June 7, 2010

Alanis

If you ever had any doubts that capitalism and romantic love are linked, check out this article about Alanis Morissette's recent marriage: http://www.cnn.com/2010/SHOWBIZ/celebrity.news.gossip/06/07/alanis.morissette.married.ppl/index.html?iref=mpstoryview
Notice the first sentence? The one announcing that with her marriage, she is "off the market"? In other words, she has been purchased. Hopeful buyers, give up. Which of the three sociological paradigms would best analyze the discursive link between markets and marriage? Between capitalism and romantic love?

6 comments:

  1. I have been thinking about the wording for this article for a bit, and on my way home from class today I passed a sign that said "Life is like tennis,it starts by serving". The sign was outside a church, and while I realise that it was likely referring to God, I couldnt help but think about how the word 'serve' is so often used to describe a wifes duty to her husband. He is to love her, and she to serve him; in the traditional religous scenario that is. It seemed to neatly tie in with this idea of Alanis Morrisette being 'off' the market, and it made me think of how women are so often looked upon as pieces of property that are there to be bought, sold, and used for work. This seemed best represented by the sociological paradigm of conlict theory in that specific wording is used to express control over, or of, a less powerful group of people. The idea that women are to 'serve' puts them at a lower status and thus maintains patriarchy. In this way society functions on some level that seems comfortable to the majortiy.

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  2. I think that this statement of off the market would represent an conflict theory, because it is showing that since she is in a relationship, she is obligated to the roles of what a women does for her man. And the dominant role a man does for his wife. I was reading this book one day and it's called act like a lady think like a man and steve harvey was talking about how if a man isn't providing and there were two other p's i forgot, it's like his man hood is being questioned. This term off the market also reminds me of a cult and how when say the leader of the cult marrys someone wthin the group the are obligated to fill the roles of the leaders needs. The leader is usually a man, so the wives he has serve his needs in all types of ways. So the leader of the cult shows dominance over the people that follow him

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  3. In general, the institute of Marriage makes me think of Structural Functionalism, maintaining stability and ‘Family Values’. But I agree – the reference to Alanis being ‘off the market’ is clearly Power/Conflict theory. It was the author (a female) of the article who used the term, not Alanis. I have to wonder who is the more successful artist of that pair, since I’ve never heard of him. If Alanis is better known and wealthier (and 6 years older), it seems he would be more of a commodity than she is. That the author frames the story in such a way reflects how deeply ingrained paternalism is in our society.

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  4. After reading about marriage photographers and todays discussion on wedding rings I can see the connection between capitalism and marriage a little different. Commercial enterprises have jumped on the symbols of marriage and concluded that there are certain events and symbols that are required for marriage tradition. Marriage photographers and the media have enabled this symbolic interaction to continue and thus creating an entire "tourist" experience for a one day event that is captured in a wedding album.

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  5. The phrase "off the market" really sparks ideas of consumerism linked to love, for me. I feel that the two are so intertwined that our society as a whole will refer to love with undertones of capitalism constantly. I was really surprised to learn that the rise of independence strengthened the link between love and consumerism.

    I feel that the idea of "off the market" is related to the structural functionalist theory. Society functions properly when individuals are playing their role by getting married. The act of getting married is supportive of the structural functionalist theory and also reaffirms society created gender roles.

    Mindy Haugeberg

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  6. Mindy’s comment about people “referring to love with the undertone of capitalism constantly” reminded me of how capitalism uses the power of ideology to make people want romance. It reminds me of conflict theory because it states that powerful groups create ideologies to justify their dominance. Being taking “off the market” shows how a women has been purchased, which also represents societies construction of being romantic. The idea behind most romantic practices depends on consumption. The perception of romance and love is shaped by the images of the market. When I start to think of the comment “off the market” in this way, I start to think of symbolic interactionism because romantic acts are seen as doing special things out of the ordinary, which causes consumption from the market. We are socialized to understand meanings of performances, so when a man purchases flowers (prop) from the store (taking them off the market) and gives them to his lover, it is seen as an act of love because we are socialized to understand receiving flowers from a lover that way. So in using the term “off the market” when referring to her getting married is the patriarchy shinning through symbolic interactionism in the course of capitalism in a way that we are socialized to understand as an act of love.

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