Since there will be some down time from now until the next round of midterms (ugh I dont even want to think about tests anymore) I have resolved to update this blog more frequently.
Well yesterday I had some thoughts on Lady Gaga. I will not be ashamed to say that I, too, have fallen into the fallacy of Lady Gaga culture. It is a fallacy because it is not true; her culture only exists within her, and it cannot envelope others around her. This will contradict a few points I am about to make, however. Lady Gaga has this devilish ability to influence. I feel like she has been climbing the the mountain of power but has steadily approached the top through her success in the music industry. With this power, she has been influenced, and influences herself, by other people. For example, the first time I watched "Bad Romance" I thought, dang, Lady Gaga is so unoriginal. Anyone can tell you that her hand gestures mimick the King of Pop's signature moves, anyone can tell you that being the lead dancer with 20 backup dancers is a Bollywood trademark, and anyone can tell you that her ploys have all been done before.
But then I continued to watch her videos. Granted, I do not think they are socially appropriate or even morally appropriate. The videos are extremely explicit. So I wondered how her power translated into that explicitness. I wondered how she and Beyonce collaborated on Video Phone and then on Telephone, how Gaga's influence has had a profound effect on music standards. If she were in another decade, who's equivalent would she be? Kylie Minogue, Madonna, Patti Smith? Anyhow, she somehow was able to converge aspects of Michael Jackson, Bollywood, Beyonce, and Kylie all into herself. So, in being unoriginal, she essentially produced her own originality. Her own original combination of unoriginality.
Beyond that, I think she has a crude sense of fashion. The elements of her fashion are mainly futuristic-schemes. Of course, the fact that it is "futuristic" is only up to her interpretation. Remember, in the mid-1900s when plastic came about, and the whole world perceived it to be a thing of the future? All future schemes were related to plastic; plastic was the obsession; plastic was the miracle material, it had super abilities. Well, guess what? It still does, but we aren't fascinated by it anymore. Instead, we think flying cars are our future--thats what the UFO's and the sci fi movies have led us to believe, no? Anyway, our other preconception of the future is metallics. I dont understand Gaga's obsession with metallic schemes. I do not understand why she so desperately wants to associate metallics with the future. We have already discovered the elements on the periodic table, so if you wanna wear something fashionable that exudes futurism, then go wear some radioactive material!
And, in her fashion, she also aims to be original. But what I find ironic is: whenever somebody like Gaga tries to be so original--in terms of fashion--they can still be imitated. I can pull up pictures from Halloween where people are dressed like Gaga. That's not my point though. My point is, even though Gaga wants to be "out there" doing her own thing with fashion, people are still able to imitate it and capture her essence. In my opinion, if she really wants to be Gaga fashion, I think she should not be predictable. I don't mind her pyramidal-schemed hats or blouses. I dont mind half-sewn spanish dresses. I adore her ability to create. But I hate that, in trying to be her own, people are still able to be her.
So, what I meant earlier when mentioning that her culture only exists within her and cannot extend beyond...is that she is someone who has taken the concepts of futurism and employed them through her wardrobe and risqué music videos. Gaga culture is just in that realm, and no where else. I do not think many people have the courage to be as unique as her. Not everyone can appreciate it when someone does something different. And that's why, although she has taken influences and can influence so many people, she is only in the realm of her own Gaga planet. I like her, and that's the bottom line. Do you think Gaga is original?
(polls)
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