Hegemony: has teen exploitation just been repackaged?

Teeangers are now seen as counter culture, rather than a sub -culture controlled/exploited by the adult culture, and have been since about the 1960's; however this has grown to be definite over the years. Is this true? or has the exploitation of the teenage culture just been repackaged? Have teenagers never progressed to a counter culture; have they always been a sub-culture and been manipulated to believe they are equal to the adult culture?

There is the possibility that there was a counter culture where the teens were equal alongside the adults and realised the exploitation that was happening, however it can argued that the sense of anti-consumerism and anti-establishment is now being used by the adults to control the teen culture. Back in the 1960's, anti-consumerism was huge and young people were cynical of the media; this continued well in the 1980's, although this time it was becoming less anti-consumerism and more anti-establishment due to the birth of the punk genre. However, I believe that the 21st century image of the punk has been manipulated by the media and controlled to make a 'calmer' version of punk; a less actively anti-establishment, more passive anti-establishment - where they believe they're against all things establishment but wouldn't actively push out against society. 1980's Punks

This 'calmer' version of punk has switched a parent view of the stereotype because they're not the hardcore, anti-establishment, scary punk kids from the 1980's; they're a nicer, conformist, 21st century version: "punk rock as whole is gaining acceptance from the parents of suburban America" (http://punkmusic.about.com/od/punk101/a/punktimeline_2.htm, Ryan Cooper, "1989-Present: Punk Shapes Up Into What We Know Today").

Aiden - 21st century punk.

Everyone is an individual. Or so they say. Everyone is certainly unique; individual, however is a different story - are teenagers made to believe they are individual and through this exploitation they're making themselves less individual and more conformist? "Emo's" for example, say they're individual, suffering the plight of life alone yet they all dress the same and listen to the same music because that's "how emo kids dress and what emo kids listen to." They just conform to stereotype that the media pump out; "Cute is what we aim for" is a mainstream emo-rock band that has an influence in the emo-rock genre and not just through their music. Their style conforms to what is expected of an emo-rock band and therefore what is expected of the "emo kid." There is an element of hipocrisy because society call teenagers that are heavily influenced by their music taste and peers, conformist (when they call themselves individuals/rebels), however adults that are similar to the teenagers are seen as rebels and non-conformist because they're not doing what society and the media believe an adult should do.

Although teenagers want to think they're individual and what they choose to do is down to their personal choice; this isn't the case alot of the time, obviously there is choice there - it isn't a dictatorship, however where you hang out, what you wear and who your peers are predominately come down to your interests and what you have in common with them, the question is: how much of this is controlled by the media? Has the media created a calmer, more "adult-friendly" versions of stereotypes? Do "emo kids" dress how they do because the media have created the stereotype through their music? I believe that the media expose teeangers' insecurities; although we want to be individual, we don't want to be alone, isolated; we want to belong to groups/gangs - this controls us and this is what the media plays on: our want for belonging. The reason teenagers follow the crowd in terms of fashion and hangouts is because we don't want to be left behind. By creating "adult-friendly" versions of stereotypes, for example: punks, the media are giving adults a sense of security as they feel they have a superiority over teenagers because the teenagers aren't as proactive against consumerism and the establishment compared with the teeangers of the 1960's and 1980's. The hegemony of the 1950's has returned; the teenagers believe what they see in the media is how they should act and believe that it is normal.

Fishtank: Questions&Answers

* Director: Andrea Arnold
* No particular audience.
* The director didn't want a professional actress.
* Katy Jarvis (lead character) was the perfect girl, however the initial idea of the film had to change because originally the director wanted a fantastic dancer, but Katy hated dancing yet she was the perfect personality.
* Cost of music was expensive - Leona Lewis song there was no music, just a few lyrics = £10,000.
* Nike Clothing, needed legal clearance; they didn't invest because Katy wasn't the type of role model they wanted, there was too much authenticity to her character, she wasn't aspiration enough. Marketing isn't reflective of what people are.
* There was 50 prints distributed countrywide. Distributor was Artificle Eye.
* Film Census: people fought to have the film certified as a 15 not an 18 because they felt people needed to see it. The director's vision is important.
* BBC weren't happy with 10year old Tyler smoking and drinking - full reports had to be written.
* Government believed it was conforming to the already overtly sexualised media.
* Music Video showed the opposite to real life, highlighted the unreality of them.
* Mia's passion for dancing - she wants to belong to the street troupe from her neighbourhood, she was influenced by the internet.
* There wasn't any thoughts or discussions on how teenagers were portrayed.
* Film was shot in continunity; Connor and Mia didn't know that they would sleep together until the day of shooting.
* Sex scene was a "minefield" especially in the USA, careful filming - no nudity. Andrea didn't want to cut away from it.
* You can see the change in Mia from the start to the end of the film.
* The reason is was named "Fish Tank" was because it is Mia's world looking out or our world looking in.
* There was no pretense, how it was filmed is how it is.
* Mia doesn't fit in, ends up in a strip club.
* Kidnapping of the child was revenge on Connor.
* Realistic interpretation: Katy Jarvis, director chanelled her natural self into the story.
* 4:3 ratio instead of widescreen: concentrated more on the characters.
* Andrea didn't want it to be a commercial success, however the producer felt as many people as possible should see it.

'Teenage Riot' - Youth, Media and Collective Identity Lecture: 2/02/2010

Who is your favourite young person in the media (fictional or real) and why?

Serena van der Woodsen, played by Blake Lively, from Gossip Girl; she wants to be successful in her own right and find herself and not have to rely on her parents influence to gain her high-end positions; this sense of independence is something that I am able to relate with, and I think it is what makes Serena relatable to audience members moreso than her rival Blair Waldorf. I am able to aspirational relate to Serena, however only in certain ways - mainly successwise, not careerwise. She wanted to be an actress, which was something that I could completely aspirationally relate to, however she gave up on that dream; this makes me want to work harder at it, so in a sense the producers have made me not want to be like her, because of what she failed to do makes me want to push myself harder; I am almost aspiring to be what she would've been had she not gave up.

Collective Identity:

Collective Identity is simply, groups of similar people; people that you are able to relate with through similarities.

Jacques Lacon is a psychoanalyst whose theory many media and film critics apply when attempting to create a character that they want audiences to relate to. Jacque studied child development and suggested a "mirror stage" in which a child begins to develop an identity; it is a point in their life when they can essentially look into a mirror and recognise themselves. It can be argued that audiences are able to form and reform their identity and change the way in which they see [or recognise] themselves; this is essentially how film and media critics relate Lacon's work to audiences.

The two main points that the media attempt to create relatable characters; characters that are "just like me" are Identification and Aspiration. As an audience member you can either identify literally with the character, physically or emotionally, or aspirationally relate to them; they do what you want to do. When there are accurate representations it is easier to see yourself in the character and this can reinforce your identity. However, when there are inaccurate and distorted portrayals, audiences can change themselves and their identity to fit in and belong.

Constructing the teenager:

19th century:

The young person started to emerge in New York. The "Bowery Boys" or "Soaplocks" as they were known; they had their own slang, that adults couldn't understand, dress code, musical taste etc. They had disposible income and it was the first time the entertainment industry and fashion houses targeted them as a consumer group.

1900-1940's:

There was a 400% rise in high school enrolment in the USA between 1900-1910. The peer culture truly began and it was a time of comparasion; teenagers were comparing themselves to their peers. The magazine industry started targeting the insecurities of adolescent girls. During World War II there was a demand for labour and therefore the teenagers had disposible income. Between 1945-1960, teenage consumers were known as the "jackpot market" and the "prosperous and liberated future", however it was also when negative stereotypes about teenagers were beginning; they were known as the "culture of moral decline." It was the first sign of the adult cultures dichotomous image.

1950's: Rock & Roll Culture

It was around this time that the teenage culture really began to begin, because they weren't trying to be adults; this created a generation gap which in turn created tension between adults and teenagers.

Adult Hegemony?

Hegemony - dominant social group keeps an oppressed group in their subservient position by making them feel their position is 'normal' or desirable.
A marxist view of teeangers is that the adults are encouraging the teeangers to be rebellious by creating the 'rebel teen' label in which teenagers can aspire to, however this in turn keeps the adults fearful of teenagers; this expands the generational gap.

James Dean: An Accurate Portrayal?
He was thought to be the first celebrity to capture the dissonance of youth. "Rebel without a Cause" confromed to adult fears of teenagers, supporting the marxist theory of adult hegemony. James Dean's character isn't a bad person; he's confused, sensitive, frustrated and handsome, this meant that both adults and teenagers could empathise and desire him. James Dean died in a motorcar accident at the age of 24; "live fast, die young" - adults began fetishising teenagers.

1960's-1970's:

Around this era the teenager subculture became a counter culture. The next generation of teenagers were cynical about the commercial exploitation of youth; this started social upheaval. Young people began to support Civil Rights, Feminism, Anti-Vietnam. They were resisting marketing and consumerism.

Punk & HipHop:

Punk: reaction against optimism of the 'Hippies', they were even more cynical than previous teenagers. They weren't just rebellious and anti-consumerist; they were anti-establishment, it was political.
HipHop: reality of poverty and racist oppression.

Adult Fetishism of Youth:

There is a recurring pattern of bright future vs society going to hell. Two different articles on teenage girls and teenage boys; "am I bovvered?" "hoodies or altar boys?" There are thoughts that the images of teenage boys and girls are sexualised and exploit insecurities of individuals creating paranoia about appearance.
4,374 out of 8,629 crimes reported were youth crimes. There are only positive representations of male teenagers if they're dead or victims of violent crimes that have been started by other teenagers.

Internalised Stereotypes:

'Kidulthood' - Links to media.
'Harry Brown' - revenge fantasy for adults.
These films could be considered as anti-youth films.

9-14year olds spend $300 billion per year in the USA.
There is a sense of nostalgia from the adult audience; they never appreciated their youth when they were that age. There is also a feeling of empathy, because adults don't want to have to do as they're told; they want to be rebellious. Finally there is a feeling of envy; teenagers don't have a careers or marriages to worry about, there is no financial burdens, and teenagers have a higher sexual drive.

Sometimes teenagers are represented in a way in such a way that the majority of the teenagers can't relate to them, for instance: Juno - do teenagers really talk like that? Skins - do teenagers really have those lifestyles?