They can be found profoundly in one spot, numerous times in an area, or can obscenely cover one’s entire vehicle. Bumper Sticks provide an inexpensive yet effective method to communicate to others, mainly through one’s vehicle. Usually placed on the rear of a vehicle, it is inevitable that a bumper stick will have an audience if the vehicle is driven in moderately or greater populated areas. The messages portrayed on bumper sticks are unique in that due to the fact that they must communicate an idea in a timely fashion, the message has to be simple enough that the audience can perceive it before the vehicle drives out of sight.
Although these messages may be short and easy to decode, this does not mean that the audience is constrained to only one interpretation. Croteau and Hoynes explain this when they write “scholars use the term polysemy to describe the notion of multiple meanings in media texts. Media are said to be polysemic – to have multiple meanings” (269). Thus, bumper stickers are a great example of how media messages can be very simplistic, yet have numerous, complex connotations and interpretations to go along with the message. The misconception that complex meanings have to go hand in hand with complex messages is therefore proven incorrect here by bumper stickers. It’s ironic how such an inexpensive item can have such a widespread and powerful influence on audiences nationwide. Here's a clip about the "Coexist" bumper sticker that can be seen above:
I agree with your point. Also bumper stickers not only show complex meanings but I noticed that also most of them show a bad/perverted meaning. I went to Google and typed bumper stickers and most links were selling bumper stickers with a bad second interpretation. an example would be this site:http://www.cafepress.ca/+double-meaning+bumper-stickers
ReplyDeleteThat's something else how he takes a simple meaning of a bumper sticker and construes it in a way that make it a negative thing. This also ties into the idea of who the audience is. I can say when I saw the coexist bumper sticker i just saw it for the meaning of the word in a sense being passive while the video you showed has the man taking more of an active role and allowing his beliefs to change the meaning entirely.
ReplyDeleteWhile bumper stickers with double meanings can be humorous, they also prove to be distractions on the road and most of the time are very vulgar but nevertheless are certainly forms of self expression. As they serve as a form of media, I often wonder if the people putting them on their cars are actually aware of what message they are sending out to the general public
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