Commercial Culture

Can we ever scrutinize the role which the media plays in shaping our tastes, attitudes, judgments, outlook and opinions?

Can we ever stop focusing on the endless stream of advertisements, records, films and magazines to which we are exposed every day and which informs our views on every subject from politics to fashion?

Are we to resign to our fate that a modern individual's life is manipulated by commercial culture, and that it influences the choices we make?

Please and Provoke

Watching Godard, Pasolini, Clair, Kobayashi, Tavernier, Varda, Malle, Dreyer, Resnais, Becker, Clement, Fellini, Antonioni, Visconti, Melville, Chabrol, Truffaut, Renoir, Bunuel, Clouzot, Monicelli, Wazda, Stemberg, Dassin, Mizoguchi, Bresson, Kurosawa, Rossellini, Herzog, Ozu, Bergman - I wonder if they established their existence by ’pleasing’ their audience or ‘provoking’ them___

Are we here to ‘provoke or please’ our circle{s} ?

This question triggered off while watching back-to-back, Godard’s Prenom Carmen and The Carabineers.