Wednesday, April 14, 2010

[wednesday] representation / appropriation

Yoon argues, "As far as Korea is concerned, new technology is filtered through old and hegemonic systems of representations" (188). I thought that this statement completely dismissed many facets of a complicated issue that Yoon explores! I think Korea DESIRES that the new technology is filtered by this way, but is it really? No. And I think that it is this disconnect upon the "desired" and the "actual" local repositioning of mobile phones that is worth the investigation. I guess I find it hard to believe that the Korean government is able to (re-) control or re-produce "dominant social relations in terms of age, gender and social class." I wished that Yoon talked more about HOW this happening and HOW it is working and failing to maintain or re-articulate the "old." As far as I'm concerned, it's again "one mobile phone = one broadcast" -- and I wonder how governments are limiting the broadcasts to reiterate cultural value and erase "new" ways of thinking about identity on a "global stage" (108).

OK. Now, I'd like to talk about a far-fetched relationhsip between Tiger Woods and this article. Yoon writes, "Concurently, the ne wtechnology is appropriated by its local users through a process of local filtering in that the technology is represented, imagined and appropriated differently when subjected to different cultural and social filters. In this doubly articulated process, a new technology is localized by cultures and also to some extent globalizes the local" (108).

So I heard about the Tiger Woods commercial and I thought it sounded completely ridiculous and thus, I NEEDED to watch it. So I clicked a top result and I get a parody. And then I click another one... I get another parody. And another one. Until finally I get the real thing. I just find it so interesting how so many people have appropriated this commercial and re-articulated its meaning.... I find it fascinating how easy and FAST users manipulate media to provide social commentary.

For those interested in the ACTUAL Tiger Woods Commercial:



And of course, a parody:

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