It’s Only a Myth – Theory/Praxis
The influences of the media are extremely heavy, and I understand how unconsciously weak it can make you. I experience the strong belief in messages that media portrays. Visual advertisements are notorious for majority of my consumption persuasion. Myth is an element under the term semiotics which is the study of signs and symbols within media. Understanding the mythology that the media enforces and reproduces. Reading Roland Barthes, Myth Today he thoroughly expresses how myth is considered speech and the language is visuals like posters, paintings, objects etc. “Speech of this kind is a message. It is therefore by no means confined to oral speech. It can consist of modes of writing or of representations; not only written discourse, but also photography, cinema, reporting, sport, shows, publicity, all these can serve as a support to mythical speech. Myth can be defined neither by its object nor by its material, for any material can arbitrarily be endowed with meaning: the arrow which is brought in order to signify a challenge is also a kind of speech.” (Barthes 1) Being inevitably vulnerable to the language of mythology, we are spoken to daily and respond frequently, and at times to frequently.
When I watch commercials that star celebrities I admire I have this instant to what to go and purchase what they are promoting or support a cause just because I see they are promoting a cause. When I first saw Rihannas’ ‘Cover Girl Exact Eyelights” commercial I went to purchase one at the Shoppers Drugmart near my house, and I was not even thinking, I did not take the time to realize how quick I reacted. Signalic response was to purchase the product immediately. I wanted to feel that free feeling she felt as I watched her glow in the commercial. The myth in the commercial tells the viewers/consumers that you will experience that feeling of pure freedom once you wear the ‘Cover Girl Exact Eyelights’. It is because us as consumers have signalic response we don’t even take the time to consider all aspects like, do we need it, how is it beneficial etc. Rihanna’s appearance in commercial sends the message that if you buy this product she is wearing you will partially be like her, or gain some sort of status which is something our culture constantly yearns to gain, status. Ways of Seeing by John Berger expresses the purpose and goal of the language of mythology, “It Proposes to each of us that we transform ourselves, or our lives, by buying something more. This more, it proposes, will make us in some way richer – even though we will poorer by having spent our money.” (Berger 131) Through the language of the mythology speech it actually gives the message of temporary self-dissatisfaction “The purpose of publicity is to make the spectator marginally dissatisfied with his present way of life.” (Berger 142) Publicity is a part of the mythical language, as it enforces feelings, strikes signalic response from consumers.
This is the Cover Girl commercial that persuaded me to purchase the ‘Cover Girl Exact Eyelights’, mainly because it stars Rihanna.
- Roland Barthes, “Myth Today” <http://www.turksheadreview.com/library/barthes-mythtoday.pdf>
- John., Berger,, and Et Al. Ways of Seeing (A Pelican Original). London: British Broadcasting Corp, 1972.
