Posts tagged as Cultural Studies
It's Cute That New York is Slowly Catching Up with Wisconsin
When I moved from Wisconsin to the Lower East Side in January, I quickly discovered my deep Midwest roots were very uncool. After a few smirks and condescending remarks about how I must be feeling “culture shock” in the big city, I learned not to broadcast the fact that I was raised and educated in, as our license plates proudly proclaim, America’s Dairyland. READ MORE
A Five-Part Guide To Irish Viral Videos: Part One, Irish Rap
Sometimes videos go viral within the confines of a specific country and they never reach the wider world. And often, that's a real shame. Lucky for you, Irishman (meaning born, raised and residing in actual Ireland) Sean McTiernan-that's me!-is going to give you a glimpse into the country's already storied collection of viral gems. Get your shillelagh and whatever additional racist paraphernalia you need, it's going to be mighty. READ MORE
Footnotes of Mad Men: A Rage For Order, or, The Problematic Episode
In the intentionally dull world of academic writing, the descriptive word of choice for a thorny issue about race or sexuality is 'problematic.' As in: "Sal only serving as a gay prop this season is problematic." And it was, though not for any kind of politically correct reasons-how eye-rollingly boring would that critique be-but because it makes for crappy drama. Sal's tragic situation and Carla's steely silence during the Birmingham news report was a clumsy plot gimmick. It felt as though the writers were grabbing hold of us by the shirt collars and screaming, "CAN'T YOU SEE? THESE PEOPLE ARE OPPRESSED?!" Well, perhaps we needed reminding. But in this instance, the writers of Mad Men sacrificed their usual elegant nuance for some ham-fisted 'social message.' Fortunately, though some elegance was found in other places-like Disneyland! Yay. READ MORE
The Footnotes of Mad Men: Suburban Rococo
Oh, no! The world is tugging away at Don Draper's individuality one thread at a time! First it started with the sexy maypole teacher pointing out that Don's nihilistic quest for self-indulgence is no different from all the other 'bored' Ossissingite daddies-he's even donning the same shirt as them! Then Roger characterizes Don's personal brand as someone else's (The Ogs). Some barbituated crazed kids think of him as just another spook (the nerve of those wayward hippies!). And Don's own hearth, the place where he puts up his feet and thinks about the majestic Mohawk nation, has been invaded by a home designer who undoubtedly has put the same 'modern Chinoiserie' design into the homes of hundreds of other stylish couples. I guess none of us can be too different, huh? We're all muscle and blood after all. READ MORE
