Roland Roland Roland Rawhide!

Now it's time for another installment of things I leraned at uni. This one was taught to me in an English Course on Postmodernism but is applicable to broader philosophies of society and culture.

During the height of modernism, popular literature was often seen to be written by well-educated literati, and was often associated as being only accesible to them. From an "Ivory" Tower, literature was used as a device for educated people to write with a degree of introspection that often caused a separation between the writer and the common people. This was extended as a result of most people being unable to read at all. Authors were seen with high regard and there was a distinct barrier between writers and their audience. (Think travel writing, and the Canterbury tales, Chaucer anyone?)

What is Post-modern about that? Well nothing, but it helps to know that to understand the next part.

Fastforward to the 1980s-2009 (learned the other day that the 80s isn't finished yet, i'll keep you psoted). Literacy is close to 100% in western nations, and through the wonders of youtube and reality TV, anyone (including yours truly) can be a writer. The barriers between writers and their audience has been broken down. Where previously it was the role of the author to direct a reader what to take away from their writing, the reader is now empowered to draw meaning from the vast catalogue of information available to them. This was thought up by a guy called Roland Barthes, and named the Death of the Author. Cool stuff.


So where does the death of the Author leave me?

While some would suggest that this has caused a society with a lack of a centre or direction since i'm privaledged enough to be well educated....

I'M FREE!!

Although many will despise the downfall of TV through the reality toilet, the cultural value of such programming is made by YOU! See if you sit there watching SO you think you can dance, and look at the pretty colours and say hey he's a good dancer, the cultural value of that show is still relatively low. If you sit there watching and are discussing the sexual politics between the male and female dancers, and commenting on the use of music and costuming to heighten the choreography's expressiveness, you are gaining significantly higher cultural value!

Now I have an excuse to watch Australian Idol so leave me alone!