RSA Animate - Crises of Capitalism

Craftivism - Betsy Greer

For my essay I decided to contact Betsy Greer, who coined the word craftivism. Craft + activism = craftivism. Ithought this would be good practice for my dissertation as I would like to continue to research into craftivism and contact craftivists near and far.


My email:


Hi Betsy,

I was wondering if you could help me. 

I'm currently writing an essay on craftivism and would like to know if you could answer these questions......

To what extent could craftivism be thought of as a symbolic to patriarchal capitalism?

What examples of your own work, reflect this?

I really hope to hear from you soon,

Thanks

Laura x

Lecture Notes: The Media & Globalization & Sustainability

Lecture Notes: Reality, Virtuality and Hyperreality

Portfolio Task 7- Constructing the Other

These images are from last year’s February/March edition of Bust Magazine. From it’s humble beginning as a zine in 1993 by Debbie Stoller, Marcelle Karp and Laurie Henzel, the magazine has grown to be the one of the best selling third wave feminist magazines in America and even the world.

The tag line for the magazine is ‘For Women With Something To Get Off Their Chests’ with obvious reference to the title of the publication ‘Bust’. Debbie Stoller named the magazine ‘Bust’ as she said it was, “aggressive and sexy and funny”. In keeping with the third wave notion of sexual liberation and empowerment as well as sounding like it could be the title of a ‘lads mag’. This ‘lads mag’ name is ironic as Bust is perceive to be the opposite type of magazine, empowering and not exploiting women. Also, Bust’s intended audience is women between 18 and 30, not ‘lads’. One must assume that this is the ‘female gaze’ and not the ‘male gaze’ in this publication. However, it is important to understnad that despite the fact that this is a magazine about women, for women, the 'male gaze' can still be present as the audience may view the 'other' to also be sexually attractive and would want this attribute in regards to their perception in men's eyes. It could be argued that men look at women and women look at themselves being looked at even in the case of a feminist publication.

The ‘other’ in such a publication as Bust would be considered to be the ‘empowered woman’ or the ‘modern feminist’. As an outwardly feminist magazine this must be the intension.

On the cover one denotes a photograph of a woman. This woman is America Ferrera of Ugly Betty fame. Farrera is curvy and what one could describe as a natural shape, unlike the usual waif-like models on the cover of Elle Magazine. Farrera is a successful actress in her own right and fits in the role of the ‘other’ in this magazine. Also, her heightened celebrity status is due to the television series Ugly Betty, in which she portrays the role of Betty; a poncho-wearing geek with braces that has to deal with the prejudices of the fashion world. This makes here an ideal candidate for the cover model in Bust. A magazine that is not focussed purely on fashion and appearance.

However, the America Farrera we see on the cover of Bust, is not the America Farrera we see in Ugly Betty. On the cover, Farrera is dressed in a figure-hugging dress, which is both classy and sexy. The colour red of the dress is often associated with power and passion. These are connotations that one is expected to make, however, one also notes that this publication is the Valentines issue and that red also has connotations of love. This is anchored by the word ‘LOVE’ used when referring to the cover star and the hand-drawn hearts around her.

Her hands on her hips give connotations of confidence and she appears happy with a full smile. Why wouldn’t she be? She’s a successful, young actress with a great life and great figure. The ‘other’ here is something one strives to be. The ‘other’ here will always be an inspirational woman.

Farrera is looking straight into the camera in this photo and this draws one in. One becomes aware that she is looking out at us and so one understands that one is looking back, or gazing. This gives a sense of self.

There are many examples of slang words on the cover. This language is because of its intended audience, which will recognise words like ‘tweens’, ‘BFF’ and ‘booties’. It is easier to relate to a publications content when one understands the language. Also the text ‘celebrate your curves’ is placed at a point on the page next to Farrera’s hips. This is intentional as to show that Bust ‘celebrate your curves’ by having curving people in their magazine, just like you.

On page 29 there is a feature on a woman named Meli Burgueño, a graphic designer. However, the feature is not about her career but about her style or ‘looks’ as is denoted at the top-right of the page. In stating the ‘others’ job title, even though the article is not about careers, it adds to the ‘others’ status as a successful woman with a career.


It the main text of the article, when writing about her style, Burgueño talks about being flirty and well as being practical. One connotes that as a graphic designer, the ‘other’ has a career and therefore has things to do, but also that there is time to also consider appearance and style. This ‘other’ becomes the ‘woman who has it all’: a career, style and money. By mentioning certain items of clothing, where they are from and the price, the audience have an insight into how to become the ‘other’. This is furtherer by the photograph of Burgueño wearing such an outfit. The audience can see the ‘other’ and can aspire to this.

On page 32 there is a fashion feature. The model in this shoot is Cassie Hunt who is also a singer. If the audience is aware of this, it connotes that the Hunt is 'more than just a pretty face' as she has other talents and career prospects. One finds that in women’s magazines such as Elle and Grazia, the female models are usually extremely thin and tall with figures not unlike a pre-pubescent boy. Cassie Hunt in this shoot is both thin and tall, however the way that she is styled is not in a universally feminine way. Her head is shaved to one side. This gives connotations of masculinity, as long hair is associated with women. However, she retains long hair on the other side of her head which clearly connotes that she is in fact a woman, as does the fact she is wearing make up.

Her stare is fixed and at the audience, there is no smile or much expression. This gives connotations of strength. Her pose is what some might call ‘unladylike’ as one leg is up on the chair and are not crossed.

Her outfit gives connotations of the military with the doc martin boots. The military has further connotations of masculinity. The suit-style jumpsuit with its neck tie connote masculinity again. Masculinity is seen as powerful and strong. One makes the link between the female model and the masculine style and connotes that this is a strong woman. The ‘other’ is again portrayed as a strong woman.

Portfolio Task 6- Sustainability & Capitalism

Balser, E (2008) 'Capital Accumulation, Sustainability & Hamilton Ontario'.

Sustainability is ideologically referred to as a ‘communal concept’. Ideally it is a group effort to make changes in order to keep our world as healthy as possible. Designers create ‘new and innovative ways to look at the world’ that include ‘technological innovations to delay and reinvent the ecological limitations imposed on our current lifestyles’. These innovations such as energy saving light bulbs and catalytic converters are small way in which we can make a difference. Sustainability is ‘the ideological construct of community, morality, equality and prosperity’’. Despite this fact, one finds that ideals are not always met. Sustainability claims to ‘promote social equality and economic prosperity’. However, this is unfortunately not the case in many situations. Sustainability ‘oppresses and ostracises specific populations in order to attain its goal’. The poorer classes often cannot afford to buy the new and environmentally friendly technologies. In this instance, sustainability actually produces ‘greater levels of social inequality’.

Capitalism is not a straightforward system of expansion. It is a ‘diverse web that is continuously expanding and trapping things’. Capitalism is constantly looking for growth and to commodify new things. It does this by absorbing ‘non-capital markets’ or intensifying organisations with many components. Capitalism feeds on big business consuming small business and it is never-ending. Assumingly, you can’t stop progress. However, with a world that consumes more that it can provide naturally from its resources, there must be limitations.

The crises of capitalism are when, “capital is faced with the finitude of the humanity and the earth” (p228, my emphasis). In essence, there is a limit to the demand of a product when the market is saturated which means less supply is needed and therefore less profit to make. Boom becomes bust. In regards to the earth, there is a limit to its natural resources when although can increase demand when in short supply, there comes a point that there is nothing left and therefore nothing to use and make a profit from. The supply is gone, regardless of demand. This renders the capital with no means of production. However, as the dwindling natural resources create a threat to the means of production, ‘social constructions of humanity’ highlight this as an issue and consider options of sustainability. This label of sustainability is then used as a tool for capitalism. ‘Constant new technologies, policies or ideas push it past these limitations, and deferring the apocalypse for yet another day’. The notion that one product is more sustainable than another can sway the consumer’s decision in which to consume. Consumers that could be perceived as caring about their world and its future buy sustainable products. However, in the act of consuming this product they actually perpetuate the cycle of capitalism and it doing so will continue to deplete the world’s resources and the financial stability of the individual.

In Balser's text an example of a solution to the sustainability question is that of bio-diesel. It is a more environmentally friendly alternative for diesel engines. Converting vegetable and animal fat, both waste products from the food production industry, into a fuel with lower harmful emissions. It is also considered renewable as corn plants (primary source) grow quickly and in mass. However, due to the small production scale and shipment of the product, bio-diesel is more expensive than it’s more harmful alternative, diesel. Although this price will eventually decline with more demand for bio-diesel, it out prices the lower classes unless ‘self-made’. This extra cost adds to the notion that sustainability only produces ‘greater levels of social inequality’ by the fact that poorer people cannot afford to buy such products whether they care about sustainability or not.

The need for cheaper bio-diesel means a need for more means of production and therefore more and larger production plants. The BIOX Corporation did just that in September 2004 by announcing plans to built a bio-diesel production plant in Hamilton, Ontario. Hamilton is an area of average low income and ‘tough problems’. It is an area ‘with the themes of poverty and helplessness’. Homelessness and joblessness are rife. The plant was to be built (and eventually was built) only a few hundred feet from the homes of Hamilton residents. This had a negative impact due to the site being a ‘community green space’. Damage was done to buildings from tremors and is a ‘constant source of noise, light and air pollution’.

However, idealistic the BIOX production plant is, in regards to global sustainability, the implications to the local community are not realistic and should be discouraged. If sustainability is a global ‘communal concept’, then why is it the poor that suffer? The plant aims to decrease the price of bio-diesel so that more people can afford to support sustainability, by the means of increased production. However the local residents, of low income, have their quality of life lowered. This is a ‘sacrifice of the poor’ and aids the class divide. The wealthy can afford such sustainable products but the poor have to suffer the consequences whilst not being able to afford the product themselves. The BIOX plant is successful in its aims to make sustainability more acceptable but isn't realistic when lives are effected to such an extent.

One's own example of this could be energy saving light bulbs. These light bulbs use less electricity and so save money in a domestic sense. However, they are much more expensive than regular light bulbs and so those on low income do not usually choose to buy them. Another point is that the levels of recycling for energy saving light bulbs are incredibly low and are generally disposed of with the household waste. Each light bulb contains a small amount of mercury which is a toxic element and harmful. This could actually cause damage to the environment when large quantities are left in landfill sites. The energy saving light bulb prices are getting lower, however, this means there will be more in production. More energy saving lightbulbs mean more mercury in landfill sites; the majority of which are dealt with by low income workers and in low income areas. The simple answer to this issue would be to ensure that there are more recycling organisations available for these light bulbs and have a campaign to raise awareness. This is a realistic option if this happens.

It seems now that sustainability and capitalism go hand in hand. In the act of buying a sustainable product, we are still ‘buying’ and therefore feeding the capitalist monster. However, the though is there and with careful thinking we may be able to overcome this or at least counter-act every act of depleting natural resources.

A business model by Balser could be the solution:

Radically increase the productivity of resource use

· Shift to biologically inspired production with closed loops, no waste, and no toxicity

· Shift the business model away from the making and selling of “things” to providing the service that the “thing” delivers.

· Reinvest in natural and human capital

One believes that if the motive for production is genuine and with the correct ethics, that sustainability and capitalism can exist harmoniously. If there is demand for a product that is sustainable, it should be met by suppliers. However, capitalist companies should not exploit the issue of sustainability in order to sell more products. Nor should they deplete natural resources regardless of the consequences. We need to, “meet the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs” (p9, Brundtlan).

Portfolio Task 5- Lefebvre & Space

Historically, Clarence Dock was just that, a dock. In times where Leeds was an city of intense industry and relied on the transportation of goods and fuel via the Leeds Liverpool canal  and the River Aire. As technology advanced, Clarence Dock began this transportation via the railway. This upgrade enabled Clarence Dock to keep up with the modern age. However, when transportation of goods became solely road-based and the industrial boom began to lessen, industries down-sized and relocated. Many of the industrial unit became derelict and Clarence Dock was considered a wasteland.

It wasn't until many years later that the area of Clarence Dock was bought by developers. This was at a time that Leeds was considered to be a good city for business and to have one of the fastest growing economies in the country. Business growth means business people and the business people need somewhere to live. A development only 20 minutes from the city centre would eradicate commuting. 

Clarence Dock's representations of space are that of a 1.25 million mixed use development with 35 retail and food outlets. The majority of space is taken up by 1, 124 luxury apartments, with either one or two beds. There is also a further 100,000 sq ft of office space. The regenerated area began with the building of the Royal Armouries Museum in 1996.

Clarence Dock, in terms of representational space was intended to be a fashionable and upmarket way of living. An area for young professionals to inhabit and socialise within. In this instance, retail businesses would be fighting to have establishments at Clarence Dock. The people the area was aimed at would have disposable income, no dependents and a taste for good food and drink.  

However, the practice of the space is not a true reflection of it's ideological representational space. Many of the luxury apartments remain empty and some of the retail outlets have called it a day and relocated to more profitable areas. The problem seems to be the lack of community and a lack of atmosphere. If there is a lack of community, people will not live there, and therefore no customers for the retail outlets and restaurants. Clarence Dock can be described as a ghost town as it seems to be isolated from the city centre. Those that do not live there, do not venture there unless to visit the Royal Armouries.