Blog # 10 Suggestions

I think it would be interesting to discuss more imagery displayed online, rather than just text. We touched on this concept a little bit, yet I think the topic would be interesting to elaborate more on. I also agree with some of my classmates that it would be neat to do some sort of an assignment with facebook or myspace. I think a lot of people misunderstood this class for being primarily about these websites. Although, I found a lot of the assigned topics relevant to facebook and myspace, it would have been cool to center an activity solely on this these sites. Most of the concepts we read about, expressed a negative outlook regarding the internet. I think it would be interesting to see the opposing side. Everything Bad Is Good For You, by Steven Johnson would be a good book to read. This text is used for a popular culture course, yet it would still be interesting to see how certain forms of media also have the ability to educate and entertain people, in a positive way.

Blog # 9 Favorite Text

I found “iSpy” to be the text that related the most to our class discussions, this semester. We have talked a lot about surveillance which pertains to the whole concept of this book. I enjoyed a lot of our discussions, yet I would have to agree that I am a little more paranoid about having pictures and some personal information online. I have considered taking my facebook page down before, but after becoming educated on all the surveillance that goes on, I think it is essential to take it down before I begin looking for a job. Due to the fact that I am graduating in May, I would hate to think that my facebook page could have the potential to forbid me from getting a job or hurt my professional career, as a whole. On the other hand, “The Wisdom of the Crowds,” was the most interesting book I read this semester. I actually enjoyed reading it and highly suggest using the text for next semester.

Free # 12 Addicted to Technology

It seems as if some form of media is everywhere and anywhere we turn, making it almost impossible to avoid. With this being said, it comes to no surprise why people have, in a way, become addicted to certain forms of technology. Whether people are constantly on their cell phones checking text messages or spending an extreme amount of time on their computer, it is evident that the majority of our society spends a lot of their time using some form of technology. I began to refer to our society’s obsession with technology as an “addiction” after reading the book; Everything Bad Is Good For You by Steven Johnson. Some people play video games for the “flashy graphics, while others play for the “sex and violence.” Yet some might argue that it’s the interactivity that hooks the engagement of building your own opinion. I would agree that a main reason why people play and interact with technology is the “endless reward” the user receives. Johnson explains "a strong case can be made that the power of games to captivate involves their ability to tap into the brain’s natural reward circuitry.” (Johnson 34) Video games simply have the capability to reward the brain as well as pleasure the mind, just like other forms of technology. The body’s natural painkillers, the opioids, are the brain’s pure pleasurable drugs, while the reward system revolves around the neurotransmitter, dopamine interacting with specific receptors in a part of the brain called the nucleus accumbens.” (Johnson 34) Becoming educated on how addiction is related to video games has also allowed me to become educated of the exact reason for our society’s “addiction” with technology, as a whole.

Free # 11 Stuart Hall's-Circuit of Culture

The process that culture gathers meaning at five different “moments” is - representation, identity, production, consumption and regulation. These “moments” or “circuits” help to better understand Hall’s view on culture. The way culture is represented affects how it is identified. It also affects the way it is produced, consumed and how it is regulated. The major strength of this model is that it focuses on where power and culture meet. This allows the meaning to be shared and the communication process to begin. The purpose of the “circuit of culture,” is to represent cultural meaning. Production and regulation are both related to feedback from the audience, however are not identical. Each moment of the “circuit of culture,” has the ability to affect the other four. The starting point doesn’t matter, as long as each “circuit” is observed to rely on the others in order for a cultural meaning to emerge. For instance, in order for a product to sell, the identity of the consumer must be analyzed, for mass production to occur. Even though Stuart Hall takes power away from the producers, this model shows the importance of each circuit and how it relates to our society and media as a whole. The five moments of the “circuit of culture,” have to do with the overall audience reception. The meanings of each circuit have the ability to manipulate and influence ideological, emotional, and behavioral consequences. Each circuit, in communication, is required for the process to work as a whole, on the contrary, not one circuit can fully guarantee the next circuit in which it is communicated. This shows that Hall’s model cannot be proven to work in all cases.

Free # 10 The Device of the 21st Century

The Blackberry device is a digital lifestyle hub and a significant tool of the 21st century. The Blackberry has different forms of media all wrapped into one device. The invention of the Blackberry is clearly not a revolutionary device. It simply imitates the creation of the internet, telephone and many other forms of media. Each medium, in a way, tends to replicate other forms of media. The Blackberry simply mocks nearly all types. In a way, owning a Blackberry forces people to constantly be in contact with school and work. For instance, while at a social gathering, my conversations often come to an immediate halt after receiving various e-mails from my professors. My Blackberry causes me to instantly become distracted from my conversation and more interested in my schoolwork. Becoming aware of the many functions that accompany the Blackberry has the ability to explain the concept of digital de-differentiation. “There are two levels of digital de-differentiation that characterize predictions about the wired workforce.” ( Andrejevic 107) One level of digital de-differentiation is between places of work, leisure and school. This highlights how the Blackberry can be seen as a portable office, which I previously discussed. The other level of digital de-differentiation is between the acts of production and consumption. This shows how each time someone consumes information, they are also producing it. The Blackberry has the ability to define the levels of digital de-differentiation very well. Combining old and new forms of media into a small device makes it extremely difficult for people to separate the concepts of work and play.

Free # 9 The Possible Disadvantage of Internet Access

Our texts don’t elaborate much on the digital divide between members of our society. Because certain people are unable to afford computers and monthly internet access, they are also incapable of gaining the necessary knowledge, most online users have, to survive in this technological-based society of ours. With the economy becoming increasingly knowledgeable, access to information and communication has to do with one's economic opportunity. It is possible that people who lack certain economic opportunities also lack specific research and educational skills. On the other hand, I am interested to see what benefits people gain who don’t have access to the internet. Are their communication skills more enhanced than online users? Are their relationships with people more personable or are they more distant? It is common for people who communicate through different forms of media, to lack specific communication skills that are essential to survive in professional and personable atmospheres. Researching online has the ability to educate people, however learning the old fashion way through books and newspapers is often seen to be more effective. Someone is able to educate them self through old forms of media without the necessary economic opportunity, the internet requires. Our texts discuss the negative characteristics that result from internet access, yet lack the details and reasoning of the advantages and disadvantages people experience who don’t have access to the internet.

Free # 8 Mapping Mobility

Ispy: Surveillance and Power in the Interactive Era primarily discusses the negative impact the internet has on our society. Each time a page is searched or pulled up, a person is essentially making his/her interests and desires available to the public. This gives producers knowledge about the person and therefore allows them to target the individual successfully through advertising. This shows some of the techniques producers use to spy on their consumers through their use of the internet. On the other hand, I still find it significant to clarify the many advantages that come out of surfing the web. Mapping Mobility allows users to unfold their unique interests, desires and needs through surfing the web. While people become educated on different topics by surfing online, they are also able to become aware of new interests and skills they never knew they had. For example, a person can discover his/her love for cooking simply by coming across a desirable recipe online. Mapping mobility can also show how people are capable of developing anti-social characteristics from spending too much of their time online. However, as long as people spread their time wisely, surfing the web can be seen as a vital tool for success as well as a possibility to open doors for new interests and ideas.

Free # 7 The Advantages of Blogging

Blogging has become a revolutionary way to communicate information. It allows people to connect across cultures, ethnicities, classes, races and sexualities to see broader implications of their own positions. This has the ability to eliminate ethnocentrism. Reading chapter 5 in ispy reminded me of a discussion I had in one of my classes. We discussed how women and men bloggers are represented online in unequal numbers. This explained why the few women, who post, are posting anonymously. Women post anonymously because they feel that they are able to be more expressive and complete, when responding to people’s comments. They also talk more freely about certain gender and personal issues. Women think that posting anonymously will allow them to be seen as professional, while eliminating gender discrimination. In comparison, men see blogging as a form of professional advertising and usually post anonymously to protect their families. People often believe they can differentiate between males and females who blog anonymously. This is because men tend to talk about different topics than women. Men and women also have a different way of writing. Blogging allows women to express their experiences that would otherwise be difficult to share. Online researchers believe as women gain access to the internet and the necessary skills to use it effectively, they experience less harassment and negativity in the virtual world. The major strength about blogging is that it brings private experiences public. It allows a variety of people to freely communicate about their experiences, desires, needs and problems.

Free # 6 Mean World Syndrome

I have always been aware of the reason why some people don’t find it necessary to keep up with the news. This is simply because the news is constantly filled with negative and depressing stories. My mom, on the other hand, is always up to date with the latest news breaking stories. After becoming educated on the meaning of the mean world syndrome, I immediately classified my mom in this category. She is so involved with the news and media, that she is extremely paranoid about certain topics that are often, unrealistic. She even tries desperately to get me paranoid. This is the main reason why I personally don’t watch the news. Because she is so involved in news coverage, I feel anything I really need to know, she will be sure to inform me. Up until my 222 class with Professor King, I was content with the “anything I don’t know won’t hurt me,” phrase. Yet, after being forced to read the newspaper every day, I realized as long as one is able to “filter” out certain information they don’t see relevant or realistic, educating yourself on daily news is important to survive in the working and professional world.

Blog # 8 Nosey Commentators

The main acts of surveillance I commit are done through facebook and the television. This weekend, I spent the majority of Saturday doing homework and watching football all of Sunday. Due to the fact, that I spent Saturday completing an essay, I can honestly say I didn’t participate in any surveillance that day. My paper didn’t involve the use of the internet and my head was stuck inside a book the majority of the day. On the other hand, I am unaware of who was participating acts of surveillance on me. I am sure at least one person, roamed my facebook page. On Sunday, I obviously watched the Redskins game, and the other football games that went on way past 12:00am. Although I am intrigued by the actual game and nothing else, I can’t help but hear the commentators in the background discussing the players “baggage” or other information they find necessary to discuss. Listening to the commentators caused me to participate in different acts of surveillance. I can honestly say, I feel bad for the players. Here they are struggling to play and win a football game, while these nosey reporters are discussing their personal lives with the general public. Sometimes they are speaking positively about them, but most of the time, negative baggage is discussed, anything they think will intrigue and amuse their audience. This highlights the fact that people participate in surveillance, without even attempting to. The mainstream media forces it upon our society, making it almost impossible to ignore.

Blog # 7 My Google Search

"What you don't know won't hurt you."

My facebook page is the first thing that came up, after I entered my name in the google website, followed by a few digital stories that I had produced on youtube.com. The websites fortunately couldn’t tell a stranger much about my character, unless they were to further research my interests on facebook. After reading some of our texts, I began to question whether or not I should even have a facebook page. This is because all the information and pictures on facebook could essentially tell a complete stranger a lot of personal information about me. With this being said, I still feel fortunate to have a unique first and last name. I had about 6 websites that were about me, yet thousands of sites were directed to the meaning of my name. People with my last name often spell it with one “a.” My unique name gives me a sense of isolation, becoming aware of the fact that information about me is less likely to be searched and identified. However, I would much rather have a more common name, when it comes to a digital profile, mostly for privacy purposes. With all the harmful acts that are committed through the internet, my unique name allows someone to find me easier than they could find a person with a more common name. There are a lot more people with the name “John Smith” than there are of me. Although, my name contributes to my uniqueness, it also allows someone to get to know me a lot faster, because of the internet.

Free # 5 Production, Consumption and Reception

It is important to question what is knowledgeable as well as what is communicable in our everyday lives. The field of media and communication allows students to analyze the different ways our society relays information. In order to do this, it is essential to become educated on the study of media. Media studies is used by scholars to analyze the content, meaning, and history of the various ways to communicate information. Many theorists would agree that the ways in which media has changed has broken the traditional boundaries between the producer and the consumer.

Our society is filled with consumers that are easily influenced by the media. Social power or the power behind the media refers to the elite (wealthy) which essentially take power (money) away from the working class. This concept is related to critical media theory. The critical media theory looks at the impact of corporate ownership of media production and distribution. Essentially, it explains the effects that media has on the lower and upper class. The “Circuit of Culture,” involves the text, production and reception of a product. The text is the actual meaning that is conveyed in the book, magazine, or newspaper. It deals with what the actual message conveys. Just to clarify, this is the opposite of Marshall McLuhan’s concept, “The Medium is the Message.” The production is where, how, and why something is made. Production looks at who is involved, and how it is produced and distributed. Lastly, the reception which always depends on the actual text is how the audience or consumer responds.

Free # 4 The Hidden Agenda

Because our society is so influenced by the media, technology has the potential to affect the way people consume and produce media. This has a lot to do with the idea of “Technological Determinism.” Different forms of media must cater to the different interests of society. Examining how technology is being developed and used is best done by becoming familiar with certain components of technology. While examining a specific medium, it is important to understand certain actions that are especially, time consuming and more difficult. Producers can then develop a more advanced medium that is easier for consumers to operate. For example, when people began to express difficulties with the television antenna, producers came up with a control system they had complete power over. This eliminated the frequent problems people faced while constantly trying to adjust the device. On the other hand, we have learned that producers often have a hidden agenda. For instance, Tivo goes for the idea of targeted monitoring. They give their consumers the false promise of having more control. In actuality, consumers don’t have a lot more control. Consumers can only manage how they watch, but not what they watch. Tivo was created to eliminate the hassle that goes along with the VCR, yet the real reason it was created was to keep track and “spy” on consumer’s interests. As producers invent and create new products, our society becomes lazier and overall more obsessed with mainstream media. The more obsessed society becomes with technology, the more knowledge producers gain to advance and perfect their products.

Free # 3 The Beauty Standard

Mark Andrejevic focuses his book on certain ideologies. He is aware of the desires and needs of our society and states the actual solution to any problem is often replaced with an easy way out or simply a “quick fix.” This relates to society’s beauty standards. Our economy tries to sell us on diets, surgeries and make-up, while ignoring the real matter of the problem. Beauty advertisements often have the capability to give an audience misrepresentations and distortions of what beauty actually consists of. The media message is that if you try hard enough, spend enough, or suffer enough, you will have the look you want, and that being beautiful somehow brings you happiness and success. The average beauty product claims that when you buy their merchandise; you will instantly look tighter, younger, firmer, softer, smaller, thinner, and overall more beautiful. This is clearly not entirely true. Our society has the ability to affect a young girl or woman’s self esteem negatively or positively. This all depends on how well she rejects society’s demands for what they see as beautiful. People desire a solution, yet the only way to fix the weight problem or get healthy is to diet and exercise. Because this is extremely hard work and time consuming, consumers often desire a “quick fix” solution or an easy way out. This is because advertisements are constantly telling us not to fix America’s weight problem the “healthy” way, but the “fastest” way.

Free # 2 My Career Goal

The Cult of the Amateur reiterated my dream of obtaining a career, rather than a job, following graduation. I am a Media and Communications major and hope to one day achieve a career in the radio industry. My main goal is to become a sports newscaster, preferably for the one and only Washington Redskins. Not only do I love sports, but I am also highly interested in all aspects of the radio business. I have had the opportunity to be exposed to the full range of Media and Communication courses, all of which tend to reinforce and solidify my intense interest in my major. Each course pertaining to my major have been enjoyable and enlightening, providing me with a new and different perspective on the world in which we live. Working at different radio stations has educated me on the many different components of the industry, as a whole. The knowledge and experience I have acquired has given me the devotion and ambition I need to achieve my ultimate career goal.

Free # 1 "The Kindle"

Being a Media and Communications major, I have become aware of the large influence technology has on our society. Many people are unaware of the fact that new forms of media are only made possible with help from the old forms. For example, the yearbook can be seen as the major contribution to the evolution of Facebook. With technology continuing to advance, one might wonder if/when old forms of media will ever die out. The Amazon device, the Kindle is a “wireless reading device,” that is a remediation of the written word. Creators state it is the “future of book reading.” The Kindle “borrows” concepts from other forms of media which has contributed to its creation. The device is a remediation of the book, magazine, newspaper, internet and the library. It is a 10.3 ounce device which is lighter than most paperback books. It performs the same tasks done with a computer, in a faster, less demanding way. Purchasing a Kindle is essentially the same as purchasing 200 different books, magazines or newspapers. Although there are certain limitations, the Kindle has the capability to replace any medium that applies the written word to communicate information. The device separates the user and the desired reading material with another technology based medium in between. As technology continues to advance, more people tend to ignore the old, more time consuming forms of media. Can these advanced creations of technology ever turn old forms of media such as books, newspapers and magazines to totally technology based devices?

Blog # 6 The Internet as the Enemy?

Along with Keen, I believe that people should force themselves to think critically and intellectually, without the help from the internet. Even though the internet has errors and flaws, it often has the ability to educate people if used properly. If people are thinking critically while using the internet, they should be able to filter out certain information that seems to be imprecise. In other words, as long as people are using internet sources to enhance some of their previous knowledge, students can often benefit from these sources. I agree with Lessig that some websites should be seen as a “social benefit.” People should be able to learn from one another, even if it does come from an online source. Many professors even enforce their students to educate themselves from different online sources. On the other hand, I can see how the strong demands from professors often temp students to “plagiarize.” Websites such as Wiki, can teach users the significance of the technique to filter out certain false or inaccurate information.

Keen states that if we don’t give credit to the creators, than soon a large part of our culture will die out. Yet, as Lessig states, Keen seems uneducated about the economic issues that would cause this to happen. I think the internet has the ability to spread art and culture around to an extremely diverse group of people. I believe that if the public enjoys the creation enough, the talent, artist, or creator will make money either way. As long as people use the internet merely to educate themselves, rather than “steal” information, certain online sources can be seen as very beneficial.

Blog # 5 Passion Versus Pressure

I was on the Cross Country team during high school and my first year of college. Yet, my desire to run developed only after I quit the team. After a 2 year injury, I started back up again. My love for running began when I started to do it for myself and there were no “external motivations” involved. No one forces me to run and I do it for no reason other than the fact that it relieves my stress and gives me the opportunity to enjoy some “alone time.” I could say that I am an amateur at shopping or singing, but neither of the two give me the passion and “high” I get before, during, and after my run. Although, running rewards me with health and fitness, I can honestly say that I run merely because I get pleasure out of it. The health and fitness are just perks. I often wake up extremely early to guarantee myself a 2 hour time period for my run. I am lucky enough to have a passion that keeps me healthy and stress-free. Whether it’s cold or hot outside, my run is my only “escape” from school work and the other stresses that often have the ability to take over my mind. After my run, I become more motivated with energy to complete other necessary tasks. I would never combine something I enjoy to anything complicated such as a career because it would only add stress and pressure to my passion.

Blog # 4 The "Nurtured Generation"

Millennial Makeover uses significant cultural artifacts to categorize certain generations. For instance, the Baby Boom generation is given this name because of the huge significance the Baby Boom had on American history. I agree with most of the authors ideas on why my generation is referred to as the millennial generation. We grew up in a society where technology was constantly filled with advancement, especially with the huge influence the invention of the internet has had on our society. I agree with the idea that the millennial generation is generalized to be optimistic and realistic, while at the same time showing extreme individualism. I think there are obviously some exceptions to our authors’ generalizations, yet for the most part, the assumptions seem to be realistic. For example, our generation has been taught the significance of diversity and education. The name, millennial generation fits well, but we can also be referred to as the “Invention Generation,” or even the “Fortunate or Nurtured Generation.” Technology has given us the luxury and convenience to help live our lives much easier than before, which we are often seen to take advantage of. Television shows such as Saved by the Bell, 90210, Spice Girls, and even Britney Spears, are certain cultural touchstones that have the possibility to help better understand our generation. On the other hand, the best way to identify with our generation, as a whole, is an overview of the advances in technology that have helped shaped our generation to what it is today.

Blog # 3 Reality of Elections

Most of the 2008 election and presidential candidates shown on YouTube resemble ads. Although, the “ads” look extremely polished, they still come across as rehearsed. The candidates often say what the public expects them to say, while ignoring the more “touchy” subjects. Some of the videos look more organic than others. For example, Obama has a very calm and collective way of speaking, which has the potential to make the public feel that he is actually speaking directly to them. His speeches are clearly spoken and can be easily understood by a non-intellectual audience. I came across a video, which was put together by the band, Incubus. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DZt4EdbidGA Although, the goal of this video was to persuade people to vote, the band didn’t hesitate to add their personal opinion. I found the band to be extremely convincing and authentic in their video because they were simply standing around discussing the significance of voting as well as why they were Obama “fans.” There weren’t any special effects; it was just a straightforward video stating how they felt about the 2008 election. They also added humor which emphasized the authenticity of the video. Another video that had the intention to encourage youth to vote, was extremely fascinating. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o4kg514DcTA The video states the importance of why the millennial generation, should vote. It was clearly done by a professional, yet gave me the ability to question exactly why and how important it is for the later generations to become involved in the political campaign. The videos are good representations, explaining the significance of why Americans should have a say in who runs our country.

Blog # 2 Personal Decision Making

"The Wisdom of Crowds"- Advice Columnist vs The Crowd


When faced with a major decision, I usually confide in family members or close friends. However, it definitely depends on the situation. I usually ask a few people that could possibly relate to my scenario. Asking for advice from a few people tends to give me various outlooks on the situation and a better idea on how to solve the problem. I wouldn't trust the advice from an advice columnist. I think it is important for someone to know an individual personally, in order to come to an accurate consensus. However, I would trust the advice from the crowd more than an advice columnist. I don’t doubt the experience or intelligence of advice columnists; I just don’t see how one person can be educated on all different aspects of life. It has been said that experts often think they know often more than they actually know. Expertise and accuracy are not necessarily related, so it would be unreasonable for me to base an important decision on a stranger who has the potential to lack truth. Regarding relationships, it is impossible for the website, sidetaker.com, to become aware of the complete story of a scenario and therefore lacks accuracy. People have different experiences and intelligence levels. With that said, a solution to a problem is best done by taking advice from a large, diverse, crowd.

Blog #1 The Truth and Knowledge of Crowds

“The Wisdom of Crowds”- Crowdsourcing

Successful crowdsourcing focuses on a diverse group of people from all different ages, races, genders, and interests. Crowdsourcing should also target people that have different intelligence levels. If the site’s technology or wording is too advanced, than people will be less willing to use that particular site. I don’t use sites with crowdsourcing often. After researching the chosen sites, I think zazzle.com did the best job in effective crowdsourcing. The site permits you to buy, create and sell different articles of clothing and other accessories that target different interests. It can range anywhere from politics to animated cartoons. The website also focuses on different genders and ages. Zazzle.com permits you to get ideas from other people to then create something of your own. The site lists what their consumers see as the “best” or “well-known” items. This is a very effective tool for crowdsourcing. After researching this site, I wouldn’t hesitate to use a site with crowdsourcing because it is clearly extremely easy to use and targets a large amount of diverse people.