Collective identity and representing ourselves: blog tasks

 Task 1: Media Magazine article


Read the Media Magazine article on collective identity: Self-image and the Media (MM41 - page 6). Our Media Magazine archive is here.


Complete the following tasks on your blog:


1) Read the article and summarise each section in one sentence, starting with the section 'Who are you?'

Things, we are all involved in constructing an image to communicate our identity. We have complex ideas about our selves; there is a difference between the person we think we are, the person we want to be and the person we want to be seen to be. A significant influence on our ideas of self-image is the context of the culture that surrounds us. When studying the media it soon becomes apparent that the representation of cultural values, the construction of role models and the way the media informs us about lifestyle and fashion choices have an influence on who we want to be.

2) Do you agree with the view that modern media is all about 'style over substance'? What does this expression mean? 

Yes as people think about how something looks rather than what it actually is or does and this reflected 


3) Explain Baudrillard's theory of 'media saturation' in one paragraph. You may need to research it online to find out more.


Baudrillard believed that the media creates a simulated world that celebrates celebrity and stardom. He argued that the media creates desires and wishes, and that people are more concerned with whether products conform to media-induced labels than the quality of the product.  He also believed that media images are shown to reflect reality, but in reality have no reflection of the real event.  He believed that the distinction between reality and representation has been obliterated as people and society have out more focus and constructs an imaginary space that celebrates stardom and celebrity.

4) Is your presence on social media an accurate reflection of who you are? Have you ever added or removed a picture from a social media site purely because of what it says about the type of person you are? 

My presence on social media  is not a accurate representation of who I am  and I do not think it could ever be as  I believe  that it's  nearly impossible to gain a true  understanding of who someone  is  based on what they do online or what you see online and  I don't and cant show my full personality online as it  something people will just get from seeing me in everyday life . Yes I have deleted videos or  pictures  because  they were of when I was younger and not me  and don't reflect me as person.



5) What is your opinion on 'data mining'? Are you happy for companies to sell you products based on your social media presence and online search terms? Is this an invasion of privacy?

I think it helps and allows  companies to understand their consumers based on the info that already being displayed form social media  and online search items and while yes this is an  invasion privacy but as long  we are online companies will have access to our information from google all the way to YouTube and Tik Tok




Task 2: Media Magazine cartoon


Now read the cartoon in MM62 (p36) that summarises David Gauntlett’s theories of identity. Write five simple bullet points summarising what you have learned from the cartoon about Gauntlett's theories of identity. Our Media Magazine archive is here.

  • Media  audiences are conscious of the messages media texts are  promoting
  • Gauntlett’s  use TV and film to come to an conclusion 
  •  Generational differences  are caused due to Attitudes  established in early life are carried into later life 
  • Identities promoted to men are relatively constrained  
  •  We view media not as channels  for communities but as triggers  for experiences  and making things  happen.


Task 3: Representation & Identity: Factsheet blog task


Finally, use our brilliant Media Factsheet archive on the M: drive Media Shared (M:\Resources\A Level\Media Factsheets) to find Media Factsheet #72 on Collective Identity. The Factsheet archive is available online here - you'll need your Greenford Google login to access. Read the whole of Factsheet and answer the following questions to complete our introductory work on collective identity:


1) What is collective identity? Write your own definition in as close to 50 words as possible.

Collective identity refers to the multidimensional and multilayered nature of shared identity within a specific group or community. It encompasses cognitive, emotional, and moral dimensions, and can vary in its form and type. It is characterized by a strong sense of belonging, distinct boundaries between 'us' and 'them', and a shared perception of moral virtue. Collective identity can exist at different levels, such as community, movement, and organization, and may interact and combine in complex ways. 


2) How does James May's Top Toys offer a nostalgic representation of Britain?

by focusing on classic, iconic British toys like Meccano, Airfix, Scalextric, and Hornby train sets, which are deeply embedded in the collective memory of generations of British children, evoking a sense of a bygone era through their detailed exploration and often large-scale construction projects based on these toys, often set against familiar British landscapes and accompanied by stories of personal childhood experiences with them;


3) How has new technology changed collective identity?


allowing individuals to connect with like-minded people across geographical boundaries, facilitating the formation of online communities based on shared interests, identities, and causes and creating a new online network with people with people not having to physically socialize to from a collective .

4) What phrase does David Gauntlett (2008) use to describe this new focus on identity? 

Fluidity of Identity


5) How does the Shaun of the Dead Facebook group provide an example of Henry Jenkins' theory of interpretive communities online?

The Shaun of the Dead Facebook group embodies Henry Jenkins’ interpretive communities by allowing fans to engage, reinterpret, and share the film through memes, jokes, and discussions, transforming passive viewing into active, communal participation.


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