How I will undergo my research.
Michel Foucault will be the ‘thinker’ central to my project. His definitions and theories will be the angle from which I make my arguments from. I will compile a list of definitions from academic sources, from him relevant to my research. Influences which could be attributed to shaping his definitions, theories and self include his gay sexuality, criticized as playing part in his perspectives on power, his context, born in 1926 not long after the end of the first world war, in Poitiers, France, to an upper middle class family. He developed an early interest in cultural studies followed by a few years studying abroad. He died in his 50’s of Aids, living with a terminal illness for the last part of his life was sure to have affected his outlook.
Ideas for Project:
Human Value Judgement of objects/things.
The concept as a theory, identifying the subconscious process as a theory, looking at the reasoning and moral/aesthetic/cultural/class influences on it, and explaining how it translates into practice. With use of real life examples of the theory in practice I can properly explore my research topic. Example Ideas: iPhone vs android (smart phones) and how qualities other than essentially functional and materialistic ones such as emotive, moralistic and brand experience become the main criteria. Another example could be Coca Cola Vs. Pepsi, Two identical black tops, one Kmart, one Sass and Bide or a Hummer and a Prius (electric car). For this last example my arguments could include a historical look at
views which have essentially changed toward the value judgement of each car compared to each other. Before the rise of the environmental movement and prominence of global warming as a human influenced appearance, a bigger more powerful car would be desirable over a smaller, more efficient one. However after this values rearrange and this is no longer the case.
Example: Crocs shoes in comparison with Louboutin high heels. Convenience comfort and affordability is almost completely disregarded for style, status, appearance and 'sex appeal'.