Friends: an Investigation of Television in Modern Capitalism
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Global Humanities HIB-F-2016 Autumn Semester Roskilde University 2017 Number of Characters: 97795 Friends: An Investigation of Television in Modern Capitalism Authors: 61157 Adam Bahloul 60180 Aileen Wrobble 60203 Lavinia-Georgiana Chifan 61302 Lucas Cordeiro Yoshida 60169 Galatea Bellugi Abstract This paper explores the pilot episode of the sitcom ‘Friends’. It investigates the images, narratives and underlying messages and puts them in relation to the critical theory of popular culture, which entails that art in modern capitalism is commodified. In this mode, art and culture start to resemble and reproduce society and the current social regime instead of exposing alternative realities and worldviews. The investigation concludes that the show, through humor, clichés, stereotypes, symbols and other features, imposes the various ideals and messages of reality and society, which perpetuates and reinforces the familiar worldview of the audience. I dette projekt udforskes den første episode af sitcom-serien 'Venner'. Den undersøger billeder, fortællinger og underliggende meddelelser og sætter dem i forhold til den kritiske teori om populærkultur, hvilket indebærer, at kunst i moderne kapitalisme er en vare som skal sælges. I denne tilstand begynder kunst og kultur at efterligne og reproducere samfundet og den nuværende sociale ordning frem for at fremstille alternative realiteter og verdensbilleder. Undersøgelsen konkluderer, at showet gennem humor, klichéer, stereotyper, symboler og andre træk formidler de forskellige idealer og budskaber om virkelighed og samfund, som understøtter og forstærker det allerede kendte verdensbillede hos publikum. 1 Table of Contents Abstract 2 Table of Contents 3 Introduction 5 Problem Formulation 6 Dimensions 7 Philosophy and Science 7 Text and Sign 7 Theory of Science 8 What is Art? 10 What Does Art Do for People? 11 Theory 15 A Small Introduction to Kantian Enlightenment 15 Adorno and Horkheimer - The Culture Industry 17 Methodology 24 Theories of Text and Sign 24 Structuralism 25 Psychoanalysis 25 Empirical Data 26 Analysis 29 Introduction 29 Setting and Timeframe 30 Stereotypes and Clichés 31 Clichés 31 Stereotypes 32 Humor 34 Symbols and Ideals 37 Conflicts 39 Chandler’s Conflict 40 Rachel’s Conflict 42 Summary of the Analysis 44 Delimitations 45 Conclusion 47 Bibliography 49 2 Literature 49 Websites 49 3 Introduction Nowadays, TV shows are a very constant and present thing in people’s lives and it is because of their popularity that we find it necessary to critically investigate what possible implications they might have. In the quest to do so, we decided to explore if TV shows have a similar role to that of art, which is an important aspect that has been part of human lives for centuries. Moreover, one of the questions that drove our curiosity, was whether or not they take or can take anything away from the shows; perhaps, a message or a lesson. In order to get to the bottom of the issues concerning TV shows, people and their relation to it, we decided to look at the popular sitcom Friends, as people from different generations have watched and still watch it due to its relatability. To analyze it, we have chosen to engage with different theories from different writers and philosophers; such as, Theodor Adorno, Max Horkheimer and Ellen Dissayana. Their concepts and theories serve as a foundation for our analysis, as they aid us as lenses, through which we interpret what is being said and conveyed in the show. We have decided to focus on the pilot episode of the show to see which social dynamics can be identified in it, if any. Being equipped with these different tools, we can delve into the parallel between TV shows and life and into their connection. Finally, one of our goals is to critically think about art and whether or not it imitates life, if they influence and if they shape each other. 4 Problem Formulation In which way can analyzing the sitcom ‘Friends’, from a philosophical perspective, help us have a better understanding of modern television and its relation in regards to the viewer and social dynamics? Sub-questions: - Can we establish a parallel between art and television shows? - What makes people relate to television shows? - What are the potential problematic features of art in modern capitalism ? - How can such features be seen in Friends? 5 Dimensions In this project, we are moving in two different dimensions in order to work with our empirical data. Philosophy and Science When embedding our project in the dimension of Philosophy and Science, we are looking at different theoretical perspectives. We are connecting Kant’s enlightenment project with theories from Theodor Adorno and Max Horkheimer, with which we will move into critical theory and which will give us an insight into the views on enlightenment and on the concept of culture industry. All this will lead us to understand the base of pop-culture and its purpose in modern society. Text and Sign The second dimension in which our project is situated is the dimension of Text and Sign. Concentrating on the two concepts of structuralism and psychoanalysis, we will use those as tools as part of our methodology to look at the empirical data, which is a television show. Aspects such as linguistic features are looked at in order understand how the audience sees themselves connected to the content of the television show. 6 Theory of Science We wish to elaborate a bit further on our ontological and epistemological position in our project and how this reflects in the theories we have chosen to work with. A few things regarding the core of the project can be explained further. We are dealing with television, specifically one show, as an aspect of a popular culture which plays an extremely significant role in contemporary society. We believe that there are certain elements of television which need to be understood better in order to understand the genre, its role and potential in society as a whole. We wish to shed light on certain elements and instances of the show. We argue that this engagement with particularity will broaden the scope of how one might deal with and understand some general features of art in contemporary society. This is done through the scrutiny of the particular narratives, images and ideals depicted in ‘Friends’ and related to the theoretical framework of popular culture. In that sense our investigation is always bound in the particular and takes place always on the micro-level. At the same time, it must always be situated in relation to the macro structure of popular culture. Adorno and Horkheimer provide critical view of such structure, and it must thus be clarified that our investigation, in negotiating with such critique will itself depart in a critical unease with the relation between the particular narratives and the macro structure. In that sense, we will be in constant negotiation between the particular and how it relates to the structure – and the structure and how it permits and sometimes demands the particular. Hence, part of the theory must deal with the macro-structure of contemporary popular culture, wherein we can situate and comprehend the particularity under analysis. We have decided on an emphasis on critical theory. This is the case for a couple of reasons. First and foremost, critical theory provides a set of lenses which positions us partially inside, partially outside the metanarrative in which popular culture operates. That is, it enables us to look at popular culture with a 7 set of fresh eyes from the outside, though we are aware that theory is always for someone and never neutral. The second component of our reasoning in dealing with critical theory is bound in the general acknowledgment of the enormous potential and power of popular culture in contemporary society. We are however skeptical as to how this power is currently used. That is, we believe that popular culture has an overwhelming potential and we want to critically engage with whether this potential is utilized in its most positive and constructive manner or not. We do not necessarily believe that something is wrong, but we are concerned with the potential tragedy popular culture permits if not allowed to flourish in its most beneficial way. Before moving into critical theory, we must lay the groundwork of what we consider a pivotal period for art and of course modernity, namely the early enlightenment. In dialogue with Kant, we get a sense of the period which set in motion a lot of the philosophies and worldviews which still prevail today. Many of these views stand in stark contrast with our theoretical emphasis on critical theory, which understands the basic premises of enlightenment thinking as fallacious. We move then from an understanding of enlightenment to a critique of enlightenment, in order to critically engage with contemporary popular culture. We find after these reflections on theory the importance of once again emphasizing our exact position in the project. Our weight is placed on critical theory due to its emphasis on modernity and its problems. In that regard, television and shows serve as some of the pivotal mechanisms of a society of instrumentalization and alienation. This should be understood as our main position. At the same time, we believe that a starting point in Kant and The Age of Enlightenment can provide a general understanding of art as part of the philosophy which embodies our modern contemporary society. 8 What is Art? As we wanted to look at TV shows and at the relation that people have to them, we deemed it of extreme importance to investigate what art is, what can be considered art and how people interact with it. We thought it was relevant to explore the world of art due to the importance it has had in different societies and how it can and has influenced cultures, societies and people.