.Saturday, October 27, 2007 ' 7:42 PM Y
BOO!!
HTF: A resistance movement?
As Andrew Ross (1989) noted, "bad taste products" (i.e. pornography and grindhouse) are popular because of their violation of social norms, expressing a sort of social resentment against the mainstream. As in the case of grindhouse, it is a general genre where the main pull lies in its unpleasantness and sensationalism rather than anything else. A look at Quentin Tarantino's earlier works would illustrate this point; everything in films like is so bad.
Similarly, the main feature of HTF clips are the unsavoury, graphic violence - full of shock value. Could it be a form of anti-culture against a dominant ideology?
A site for social interaction
The website is interactive; fans can vote for their most favourite clips, purchase merchandise, join the fan club, interact with one another on the message boards. It supports an extensive web community through RSS feeds and podcasts, online recommendations where people can share various clips with their friends/family, as well as the various features below:
An integral component of social interaction
Most certainly, HTF is also the common interest that binds the group of fans together (social glue). Perhaps best illustrated by the myspace pages, other online users associate themselves with the host of cute, cuddly yet horribly wrong animals featured on HTF by adding themselves as a friend on the characters' friend pages.
A mirror upon other forms of social behaviour - a 'shockumentary'?
As the other posts have pointed out, the content of the clips are highly subversive, going against convention (in terms of expectations regarding its genre and societal norms) hence achieving the shock value.
Yet, I'm not quite sure if the controversy appropriated to its content can be considered a form of anti-culture. In terms of the messages it propagates, it seems to enforce current social norms as it seems to 'advocate' violence. As the audience watches these clips, there is a fair amount of varying interpretations. Some relish in the sensationalism of visual and audio display of unnecessary violence. Others feel a strong distaste for the violence, which reaffirms the dominant ideological appeal for non-violence.
What it does do, however, is raise certain flags regarding society as we live it, if not the state of American society. It also throws hints at the audience (who looks carefully enough) regarding the gap between reality and the ideals dominant mainstream society perpetuates. Representations/images of non-violence mask the violent nature of society -- the US is a (if not the most belligerent) warring nation even though its ideological messages propagate peace and freedom.
A determinant of socio-cultural change?
I'm very undecided on this point. But I can definitely point out that it has created a call for greater media discernment and media literacy where parents are concerned. Shocked parents who have raised issues with media stations regarding the 'appropriate-ness' of broadcasting TV episodes of HTF definitely have placed the issue onto the agenda where it previously had been unaware of.Similarly, the main feature of HTF clips are the unsavoury, graphic violence - full of shock value. Could it be a form of anti-culture against a dominant ideology?
A site for social interaction
The website is interactive; fans can vote for their most favourite clips, purchase merchandise, join the fan club, interact with one another on the message boards. It supports an extensive web community through RSS feeds and podcasts, online recommendations where people can share various clips with their friends/family, as well as the various features below:
this characteristic gives it the potential to rally people to support their causes, whatever they may be.
Chill on MYSPACE with the gang
IM your friends with the HTF Yahoo IMV
Check out other tasty treats from Mondo Mini Shows
Find out if HTF is on a TV near you
(taken from www.happytreefriends.com)
An integral component of social interaction
Most certainly, HTF is also the common interest that binds the group of fans together (social glue). Perhaps best illustrated by the myspace pages, other online users associate themselves with the host of cute, cuddly yet horribly wrong animals featured on HTF by adding themselves as a friend on the characters' friend pages.
A mirror upon other forms of social behaviour - a 'shockumentary'?
As the other posts have pointed out, the content of the clips are highly subversive, going against convention (in terms of expectations regarding its genre and societal norms) hence achieving the shock value.
Yet, I'm not quite sure if the controversy appropriated to its content can be considered a form of anti-culture. In terms of the messages it propagates, it seems to enforce current social norms as it seems to 'advocate' violence. As the audience watches these clips, there is a fair amount of varying interpretations. Some relish in the sensationalism of visual and audio display of unnecessary violence. Others feel a strong distaste for the violence, which reaffirms the dominant ideological appeal for non-violence.
What it does do, however, is raise certain flags regarding society as we live it, if not the state of American society. It also throws hints at the audience (who looks carefully enough) regarding the gap between reality and the ideals dominant mainstream society perpetuates. Representations/images of non-violence mask the violent nature of society -- the US is a (if not the most belligerent) warring nation even though its ideological messages propagate peace and freedom.
A determinant of socio-cultural change?
Labels: anti-culture, emily, resistance
