Introduction to Semiotics of Cultures, 2010 Ronald Barthes – Myths: examples Vesa Matteo Piludu University of Helsinki

Modern myths The book mythologies shown a large set of example modern myths Some of them (striptease, wrestling, steaks) are clearly provocative Systems: food and drink, cinema, literature, products

Myth of the French wine Totem drink of the French nation, as tea for British Wine mythology: wine connected to vital substances, life, blood It’s alchemical, converting the weak into strong and the silent into talkative: myth of “becoming warm” Even the writer became bohemian, proletarian The intellectual became virile and escape from their cerebral cage Scientific symposia It creates situation ex-nihilo (from nothing)

Drinking is not the end In France, as in Italy, drinking is not the end: the goal isn’t getting drunk (unsocial) The goal is sociality, is research for pleasure and fun Focus on culture: the real French/Italian should be able to taste and recognize different types of wine and their origin Getting completely drunk is socially condemned: unsuitable for virility and femininity Be “able to drink” means drink without give any exterior sign of being drunk Knowing how to drink is a national technique, a performance of control and sociability Drinking is connected to collective morality: the excess is tolerated, if it is expressed “with style”

Wine culture is also conformism Who is not believing in wine: is a child, a sick, a depraved The poor man ”doesn’t understand or comprehend it” Other myths: Wine of other nations are not considered at all Beer or whisky cultures considered barbarian or too popular Behavioral etiquette: The wine should “breath” for a certain time quality much more important than quantity the glass shouldn’t be completely full It’s not allowed to drink red and white wine in the same situation: its an “offence” It’s not allowed to drink wine and other “barbarian” alcoholic drinks in the same situation certain wines should be consumed with certain foods

French wine and French imperialism Barthes noticed that the French colons impose wine culture in Muslim countries (Algeria), but they don’t care if the local people have bread or not

Milk mythology Substance opposed to wine White: white, creamy, cosmetic It joins, restore, calm Connected with purity and children

Steak and Chips Other French national myths Steak: suitable for all, bohemians or middle class Heath of the meat, the blood is visible: similar to wine Steaks has the same alchemical power as the wine The intellectual become more ”popular” and took redemption from his dryness Steak joins succulence and simplicity Associated with chips: a product that is often nostalgic and patriotic Match: The generals in Indochina asked for chips

Wine glasses

Wine and femininity

Woman as glass of wine

Nationalist FINNISH milk

Finnish beer - ultra-masculine, nationalist, quantity: bear-beer, the gold of Lapland, Karjala

Italian beer: the Peroni’s blonde ”Call me Peroni, I will be your beer”