Question

Rose argues that discourse (using Foucault’s framework) “refers to groups of statements that structure the way a thing is thought, and the way we act on basis of that thinking. In other words, discourse is a particular knowledge about the world which shapes how the world is understood and how things are done in it” (p. 187). In your blog posting this week, give an example of a current visual discourse that you think constructs how we think about an aspect of the world. For example, you might discuss how images of refugees construct how we think about their plight. Or how scenes from romantic comedies discursively construct how we think about romance more broadly. In your example, get specific about how these images do this discursive work (that is, what formal elements or signs indicate that we should think about this object in a particular way)? Your posting should be about 300-400 words.

To answer use Gillian Rose, Chapter 8, Discourse analysis 1, Visual Methodologies; Reading link: https://vizcomm18.files.wordpress.com/2017/10/rose-discourse.pdf

Answer 1

Discourse is definitely held responsible for how certain countries are perceived by the rest of the wrold.You could use the condition of Africa or India as an example wherein images of these countries on the internet generally show the poverty stricken regions and photographs but do not show the aspect of society which is thriving. So, people across the world think all of India or Africa is poor and poverty stricken which might not actually be the case. Pictures and word of mouth shape our thoughts both conciously and unconciously. We might not be aware but when we are asked about something like this we tend to answer based on our perception of things our brain has been fed not the actual reality of things. They might be true as well, but we decide upon it from what we've heard or seen. This situation arises from misconceptions and word of mouth on a widespread scale and depiction of certain things trhough photographs and articles. We tend to empathize by just looking at the pictures. Similiar is the case with movies as well, we've been fed through movies, be action or thriller, the hero always comes out unharmed. This sort of distorts our understanding of reality and our understanding is the base of our beliefs. All movies don't have a happy ending which is veering towards reality. In truth, reality is dull and monotonous, thus filmamkers have a habit of twisting fantasies which into realistic movies and presenting them to us, thus twisting our sense of realism as well. Visual discourse is also the reason some countries get labelled as the hub of terrorist activities when we have no evidence, if they are or are not. Our sense of realism gets bent on a daily basis. Discourse is a part of our daily life, we've grown to live with it. Sometimes we see a glimpse of the real world and realise our sense of reality is a bit off from the actual truth or how our senses have created this screen of beliefs when we come across a thing, be it an animal,place, or a living being. We have set beliefs about everything.