A Response to Credibility, Gender and The Media by Sofia

Like Sofia, I too believe that the portrayal of women in American media is highly sexist, and at times, highly inappropriate. The absence of serious, high profile female news anchors and the focus on the superficial aspects female politicians is definitely an area for concern. Furthermore, the portrayal of some of the female news anchors that are employed by the American networks can be even more concerning, as they are frequently presented as highly sexualized individuals, as evidenced in the extremely short skirts of many female anchors on Fox. However, as the content of western media is largely governed by ratings, what is the possible solution? Fox News ranks number one in viewership compared to other news agencies and shows such as “The Today Show” and "The View", programs hosted by female anchors that frequently deal with highly trivial issues, are extremely popular. The American public is watching this content, and they love it! Although, like many, this is something I find to be extremely frustrating, more importantly, I feel that it highlights the potential difficulty in finding a solution to this problem.

 Headlines and Short Skirts...up next on FOX

After speaking to a friend, who is an editor for one of UofT’s campus papers, she suggested that the best way of dealing with it is to simply ignore these portrayals, as they ultimately highlight the decline of the credibility mainstream western media. Although I understood her point, as I too no longer rely on these sources for objective news coverage, after some consideration, I had to disagree. Although many can see the forest for the trees, a large number of people still rely on these media outlets to stay current. Just because these broadcasts are a joke to many, does that make it justifiable for them to portray stereotypes of women that are socially unacceptable? Definitely not. Ultimately, unless people stop watching this content, the presentation of women in this manner isn’t going to change. 

Clinton's hair...should we care?

Apocalypse Now?...I hope not!

Despite the numerous assignments I had due during the last week of class, after finding out that the focus of the last lecture was going to be on the apocalypse and its representation in popular culture, I knew that I had to attend. My interest in films documenting the world after "the end" was sparked after watching the cult classic, “28 Days Later”. Depicting a post-zombie apocalypse England, the film focusses on a small group of survivors who attempt to save themselves from hoards of individuals infected with the “rage” virus, a scenario that continues to send shivers down my spine to this day (I mean, hypothetically speaking, the rage virus pandemic is totally probable!). Despite terrifying me, for reasons that I had trouble understanding, I found myself deeply intrigued by this movie and other apocalyptic films I have seen since.

Trafalgar Square...bet you've never seen it so bare

However, Conrad Oswaldt’s chapter, “Movies and The Apocalypse”, in Secular Steeples: Popular Culture And The Religious Imagination, provided some intriguing insight. Oswaldt discusses something he refers to as the "apocalyptic imagination", attributing the success of secular apocalyptic films to their ability to satisfy this aspect of the human psyche, something that I find particularly intriguing. However, something that I do not agree with entirely is Oswaldt's argument that the  adoption of this new role is due to the increasingly secularized Christian church, which, as a result of its mainstream status, no longer needs to focus on the apocalypse to encourage solidarity amongst its followers.[1] Although the secularization of the church can likely be attributed to some of the increased interest in secular representations of the apocalypse, I feel that the widespread appeal of this genre is derived from a more innate aspect of the human mind. Starting in the late 1960’s and early 70’s, with films such as “Planet of the Apes” and “Omega Man”, the apocalyptic film has been an extremely successful model and continues to be the underlying theme for a large number of films spanning a variety of genres. Thus, based on this widespread popularity, I find it hard to believe that a shift in how mainstream Christianity portrays the apocalypse can be the sole purpose for this success. In a society with a diverse array of faith groups that haven’t been secularized to the degree that Christianity has, coupled with a growing number of “faith-less” individuals, it is likely that the interest in the apocalypse has origins that may include, but that are definitely not limited to, the decreased focus on the apocalypse by the Christian church. However, whether rooted in Christianity or more innate aspects of the human mind, I believe that Oswaldt is ultimately correct in his argument that the human “apocalyptic imagination” serves as an effective method for coming to terms with our finitude, providing an outlet for us to express our own fears concerning our inevitable demise.[3]

How the world ended in 1975 in "Omega Man"

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[1]  Conrad Oswaldt, “Movies and the Apocalypse,” in Secular Steeples: Popular Culture And The Religious Imagination, (Harrisburg: Trinity Press International), 159

[2] Oswaldt, 159 
[3] Oswaldt, 159

My Response to “Humanity, Hope and Faith Live On” by Valdy (SMC 305 – Christianity and Popular Culture)

As avid fan of AMC’s “The Walking Dead” and someone who lives in perpetual fear of the inevitable zombie apocalypse (my plans are ready…are yours?), Valdy’s post regarding the show and its message caught my interest. Although I was initially attracted to the show based on its excellent story telling and nail biting suspense (not to mention the fact that it is a very rich source of ideas for my own preparations!), what kept me coming back where the complex characters and the messages they conveyed. Like Valdy, I feel that, through characters such as the persistent Rick Grimes, the writers do a very good job of conveying the notion that terror can have a positive effect in forcing people to find the positive in the direst conditions. However, Valdy also highlights another message that I find extremely interesting, the moral dilemma presented by the Walkers themselves, which is initially highlighted by the show’s catholic figure, Hershel. Until Hershel, and his perplexing sympathy and humanization of the zombies, was introduced, to both myself and the characters on screen, killing the “undead” really didn’t present much of a concern. Killing these evil, inhuman monsters was a matter of survival. However, after encountering Hershel and discovering that he was harboring Walkers in his barn, the simple dichotomy between us and them broke down. In finding out that Hershel’s wife, stepson and Sophia, a young girl from the group that is lost early in the first season, are amongst the Walkers in the barn, one begins to understand Hershel’s perspective. Santana and Gregory in their article “Demons, Aliens, and Spiritual Warfare: Belief and Reality,” highlight this moral dilemma when dealing with monsters. Although we are scared by the notion of the other, characters that truly induced fear are those who are morally ambiguous, such as the biblical figure of the Leviathan.[1] Ultimately, Hershel’s revelation makes the Walkers even scarier as it allows us to see ourselves in them while potentially transforming their slaughter into murder. In light of this, will I be ready when the zombie apocalypse comes?…I can no longer be sure.

Sophia...Human or Monster?

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[1] Richard W. Santana and Erickson Gregory, “Demons, Aliens, and Spiritual Warfare: Belief and Reality,” in Religion and Popular Culture: Rescripting the Sacred, (Jefferson, NC: McFarland, 2008), 159.  

I'm Dead in Japan...

“Tsuyu no Inotchi”

- Human life is like Dew in the Morning

As this famous quote suggests, many Japanese feel that their time on earth as humans is a temporary state. Largely influenced by the Japanese Buddhist doctrine, the major religion in Japan, this widely held belief ultimately results in a culture where the realms of the living and the dead are much closer than they are in North America. In Douglas Cowen’s discussion on the relationship with ghosts, “in Stalking Life: The Fear of Death and Dying Badly”, he notes that, “the Japanese…hold to a worldview in which the realms of the living and the dead interpenetrate in a system of mutual responsibility.”[1] Being half Japanese myself, I can confirm the strong relationship that the Japanese have with the deceased, which not only resulted in exposure to terrifying ghosts stories at an early age, but also frequently lead to both humorous and eerie conversations with my mother.

The faceless "Mujina" 

As I was half-Japanese, my parents made the decision to enroll me in an extremely progressive elementary school that offered Japanese as a third language. Although much of the time was spent learning Kanji and grammar, Mrs. Kishibe, our teacher, would frequently screen movies. Although these films were aimed at children, usually cartoons, their subject matter very frequently dealt with ghosts, such a “Mujina”, the faceless noodle merchant, and the “Ghosts of Aokigahara Forest”. After watching these films, I would usually ask my mother about the stories when I got home, and after her initial shock that we watched them in class, she would proceed to tell me the “real” versions, which were ironically much more gruesome than the watered down children’s stories screened at school. Furthermore, her stories were usually book-ended by affirmations that many people in Japan believe these stories to be true and she would talk about areas in Japan, such as Tokyo’s famous Shinjuku district, which some people avoid at night due to their fear of ghosts.

Locations for Tokyo ghost tours, including the Shinjuku district and Aokigahara Forest

However, although my experiences confirm Cowen’s assertion of the importance of ghosts in the Japanese culture, I feel that he distorts the nature of this relationship. Claiming that the extent to which the interconnectedness between the living and the dead in Japanese culture can be “disturbing”, coupled with the reasoning that the “mizuko kuyo” ceremony, for aborted fetuses, is carried out primarily to avoid attack by a vengeful spirits, highlights the extent of his misunderstanding. From my experience, the sensitivity for the dead is primarily a product of respect, and not misplaced and completely irrational fear, as many Japanese myths and horror films would have the misinformed believe. Japanese people are traditionally extremely proud and respectful, and these virtues extend to those who are no longer living. Thus, although the notion of vengeful and angry spirits are a concern some, this is most likely a result of them feeling very close to a force they do not completely understand. Ultimately, I feel that Cowen’s argument, despite highlighting some important truths about the significance of ghost’s in Japanese culture, misconstrues the relationship between Japanese mythology and story telling as the actual beliefs of Japanese people.

Trailer for "Ju-on" the original Japanese version of "The Grudge"... a typical J-Horror film 

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[1] Douglas E. Cowen, “Stalking Life: The Fear of Death and Dying Badly,”  in Sacred Terror Religion and Horror on the Silver Screen, (Waco, Texas: Baylor University Press, 2008), 132.

My Response To: Christian Sims: Is This a Boring Video Game? By Erika Podnar (Christianity and Popular Culture)

Like Erika, I too feel that it is difficult to get truly “attached” to a video game character. No matter which game I’m playing, I feel that I can quite easily dissociate myself from the avatar that I am controlling on screen. However, I also agree with Erika’s point that the degree to which one becomes immersed in the video game experience can vary tremendously. Although I may not feel particularly connected with the video game characters I play, this is likely is due to the fact that gaming is of little importance to me. However, for those who do dedicate much of their time to playing video games, I can appreciate how a character can become an important part of their life. Ultimately, in my opinion, it boils down to a matter of personal interest.

For some, gaming can be a serious endeavour. 

However, I feel that the matter of personal interest is where Erika and I are at odds. One’s decision to play a video game can be influenced by many things, including advertising and peer pressure, however personal interest likely plays a much greater in role in determining how involved someone becomes in the gaming experience. Thus, although a Christian game may seem boring to many, to a select group it may be very appealing, and therein lies the dangers that Wagner is concerned about. It isn’t that Wagner believes that a Jesus avatar would be un-Christian, it is that the immersion, identification and degree of play possible in gaming can provide an interaction with Jesus that is not inline with how many interact with Christ today.[1] It ultimately stems from a concern that we really haven’t had much experience with any form of media that allows us to step in to Jesus’ shoes (or sandals …seems to be what he wears in movies), and the possibility for misrepresentation is definitely a concern. However, in light of Anton Kozlovic’s discussion of Christ-figures in film, we may not even realize when we are dealing with covert representations of Jesus, which is likely the case with many video game characters.[2] Thus we may already have experience with Christ-like avatars, calling to question Erika’s argument that Christ and gaming are incompatible.

"Infamous" a video game rife with Christian symbolism

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[1] Rachel Wagner, “The Play is the Thing: Interactivity from Bible Fights to Passions of the Christ,” in Halos and Avatars: Playing Video Games with God, ed. Craig Detweiler (Louisville: Westminster John Knox Press, 2010), 62.

[2] Anton Karl Kozlovic, “The Structural Characteristics of the Cinematic Christ-Figure,” Journal of Religion and Popular Culture 8 (2004): 1.

Playing God...

Scene from "Bible Fight" video game

Following this week’s focus on violence at the intersection of Christianity and popular culture, I began to think about the argument put forth by Rachel Wagner in her article, “The Play is the Thing: Interactivity from Bible Fights to Passions of the Christ”, regarding the unsuitability of Jesus as a video game avatar.[1] Although her concerns regarding the ability of video games to disrupt the traditional linearity of biblical narration, and the dangers associated with increased immersion, identification and levels of play are well supported, I began to ask myself whether or not this really detracted from the ability of games to effectively convey Jesus’ message.[2] Wagner makes the argument that film is ultimately a better medium for the portrayal of Jesus due to the fact the audience has a far more limited interaction with the narrative.[3] However, as seen in Anton Kozlovic’s article, “The Structural Characteristics of the Cinematic Christ-Figure”, many films that effectively represent Christ, and what he represents, do so in an highly indirect manner, with those involved in its production likely having a far greater influence than any gamer would have while playing a video game.[4] Furthermore, many Christ figures, such as Superman and Obi-Wan Kenobi, have already transcended the realm of cinema, becoming prominent video game avatars. Thus, although the idea of playing Jesus himself may seem odd, perhaps many of us may have already had some experience playing as this character…

A montage of Superman video games over the past 30 years....Have we already played a Christ-figure avatar? 

To support her argument, Wagner draws upon a few extreme examples in which Jesus is portrayed in video games. Her examples are offensive and, in the case of the “Bible Fight" game, disturbing, highlighting the risks associated with representing Jesus in gaming.[5] However, as with many critiques concerning violence in games, the titles mentioned do not represent the full range of gaming experiences to be had. Furthermore, none of the examples Wagner provides have the players playing as Jesus himself. How, then, can we be concerned about issues such as immersion, identification and levels of play if we haven’t experienced it yet? The kinesthetic and cognitive interaction afforded by gaming may turn out to be an extremely effective outlet for modern youths to learn the message of Christ. As the level of interaction present in modern video gaming increases, with new systems such as Nintendo Wii and Xbox Kinect allowing players to operate avatars through physical movement, the potential benefits and applications are even beginning to surpass the expectations of the developers themselves. Perhaps by jumping on the bandwagon and embracing this new form of learning, the Church can hold onto to an audience it desperately needs.

The "Kinect Effect"... A commercial highlighting the potential and even unexpected uses of Xbox's Kinect system.

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[1] Rachel Wagner, “The Play is the Thing: Interactivity from Bible Fights to Passions of the Christ,” in Halos and Avatars: Playing Video Games with God, ed. Craig Detweiler (Louisville: Westminster John Knox Press, 2010), 47.

[2] Wagner, 51-62

[3] Wagner, 62

[4] Anton Karl Kozlovic, “The Structural Characteristics of the Cinematic Christ-Figure,” Journal of Religion and Popular Culture 8 (2004): 1.

[5] Wagner, 55-60

My Response To: A Personal Account of Sport and Muscular Christianity by Daniel (Inventing a cultural phenomenon - Pop Culture)

After reading Daniel’s post concerning his experience playing semi-professional soccer in Northern France, it was interesting to see the similarities between my own experiences as well as those highlighted by Trothen in the article “Holy Acceptable Violence? Violence in Hockey and Christian Atonement Theories”. To an even greater degree, it seems that Daniel, as a semi-professional soccer player who was paid, felt the pressures to sacrifice his own body for the greater good of the team. Also, in a manner similar to my own experience playing higher-level sports, he justifies his self-sacrifice by seeing it as an essential part of his duty to his teammates, which he calls “family”. He even goes a step further by likening his experience of joy, passion and intensity as a player to the religious-like emotions Bain-Selbo refers to in his discussion of devoted college football fans in the Southern United States (Bain-Selbo, 2008).

Montage of some of the hardships faced by professional soccer players 

However, although Daniel and my experiences are similar in that we are both able to recognize the “self-sacrifice, pain and suffering” outlined by Trothen, along with the parallels drawn to the various theories of atonement, one gets the impression that Daniel feels that the benefits definitely do outweigh the risks (Trothen, 2008). Based on his level of commitment, this reaction is not surprising…one is likely willing to sacrifice more when the potential gain is greater. However, the difference in opinion highlights a more important point. From Daniel’s discussion, it becomes clear that many serious, and clearly intelligent, athletes are fully conscious of the sacrifices they make. Moreover, once the sacrifices have been made, they may not regret them, which is seen when he admits that the phrase “fire in your heart… ice in your head”, to him, still represents the “epitome of mental fortitude”. Thus if a subset of high performance athletes are convinced of the benefits derived form the high degree of self-harm they inflict upon themselves, can limitations be imposed that would successfully deter this behaviour? Furthermore, as certain atonement theories, such as the satisfaction and penal substitutionary theories, depict Jesus as a self-sacrificing hero, this may highlight the fact that the self-sacrifice observed in sports may be a typical human response, which either informed or is informed by these theories (Trothen, 2009). Ultimately, Daniel’s response further highlights the moral ambiguity of much of the violence seen in competitive sports as well as the challenges in trying to limit it.

Portugal's Cristiano Rinaldo crying after a hard loss to France during the 2006 FIFA World Cup

Works Cited:

Bain-Selbo, Eric. “Ecstasy, Joy, and Sorrow: The Religious Experience of Southern College Football.” Journal of Religion and Popular Culture 20 (2008), 13 pp.

Trothen, Tracy. “Holy Acceptable Violence? Violence in Hockey and Christian Atonement Theories.” Journal of Religion and Popular Culture 21 (2009), 42 pp