On Modern Day Autographs

Pam talked tonight about the nature of the autograph. A tangible piece of someone that can be kept as a symbol of...what? Superiority? Connections? Collecting ability? Really, all of the above. Women such as Elizabeth Gaskell bought into the system of the autograph, which is really just another form of the Ideological State Apparatus as defined by Saussure. Elizabeth Gaskell spent a significant portion of her life collecting autographs from different famous people. This was one way in which she marks her place in the world, and how many other women and men did as well. As Pam characterizes the women who aggressively collected autographs as "autograph harpies," the possession and collection of different autographs became a way in which people could become a part of the system. In this way, they are interpellated. They are buying into the system of the autograph as Ideological State Apparatus.

As Pam also said, the autograph is still huge today, only we have different celebrities. Instead of seeking out the autographs of authors (which we do, just not as aggressively), we look for famous musicians, pop stars, actors and actresses, to grace the walls of our autograph books. If we become friends on facebook, that is another, less tangible form of autograph. I mean, how many of you weren't excited when Leonard Oakland added you as your facebook friend? Really? We've all bought into the system of autographs, much as we try not to. We can rebel, and say we just won't get autographs from any famous people. But we're still acknowledging the power of the ISA of autographs. In the end, who doesn't want the signature of Lady Gaga?

EDIT: Alright, after class today, I feel like I should edit my statements a bit. :) What I mean by the autograph (or collecting of autographs) as an ISA, is that, in collecting them, women were buying into the social standing of the time. Having a lot of autographs meant you were participant in the culture of celebrity, recognizing certain people as valuable, and others as less. so. The autograph book itself, full of famous people, demonstrates the status desired, and shows that, women such as Gaskell, were 'a part of their time.' That's what I mean when I say Elizabeth Gaskell bought into the system of the autograph as ISA.