the external world, Saussure and Peirce's accounts were rather structural and linguistic. However, their successors like Roland Barthes, Jean Baudrillard and Julia Kristeva placed the systems of signs into their contexts, made the necessary correlations between the signs and contemporary culture and incorporated the semiotics into the cultural studies. Roland Barthes scrutinized the role of signs in creating modern myths in his seminal work, Mythologies (1957). Jean Baudrillard, examined the system of signs with respect to the consumer culture. The aim of this brief is to explore how signs describe the commodity fetishism and consumer culture of the contemporary society. Roland Barthes regarded myth as semiological system. He analyzed the picture of young black guy in Paris-Match as an example of mythical system (see the appendix, Figure 1). Barthes noted that although the signifier is a man giving the French salute, the signified is Frenchness itself: What he saw in this picture is â€Å"that France is a great Empire, that all her sons, without any colour discrimination, faithfully serve under her flag, and that there is no better answer to the detractors of an alleged colonialism than the zeal shown by this Negro in serving his so-called oppressors.† (pp. 115). Barthes' analysis highlights the mythical and also the ideological system that sings are produced. Indeed, for Barthes, myths are the ideological systems.For Barthes, myth reflects the dominant values of the ruling classes. He (1977, pp. 165) defined myth as the socially determined reflection, â€Å"however, in accordance with a famo us image used by Marx, is inverted: myth consists in overturning culture into nature or, at least, the social, the cultural, the deological, the historical into the 'natural'†. . Advertising is the medium of the contemporary society's myths. As Baudrillard (1996, pp. 10) stated in The System of Objects â€Å"Advertising†¦ is pure connotation’ and connotation is the domain of myth. Advertising adds mystical qualities to the objects and produces signs as commodities to be consumed. In fact, Baudrillard (1996, pp. 218) noted that â€Å"to become an object of consumption, an object must first become a sign and this conversion of objects to the signs â€Å"implies the simultaneous transformation of the human relationship into a relationship of consumption†. Baudrillard's views echo the Marxist notion of commodity fetishism, in which human relations took the form of relationship between things. Indeed, advertising is often full with the fetish objects. Baudrilla rd (pp. 203) stresses that the notion of idealized consumption is base on the substitution of human relationships by â€Å"personalized† relationships to objects and the personality of the subject and the so-called â€Å"personality† of the object merge in the buying process. Here, Baudrillard (pp. 219) find the logic of commodity as analyzed by Karl Marx: â€Å"just as needs, feelings, culture, knowledge —in short, all the properly human faculties—

Old Guard or Avant-garde Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words

Old Guard or Avant-garde - Research Paper Example My first favorite symphony by Dmitri Shostakovich is symphony No 7 which is commonly known as Leningrad. Shostakovich composed this masterpiece in 1941 and it was intended for the extremist Russian government. Shostakovich completed this song at the height of World War I and, therefore, his focus was on the issues happening to the society. Due to the rapidly changing lifestyles, Shostakovich was forced to adopt a musical style that would withstand changes in the society. The symphony can, therefore, be considered as avant-grade music. This consideration is based on the style and the issue addressed by the music. Unlike other music produced in that period, symphony No 7 addressed issues that were not common among musician. Initially, musicians sang about lifestyle issues such as love, happiness, sorrow and prosperity. However, Shostakovich introduced the aspect of musician being critical in the governance of a country. Unlike other musicians, Shostakovich became critical about Russian governance and the oppressive Nazi regime (FIS). All these issues are captured in the lyrics of this piece of music, which Shostakovich created using C sharp major. It was adopted both in the west and in Russia as a symbol for defiance against authoritarian regimes. Shostakovich demonstrated that musicians had a more significant role to play in the society other than been entertainers or philosophers of the society. Through the symphony, the composer demonstrated that artists were essential in influencing. the governance of their country. This is the first aspect that makes it to be classified as avant grade music. Other than the social responsibilities of the artist demonstrated through the symphony, the symphony also had additional stylistic and performance aspect that makes it to be considered as an avant grade creation. Before the creation of this piece of music, long performances were not popular. This resulted from the nature of this musical creation and the intended message contained in it. However, Leningrad is considered as a music peace that had the longest performance. It was unusual to have performance that exceeded thirty minutes. The Leningrad was an exceptional case since its first performance took about one and a half hour (Fay 213). Long performances became a popular trend in music produced after symphony No 7. The length of a musical performance was determined by the content of a piece of music. This piece of music introduced the aspect of creating music with rich