What Jewelry Talks - Essay Example

Jewelry Talks Cultural symbolism, matters of status, identity and various other factors often relate to the significance of jewelry among individuals and groups. Jewelry has transformed perceptions of identity in ways that illustrate the manner in which people engage with matters of identity, self-worth, and a sense of belonging. Over the times, pieces of jewelry have been used in social contexts to illustrate matters of status and social importance. Kings and queens distinguished themselves through the kind of jewelry that they wore, and which was assigned to them by the society. From a cultural point of view, pieces of jewelry are usually considered as material aspects of culture. Beyond the questions of aesthetics, jewelry is often regarded in terms of its significance in identifying individuals and placing them within definite identities and cultural associations. The kind of jewelry worn by individuals varies with regard to matters of price, value, type, and other variables that determine value usage and the distinction between one cultural group and another. Essentially, the capacity of groups and individuals to articulate their sense of identity is determined by some internal powers and processes that regulate the manner in which identities are shaped and recreated from a cultural context (Ettinger 51). On this note, it might be important to regard the effects of identity and jewelry in terms of discourses that engage and affect each other through associations and cultural symbolisms. The relationship between a piece of jewelry and the wearer is often in two ways. The piece of jewelry will define the class of the individual. On the other hand, the individual will determine the kind of social value and importance that is attached on one particular form of jewelry. As such, the process of creating social meaning from any given piece of jewelry will often involve complex relationships and effects between one piece of jewelry and another. On this score, it becomes necessary to examine the historical connections between some aspects of jewelry and the nature of connections that determine their usage from the point of view of the individual. For instance, some cultures and societies regulate the rules involved in the wearing of jewelry. Such cultures have clear distinctions that determine the kind of jewelry that is worn by one particular gender, class, or age-set. Some of the issues that have been used to explore on the subject of jewelry involves an active awareness of the determining laws that often engage the value attached to jewelry. This could be assessed from the historical point of view, as societies seem to place more emphasis on the collective nature of the use of jewelry. Cultural historians have often used jewelry for identifying social classes and classifying the kind of rules and connections that determine the kind of relationships between one culture and the next. It is important to consider the fact that most of the issues that appertain to matters of cultural identity are resolved through the reliance on cultural factors. On this score, it is usually considered in terms of the levels of internal differences and the nature of application of cultural symbols to the question of jewelry and cultural significance. Pieces of jewelry have been used to determine the character of individuals (Ettinger 127). It is possible to determine the kind of values and social preferences of an individual by studying the kind of jewelry, which they wear. For instance, aggressive and open-minded individuals are likely to wear bold, flamboyant pieces of jewelry while the more timid, and self-effacing individuals will opt for the kind of jewelry that accords with their character and world-view. On this note, it becomes important to investigate the kind of values that are often attached to pieces of jewelry from the cultural perspective. Cultural perspectives often engage with the social dimensions of jewelry in ways that determine the degree to which individuals are associated with one culture or the other. On this score, it becomes necessary to inquire into the nature of symbolism that is invested into any piece of jewelry. Some pieces of jewelry could be used to determine the essence of power of an individual in terms of the kind of associations and the degree of involvement between one individual and the next. It is usually important to consider the kind of symbolic nature of some piece of jewelry from the perspective of its relationship with other pieces that define different aspects of power. For instance, the relationship between masculinity and femininity has often been studies by use of some material aspects of culture such as jewelry. On this note, it becomes important to consider the level of influence that some particular piece of jewelry will add onto some material aspect from the unique perspective of culture. In the modern world, jewelry is often regarded in terms of its association with the discourses of materialism. Materialistic societies will tend to associate some pieces of culture with the peculiar nature of jewelry that associates with them. Various cultural groups have often adopted the use of jewelry to demonstrate many different aspects of their lives. However, one of the most dominant groups that have relied extensively on the use of jewelry for the purpose of group expression is the African American community in the United States. Particularly, the African American hip-hop artistes have often used jewelry to demonstrate their sense of identity and their power as opposed to other cultural groups. For instance, the groups advocating for the continued expression of their cultural uniqueness have often used jewelry to demonstrate their power amid the dominant and more powerful white race in the American society. As such, it is often considered as one of the defining aspects of the cultural lives of the people. In many ways, jewelry is often used to demonstrate the kind of power that reflects on the hierarchies between individuals and groups. The continued reliance in jewelry for the purpose of cultural expression is usually considered in terms of the ability of individuals to express themselves in ways that are unique and peculiar to their social identities. On this score, it might be argued that pieces of jewelry have important associations on individuals. For the African America, the jewelry represents some aspect of triumph. It is a demonstration of power and influence as understood within the context of culture and power. In many cases, the jewelry is mostly in the form of gold or silver. Peer influence, the trends on the market, matters of status often determine the kind of jewelry, and other multiple influences that involve that involve the active use of material objects for the purposes of self-identity. In this respect, jewelry is used for identifying a particular individual within a certain group. Such sense of identity is determined by issues of class, social status as they affect and are in turn affected by the discourses of class and identity. It might be necessary to consider some of the factors that relate to the normative assumptions of class and cultural identity. For instance, the continued reliance of pieces of jewelry for the purposes of demonstrating status symbol is often regarded in terms of the long-term effects on the personality of the individual. On the other hand, the usage of a particular type of jewelry by an individual or a group eventually transforms the piece of jewelry to suit the meanings and symbols associated with the pattern of usage. Throughout the course of centuries, symbols and jewelry have acquired different meanings due to their association with particular individuals and particular groups. Many pieces of jewelry can be regarded as belonging exclusively to the African American hip-hop groups, Mexican cartels, or some organized groups such as the Russian Mafia. Further, other pieces of jewelry have transformed from casual pieces to acquire great significance in terms of their associations with secret societies or certain high-ranking groups and individuals. In this regard, it becomes necessary to investigate the impact of usage of some pieces of jewelry in terms of their historical changes in meanings and associations. The continued usage of some pieces of jewelry eventually associates groups and individuals with various characters, groups, and forces as understood within the cultural context and meanings of the particular pieces. The meanings derived from pieces of jewelry are often considered in times of the time range, nature of usage, and the cultural groups that use them. Accordingly, all pieces of jewelry are eventually converted into symbols and artifacts that describe the associations and meanings of various groups and different cultures. The relationship between jewelry and the users could be understood from the perspective of the various influences that determine the degree of attachment and usage by individuals and groups. In essence, jewelry could be understood from the perspective of usage. The degree of reliance on any piece of jewelry could be understood as sum of influences, associated meanings, and other kinds of meanings that engage with matters of culture, personality, peer group identity, and other associations. On this note, it becomes necessary to consider the various kinds of influences that work together towards the creation of meaning and attachment between one piece of jewelry and the users. In essence, individuals and groups could be defined by the kind of jewelry that they choose. In the same manner, the symbolic meaning of jewelry could be determined from the perspective of usage and preference. The understanding of the relationship between pieces of jewelry and their corresponding usage could be determined from an assessment of facts that relate to culture and matters of personality. However, it is possible for the same kind of jewelry to acquire different meanings when transferred from one particular cultural context to another. Similarly, different people are likely to attach different meanings on a single piece of jewelry. In essence, the meanings attributed to any piece of jewelry could be understood in terms of the corresponding influences that attach to it. Meanings are constructed within definite cultural contexts. Different cultures are likely to adopt different meanings for the same kind of jewelry. Works Cited Ettinger, Roseann. Popular Jewelry, 1840-1940. New York: Schiffer Pub Limited, 2002. Read More