Articulation

My Contrite Articulation and Extension of Gitlin's The Whole World is Watching

Protesters and activists are often looked at in the same form as "the exotic." They are put up to be "the other" in oppositional contrast to "the us." In this role they can solidify the us. Until, as Gitlin explores, there comes an "elevated moderate alternatives" that serve to compromise the supposed monolithic hegemeny to make way for the inocuous claims and aims of the other while rejecting the most radical goals. In this way the us is able to bend towards the other...but not so far as to actually compromize a complete upset of the status quo. Often, like in the exotic's fetishes and "artifacts" (ie. totems, beedwork, rugs, carvings, masks, bowls, pottery, etc.) the other's elements are not only marginalized and reduced, but also commodified. In the case of the exotic, their entire culture is looked at and commodofied, from their tools, their religion, to every element of their culture. With protesters, the extreme others are still exotic, uncivilized, and deviant, thus rationalizing "elevating moderate alternatives" reinforced with the media and by the commodified trendiness of the objects and visage of the other (ie. peace signs, hemp clothes, punk attire, skirts with pants, etc.).