Claude Levi-Strauss argues that our comprehension of the world is entirely contingent of a range of diametrically opposed concepts. Evaluate this structuralist theory. Make reference to the set editions of Woman and Adbusters
Knee jerk reaction: we make sense of the world through binary oppositions
DAC introduction
Binary oppositions are where two concepts or ideologies are presented against each other, as opposites. In this essay, I shall argue binary oppositions are an essential part of how we and how audiences make sense of the world. In order to explore this idea, I shall be looking Woman magazine, a 1964 women's lifestyle magazine which extensively uses stereotypical representations, and is typical of it's genre, and Adbusters, a progressive and confrontational magazine that combines a range of atypical genres including political ,anti capitalist and art and design.
Women magazine presents a series of highly stereotypical and straightforward ideologies to it's target audience, for the purpose of maintaining patriarchal hegemony. The front cover contains many examples of this...
Adbusters presents a confusing mode of address to it's target audiences, as it lacks any form of anchorage. An excellent example of it's atypical approach can be found on the 'homeless woman' double page spread
- Layout of magazine positions the homeless woman in the front and centre of the right hand page, She is constructed through a mid shot, which reinforces and cultivates the ideology that the homeless woman is small and vulnerable.
- Additionally, the audience are positioned in in a direct mode of address, and additionally a relatable and uncomfortable mode of address. By being positioned as passer by, the audience are forced to make a choice; to either help the woman or not to help. However, since we are distanced from her through a lack of anchorage, which positions the audience is a simultaneously guilty and privileged mode of address. This deep and symbolic binary opposition constructs a highly confusing mode of address for the target audience.
- However, on the other side of the double page page spread is a binary opposition of the homeless woman. A close up shot of a hegemonically attractive model. The model is addressing the audience directly, with a facial expression that connotes sophistication and drama. The model lacks stereotypical codes of either male or female identity, that makes them highly androgynous. It is not immediately clear what this model symbolises, or their relation to wither the homeless woman, the written extract, or even the lexis of '350 PPM. This constructs a highly confusing and atypical mode of address for the target audience.
- However, a highly polysemic set of meanings are constructed. Some audiences may conclude that the model and the homeless woman construct a deep and symbolic binary opposition between absolute luxury and absolute poverty. The lexis 350ppm is related to pollution and climate change. However, a huge assumption is being made of the audience that they are engaged in political and environmental issues, and that they will implicitly understand what is being bought up here.
- The Adbusters Media Foundation are therefore making a huge assumption of their target audience: that they are highly educated and will understand the issues being presented here. However, even less educated audience members will certainly understand the binary opposition between rich and power, and between wealth and inequality. This potentially allows adbusters to target a larger and more diverse audience.