BY : TAI VIRGIL
Socialization is commonly described as a continuing process in which a person acquires a personal identity and learns the norms, values, behavioral and social skills of that social group. What one social group may consider a norm another social group may look at as forbidden. Many people today look at our entertainment industry as one large social group, but through a magnifying glass our entertainment industry can and often is divided between what each class considers the "who is" and the "who's not". For example, Ray J is a prominent, wealthy, well known celebrity that has an "indoor pool, outdoor pool, an indoor court and outdoor court" so he claims. But, it was made clear that he was not apart of the self proclaimed "Money Team" (50 Cent and Floyd Mayweather's entourage) as he thought he was.
Here you have two elite women of the entertainment industry LaLa Vasquez Anthony and Kim Kardashian photoed with tennis player Serena Williams and singer/Beyonce's shadow Kelly Rowland. Anyway, both being socialites in their own aspect and often caught in the paparazzi's never ending spotlight these women have made a big name for themselves when it comes to being an "it" factor. They surround themselves with a social group of women that identify with the same social class, wealth, and skills as them while also only dating the top athletes (minus Kris Humphries). These women have landed themselves reality shows in which showcase how they want to display themselves to millions of viewers and have us believe that this is how they live their everyday life.
These two social groups are perfect examples of how the entertainment industry has an umbrella over a social class that branches off into sections with different values and norms. Yes, both groups of people are wealthy, blogged about constantly, have numerous YouTube tutorials on how to do your make up and hair like them, set trends and have landed many endorsements and publicity off of who they are, but they differ in when it comes to the bigger picture. That bigger picture is who is who. That bigger picture who is really invited to the Grammy's or who is sitting behind who at the VMA's. Yes, these groups may acknowledge each other in passing, can be caught sitting courtside at a game together by chance and smile and chat for a couple of paparazzi flicks, but to bring Jersey Shore castmates Dena or Snooki into Kim K's entourage of who she considers as "friends" is highly unlikely. Their social norms and behavioral skills are displayed to the public totally different. While Snooki and Dena have no problem announcing on national tv that they often don't wash their hands after using the bathroom, openly have sex with men they meet that night and castmates, kissing girls and getting drunk and arrested on the beach, Kim K and LaLa's show displays them vacationing on yachts with family, enjoying brunches with friends, and shopping with small talk and convo. Nevertheless, America loves the entertainment on both sides of the fence according to ratings whether its consider "ratchet and raunchy" or not. But, through the social aspect of it all, the money, fame and fortune comes within a different light to each social group, a light that doesn't always promise longevity within fame.
Socialization is commonly described as a continuing process in which a person acquires a personal identity and learns the norms, values, behavioral and social skills of that social group. What one social group may consider a norm another social group may look at as forbidden. Many people today look at our entertainment industry as one large social group, but through a magnifying glass our entertainment industry can and often is divided between what each class considers the "who is" and the "who's not". For example, Ray J is a prominent, wealthy, well known celebrity that has an "indoor pool, outdoor pool, an indoor court and outdoor court" so he claims. But, it was made clear that he was not apart of the self proclaimed "Money Team" (50 Cent and Floyd Mayweather's entourage) as he thought he was. 
Here you have two elite women of the entertainment industry LaLa Vasquez Anthony and Kim Kardashian photoed with tennis player Serena Williams and singer/Beyonce's shadow Kelly Rowland. Anyway, both being socialites in their own aspect and often caught in the paparazzi's never ending spotlight these women have made a big name for themselves when it comes to being an "it" factor. They surround themselves with a social group of women that identify with the same social class, wealth, and skills as them while also only dating the top athletes (minus Kris Humphries). These women have landed themselves reality shows in which showcase how they want to display themselves to millions of viewers and have us believe that this is how they live their everyday life. 
Within another social group of the entertainment industry you have the cast of the Jersey Shore. They definitely differ from the entourage that Kim Kardashian and LaLa identify with but still have a quite large fanbase. The Jersey Shore cast is no stranger to showcasing the way they live their life, partying, drinking and "smushing" (what they call sex) different guys, girls and each other until 8 am while also being fluent in profanity which displays acts of their social norm. The women pride themselves on their loud colorful outfits, huge hair and long extensions.While the guys pride themselves on bring girls home that are DTF (willing to have sex easily), GTL (gym, tanning, laundry) and fist pumping. They've created quite a name for themselves.
These two social groups are perfect examples of how the entertainment industry has an umbrella over a social class that branches off into sections with different values and norms. Yes, both groups of people are wealthy, blogged about constantly, have numerous YouTube tutorials on how to do your make up and hair like them, set trends and have landed many endorsements and publicity off of who they are, but they differ in when it comes to the bigger picture. That bigger picture is who is who. That bigger picture who is really invited to the Grammy's or who is sitting behind who at the VMA's. Yes, these groups may acknowledge each other in passing, can be caught sitting courtside at a game together by chance and smile and chat for a couple of paparazzi flicks, but to bring Jersey Shore castmates Dena or Snooki into Kim K's entourage of who she considers as "friends" is highly unlikely. Their social norms and behavioral skills are displayed to the public totally different. While Snooki and Dena have no problem announcing on national tv that they often don't wash their hands after using the bathroom, openly have sex with men they meet that night and castmates, kissing girls and getting drunk and arrested on the beach, Kim K and LaLa's show displays them vacationing on yachts with family, enjoying brunches with friends, and shopping with small talk and convo. Nevertheless, America loves the entertainment on both sides of the fence according to ratings whether its consider "ratchet and raunchy" or not. But, through the social aspect of it all, the money, fame and fortune comes within a different light to each social group, a light that doesn't always promise longevity within fame. 
Stacey Nelson
ReplyDeleteI agree to disagree. Everybody wants to belong to something of some sort. As you put it, even the rich want to belong to a certain group.Being involved in a certain genra of people usally make them feel at ease, but does that make it better? So, because Ray J has now realized he does not belong to "Money Team", does that mean he's not as important or as rich as he thought?
Angelica Hall
ReplyDeleteI am in agreement with the fact that the entertainment industry, although categorized as one big entity, has many subsections within. The norm for the wives of famous basketball players is to endulge in the glitz and glam that the money brings, however for celebrities such as the cast from The Jersey Shore that was mentioned in the article have norms that center around the party life. That is mainly due to the fact that partying brought on their fame.
You should take a look at why different groups have these parrallel norms. Are their norms derived from the root of their success? I think that is the case when it comes to distinguishing norms and outlining speific groups within the entertainment industry.