Event Title
新自由主義下的新道德國際研討會
Location
嶺南大學林柄炎樓地下MBG07 / Main Building MBG07, Lingnan University
Start Date
24-5-2014 12:00 PM
End Date
24-5-2014 12:30 PM
Language
Cantonese
Description
本文是一個電視劇《蝸居》的受眾研究，並聚焦在中國大學畢業生的新自由主義主體的構成。《蝸居》於2009年夏天播放，並迅速產生了「蝸居」這個關鍵詞，指中國城市裡中下階級的狹窄的居所環境，媒體亦經常報導受過高等教育的年青人的階級期望與生活及工作條件之間的巨大差距。研究發現，儘管媒體經常把《蝸居》連繫上中國的裙帶資本主義的問題，例如腐敗、道德危機及經濟不平等，但是，我的受訪者在閱讀電視劇角色及故事時，其道德說辭與關注並不顯著，相反，從他們對《蝸居》的閱讀，我們發現他們透過協議一個遠離社會及道德矛盾的主體位置，擁抱一種大都會生活方式。這體現了一種新自由主義主體，往往只看到都市生活的光明面，以及各種實踐自我激發及管理的技術。這種想像的自我是深植於不均衡的國家空間，內裡包括兩個真實－想像世界：「內陸或家鄉」是一個聲望及前途決定於既有的政治權力及財富，而「大城市」的世界則是個人市場競逐決定一切聲望及前途的地方。
This paper is an audience research on the TV drama series of Woju (蝸居), with focus on the making of neoliberal subject of Chinese college graduates. This drama series, which began airing in July 2009, made the term “woju” a public idiom, which now refers to the cramped living environment of middle-lower class in Chinese cities. The huge gap between educated young adult’s aspirations and their living and working conditions is routinely discussed and dramatized in media. However, despite the association frequently made by the media between Woju and the social and cultural problems of Chinese crony capitalism, such as corruption, moral crisis and economic inequalities, in my informants’ reading of the stories and characters, moral codes and concerns did not prevail at all. Instead they embrace a cosmopolitan way of life by negotiating a subject position distant from the social and moral conflicts. It features a neoliberal subject always looking on the bright side of urban life and practicing self-enabling/ managing techniques. This imaginary self is firmly situated in an uneven landscape of national space, including two real-imagined worlds: the world of hinterland/ hometown in which prestige rests on political power and wealth, and the world of central cities in which prestige rests on individual effort in market competition.
Document Type
Conference
Recommended Citation
葉蔭聰 (2014，5月)。 道德漠視與遠端資本主義 : 《蝸居》受眾研究 = Moral indifference and capitalism from afar: An audience research on Woju。發表於新自由主義下的新道德國際研討會，嶺南大學，香港。
Included in
道德漠視與遠端資本主義 : 《蝸居》受眾研究 = Moral indifference and capitalism from afar : an audience research on Woju
嶺南大學林柄炎樓地下MBG07 / Main Building MBG07, Lingnan University
本文是一個電視劇《蝸居》的受眾研究，並聚焦在中國大學畢業生的新自由主義主體的構成。《蝸居》於2009年夏天播放，並迅速產生了「蝸居」這個關鍵詞，指中國城市裡中下階級的狹窄的居所環境，媒體亦經常報導受過高等教育的年青人的階級期望與生活及工作條件之間的巨大差距。研究發現，儘管媒體經常把《蝸居》連繫上中國的裙帶資本主義的問題，例如腐敗、道德危機及經濟不平等，但是，我的受訪者在閱讀電視劇角色及故事時，其道德說辭與關注並不顯著，相反，從他們對《蝸居》的閱讀，我們發現他們透過協議一個遠離社會及道德矛盾的主體位置，擁抱一種大都會生活方式。這體現了一種新自由主義主體，往往只看到都市生活的光明面，以及各種實踐自我激發及管理的技術。這種想像的自我是深植於不均衡的國家空間，內裡包括兩個真實－想像世界：「內陸或家鄉」是一個聲望及前途決定於既有的政治權力及財富，而「大城市」的世界則是個人市場競逐決定一切聲望及前途的地方。
This paper is an audience research on the TV drama series of Woju (蝸居), with focus on the making of neoliberal subject of Chinese college graduates. This drama series, which began airing in July 2009, made the term “woju” a public idiom, which now refers to the cramped living environment of middle-lower class in Chinese cities. The huge gap between educated young adult’s aspirations and their living and working conditions is routinely discussed and dramatized in media. However, despite the association frequently made by the media between Woju and the social and cultural problems of Chinese crony capitalism, such as corruption, moral crisis and economic inequalities, in my informants’ reading of the stories and characters, moral codes and concerns did not prevail at all. Instead they embrace a cosmopolitan way of life by negotiating a subject position distant from the social and moral conflicts. It features a neoliberal subject always looking on the bright side of urban life and practicing self-enabling/ managing techniques. This imaginary self is firmly situated in an uneven landscape of national space, including two real-imagined worlds: the world of hinterland/ hometown in which prestige rests on political power and wealth, and the world of central cities in which prestige rests on individual effort in market competition.
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