Culture jamming is any means in which the mainstream media or corporations are disrupted or contradicted, usually by an activist group. By doing this, awareness is raised on issues usually ignored or hidden by these very corporations and media conglomerates. Culture jamming goes against mainstream culture, particularly North American culture, and can be displayed in many different ways. One great example of culture jamming is Green Day’s “American Idiot”:
“Don't want to be an American idiot.
One nation controlled by the media.
Information age of hysteria.
It's calling out to idiot America.”
-Green Day
Green Day is completely bashing the mainstream media in this song; ironically, the song was distributed by the mass media. The song essentially suggests that Americans are fooled and controlled by the mainstream media. It suggests that events such as 9/11, the Iraq war etc., were mostly propaganda, and this information sent the nation into hysteria. Citizens were worried for their lives, and were scared that every plane they flew would be hijacked and blown up by terrorists. This sent the nation into a state of fear, leaving an excuse to enter Afghanistan, and eventually Iraq. Lots of money was made as a result of the war, and capitalists laughed while soldiers died. American idiot says all of this, without completely saying it. It is pretty obvious what the message is, but the listener is left to fill in the blanks. In the music video for the song, the American flag is seen hanging in the background, covered in green, and missing its traditional colours. Green Day’s signature colour is obviously green; by painting the flag green, this symbolizes that the band is essentially contradicting America and jamming American culture. Green Day now becomes the message of the media, not the traditional capitalist media. Green Day is known to be “culture jammers” as much of their music is rebellious and controversial. Green Day’s “American Idiot” can be considered the complete opposite of patriotism.
"they viewed patriotism as a downside... everyone seemed to think patriotic people [were] totally insane" - Chuck Klosterman (42)
Works Cited
"GREEN DAY LYRICS - American Idiot." A-Z Lyrics Universe. 2009. Web. 20 Nov. 2009.
http://www.azlyrics.com/lyrics/greenday/americanidiot.html
Klosterman, Chuck. Sex, Drugs, and Cocoa Puffs. New York: Scribner, 2003.
"YouTube - Green Day American Idiot HQ." YouTube. 2009. Web. 20 Nov. 2009.
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