Freaks...

Why didn't the author talk more about the personal live of the so called "freaks?" I feel like the author talked more about the business aspect and attracting customers and not the lives of the "freaks." Why didn't he talk about their personal lives and how they felt being on display and what type of money they made?

Freak show studies

What drew my attention the most in Bogdan's article is that scientist basically used the freaks in the show as test subjects. I think it showed the most that this was a period of increasing curiosity in the study of human anatomy and geological origins of people. It also showed the lack of values that these researchers had. They didn't view these people as humans but merely objects to observe.

To freak, or not to freak.

The importance of the presentation of these exhibits is heavily discussed and Bogdan gives interesting examples to many of these claims. From Siamese twins to extremely tall people, the range of “freak” leaves the reader wondering who is making the “freak or not” call. Once we begin to break down the social construction of “freaks,” how will society differ between people who do not fit into the “norm?”

The Age Old Question of Nature v.s. Nuture

The general theme in many of the fringe society songs (i.e. my favorite genre hardcore music) is that you should never give in. Be who you are, wear guyliner and don't be afraid of being different. Am I saying that this is a bad message to share with the youth of a nation?

No.

Is it perpetuating a feeling of Freakishness or otherness?


HELL YES!

The intro to the album We Stitch These Wounds by Black Veil Brides (as a personal note this is a HORRIBLE album... do not under any circumstances listen to this album. Please.) states the following...

"This record is for the outcasts. The following are songs about love, life, and never giving in. We are the Black Veil Brides."

Is this a return to the days of old where freaks were put on display and hype masters called for more profit to be generated? I mean, isn't this an example of a band calling all of those who feel left out and different from the crowd to buy into this cash cow of a Pretty boy wearing make up screaming his heart out for this band? (I really really really really REALLY hate this band.) And if you don't agree with the above is this a regression from the ways of old; where the "common man" was the one harping at how strange these people are, not the strange people calling for those who are the "common man" to be different? Is being a "freak" or a Hardcore music fan bad? No, not at all. On the other hand, is being a band that wants fans to band together with their differences against those considered common? Again I feel the answer is No, not at all. But in truth this as answer for you to decide...

Freak Shows to Beauty Contests

From the 1840's to the 1940's, crowds of people used to gather at the circus tents or dime museums to look at people with anomalies, disabilities, and other differences. People stared in awe of exaggerated characters such as giants or someone without arms. Over time though, the performers at these shows viewed differently. According to Rosemarie Garland Thomson in "The Beauty and the Freak", those that were once viewed as marvels of nature, were now seen as medically abnormal and needed curing. Around the end of the 19th century and into the 20th century, beauty contests were quickly gaining favor. Ironically P.T. Barnum was the first to organize these beauty contests-the same man that helped make freak shows wildly popular in the 1800's and early 1900's. The freaks gradually faded from the stages and moved to asylums where they could be studied for scientific purposes. Is it right to exploit humans with disabilities for profit? Are Beauty contest and freak shows an acceptable form of entertainment and amusement?

Freaks: Yes? No? Maybe?

After reading Bogdan's "The Social Construction of Freaks," it became clear to me just how popular freak shows, as a form of entertainment, were between 1840 and 1940. I remember going to Coney Island and seeing old-fashioned signs and venues where freak shows were held. Once, I even saw a modern-day type of freak show where the audience would pay to shoot the running "freak"... fun stuff, right? Well, do you think freak shows, as described in the article (disregarding any type of possible current laws outlawing them), would still be popular today? Why? Why not? Or have people finally woken up and realized just how dehumanizing these exhibits were? I resorted to Wikipedia and discovered that:

"Today, Michigan law forbids the 'exhibition [of] any deformed human being or human monstrosity, except as used for scientific purposes.' [1] However, in many states in the USA and in other countries abroad, one can still see freak shows at carnivals and state fairs, in bars and nightclubs, and on daytime television talk shows." (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Freak_show)

I also came across this: http://www.coneyisland.com/sideshow_school.shtml

HUH?!

Freak Shows: Then and Now

From the mid 19th to the mid 20th century, freak shows were an extremely popular form of entertainment. By the beginning of World War II, however, the popularity of freak shows began to fade. Over the remainder of the 20th century and into the 21st, disabilities and other human characteristics considered extraordinarily outside the mainstream gradually became to be accepted. While old style freak shows have disappeared decades ago, have they really vanished from American culture? Shows like Jerry Springer, Maury, and Judge Judy could be considered the modern form of freak shows. These TV programs, viewed by millions nationwide, often feature people who are largely outside the mainstream, and willingly appear on the show, not unlike the freak shows of decades past. The people who appear on these shows are a spectacle to the audience who are watching solely for entertainment. Have freak shows truly ended? Or have they been replaced with a more modern, subtle edifice?