Hermeneutics: Interpreting what is SEEN

            The human agenda is a complex and diverse anomaly. The human being is capable of making and understanding logic thought, but yet it is almost impossible to conclude why this is so. Why can a human understand mathematical rhetoric and produce theories to ways of life, but another animal, such as a dog or sloth, cannot? I am not sure as to why this is, nor can I tell you why animals, such as the human being, can be so alike (as a species), but yet be so diverse. I do believe that, as a people, we see things the same way but interpret them differently. For example, observe the picture below:

Apple

            If you see the exact same thing I see, then you are looking at a red delicious apple. The question posed is this: What do you SEE when I say the word “Apple”? You may think of the same exact apple above. You may picture a green apple. Heck, you might even picture a Macintosh or iPod. Any number of these mental pictures are correct because it is not the object itself that matters, but how the individual human interprets it. Now, by observing this apple, you can interpret any number of things: the color (is it bright, dark, or normal red?), the shape (is it too fat?), or the focus of attention (did you notice the red apple first? the green leaf? the glare or sparkle of water droplets?). These are all ways in which we can observe an object, and how we, as an individual, can SEE the object (mentally). What I am trying to introduce is the concept of Hermeneutics.

            According to the Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy, the term hermeneutics covers both the first order art and the second order theory of understanding and interpretation of linguistic and non-linguistic expressions. Basically, hermeneutics is the study of interpretation. This is an important study because we take the human mind for granted. We are constantly wondering how the world works, and time and time again, we are unaware of how curious we really are. The “world is a phenomena in which we build sense”¹, and it is critical to build that sense in order to make sense. I guess, to answer the question posed above, humans are creative beings who tend to make sense of the otherwise senseless; we “bestow meaning on the seemingly meaningless.”²

            Hermeneutics comes into play once we start making meaning. In order to make meaning, an individual must have access to linguistic and interpretative resources. However,hermeneutic theory also posits that linguistic meaning is likely open toinfinite interpretation and reinterpretation due to the interpretativeambiguity coming from presuppositions, to the conditions of usage differentfrom authorial intention, and to the evolution of words (Marshall et al. 2001). This gives the human being an existential amount of interpretations and assumptions. This now leads me to discuss the five types hermeneutic study. They include Normative, Natural, Scientific, Philosophical, and Depth. I shall explain each form in detail in the next following paragraphs.

            The first is Natural Hermeneutics, which can be defined as “the spontaneous, usually unreflective interpreting that we do everyday when inter-subjective understanding is broken down.”³ It’s the response we make when something isn’t understood. They can differ between “Excuse me, but what?” or “Did you say you wanted me to kill all the golfers?” They are natural responses to what we don’t comprehend.

            Next is Normative Hermeneutics, which means that text that cannot be interpreted by the normal person is then made understood by a second party, a “specialist.”⁴ This specialist can include a priest, a lawyer or judge, or a professor. This is an important category because the majority of texts can ONLY be interpreted by someone whose job it is to make these interpretations. To understand what I mean, please view the clip to the below.

History of Creation

            The third category is Scientific Hermeneutics, and it can be defined as “the foundational discipline of the human or historical sciences.”⁵ Most hermeneutic thought is social, whereas the scientific is, well, exactly how it sounds. It is interpreting how one sees “beginnings.” What is meant between science and religion? These foundations are all used in the scientific understanding of hermeneutics. At least, that’s what I got out of it.

Who Am I?

            Now we move to Philosophical Hermeneutics, which is “a general philosophy of existence.”⁶ By reading more into the philosophy category, the individual learns that human beings interpret because it is who they are, what they’re intended purpose is. We live to interpret things because that’s exactly what we are – Interpreters.

            The final category of the main five is Depth Hermeneutics, also known as Hermeneutics of Suspicion. Basically, this means that no matter who we are or what we do, we are constantly aware of social dogma and oppression, and we want to break free of it. We call this “depth” because it goes beyond consciousness, into the subconscious. Research made by Karl Marx and Sigmund Freud support this theory that, under the mind, we want to separate from this social degradation.

             

To conclude this article of research, I would again like you to view another image for interpreting purposes:

Abstract Image

This abstract photo shows just enough vagueness so that when asked “What is this a picture of?” the answer will be different almost every time. We will view it together, probably agree on the letters A and I, but that’s where our sameness in interpretation will end. Hermeneutics show that, as a whole, we are similar (to a point), but when we get down to the nitty-gritty, no one is similar. What makes the whole study fascinating is how each individual SEES his/her own life, through perceptions of imagination, and that, my friend, is worth interpreting. 

Citations 1-6 were found in the "Hermeneutics" class notes

Advertisement Starring a Woman

            It is human nature to experience envy what you want but do not desire. In Western culture, it is apparent that fashion and fame is one of those most desirable, and often envied among others. It is made apparent through the use of advertising. More often than not, advertisements consist of luxurious people and beautiful surroundings. These are all “things”, and we want these “things”. Advertisers tell us “You want to BE this ‘person’. You NEED whatever we are showing you. BUY our product.” This is always what is shown throughout various ads and commercials. The question is: If we’re aware of how they’re communicating to us, then why are we still roped in? The answer is: Beauty.

            It is human nature to experience attraction. Whether that attraction is to the opposite sex, the same sex, or (God forbid) an inanimate object. For objective purposes, I will discuss an ad featuring an opposite sex: Woman. I am a heterosexual male who enjoys the finer things in life: fancy automobiles, expensive watches, and beautiful women. Unfortunately, I only see these “finer things” on TV. I will not deny that an ad featuring an attractive woman helps me focus a little more, but I can admit to seeing her as a person, not an object, especially if I have seen her in previous forms of advertising/TV programs/movies. The ad I plan to discuss can be seen below:

Emma Watson for Lancôme Perfumes

            Does she look familiar? If she doesn’t, then stop reading this blog and go read any of the Harry Potter books. Those will in turn make you watch the movies, and only then will you recognize my favorite of the group: Hermione Granger. In real life, she is Emma Watson. Watson has been acting since 2001, when she filmed the first Harry Potter film, The Sorcerer’s Stone. She appeared in every Potter film until the series ended last year. As I’ve grown, so has Miss Watson, and I gotta say, she has been one of my biggest celebrity crushes. At one time during her Potter career, she admitted to wanting to quit acting and go back to school and be “normal”. That didn’t work because, I believe, once you’re that big of a star, you can never just “go back to normal”. She has been in several other films including The Tale of Desperaux, and she has been modeling since winter of 2009. Currently, she is still modeling for Lancôme and she will appear in the film The Perks of Being a Wallflower.

            Now, the ad seen above is quite simple, and at first glance, you wouldn’t think that it’s the common “degrading woman” advertisement. You would be mistaken. There are a few things that point out as “the norm”. First off, Watson is not looking right at the camera, but completely focused “off screen”. What she may be looking at is a mystery, but I can bet that she is probably admiring a very attractive man. This leads to my next point: the breath-hold. In Codes of Gender, Professor Sut Jhally (who uses Erving Goffman’s book Gender Advertisements as a guide) explains that in most magazine ads, the female is often looking like she is holding her breath. He notes that this gesture shows that “the world is too much for them to cope with”. Watson demonstrates this posture very well in the ad. Another key visual is her exposed neck, which (according to Goffman) makes her powerless and ready to become victim to any opposing threat. Finally, in the film Killing Us Softly 4, it is brought up that the color red can be seen as a passionate color. I also believe that purple can be seen as passionate and virginal. Both colors are vividly used within the ad. In fact, they are the ONLY colors.

            It is human nature to view advertisements as real or natural. Actually, that’s probably not correct, but people still strive to be what they see in advertising, nonetheless. Personally, I view them as fake and off-color, but entertaining. After all, their only purpose is to make money for the people who made them.

Frith Analysis of The Most Interesting Ad in the World

   The Frith Analysis is quite a handy tool in the evaluation of different advertisements. It has three basic branches: The first is the surface meaning, in which the student just names whatever he/she sees in the ad. The second is what the advertiser's selling pitch is. Basically, what does the advertiser want the viewer to see? Lastly, the third branch is the under-meaning of the ad itself. They're the things the viewer was or was not intended to see. Because everyone has different backgrounds and cultures, everyone may see something different. Hidden messages are scattered everywhere within advertisements, and it is our job to point them out. In this blog, I will attempt to dissect the Dos Equis commercial seen below.

    The surface meaning of this ad are the following: A man is doing crazy adventures, like finding treasure (in black and white), playing a piano sent by a helicopter, and saving a fox from men on horseback. There's a narrator describing him. He has a pet owl. He's sitting at a table with friends recommending Dos Equis beer.

    The advertiser's intended meaning is "If you want to be as interesting and adventuresome as this man, you have to drink Dos Equis." Or, their intended meaning could be "You can never be as interesting or adventuresome as this man, but at least you can drink the same beer he drinks." Either way, I think they get the point across.

    The cultural or ideological meaning is always the toughest to grasp, but I'll take a stab at it: The first scene in which he finds treasure and hands it to the beach natives shows that this man is not only interesting, but generous as well. The fact that it is in black and white also signifies that this happened a while back, and that this man is fairly old now. The second scene shows that this man has power because not many people can summon a piano via helicopter into a field or desert. It also tells the audience that the man is wealthy as well as educated and artistic due to this power, plus the white piano has always been a sign of wealth and artistic ability. The third scene signifies his compassionate side as he saves a fox from "snobby" hunters on horseback. The ad then cuts to this man pinning another place on his map where he has gone to. If the viewer looks closely, it can be seen that almost the entire map is full of pins, telling the viewer that one reason why he's so interesting is because he has travelled all over the world. Also, the pet owl signifies wealth, which seems to be an important topic in this ad. The final scene is this man sitting at a table surrounded by "friends" at a party. It can be argued that the people he is surrounded by are his friends because nowhere in the ad does he acknowledge that they are there. They just sit there and listen to him speak. In fact, the only person he speaks to in the ad is the viewer. This shows that he is too "high up" to associate himself with them, but he's comfortable with us. This is very important because it makes the audience member fell like he/she is getting to hear an important secret spoken by this man, which is correct. He gives the audience member a tip about himself that will hopefully benefit the listener, and that tip is "Drink Dos Equis." Finally, the fancy-shmancy party and the suit he wears are the final signs of how wealthy this man is.

    Well, I think I have dissected enough of this advertisement. I think I've learned a lot through the unit of the Frith Analysis. Hopefully you've learned something as well. I'm going to conclude with a witty "stay thirsty, my friends" line.

What is Media Literacy?

   The question posed is simply "What is Media Literacy?" Seems easy enough, but there's always a catch. In this example, the writer must take into account the critical and cultural perspectives. As complex as it may look, it's very important to know not only what media literacy is, but also how it works. In this article, the student will research on the topic and hope to explain what the term "media literacy" means. After all, it is what the class is all about.

   According to the Media Awareness Network, the definition for Media Literacy is "the ability to sift through and analyze the messages that inform, entertain and sell to us every day." It can also be defined as "the ability to bring critical thinking skills to bear on all media— from music videos and Web environments to product placement in films and virtual displays on NHL hockey boards." In our world of multi-tasking, commercialism, and globalization, media education isn't about getting the correct answers, but asking the right questions. The result is "lifelong empowerment" of the student and professor.

    Media literacy consists of three stages, according to Elizabeth Thoman (the founder and president of Center for Media Literacy). Stage one is simply making a media "diet"- reducing time watching TV, video games, movies, and print media. the second stage is developing critical skills. Analyzing and questioning specific frames and figuring out how it was constructed and what was left out. The third stage goes even deeper than the frame. Questions include: "Who is creating this media and for what purpose? Who is profiting? Who loses and who decides who loses?" "This stage of social, political and economic analysis looks at how everyone in society makes meaning from our media experiences, and how the mass media drive our global consumer economy."

    This student also read an article written by Douglas Kellner, in which he discusses the effect of media on a specific culture. It is very easy to agree with Kellner's opinion because the facts are based well, and he brings up good points, including the purposes of MTV and Madonna. In conclusion, the critical/cultural perspective is a difficult topic in which to discuss, but media itself is an exciting topic to study and touch base on.

The Most Interesting Ad in the World

   There's a man out there who is more interesting than you. He's more interesting than me. He's even more interesting than anything ever, and I can bet that you don't even know his name. Anyone who has ever seen the Dos Equis commercials is familiar with this man and his interesting adventures. This is what makes these ad campaigns one of my absolute favorites. As I am a bit younger than 21, and I have never partaken in any alcoholic consumption whatsoever, I am fascinated by how "smooth" these ads fit. I tend to focus a little more whenever the narrator depicts a very unique and interesting story about this man in only one sentence. I am automatically grabbed by the shirt and sucked into the tale of this extraordinary man.

"Stay thirsty, my friends"

   Dos Equis was first brewed in Mexico by a Mr. Wilhelm Hasse (who was surprisingly a German!) in 1897. He originally called it "Twentieth Century", but the name obviously didn't stick. Today, it is brewed at the Cuauhtémoc Moctezuma Brewery, which is located in Nuevo Léon, Mexico. Most interestingly enough, the english translation for "Dos Equis" is "XX", to commemorate the beginning of another century. It has two different types of lager, one being a pale color sold in the green bottle, and the other a dark amber color sold in a brown bottle. As I'm told, both are very good and highly recommended by connoisseurs of beer.

    The one distinction that makes Dos Equis so memorable (not so much the name, but the character himself) is the Most Interesting Man in the World. Every commercial starts with a narrator describing things this man has done, while the viewer watches. "He can speak French in Russian." "The Holy Grail is looking for him." And my personal favorite "If he were to pat you on the back, you would list it in your resumé." This man is played by a Hollywood actor named Jonathan Goldsmith, who is not as interesting as his character, but he has done some amazing things (He once saved a drowning girl in Malibu). Dos Equis has even started a website for fans who are inspired by Mr. Goldsmith's adventures. After his daring adventures, he always ends with the classic line "I don't always drink beer, but when I do, I prefer Dos Equis. Stay thirsty, my friends." Nothing is smoother, and that's why it works. He's just like an older James Bond (but Latin American). It's the classic "Every man wants to be him, and every woman wants him." The viewer thinks "Well, I can't do all of those crazy things, so in order to be interesting, I have to drink Dos Equis" that is, if anyone could ever remember the name of the drink.