The word shocking can be heard in many popular programs. The term characterizes a certain psychological type of people and style of behavior. When they say shocking about a person, it means that the individual does everything to stand out from the crowd, strives to be different from others, and opposes himself to society.
Leli Gaga is rightly called the queen of outrageousness.
What is shocking
The desire to attract attention can have various goals. For some it is a lifestyle and a character trait. For the majority, shocking non-standard behavior is a well-thought-out policy aimed at luring customers, if we are talking about trade brands, or fans, if we are talking about stars.
The word epatage comes from the French language and is translated as “bandwagon”. It is applicable for antics that go against the generally accepted style of behavior. In some cases it can be replaced with synonyms:
- scandalousness;
- asociality;
- immorality;
- shocking;
- immorality;
- prank, etc.
In different situations, one of the above characteristics can be applied. But not always. For example, shocking is not always immoral and not always asocial. Everyone who wants to attract attention sets their own limits. You can shock in various ways, showing not only the negative sides of the personality.
Stylist Zverev can easily be called a shocking person.
In everyday life
Today people of all nations and ages resort to shocking behavior. Social networks have a significant influence on the development of this trend, where everyone becomes the creator of their own image. The accounts are filled with pictures in bright outfits with age-incongruous makeup.
Everyday shocking is not limited to original appearance: extravagant defiant actions and provocative behavior are filmed and uploaded to the server.
Appearance and hairstyle
There are a lot of tools for shocking. Women dye their hair acid colors, some wear African-American braids (dreadlocks), and shave their temples. Piercings, tattoos all over the body, tight leather clothing have long ceased to be a choice only for representatives of youth subcultures.
Behavior style
A shocking personality strives to always be in sight, attracting attention. One of the tools for achieving a goal is behavior that provokes an emotional reaction. The actions of such people are on the borderline of what is acceptable or beyond it.
Intentional violation of established rules of conduct in public places is the simplest example of shocking others in everyday life.
What is shockingness
We have decided what the concept of “shocking” is. If you delve into the essence of the issue, you can understand that shockingness is a sign of modernity. In the 21st century, this style of behavior is increasingly characterized not by the desire to oppose oneself to traditions, but by a way of thinking and even art.
The main culprits in the manifestation of the described concept are avant-garde and modernity, which prompted society to begin a reassessment of established values. Revolutionary art movements found themselves on one of the scales and acted as opponents to the boring news, the main goal of which is to intimidate people and manipulate them with the help of fear.
Shockingness manifests itself not only in behavior. These include clothes that go beyond the usual ideas, and artistic creations that conquer the world with their audacity.
The novel and film “50 Shades of Gray” are a clear example of shocking art.
Examples
Shocking antics and creations are used by many modern artists and simply creative people. For example, fashion designers create clothing collections for shows, which often cause outrage and a negative reaction from most ordinary people. These are swimsuits made of absolutely transparent materials, men's suits, whose style and clothing elements are emphatically feminine, or other attributes of style that are absolutely non-functional in everyday life.
If we consider examples of show business, then perhaps the most shocking representative of it is the singer Lady Gaga. She constantly shocks fans with her outfits, for example, dresses made of raw meat or other outfits of incompatible colors and styles.
The famous Salvador Dali was also known for his outrageous antics; he often loved to walk the streets of Paris with his pet anteater. Agree, this is a rather unusual choice of a pet.
A shocking person in modern society
Shockingness is a phenomenon that has manifested itself in society at all times. In the past, it was rare, and could cost a person not only his freedom, but also his life. Otherness was punishable by torture and execution. It is worth remembering the witch hunts and the Inquisition.
In modern society, outrageousness is perceived differently. It all depends on how a shocking person striving for originality presents himself. In the 21st century, even openly immoral behavior is not always condemned. An example of this is Shurygina, who recently became famous in Malakhova’s program, whose notoriety brought her a large number of fans. The public had mixed reactions to the girl’s behavior. Both her supporters and her opponents have placed the rape victim on a pedestal of glory.
Various manifestations of outrageousness
Shocking is, first of all, part of modernism , one of its striking features. And although many art critics discover shocking features in ancient works, most experts are of the opinion that it was the 20th century that became the peak of the heyday of shocking creative search.
Thus, the artists of the “new wave” (especially the avant-garde artists) sought not only to outdo their predecessors, but also to evoke a burning reaction from the public - they went to great lengths to amaze fans, excite them, or simply shock them. And the stronger the emotions, the more meaningful the work was considered.
However, when we talk about shocking art in general , we mean a certain creative technique that overturns our ideas about both aesthetics and morality. This is a kind of not entirely healthy expression, a harsh effect based on non-standard perception.
But even with the gradual relegation of painting to the “background” plane, modern art did not want to give up such a spectacular and effective tool. Today, world exhibitions are replete with shocking canvases with outright provocation, including scenes of same-sex love and scenes of deliberate cruelty.
When such challenges became the norm, outrageousness went beyond art and began to manifest itself in a variety of forms :
- in fashion;
- to the cinema;
- in advertising;
- in public speaking.
Controversial and taboo topics invariably attracted the attention of the audience, provoked heated discussions and increased awareness of a brand, product, or specific person. Over time, even scandalous or dubious popularity began to be used to turn into income.
The situation has gone so far that modern states have even begun to pass laws limiting attempts to shock the public: for example, advertising products through the theme of sex can lead not only to significant penalties, but also to more serious consequences.
Signs of human outrageousness
Freddie Mercury amazed fans with his shockingness
Knowing the meaning of the concept of “shocking”, it is not difficult to draw a portrait of a person who fits this definition:
- tendency to scandalous actions;
- deliberately provoking public opinion;
- behavior that shocks others;
- opposition to moral principles.
Behind the shockingness of an individual, both genius and a banal desire to attract attention can be hidden.
Often ordinary people strive to be shocking, following the example of stars. In the world of talented people there are many examples of people opposing themselves to traditions.
Definition
Shocking is a kind of prank that is openly provocative, or other behavior of a shocking nature, which contradicts social, moral, ethical or other norms accepted in society. Usually this is done with the aim of attracting attention to an individual, his work, profession or something else. So shocking is sometimes an effective method for advertising, and this method is often used by marketers or people of creative professions - artists, designers, writers and others.
If we talk specifically about art, then shockingness is most often characteristic of such directions as avant-garde and modernism.
Examples of shocking personalities
There are many examples in art when a talented master of words or brush, singer or actor created something that went beyond traditions, and often opposed them:
- Salvador Dali. Each painting by a brilliant master is a blow to traditional art.
- Russian futurist D.D. Burliuk composed lines that caused mixed feelings among many. One line “I like a pregnant man” is enough to understand that the creation goes beyond the accepted boundaries.
- Soviet architect Melnikov. The beehive house, built in Moscow, goes beyond the framework of architecture familiar to the eye.
- The world-famous singer Elton John, in his performance style, in his clothes, and in his behavior, opposes what the public is accustomed to.
Outrageous personalities include Liberace, Michael Jackson, Prince, Marilyn Manson, Boy George and many others.
Shocking as a PR move
Few things attract attention to a person or product as easily as a well-thought-out shocking statement. Marketers and public relations specialists constantly resort to this tool during advertising campaigns.
Today not a single major public figure or businessman can do without shocking actions or provocative statements.
In politics
Donald Trump and Vladimir Zhirinovsky are using a shocking political strategy. Their public statements almost always cause mixed reactions and a wave of criticism from the public.
In show business
Among the stars there are many shocking figures who attract attention with their scandalous antics and extravagant outfits. Madonna, Lady Gaga, Michael Jackson and many others delight or condemn the public not only with their creativity.
In advertising
Racist or nationalist images and ambiguous slogans are great for increasing brand or brand awareness. These black PR techniques are found in commercials for Tinkoff, Burger King, and many well-known clothing manufacturers. Social advertising often contains shocking elements.
Shocking behavior
Sometimes people say that this scandal is close to shocking. Shocking for most people
behavior is non-standard and deliberate
behavior
with scandal.
An outrageous person
is
one
who is not afraid to be different, who is not ashamed of his originality.
Shocking behavior
is stunning, startling and scandalous human behavior that violates generally accepted norms and rules.
To EPAT (from the French epater) is to deliberately stun people around you with a scandal. violating moral or ethical standards accepted in society. causing them to respond or have negative emotions. *** Shocking
is a deliberately scandalous prank or defiant, shocking behavior that contradicts socially accepted legal, moral, social and other norms, usually considered by the majority in a given society as
reprehensible, unworthy or unacceptable
.
The term " shocking
" comes from the verb
e'pater
- to stun, to amaze. The literal meaning is “to break off the stem of a glass, to deprive a leg,” which means to knock the ground out from under one’s feet, to turn everything upside down. Shocking behavior can manifest itself not so much in a person’s behavior as in his creativity or social activities, which radically violate existing customs, canons, and norms. With the advent of modernism, shocking entered art as an integral element. Drawing attention to goods and services through shocking is widely used in advertising and marketing. [www.psychologos.ru]. *** Wikipedia material The word “shocking” corresponds to slang French. ;patage, “trip” from the Russian expression “to trip/give”. The word is listed in argot dictionaries, is absent in literary French, and is derived from the French verb. ;pater - to stun, to amaze (literal meaning - “to break off the stem [of a glass]”). Jargon appeared in France around 1835; The word entered the Russian language in the 19th century along with the desire of the French. ;pater les bourgeois (“to stun the bourgeois”), which was preached by French artists of the 1830s[3]. In many languages, including English, the word has no equivalent. The role of shocking in art The concept of shocking arose in the artistic community, but researchers differ in explaining the reasons for its appearance and its role in modern art (shocking became popular with the advent of modernism). It is generally accepted that shocking is not characteristic of classical art, although, according to some scientists, the phenomenon itself arose in European culture back in ancient times. Some authors argue that shocking has become an integral part of modern art. Thus, according to M. I. Shapira, “in avant-garde art, pragmatics comes to the fore. The main thing is the effectiveness of art - it is designed to amaze, stir up, excite.” Moreover, naturally, “the value of such art is directly proportional to the strength of the reaction (the ideal case is a scandal).” In this interpretation, shocking is part of art, the basis of scandalous art. I. K. Vovcharenko adheres to a similar position: Scandal, as a frequent consequence of innovative aspirations, is transformed into shocking - the self-proclaimed reason for artistic searches. If the search for something new often entails a scandal, then the search for the scandal itself, accordingly, leads to new discoveries. Other researchers associate shockingness with the psychological state of the artist. For example, E. A. Rogaleva considers shocking as a means of getting out of an uncertain and unstable situation generated by the lack of a single “cultural matrix” for decision-making in the conditions of a modern clash of cultures. Rogaleva’s shocking behavior is a manifestation of deviant behavior due to the loss of self-identification and at the same time the search for a new identification. She believes that the element of play present in shocking allows artists to use deviant behavior not for destruction, but for creativity, since the game creates order outside the space of everyday life. A similar position is taken by S. Daniel; in his understanding, shocking is a deviance that passes from the artist’s life into his work: “... avant-garde behavior is... role-playing deviant behavior... [where]... the border separating artistic and aesthetic creativity and life-building is hidden.” Albert Camus believes that shocking is the ultimate manifestation of “metaphysical rebellion” (the revolt of “man against his destiny and against the entire universe”). At the same time, shocking is a useless rebellion of the artist, who “locks himself in absolute denial.” I. K. Vovcharenko also tries to separate the scandalous antics of artists that are not directly related to their work from the “shocking aesthetics” of scandalous art. Thus, Vovcharenko considers the poetic image of S. Yesenin as part of the poet’s creative biography, “in isolation from the specific shocking aesthetics.” Disagreements in the definition of shocking force some researchers to avoid the term itself. Thus, Alexander Flaker uses two terms, “aesthetic provocation” and “aesthetic challenge” instead of shocking, since the latter, from the point of view of A. Flaker, is burdened with “historical and class connotations.” Commercial use Drawing attention to goods and services through shocking behavior is used in advertising and marketing. In Russia, the use of obscene or offensive advertising is illegal. There are precedents for applying sanctions against advertisers (for example, the Euroset company) who allowed the placement of this type of advertising. Examples of shocking in art] Shocking as a component of a movement in art most clearly manifested itself in the era of modernism, which aimed at a radical negation of previous traditions and canons. In particular, the “First Manifesto of Futurism” (1909) read: “It’s time to rid Italy of all this infection - historians, archaeologists, antiquarians. For too long, Italy has been a dumping ground for junk. It is necessary to clear it of countless museum rubbish - it is turning the country into one huge cemetery... For the frail, crippled - this is all right, the future is still ordered? And we don’t need all this! We are young, strong, living to the fullest, we are futurists!” G. Grass expressed similar sentiments when talking about the Dadaist period of his work: “We easily mocked everything, nothing was sacred to us, we spat on everything. We had no political program, but we represented pure nihilism." Marinetti argued that “without impudence there are no masterpieces,” therefore “the main elements of our poetry will be courage, audacity and rebellion,” during the implementation of which one should “spit on the altar of art,” “destroy museums, libraries, fight moralism.” In the program of the “savage” movement - Matisse, Derain, Vlaminck, etc. - the denial of the aesthetic canon was accompanied by a rejection of traditional moral norms in the spirit of the Nietzschean understanding of freedom. The surrealist artist Salvador Dali was distinguished by shocking behavior and statements. In particular, he himself publicly discussed his genius, and also stated that “surrealism is Salvador Dali.” His “Diary of a Genius” told with shocking frankness about the peculiarities of the vital functions of his own body. In the same book, the author presented the classification of “varieties of farts” he invented. Criticism Russian writer Viktor Erofeev, discussing trends in modern literature, in his book “Russian Flowers of Evil” writes: “The wall, well guarded in classical literature […] between the agents of life and death (positive and negative heroes) has collapsed. Anyone can unexpectedly and unmotivatedly become a carrier of destructive principles; reverse movement is difficult. […] Beauty is replaced by expressive pictures of ugliness. The aesthetics of outrageousness and shock are developing, and interest in the “dirty” word and obscenity as a detonator of the text is intensifying. New literature oscillates between “black” despair and completely cynical indifference. In literature, which once smelled of wildflowers and hay, new smells arise - this is stench.
