reflect on 9 essays !

Milano 1

Milano 2

Milano 1

Laura Milano

Professor A. Harrison

QS 115

13 October 2014

Justify My Misconceptions

Within humanity, preconceived notions of gender identity are found to be commonly placed upon society through stereotypical affliction in the media as well as everyday life. In the illuminative and controversial videos “Smack My Bitch Up” by Prodigy, and “Justify My Love” by Madonna, viewers making an arbitrary assumption on two characters based on outer appearance, neglect the choice to search deeper and allow the character’s true emotional qualities to influence their biased opinion. The two main characters in each video both go through an eventful journey through self-discovery encircling physical experimentation.

In Prodigy’s music video, the use of first person perspective is shot and demonstrated as a gender enigma in order to keep the viewer guessing. The mysterious character gives in to explicit actions of sexual harassment, providing the misconception that it is a male figure who is under the influence of drugs and alcohol. Leigh Greaney touches base on this by explaining that “because they’ve been embedded so deeply into society, women tend to play their ‘role’ and men play theirs. Although it is obvious that the only difference between men and women is in their anatomy, people seem convinced that there is a difference of thought process, motive, desire and role.” So many stereotypes have been built around the notion that only men are the ones who are capable of raping women, since most women commonly are not as physically capable of hurting a person as men have been found to. The reality of it all is that humans are humans, and because of that, we as individuals have the ability adjust to society the way we choose, although many are unwilling to break those barriers of society’s comfort zone in fear of feeling like outcasts.

In “Justify My Love,” Madonna’s character is immersed in a dreamlike fantasy, slowly removing her from her once exhausting integrity. She enters the scene psychologically withdrawn, slowly entering a world of promiscuity, caused by her submerging herself into incredibly overt sexual situations. Madonna’s most prevailing power that gradually arises more and more throughout the video is lust, in which she uses to protect and place a shell over her own real world problems that she decides to put at rest for the time being. The scenes in which she takes part in progressively become more spontaneous and inclusive, to the point where Madonna completely forgets about her troubles, treating the situation as if it’s the only life she’s ever known. Psychologist Raymond Lloyd Richmond explains that “a perversion leads you away from the true depths of your emotional pain—and from the psychological healing that could happen if you were to work therapeutically with that pain—by distracting you with something apparently pleasurable.” Madonna consistently tempts herself with physical distractions in hopes of exterminating all the bad in her life, and finally reaches a point in the end where she is satisfied both emotionally and physically, in which her distractions end up overpowering her weaknesses.

Religious symbols and imagery in both videos play a large role in setting the absolute tone and intentions of the characters and surroundings. Both videos incorporate the use of cross necklaces around character’s necks to draw focus on sexual sinfulness, religious guilt, and morality. Madonna’s sexual partner wears a sign of Christianity around his neck and it is shot in focus, as he is just about to climb on top of her. Although more difficult to pinpoint, a stripper also wears a cross around her neck, as she’s swinging around a pole. Asa Rhadon describes that “the most fanatical expressions of control came from those religions which, while they subsumed the sacred sexuality on a sub- or subconscious level in their symbolism, in their conscious attitudes equated sex, even physical existence itself, with filth and evil.” By contrasting both power and sex, as well as holding power over sex, the conscious mind has the ability to withdraw from sexual acts, if the power of religion acts as an influence. It could also go the alternate route, where religion can act as a sexual influence if power and authority are viewed differently by whoever’s in charge. In this case, the second idea is promoted throughout both videos having to do with religious symbolism. As far as imagery, “Smack My Bitch Up” utilizes florescent lighting and blurry images to help the viewer relate to the feelings brought on from the effects of drug and alcohol use over a period of time. It becomes so visually chaotic that by the end, you can barely make out what’s happening. “Justify My Love” uses black and white imagery and white vintage scenery to highlight one particular sexual fantasy, along with the character’s specific inclinations.

Emotional journey is a very important factor hidden beneath both character’s outer exterior. The anonymous character and Madonna’s character both enter a voyage into self-discovery encircling physical experimentation. At the beginning of both videos, each individual character is searching for something beyond their fleeting desires through a long continuous discovery. In Madonna’s case, she is overwhelmed by the hardships she’s faced in the past that affect her in the present, and in order to get away from it all, she buries herself in the world of sex and sexuality. In Prodigy’s video, although you can’t see the characters emotional side, it easily shines through when she begins to intoxicate herself, gradually becoming more aggressive as the video goes on, to try to cover up insecurities with an extreme use of dominance. The two characters also find similar adventurous way in dealing with each particular hardship, through somewhat aggressively sexualized encounters. The last shots in both videos evoke strong realizations in which the anonymous character’s sexuality is finally revealed as a women, who looks in the mirror with absolute shame and disbelief for her actions, and Madonna leaves her encounter feeling satisfied and giddy, yet also somewhat shameful and surprised. In the end they are both brought back to reality, finally finding what it was they were searching for. Kingsley Dennis touches base upon how “too many of our social events, devices, interactions, etc. coerce us into placing our attention upon exterior gratifications, often at the expense of our inner condition.” This brings the discussion back to the focus on the hold power has over choice and desire, and how we can easily be taken away from what’s important by enticing visually and surrounding fascinations that can take hold over our entire being.

There is always the common misconception that what our eyes see is truly what exists, and no one dares to wander further and find what lies beneath the surface. The two music videos provide characters who internally have a lot in common, but are clearly opposites by exterior misdemeanor. Throughout both videos, it stands out that there are clear elements of influence and desire for something larger than life within the main characters, stemming from previous loss and/or heartbreak. In the end, they both experience dramatic realizations about themselves, and the creators left it on a note where the future could be up to interpretation, although it’s pretty clear that both characters would move on to pursuing something new that would be more emotionally profound and ideal than their lives once were. In the upcoming generations, it is humanity’s job to not remain stuck within the boundaries of society, and rather embrace and be proud of sole individuality, without adhering to any limitations.

Word Count: 1,254

Works Cited

Dennis, Kingsley, Ph.D. "Breaking the Spell: Dealing With a Distracting Reality." The Huffington Post. TheHuffingtonPost.com, 22 Jan. 2013. Web.

Greaney, Leigh. "The Daily Collegian." The Daily Collegian RSS. 26 Mar. 2010. Web.

"Madonna - Justify My Love (video)." YouTube. YouTube, 26 Oct. 2009. Web.

Rhadon, Asa. "Sex, Religion & Magick: A Concise Overview." Sex, Religion & Magick: A Concise Overview. Web.

Richmond, Raymond. "The Psychology of Sexuality and Love : Lacan; Courtly Love; True Love and Fear of Love; Sexual Addictions; Abusive Lovers; Victimless Sex; Sexual Orientation." The Psychology of Sexuality and Love : Lacan; Courtly Love; True Love and Fear of Love; Sexual Addictions; Abusive Lovers; Victimless Sex; Sexual Orientation. 2014. Web.

"The Prodigy Smack My Bitch Up (Uncensored)." YouTube. YouTube, 10 Mar. 1997. Web.