An Analysis Of SIgns In The 20^th Century American Mass Media

By analyzing the 20th century American mass media from the perspective of sign consumption by Jean Baudrillard, this essay argues that mass media makes commodities the status symbols of celebrities, the rich and social elites in order to promote consumption in the American middle class. The thesis is divided into three parts. Chapter one argues that the 20th century American mass media advertised commodities as the status symbol of celebrities. In chapter two, by analyzing commodities, houses and costumes which symbolize the status of the rich, the thesis attempts to assert that it is the mass media that makes these things the signs of the rich in the 20th century America. To further demonstrate the signs consumption advertised by mass media, in chapter three, the thesis focuses on symbolized commodities on the identity establishment of social elites by the 20th century American mass media and reveals the manipulation on sign consumption.The purpose of the thesis is to enable the consumers to have a knowledge of sign consumption and advise them not to be misled by mass media to purchase specific merchandise in hope of establishing their identity. The symbolized items are not equal to the identities of celebrities, the rich and the social elites. The symbolized commodities suggesting opulence, elegance, taste or even social status are all made by the cultural and power bloc. The social status the American middle class pursue to achieve in the 20th century is only an illusory image made by the merchandisers.