Representing International Disproportions

Worldmapper offers maps in which the actual land area is morphed to represent various disproportionalities across the globe. The website has over 300 maps! Thanks 73man for the tip!

I borrowed a few examples and pasted them in below. The first map is an actual land area map for reference.

Territory size shows the proportion of worldwide net exports of toys (in US$) that come from there. Net exports are exports minus imports. When imports are larger than exports the territory is not shown.



Territory size shows the proportion of worldwide net imports of toys (in US$) that are received there. Net imports are imports minus exports. When exports are larger than imports the territory is not shown.



Territory size shows the proportion of carbon dioxide emissions in 1980 that were directly from there.



Territory size shows the proportion of all territory level decreases in carbon dioxide emissions between 1980 and 2000, that occurred there.



Territory size shows the proportion of state military spending worldwide that was spent by that territory in 2002.



Territory size shows the proportion of species worldwide that became extinct between 1500 current era and 2004, that became extinct there.



Territory size shows the proportion of all people over 15 in the world living with diabetes who live there.



Territory size shows the proportion of all people aged 15-49 with HIV (Human Immunodeficiency Virus) worldwide, living there.



See more alternative maps here.

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"Shop Victoriously"

Consumption as sport:



Thanks Miguel!

Advertising during war: Girls in slacks hail tampax

While tampons have been around since the 19th century (see the Museum of Menstruation for more history), they really took off in the U.S. in the 1940s. One of the reasons for this was a targeted campaign by Tampax that took advantage of women's new labor participation during WWII. These newspaper ads from that time period show the ways tampons were marketed to women who were not only working, but wearing pants on the job.

These ads would make for a great class discussion on gender and the homefront during war (not to mention a discussion of women's work and bodies)-- particularly on how gender relations and practices can change (temporarily or permanently) during wartime.


I found these at the amazing database of old ads that Gwen posted about. Thanks again for the link Martin W.!

Selling Authenticity: Stoli Vodka Ad

I found this in Rolling Stone.

Ethos Water: Another Example of Consumption Marketed as Social Activism

Here we have buying bottled water--a product criticized for its environmental impacts--portrayed as a form of humanitarianism. Also, in smaller text the ad sneaks in a plug for a movie: "Ethos is a proud supporter of 'Running the Sahara.' In theaters this spring." I presume Matt Damon stars in it. Why can't celebrities just donate their own money instead of trying to get us to buy something expensive just so a tiny bit of it goes to a charity?

And in the tiniest print down at the bottom you learn that 5 cents from every purchase is donated to the Ethos Water Fund. The Impulsive Buy says Ethos costs $1.85 a bottle (I found that price listed elsewhere as well). Also, Ethos is owned by Starbucks.

You might want to pair this image with this, this, and this.

Energy Drink for Girls

I saw this energy drink this morning at a gas station. Notice that it's sugar-free. According to the website, a portion of proceeds goes to fight breast cancer, though it's unclear if they mean a portion of the profits of the drink, or just things bought at the online store. Another example of the idea of doing good through consumption, not by just donating money directly to an organization addressing an issue you care about (for other examples see here, here and here). Also, the website says Go Girl is not a rehydration drink (such as Gatorade), but a "functional beverage," whatever that is.

Patrick Philippe Watches: Commodifying Family Traditions

This is an ad I found in The New Yorker for Patek Philippe watches. The text in the lower-left corner says "You never actually own a Patrick Philippe. You merely take care of it for the next generation." So by buying an expensive, new watch, you're creating a "tradition." I'm going to use this in the future when I talk about inventing traditions.

Production, Consumption, And Reproduction

This post is dedicated to my pregnant friends. You should buy this t-shirt.

In class this week my students and I are talking about the triple threat of production, consumption, and reproduction that characterizes modern capitalism. I use the cultural imperative that women have and raise babies (reproduction) and be beautiful and sexy while doing it (consumption), all of which is paid for by someone who is busy earning money at a job (production). Below are some of the images I use.

Be beautiful while pregnant (images from A Pea in the Pod and covergirls Britney Spears and Christina Aguilera):


Running in high heels while in the third trimester? Why, of course!



Get your body back as soon as possible (as demonstrated by Gwen Stefani and Tori Spelling):



If you're not sure how, buy some books (all the better)!





Resort to suspicious drugs if you need to:



Or get a Mommy Makeover. Extensive cosmetic surgery, that is:



Recommended by Parenting Magazine!

Commodifying the Women's Movement

"The new women's movement. Freedom from seams and stitches."

This is another ad Lisa sent me years ago. I use it when discussing the de-politicization of social issues, and the commodification of freedom--it's just something you buy. I also use this one from Lisa:

The Jeep Liberty--notice on the right it says "Glass Ceiling" and has an arrow pointing down below; so structural inequality at work is trivialized, and again, "liberty" is something we can purchase.

These ads go nicely along with the old Virginia Slims campaign, these other "liberated women" themed ads Lisa posted previously, and the "right hand ring" ad I posted.

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A Quick Lesson In Production And Consumption

Click here for a 20-minute video by Annie Leonard called The Story of Stuff. It it, using animation, she explains how "[f]rom its extraction through sale, use and disposal, all the stuff in our lives affects communities at home and abroad."

U.S. Fertility Rate Reaches Replacement Level

These two figures display the U.S. birth rate over time. They accompanied a New York Times article discussing the fact that the U.S. birth rate reached replacement level for the first time in 35 years. Interestingly, the article suggests it has something to do with the recent rise in home ownership.

Food And The Environment

This graphic from the New York Times illustrates the different environmental costs of meat and vegetable production (click on image to enlarge):

World Statistics

Click here for a "world clock" (by http://www.poodwaddle.com/) that constantly updates the total number of, well, lots of stuff: births, abortions, deaths of different types, prisoners, marriages, divorces, extinct species, gallons of oil pumped, and computers, cars, and bicycles built. You can choose to display it by how much has happened in the last year, month, day, or even from a moment, like right... now.

Thanks, Mom!

Consumption as Activism: Tampax and Always

Here is a link to a website sponsored by Tampax and Always about their work with the UN to give pads to girls in Africa, supposedly because these girls miss school each month because they don't have pads to wear.

Here is a t-shirt you can buy to support the program. It says "Use your period for good":

The t-shirt costs $21.99. Of this, $1 goes toward the program.

This brings up all kinds of issues--for instance, where does the other $20.99 go? To Tampax and Always? What do these companies stand to gain from this? Positive publicity or lifelong customer loyalty in Africa?

It could also be used as part of a discussion about consumption and activism--the idea we have now that you can just buy something if you want to fix a social problem. If you pick up any fashion magazine, there will be a page or an article in it telling readers they can change the world by buying some product--nevermind that only a tiny part of the purchase price goes to the charity.

For other examples of shopping as activism, look here, here, and here.

Thanks, Prince Charming!

I couldn't find the Mayor ad Lisa was looking for, but I did find this ad:

First, it's a commodification of love. The slogan points to the fact that jewelry really tells her how much you love her.

Second, notice the consumption upon consumption: you can buy charms representing things you can buy. No, wait, it's even more layered, you can buy jewelry in the shape of jewelry. And the inclusion of a purse doubly symbolizes consumption. You buy purses and you carry a purse in order to buy strapless dresses and heels etc.

Finally, notice how gendered the whole thing is. A tiara? Come on! Is she six? No briefcase? No I guess not.

Third Wave Rauch Culture

Check out these two really awesome commentaries by Ariel Levy, author of Female Chauvenist Pigs, on:

On the title of her book


Playboy


Sexual Pleasure versus Performance


Standards of Beauty


And Girls Gone Wild

Co-Opting Punk Culture

This might be a useful image for talking about the commodification of protest and "alternative" culture. It was being sold at the H&M store in Pasadena. It's the latest in a progression of the co-opting of the punk aesthetic--first stores like Hot Topic started selling clothing with rips and safety pins and such in them, so you could go pay a lot of money for pre-packaged punk or goth looks. Now it's gone a step further where they no longer even bother to put a real safety pin in--now you just get pictures of safety pins, meant to evoke that sense of non-conformity in the safest, most easily-marketed way possible, along with your Sum 41 (or whatever their name is) CD.

Food Consumption

Here is a site with some really powerful images of differences in weekly food consumption around the world. There are pictures of 16 families from different parts of the world surrounded by what they eat in a week and the amount it costs. Very useful for discussing global inequality and food. It's a combined project from Time and CNN.

Agenda Setting

This is an interesting example of the way in which powerful media companies control what gets out there. MTV refused to show ads, made by the Media Foundation to promote Buy Nothing Day, on its station. They stated that the ad "goes further than we are willing to accept on our channels."

The ads are here. Thanks to AdBusters for this tip.

Capitalism Good, Communism Bad

Government propaganda films from the 1940s and 50s that trumpet the virtues of capitalism and warn about the dangers of communism.