Pop Culture and Commodification

[SunWuKong]

here's a good article in GR about the commodification of Asian cultures.

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COMMODIFICATION WORKSHOP

On Wednesday, April 11, 2001, Eric and I were invited to speak at UC Irvine's student center as part of Asian Pacific Islander Month. Other advertised panelists included Leela Lee (who does Angry Little Asian Girl) and an editor from another Asian-related magazine, but neither showed up for reasons that are unclear. No problem, since we filled up the hour and a half easily on our own.

The theme handed to us was "Pop Culture and Commodification." What exactly is commodification? We define it as selling something without caring about it or giving back to it. The organizers probably expected us to rag on The Man, pointing our fingers at Urban Outfitters for selling shirts with random Asian characters on it and Jack in the Box for selling weak Jackie Chan toys. Instead, we focused on how one can be commodified, giving examples of ways Asians sell themselves and their culture out. Then we suggested other ways to go.

We arranged the hour-and-a-half session around the outline that follows. There were a lot of random ideas and spontaneous examples thrown in--and some of it was left out, too--but you get the idea. You'll have to trust that it was conversational, energetic, and funny. Have some Korean food before reading this and kick back with boba tea afterwards, and you'll feel like you were there.


more... (http://www.giantrobot.com/transmissions/23commod/index.html)

[kitty]

Thank you Rad, I did love the article. It is right on target...

I think though it was focused a lot on how Asians try to sell themselves since they are the new trend (Asian is the new baby blue?)... it doesn't say much on how others attempt to assimilate Asian culture into their own and bastardize it...

But I think it elaborates on what we (hopefully) all know intuitively... be real.

[SunWuKong]

I think though it was focused a lot on how Asians try to sell themselves since they are the new trend (Asian is the new baby blue?)

yeah. it's just my theory, but i think a lot of American/Canadian born/raised Asians try especially hard to "reclaim their roots". this is not a bad thing. some do it by learning about their ethnic culture and Asian American issues. and some do it by associating themselves with anything Asian just because it's Asian.

[AngryABCGirl]

for some reason this article reminds me of buff asian guys at the gym who tattoo chinese characters all over themselves... even though one character by itself doesn't make much sense.

[SunWuKong]

for some reason this article reminds me of buff asian guys at the gym who tattoo chinese characters all over themselves... even though one character by itself doesn't make much sense.


i find it funny when Asian guys tattoo Chinese characters like that (although i think it would be cool to tattoo passages from classic Chinese works). i don't see this in Asia at all. at least with non-Asian guys, they have more of an excuse for that kind of commodification because they have no connection to any Asian cultures.

[kasia]

but most of the time, i really do like eating at only the asian places in los angeles. it's not because i'm "trying to be asian." i'm just used to it and think it tastes better. and besides, the mexican food is fattening.

[AngryABCGirl]

i find it funny when Asian guys tattoo Chinese characters like that (although i think it would be cool to tattoo passages from classic Chinese works). i don't see this in Asia at all. at least with non-Asian guys, they have more of an excuse for that kind of commodification because they have no connection to any Asian cultures.


I've given serious thought to having a proverb tattooed on my back this winter went I won't be in the water.

[kimpossible]

i find it funny when Asian guys tattoo Chinese characters like that (although i think it would be cool to tattoo passages from classic Chinese works). i don't see this in Asia at all. at least with non-Asian guys, they have more of an excuse for that kind of commodification because they have no connection to any Asian cultures.

I've seen and heard of Japanese, as in Nihonjin, guys doing it. We're not talking your average Tokyo boy but I think more of the gangstery type. This is according to one of my friends, so I got no real proof but here's what he said when I asked him. When Japanese guys want to express super macho shit they use characters and/or images that are considered old-school Chinese. Much like new, cool and cosmopolitan is represented by katakana or Engrish or French in ads, to get macho and traditional they'll lean towards writing and images that are strongly Chinese.

Whooooooooo knows if there's any truth to it.

[Napoleon Chynamite]

but most of the time, i really do like eating at only the asian places in los angeles. it's not because i'm "trying to be asian." i'm just used to it and think it tastes better. and besides, the mexican food is fattening.

Ya me too...'cept I love Mexican food also. However, arguably a lot of Asian food (especially Chinese food served in restaurants and probably lotsa Thai and Malaysian food too) is even fattier than any type of Mexican cuisine. Be thankful we got the metabolism to balance it out :laugh:

[YuheiCarreau]

I've seen and heard of Japanese, as in Nihonjin, guys doing it. We're not talking your average Tokyo boy but I think more of the gangstery type. This is according to one of my friends, so I got no real proof but here's what he said when I asked him. When Japanese guys want to express super macho shit they use characters and/or images that are considered old-school Chinese. Much like new, cool and cosmopolitan is represented by katakana or Engrish or French in ads, to get macho and traditional they'll lean towards writing and images that are strongly Chinese.

Whooooooooo knows if there's any truth to it.

If they were doing it, they'd probably be using really old phrases like "sonno joi" or whatever... Sorta like how skinheads and metal fans get gothic black letter tattoos.

[kimpossible]

If they were doing it, they'd probably be using really old phrases like "sonno joi" or whatever... Sorta like how skinheads and metal fans get gothic black letter tattoos.


Uh, no I mean more culturally Chinese than that. Not just old Japanese political slogans.