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White Savior - The Forbidden Kingdom

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  What is the difference between a white TV character who we perceive as non-racist (or maybe even "woke"), and a "White Savior" character?       It's really hard to think of what a woke White character would look good in and still not seem to be trying too hard not to be woke. If I think of them in terms of they're the opposite of a White savior it's hard to show what that looks like. The white savior character always has an agenda. The character is working towards helping people they've identified as other to feel good about themselves. Which is why we see so many White savior films end in personal fulfilment for the White character. I guess my idea of the ideal woke character is someone who mindfully and informedly speaks on and handles race relations while not belittling anyone else, even those of their own race. Meanwhile the white savior is a stark contrast to their cartoonishly racist peers. I would say the difference between the woke characte...

Masculinity in JoJo's Bizarre Adventure

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  Choose a TV show you're familiar with and discuss the way it handles depictions of masculinity. Include  at least two  of the "six modes of perpetuation" and be sure your discussion is  grounded in the cultural studies concepts  we've been using. If you'd like,  check out TVTropes list of masculinity tropes  and feel free to discuss your show in terms of tropes! Just make sure that you're still keeping the focus on how ideologies are used to either reinforce or challenge the dominant culture.     Jojo's Bizarre Adventure is an interesting piece of media. It follows different generations of characters all named Jojo in some way. The series draws on the artist's inspirations from music, fashion, and any other media the guy is into. It started as a manga in the late 80s but has recently flourished in popularity with an anime. On the surface it looks toxic masculine, especially in the beginning (and not counting the female Jojo). The first char...

Dominant Ideologies in Fairly Oddparents

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  Write a minimum of  500 words  about a TV show that exemplifies  two out of the six  Modes of Perpetuating Ideologies. Be specific and try to use vocabulary learned in our discussions of Marx, Gramsci, and Ott & Mack. Be sure to  explain how  the show's character/setting/story/etc. is an example of the mode of perpetuation.     I loved to watch the show Fairly Odd Parents as I was growing up. Like many shows in the 2000s it got away with leaning on racial stereotypes for jokes. It's hard when you watch comedy to examine tropes because the creators' intentions could be trying to be subversive. In the characters AJ, Juandissimo, and the Pixies however, I believe they are not. To be fair, cartoon characters are caricatures and often ironic. This is problematic however in that it reinforces these stereotypes in kids who don't get it. It's just absorbed as fact. This show is a buffet of racial jokes that probably wouldn't get past ratin...