culture jamming

I thought that this was an interesting concept. Culture jamming is a movement meant to disrupt the current social culture as well as the concept of exposing questions and political assumptions behind a certain culture. This could include redesigning a logo that is well-known, dressing a certain way, or, refer to movements that our country has gone through in the past. In a way, it's the idea of anti-consumerism, but what makes up consumerism is a specific culture.

For example: the goth trend. It came about in response to the preppy trend
Another example would be dada. I know no one else in this class is big on art, but consider the following piece of work, by Hans Arp titled "Collage with Squares Arranged According to the Laws of Chance." It's out of a movement called dada, which was in response to World War I. This piece is now worth millions.



[Materials used: construction paper]

Another example I found is one for Australia's Department of Defence. The ad has a full-black background and looks sleek and clean. It states, "HAVE YOU GOT WHAT IT TAKES?" It continues, "Why settle for an ordinary office job when you could have an extraordinary and challenging career as a pawn in the power games of politicians? [insert profane concepts here] ... You will receieve over $44,700 per annum upon completion of initial training, which should just about cover treatment for Post Traumatic Stress Disorder and Gulf War Syndrome... The Defence Graduate Program is an exhilarating way to hand over your life to apolitician and partake in yet another imperialistic land grab."

Quite the interesting way of viewing that culture, I'd say.

The point is, not only does a culture exist within itself, but it has external ramifications as well. And, if one does certain things to be in a culture, that means others do certain things to be out of a culture. It's just another factor of culture that we have to think about when editing... not only how will it affect the people within that culture, but how will it affect those who are not part of it?