Ways of Seeing

We are "surrounded by images of an alternative way of life." 'Publicity' sells us that "by spending money we will be richer, but we will be poorer." This is glamour, the state of being envied is turned into glamour. Glamour is a new idea. In previous history people were born in to nobility, therefore there was no reason to envy. Today envy is a common emotion. The meaning of an image can be changed based on location, narrative, and sound. Reproductions of art can make the work 'ambiguous.' "Publicity works on the imagination and adds up to a philosophical system." The things publicity sells are neutral, so they must be made glamourous by putting the object in a glamourous situation. The advertisements are not just proposing the item, but also an attitude and way of life.

I think any image if put in different context's can become anything the artist (or person) desires. Although the fact that advertising is used the way it is, to basically lie to the public in order to sell a product fascinates me. Not in a good way. The advertisements tell us that if we purchase a product we will be 'cool' or become a different person. By companies exploiting the human need to 'fit in' the customers purchase and purchase to follow the new 'glamour.' The objects aren't really needed for survival, the money they are spending could be used for more important things such as food and daycare. Or even for hobbies and Gas. Yet people instead buy 100's of pairs of shoes or I saw this woman with this bag so I have to go buy the $500 bag too so I can look 'High Fashion' as well. This idea of glamour abstracts the desire to fit in and turns it into a race of profits. I find it sad that people envy models and movie stars. Why not just be yourself? Why do we have to judge based on social and economical status? If we were uncivilized and back to cave man days, would we need to have the best fur coat because it looks good or because it kept me warm? When we look and the consumer market the amount of 'stuff' people buy outweighs the necessities of life. When an Ad is selling a product and a way of life, the only thing you really get when you buy the product is the product, not the way of life to go with it. Because that would mean that you would have to change as a person and deviate from your true identity. This envy of a way of life that does not exist is a social disaster. If marketers portrayed their products in actuality, I would most likely no longer find advertisements irritating. This idea of the ideal high class world is unattainable to the average person. Even if I was able to become high class I would not act as if I were. I would still live as I do now because I would not want to be a High class person. That is only my own personal feelings of course.