By: CA LocalKyle Richardson

Society & Visual Media

• There are many different definitions of representation depending on the industry.

• Representation of Arts

– It is through representation people know and understand the world and reality through the act of naming it.

• Aristotle discussed representation in 3 ways:

• The object: The symbol being represented.

• Manner: The way the symbol is represented.

• Means: The material that is used to represent it.

Lets Use Aristotle’s Method to Evaluate Representations of

California

Warm, Sunny Weather

Object:

Its always sunny in California

Manner:

Represents California in a good way, but just isn’t true.

Means:

Most movies, photos, and ads form this representation of California.

California looks like this sometimes…even in the summer.

Movie Stars and Hollywood

Object:

Movie Stars are everywhere and are seen all the time.

Manner:

Represents that Hollywood is California. This would upset many locals.

Means:

Every gossip magazine makes this seem true.

But if you have nothing better to do….You could go looking for them.

Surfing

Object:

Everyone in California Surfs

Manner:

A fairly good representation of California, but many people in California don’t surf.

Means:

All forms of media have been adopting this since The Beach Boys were in their prime.

Some people prefer to do other activities in the water…. such as sailing.

California Girls

Object:

Every Girl in California is blonde with fake breasts.

Manner:

This is a horrible representation of girls in California.

Means:

Most forms of media show girls in California as fake blondes.

There may be a large population of fake blondes….But there’s also a large population of hippies too.

Gang Violence

Object:

Gang violence is everywhere in California

Manner:

This is a bad representation of California and L.A. in particular.

Means:

This was first reported in the news, but has been hyped up through rappers and their Lyrics.

U.S. CITIES OF 500,000 OR MORE POPULATION:

Safest 10: Most Dangerous 10:

1 San Jose, CA 1 Detroit, MI

2 Honolulu, HI 2 Baltimore, MD

3 El Paso, TX 3 Memphis, TN

4 New York, NY 4 Washington, DC

5 Austin, TX 5 Philadelphia, PA

6 San Diego, CA 6 Dallas, TX

7 San Antonio, TX 7 Nashville, TN

8 Louisville, KY 8 Charlotte, NC

9 Fort Worth, TX 9 Columbus, OH

10 Jacksonville, FL 10 Houston, TX

There are some places you don’t want to go in California…But the truth is in the crime rankings of large U.S. cities.

Everyone is Laidback

Object:

Everyone in California is easy-going and laidback.

Manner:

This is not accurate, and ties into everyone smokes marijuana

Means:

This representation is enforced by movies and music.

Some Californians are laidback…But many are involved in the fast paced Silicon Valley that all these companies call home.

Now lets look at some representations of California that

only the Locals know.

California is home to some of the Best Skiing and Snowboarding in North America.

Some of the Best Hiking and Scenery

Some of the Best Fishing and Waterskiing

Some of the Best Farming Land

Locals like their own representations of California

because they know they’re true unlike the representations that

pop-culture gives California.

Don’t think every representation is true….After all, its only a

representation. The only way to find out is to see for yourself.