Lady Gaga

Mojo · 12-10-2009, 07:10 AM

I dont know what you mean about her spine but i just find her pretty repulsive in general.

ArtistInTheAmbulance · 12-10-2009, 08:29 AM

i had a 'discussion' the other day with some kids on a ba world music degree who couldn't sing enough praise for lady gaga. i do not get it, at all. it just sounds like anything else to me, i get that it's catchy, but so's the rest of the crap in the charts that they tell me they hate. someone clarify the difference for me? 'cause all i managed to get out of it was 'oh she's something else' which... doesn't sound all that musicbrainy.. just tells me they like her bloody costumes. so why so different? ><

FETCHER. · 12-10-2009, 10:06 AM

This is her spine in the video. Courtesy of myself

FETCHER. · 12-10-2009, 03:34 PM

I don't think shes actually that thin, I bloody hope not anyways. I never noticed the thing on her head before, I take it to be that it is a bat

.

**Scarlett O'Hara** · 12-10-2009, 03:42 PM

I think you're all taking her anorexic look out of context. My impression if you look from an artistic point of view she is trying to emphasise the control of this "monster", the whole underlying them of her new album and that song. Obviously it is the anorexic look but the disease is like a monster that one can lose control with. It doesn't look sexual to me. She looks like shes been taken over by more than just an eating disorder, she looks like shes become almost like an alien, therfore, back to the monster theme.

What was the rape bit you guys were talking about?

Arya Stark · 12-10-2009, 03:57 PM

She's definitely being artistic, not anorexic.
I think she's stronger than that.

FETCHER. · 12-10-2009, 03:59 PM

I never thought it was about anorexia, but I can see where the theme is coming from. I was meerly pointing out the dodgy spine to everyone

.

daydreamdani · 12-10-2009, 07:50 PM

I agree with Vanilla on the whole anorexia thing. To me it just seems like a visual representation of bieng taken over by something bigger than you, aka the monster. I find it rather beautiful, that, bieng her ability to show some ones complete break down in like four minuts. That's one of the things that attracts me to her. Instead of just hearing about the torment and reality of life, I get to actually view it in front of me in an artsy form. It just leaves more of an impact on me.

Astronomer · 12-10-2009, 08:04 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Vanilla

I think you're all taking her anorexic look out of context. My impression if you look from an artistic point of view she is trying to emphasise the control of this "monster", the whole underlying them of her new album and that song. Obviously it is the anorexic look but the disease is like a monster that one can lose control with. It doesn't look sexual to me. She looks like shes been taken over by more than just an eating disorder, she looks like shes become almost like an alien, therfore, back to the monster theme.

What was the rape bit you guys were talking about?

Yeah I agree Vanilla. But it kind-of sexualises anorexia which is a part of my problem with it. But like I said, I do respect Lady Gaga as an artist and am sure she would have an explanation on her view of the video and its meanings.

As for the 'rape', I'm talking about how in the Bad 'Romance' video she is grabbed by those women and is forcefully drugged (sexualisation of lesbian rape) and then put on auction for a bunch of men. I know she uses this scene purposefully to send out a message about gender and control, just thought I'd mention it.

VEGANGELICA · 12-11-2009, 06:35 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Lateralus

I find that many of her videos tend to sexualise topics like rape and anorexia. [...] I do find the sexualisation of anorexia and rape in her videos (see: Bad Romance) to be a little unsettling.

Also, I'd just like to point out that most modern studies of children have failed to show that they will be more violent after watching violent TV. The bobo doll studies which were executed decades ago were very flawed, and more recent studies into children/ violence/ the media have shown that children will not typically be violent after interacting with violent media formats unless they already had some kind of underlying issue relating to violence and to their need to act violent.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Lateralus

it kind-of sexualises anorexia which is a part of my problem with it. As for the 'rape', I'm talking about how in the Bad 'Romance' video she is grabbed by those women and is forcefully drugged (sexualisation of lesbian rape) and then put on auction for a bunch of men. I know she uses this scene purposefully to send out a message about gender and control, just thought I'd mention it.

Hi Lateralus,

I agree with you that Lady Gaga is trying to send out a message about gender and control with her videos. I watched "Bad Romance" and see that both this video and "Paparazzi" show women victims getting revenge by killing the male perpetrators, who are shown as people who demean women by looking at them only as sex objects. Not only is there violence against women, but also men! She does seem to be reflecting the real world: revenge murders and domestic violence relationships are horrendously common. Her music is actually more thought-provoking than I originally thought!

I think Lady Gaga is choosing to reflect violence not to encourage it but to make a statement...and sell music and an image (that is sexualized, like you say). The issue of violence is such an important topic that I don't fault her in any way for her methods of addressing the issue...but I still do wonder about unintended consequences.

Thanks for the info you shared on the the relationship between media violence and societal violence. I based my question, which was whether vivid visual images of violence inspire violence in children and the adults they become, on studies like Huesman et al. (2003) Developmental Psychology, 39:201-221 (http://www.apa.org/journals/releases/dev392201.pdf). This 15-year longitudinal study concluded "children's viewing of violent TV shows, their identification with aggressive same-sex TV characters, and their perceptions that TV violence is realistic are all linked to later aggression as young adults, for both males and females."

Furthermore, "these findings were found to hold true for any child from any family, regardless of the child's initial aggression levels, their intellectual capabilities, their social status as measured by their parents' education or occupation, their parents' aggressiveness, or the mother's and father's parenting style." (Childhood Exposure to Media Violence Predicts Young Adult Aggressive Behavior)

I don't know much about research on violence and media, and will plan to look up the bobo doll studies you mention were flawed, since I'm not familiar with the bobo doll studies (or what a bobo doll is...though now I'm picturing boo boo!). Studies like Huesman et al. make me nervous...and glad that I have worked to prevent my child from seeing images of human aggression, although we talk about violence and war so that he *knows* what happens but doesn't have the vivid images alive in his head.

I am curious what men tend to feel about Lady Gaga's videos and music, since "Paparazzi" and "Bad Romance" show men in such a horrid light.

View Poll Results: Best Gaga Album...?!?!
The Fame	5	41.67%
The Fame Monster	3	25.00%
Born This Way	4	33.33%
Voters: 12. You may not vote on this poll

12-10-2009, 07:10 AM	#651 (permalink)
Mojo Melancholia Eternally Join Date: Feb 2008 Location: England Posts: 5,018	I dont know what you mean about her spine but i just find her pretty repulsive in general. __________________ Last.FM \| Echoes and Dust

12-10-2009, 08:29 AM	#652 (permalink)
ArtistInTheAmbulance enchanted. Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: cornwailles, angleterre. Posts: 2,537	i had a 'discussion' the other day with some kids on a ba world music degree who couldn't sing enough praise for lady gaga. i do not get it, at all. it just sounds like anything else to me, i get that it's catchy, but so's the rest of the crap in the charts that they tell me they hate. someone clarify the difference for me? 'cause all i managed to get out of it was 'oh she's something else' which... doesn't sound all that musicbrainy.. just tells me they like her bloody costumes. so why so different? >< __________________ shake your wings like theyre laced with sound!

12-10-2009, 03:42 PM	#655 (permalink)
Scarlett O'Hara Make it so Join Date: Oct 2005 Posts: 6,181	I think you're all taking her anorexic look out of context. My impression if you look from an artistic point of view she is trying to emphasise the control of this "monster", the whole underlying them of her new album and that song. Obviously it is the anorexic look but the disease is like a monster that one can lose control with. It doesn't look sexual to me. She looks like shes been taken over by more than just an eating disorder, she looks like shes become almost like an alien, therfore, back to the monster theme. What was the rape bit you guys were talking about? __________________ "Elph is truly an enfant terrible of the forum, bless and curse him" - Marie, Queen of Thots

12-10-2009, 07:50 PM	#658 (permalink)
daydreamdani Groupie Join Date: Mar 2009 Location: Antelope valley Posts: 33	I agree with Vanilla on the whole anorexia thing. To me it just seems like a visual representation of bieng taken over by something bigger than you, aka the monster. I find it rather beautiful, that, bieng her ability to show some ones complete break down in like four minuts. That's one of the things that attracts me to her. Instead of just hearing about the torment and reality of life, I get to actually view it in front of me in an artsy form. It just leaves more of an impact on me. __________________ “May the wind always be on your back and the sun upon your face and may the winds of destiny carry you aloft to dance with the stars.” Name that movie, and you get an online high five!