When given the task of spending a whole 24-hour period without any media, I initially thought it seemed almost impossible. Being that I was out of town for the Thanksgiving Holiday I was worried about remaining in contact with my boyfriend and my friends. I informed everyone of my assignment to hopefully eliminate any distractions my phone would create. Next I had to be concerned with my family’s media usage. I could not expect to spend the whole day without interacting with media, if my family did not attempt to do the same.
My media-free day began at 12 am on Friday. I just got off the phone with my boyfriend and picked up a book that I am currently reading for my Gender and Women Studies Class called The Bug. I read until about 2 am before finally falling asleep. The next morning my mom woke me up at 9:30 to go to South Moon Under and shop for my older brother Craig’s birthday that we would be celebrating later in the day. Once in the car I quickly had to turn the radio off so as not to fail my assignment so early on. We spent about an hour shopping before heading back home. At this point it was time to take a family holiday picture for our annual Christmas card. So being that we were at the beach we spent the next hour walking around outside looking for places to take the picture. After we got back to the house and had lunch it was around 1:30 and I was getting a little bored. But, mom and I quickly remembered that we had a puzzle in the closet and decided to work on that for awhile. Surprisingly awhile turned into 7:00 pm. We had all spent most of the day working on this puzzle. Finally we had dinner and then celebrated Craig’s birthday with presents and cake.
It was around 8:30 when I came upstairs and my father had the TV on and was watching an old country western. At this point seeing as how my assignment had failed with only 3 ½ hours left to go, I gave in and checked my cell phone. After which I spent the rest of the night until 1:30 am working on the puzzle. The experiment turned out to be easier then I had originally expected. However, I have mixed feelings about the assignment. Yes I spent 20 hours without interacting with the media, but in doing so I also was unable to take advantage of the day and complete the massive amount of assignments I have left to complete this semester. So while I enjoyed the day and learned that I am more than capable of spending a day without media, I am also more aware of the overwhelming need for these technologies.
Universities have entire websites where professors conduct assignments and communicate with their students. Completing a group assignment is completely impossible without the use of a cell phone or the Internet when all members of your group are across great distances. Those are just a couple of examples of the necessary uses of media for a college student. Walker states, “And while they have enjoyed some parts of their journey to a bygone era during the e-media fast, they couldn’t wait to press the power button and get back to the present.” She feels as though her students simply do not care to consider the way that society was before these new forms of media were invented. However, I believe it is much more complicated than simple ignorance.
Most college students today are among the Millennial generation, and were therefore born and raised during an era where technology was present and increasing daily. I myself am a part of this generation having been born in 1985, and believe that as technology was evolving so was society. Today a college student struggles greatly without access to a computer. Is this because they are a part of the Millennial generation, or as Walker refers to them, “digital natives?” While this may account for some of the reasons why the Millennial generation enjoys, appreciates, defends, and is often addicted to their media interactions, it does not take into account society’s reliance and even requirement for use of such technology. Do I believe that society’s obsession with media is necessarily better than a world without media? Not entirely, I believe that an equal balance of each is essential. However, at the same time this is extremely difficult to achieve especially for a college student.
Overall I enjoyed the assignment to an extent. Testing my ability to function on a daily basis without interaction with media was something I appreciated. Coming from a family where everyone usually sits around with their laptop and occasionally discussing something interesting they read or saw made it hard to grasp the concept of life before these technological advances were made possible. At the same time I did not complete as much work this weekend as I would have liked to, due to lacking access to the computer and the internet. I am more aware then I ever was at the role that such mediums play in my life, and have learned a great deal about myself through completing this experiment!!
Monday, December 1, 2008
Monday, November 10, 2008
Struggle Between Words and Pictures!!
We live in a culture in which entertainment is essential. It is what breaks through the monotonous routine of our day to day lives. In the article “Two Cultures—Television versus Print,” we’re able to read through the dialogue between to critics with polar opposite views on Television. Neil Postman and Camille Paglia are both from two different cultures and thus have extremely different values. After thoroughly reading the dialogue I believe Camille Paglia’s arguments are much stronger and clearly backed up. Television not only provides an escape for people in today’s society, but presents them with new ways to think about and interpret different issues.
Neil Postman is a professor of communication arts at New York University (Crowley, 283). He grew up in an era that before the introduction of television. Postman argues,
“that reading is an ordered process requiring us to sit at a table, consume ideas from left to right, and make judgments of truth and falsehood. By its nature, reading teaches us to reason. Television, with its random, unconnected images, works against this linear tradition and breaks the habits of logic and thinking.” (Crowley, 283)
He is a strong believer that television takes away from of skills of critical thinking as well as trivializes ideas such as religion. Camille Paglia on the other hand argues, “That instead of criticizing television, most academics and other cultural critics simply turn up their noses dismissively at its enormous power—a kind of intellectual denial” (Crowley, 283). She, unlike Postman, was born post World War II and is a professor of humanities at the Philadelphia College of the Arts.
As I said before I found Camille Paglia made a much stronger case for her arguments. At one point Postman says, “The Nazi regime was only the most recent example of seducing through word and images, one of the most literate populations on earth.” Postman is worried about “the seductions of imagery,” but as we read early this semester, “That Hitler came into political existence at all is directly owing to radio and public-address systems” (McLuhan, 236). McLuhan also says that, “Had TV occurred on a large scale during Hitler’s reign he would have vanished quickly.” This makes complete sense because television provides us with immediate access to information that was previously unavailable. Therefore, the world and the citizens of Germany would have been able to see Hitler and realize the extreme idiocy of his ideals.
Prior to television the primary sources of information were radio or the newspaper. These mediums informed citizens but were not immediate and up to date. You had to wait until the morning to get your newspaper about yesterday’s news, or listen to pre-determined radio programs. Television now made up to the minute information accessible. It also made it possible for people to see, rather than hear or read the news. Television is an extension of visual learning. It is estimated that approximately 65% of the population is visual learners. It is not hard to figure out why people respond so well to television as a medium.
“In this case, I think the only defense against the seductions of imagery is a literate education” (Crowley, 293). Postman believes, “that education should supply what the rest of the culture is not supplying.” However, if we were only educated on things that were not supplied by society what would we learn? If teachers did not utilize the new technologies available to them, they would lose the interest of the students. This is not because students are unable to focus, but rather because in today’s society new mediums of technology have become essential in the way that they learn. Paglia notes, “Watching TV has nothing to do with thought or analysis. It’s a passive but highly efficient process of storing information to be used later” (Crowley, 289). To exclude television and commercial advertising from a communications class would be like excluding the bible from all literature classes.
“Our culture paid a price for literacy, and it will pay a price for its transformation into a visual culture” (Crowley, 291). Postman has clearly taken a technological deterministic attitude toward television. While I do not claim that television does not alter media in our society, I do believe that new mediums only succeed if there is a particular demand for them in a society. “TV is not something you watch; it is simply on, all the time” (Crowley, 289). I believe that Paglia makes an important point. People turn on the TV for a number of different reasons. We can all learn new things from watching television, or get the latest news. But, most people simply turn the TV on to avoid silence or for an escape from their daily routine.
Maybe Camille Paglia’s ideas resonated with me because I too was born into a television society, but either way I found that she made the better argument of the two. She had examples and explanations to back up her arguments. I think people living in today’s society rely heavily on television. They use it as a learning tool, a source of information and news, and even to relax and escape the monotonous routine of their day to day lives. Like Paglia I am inclined to believe that “remembrance of facts has nothing to do with television’s significance or effects.” It portrays reality and connects people from all around the world. Television gives life and new meaning to the words you see in a book. It is because of this that I believe television to be an essential part of the media in today’s society.
Neil Postman is a professor of communication arts at New York University (Crowley, 283). He grew up in an era that before the introduction of television. Postman argues,
“that reading is an ordered process requiring us to sit at a table, consume ideas from left to right, and make judgments of truth and falsehood. By its nature, reading teaches us to reason. Television, with its random, unconnected images, works against this linear tradition and breaks the habits of logic and thinking.” (Crowley, 283)
He is a strong believer that television takes away from of skills of critical thinking as well as trivializes ideas such as religion. Camille Paglia on the other hand argues, “That instead of criticizing television, most academics and other cultural critics simply turn up their noses dismissively at its enormous power—a kind of intellectual denial” (Crowley, 283). She, unlike Postman, was born post World War II and is a professor of humanities at the Philadelphia College of the Arts.
As I said before I found Camille Paglia made a much stronger case for her arguments. At one point Postman says, “The Nazi regime was only the most recent example of seducing through word and images, one of the most literate populations on earth.” Postman is worried about “the seductions of imagery,” but as we read early this semester, “That Hitler came into political existence at all is directly owing to radio and public-address systems” (McLuhan, 236). McLuhan also says that, “Had TV occurred on a large scale during Hitler’s reign he would have vanished quickly.” This makes complete sense because television provides us with immediate access to information that was previously unavailable. Therefore, the world and the citizens of Germany would have been able to see Hitler and realize the extreme idiocy of his ideals.
Prior to television the primary sources of information were radio or the newspaper. These mediums informed citizens but were not immediate and up to date. You had to wait until the morning to get your newspaper about yesterday’s news, or listen to pre-determined radio programs. Television now made up to the minute information accessible. It also made it possible for people to see, rather than hear or read the news. Television is an extension of visual learning. It is estimated that approximately 65% of the population is visual learners. It is not hard to figure out why people respond so well to television as a medium.
“In this case, I think the only defense against the seductions of imagery is a literate education” (Crowley, 293). Postman believes, “that education should supply what the rest of the culture is not supplying.” However, if we were only educated on things that were not supplied by society what would we learn? If teachers did not utilize the new technologies available to them, they would lose the interest of the students. This is not because students are unable to focus, but rather because in today’s society new mediums of technology have become essential in the way that they learn. Paglia notes, “Watching TV has nothing to do with thought or analysis. It’s a passive but highly efficient process of storing information to be used later” (Crowley, 289). To exclude television and commercial advertising from a communications class would be like excluding the bible from all literature classes.
“Our culture paid a price for literacy, and it will pay a price for its transformation into a visual culture” (Crowley, 291). Postman has clearly taken a technological deterministic attitude toward television. While I do not claim that television does not alter media in our society, I do believe that new mediums only succeed if there is a particular demand for them in a society. “TV is not something you watch; it is simply on, all the time” (Crowley, 289). I believe that Paglia makes an important point. People turn on the TV for a number of different reasons. We can all learn new things from watching television, or get the latest news. But, most people simply turn the TV on to avoid silence or for an escape from their daily routine.
Maybe Camille Paglia’s ideas resonated with me because I too was born into a television society, but either way I found that she made the better argument of the two. She had examples and explanations to back up her arguments. I think people living in today’s society rely heavily on television. They use it as a learning tool, a source of information and news, and even to relax and escape the monotonous routine of their day to day lives. Like Paglia I am inclined to believe that “remembrance of facts has nothing to do with television’s significance or effects.” It portrays reality and connects people from all around the world. Television gives life and new meaning to the words you see in a book. It is because of this that I believe television to be an essential part of the media in today’s society.
Thursday, November 6, 2008
Sexism in Media coverage of 2008 Presidential Election
Throughout most of the 2008 Presidential election many important issues in our country became the forefront of discussion. One of these that personally resonated with me was the amount of sexism in the Media. Senator Hilary Clinton and Governor Sarah Palin were victims of sexism throughout both of their campaigns. Unfortunately the excessive examples demonstrating this were far too plentiful. Therefore, I decided that I would focus specifically on a YouTube video of Donnie Deutsch's interview with CNBC.
"DEUTSCH: There is the new creation that the feminist woman has not figured out in 40 years of the feminist ideal that men can take in a woman in power and women can celebrate a woman in power. Hillary Clinton didn’t figure it out. She didn’t put a skirt on! […]She [Palin] talked about energy. Didn’t matter! Today everybody’s running in circles — we want to have her over for dinner. I trust her. I want her watching my kids. I want her laying next to me in bed. That’s the way people vote" (Frick, 1).
This is just a portion of the remarks made by Deutsch in regards to Sarah Palin. While it seems that many people spoke openly and often about the Republican vice Presidential candidate, it is disheartening that the media would use sexist tactics. His comments not only condone a sexist way of thinking, but they actually promote it. Erica Falk states in her book Women For President, "Women, she argues, are always told they must strive for ideal beauty while men are to judge women on the basis of it; Wolf says the beauty myth defines a woman's cultural value in terms of her beauty" (84).
As a woman I am proud of the mere possibility that a woman could potentially be elected Vice President, let alone President, of the United States of America. Women have worked too hard to find an equal place in society. And while we have come a long way it is obvious that we are still fighting every day. Since when does the attractiveness of a man, the outfit he put on, or his parenting ability get as much press as that of a female candidate? Comments like those that Donnie Deutsch made simply continue the long line of sexism in our nation. A popular pop culture and celebrity blogger named Perez Hilton frequently referred to Sarah Palin as "Sexy Sarah." His multiple references to her appearance, clothing, and even her legs are extremely disheartening. This is a man who works so hard as a member of the gay community to achieve equality, yet stereotypically depicts women.
A well known female comedienne Sandra Bernhard said Sarah Palin would be "gang-raped by my big black brothers" if she enters Manhattan. Listening to a woman make comments that are not only sexist but that promote violence against another women is disgusting. We as women cannot truly believe that women are too emotional, or too essential in the raising of a child to be President of the United States. Host Erin Burnett even suggests to Deutsch at one point in the interview that he could, “use a four letter acronym beginning with M and ending with F.” Having these feelings simply reinforces gender identities that society and the media have forced upon all of us from the day we were born.
I understand a disagreement with fundamental beliefs of a candidate, but that is not what the media did. Instead they attacked her parenting skills, her body type, her attire, and even her degree of sexual appeal. The media needs to step up and take responsibility for the way it depicts women. And more importantly we as women cannot give up on the fight for equal treatment in every aspect of our lives.
Falk, Erica. Women For President: Media Bias in Eight Campaigns. University of Illinois Press, 17 Dec. 2007.
Frick, Ali. “CNBC host praises Palin for ‘putting a skirt on: ‘I want her laying next to me in bed.’” ThinkProgress.com. 5 Sept. 2008. Web. 6 Nov. 2008.
Monday, October 13, 2008
Blog #3
The development of mass media can be attributed to the new mediums of communication. With the advancement of new technologies such as the printing press and telegraph, people were now able to send and receive information across longer distances with greater ease. Therefore information was beginning to be delivered in a more unified way. Newspapers and magazines were created. All of these new mediums are how the idea of mass media came about. However, with new technologies comes some sort of change. In the case of the creation of mass media we witnessed a significant shift toward a consumer society.
Mass Media was important to the introduction of advertising. Advertising came about due to a societal demand for consumer goods. This demand was due in part to the ability of information to reach individuals at a more rapid pace. Therefore people were now completely aware of how others in the world were living. People went from interacting with only a few people each day, to interacting with people outside of their town. Technology was constantly changing, and society was taking an interest. Rosalynn Williams’s discussion of the expositions of the late 19th century is just one example of society’s interest in new technology. At the exposition of 1900 while the idea of technology inspired the exposition, once there people were more interested in the social aspect than the technology. “At the 1900 exposition the sensual pleasure of consumption clearly triumphed over the abstract intellectual enjoyment of contemplating the progress of knowledge” (Williams, 169).
Technology had created a mass media, which in turn gave the public an interest in technology. However, the public was eventually more interested in the advancement of their own wealth and possessions. This shift is clearly seen at the exposition of 1900. People were interested in other people and consumption. This interest began to spark the demand for consumerism in society. The Bon Marche was the first department store and it opened its doors in Paris is 1852 (Williams, 172). “Department stores were organized to inflame these material desires and feelings” (Williams, 172). People were free to browse and were not required to buy (Williams, 172). When the public became more socialized and accustomed to what was going on in the world they began to dream of “things”.
“After 1900, advertisers became more concerned with reaching milling mobs on the run” (Lears, 197). Advertising became an essential part of a consumer society. Without advertising new products and technologies might have never succeeded. Mass Media made this introduction of things to the public possible. The newspapers and magazines could run ads that would reach the public quickly. “The manufacturer correctly sensed that advertising was not about the things themselves, but about the representation of wishes for things” (Lears, 199). The public wished for new things and advertising presented these wishes as not only attainable but necessary. Market research was now increasing important in an advertisers understanding of how and who to market their products to (Lears, 198). But without the introduction of mass media, consumerism and advertising wouldn’t be what they are today.
Looking at advertisements today we are aware of similar presentations of goods. For instance the advertisement above depicts a man sitting on a couch while painting the wall. His body is in an extremely relaxed position and yet he is still painting. Further examining the ad we are aware of a small red van in the bottom left corner. The tagline says “Relax While Working.” I am aware that the advertisement is attempting to sell a Volkswagen Van simply because of my familiarity with the Volkswagen symbol. The ad is selling a van that is hardly the focus of the picture. The red paint and the red on the car are the only immediate connections between the two. If you took away the van and the Volkswagen symbol I am confident that most people would believe the ad was for paint.
However upon carefully examining the advertisement I began to make more connections between what is being shown, and what the ad is hoping to portray. This ad is promising that you will be able to relax while you work if you drive a Volkswagen. The ad is fairly affective as far as communicating the idea of relaxing while working. However, there is no connection made as to how owning this Volkswagen van will help you accomplish what the tagline claims. “Given “an age of faith,” and a lot of money to be made from acquiescent belief, the temptation to lie was overwhelming” (Lears, 201). Lears is suggesting that advertisers were tempted to lie in order to sell a product. While the advertisement that I chose is not an outright lie, there is definitely no connection between the product and the promise.
The advertisers and manufacturers at Volkswagen are hoping to portray the van (which appears to be a work van of sorts) as a comfortable and reliable. They promise that while on the job you will feel relaxed if you drive this van. The advertisers take the focus off of the van and onto the idea that they are trying to sell rather than the product. The advertisers are also playing off of the myth that all of society is lazy. This can also be seen as the American dream for success where relaxation is the entire work one would have to do. Barnes says, “The relation which unites the concept of the myth to its meaning is essentially a relation of deformation.” They have taken the idea of the ad and distorted the truth. “…since myth has in fact a double function: it points out and it notifies, it makes us understand something and it imposes it on us” (Barnes, 1). The myth of this advertisement is that you could actually relax while working. After careful examination of the advertisement I find it slightly more affected then my original observation. However, I still believe that most of the target audience would not be enticed to purchase the van.
Mass Media was essential in the formation of a consumer society. It provided the means for societal interest in consumerism, as well as the means of transporting advertisements to the public. Thus, creating and advertising industry that moulds and shapes the images that we see on a day to day basis. Without Mass Media consumerism in our society would not exist in the form we know it today.
Barnes, Roland. “Myth Today.” Mythologies. 1957. Web. 11 Oct. 2008. http://carbon.cudenver.edu/~mryder/itc_data/barthes/myth_today.html
Lears, Jackson. “Advertising and the Idea of Mass Society.” Communication In History. Fifth edition. Ed David Crowley and Paul Heyer. Pearson Education, Inc, 2007.
Williams, Rosalynd. “Dream World of Consumption.” Communication In History. Fifth edition. Ed David Crowley and Paul Heyer. Pearson Education, Inc, 2007.
Wednesday, October 1, 2008
Political Blog #2~
Mark Halperin wrote an article called “Grading the First Presidential Debate” for Time.com. The article was written immediately following Friday’s debate between Presidential candidates Barack Obama and John McCain. Halperin discusses each individual candidate’s performance and gives both of them a grade. Being that Mark Halperin is “slightly right of center,” I commend his ability to accurately relate the events while remaining neutral.
Halperin discusses John McCain’s inability to show how much he knows about the world (Halperin, p.1). His arguments were all over the place and filled with too many anecdotes. It was painfully obvious that he was nervous and quite possibly unprepared. Halperin says “McCain wavered between respectful and domineering, and ended up awkward and edgy.” Listening to the same sentences repeated over never won anybody a debate. Overall Halperin gives McCain a B- which might even be a little too generous.
In his discussion of Barack Obama he compliments his polished, confident, and fully prepared attitude (Halperin, 2). However he also mentions his failure to get down to the specifics on policy positions. His multiple references to McCain being another Bush were his primary line of attack (Haperin, 2). Although Halperin makes a point to note Obama’s over-prepared often planned responses were a bit obvious. Overall Halperin gives Obama an A- saying, “Standing comfortable on the star with his rival, he showed he belonged."
Personally I was not overly impressed by either candidate. Right from the beginning we were aware of their refusal to debate one another. Both candidates failed to address the current economic crisis in our country today. Their answered were generic and maybe even too rehearsed. When asked about the implications of the bailout plan, and how they planned to compensate for the $700 billion cost, neither candidate had a solution. These issues are currently the most important we are facing as a nation. However, It appeared as though the candidates feared alienation of voters if they took any stance on the subject.
Obama spokeswoman Jen Psaki said, “We are closely monitoring the vote schedule, Senator Obama has always said that when the vote is close and his vote is needed he will be there” (Brown Parnes, 1). This man plans on being President of the United States of America and will only vote if the “vote is close?” I can’t think of a better time then NOW for his vote to be “needed.” McCain’s campaign manager Rick Davis said their candidate, “retains his rights to evaluate it as it goes along and make a final decision” (Brown Parnes, 1). These men are far too concerned with themselves and being elected to get involved. They fear showing their cards to the American people and taking a stance on the issue!
We are supposed to vote for the best candidate, and they won’t even tell us where they stand on the most important issue in our country today? Corey Flintoff said, “Both men agreed that Congress needs to take action, but neither committed to supporting specific parts of the plan.” Jim Lehrer the moderator for the debate was even forced to reward and ask the question twice. Neither candidate wants to take a stance on the economy which leaves me unimpressed. Yes, Barack Obama was eloquent, prepared and a great speaker. And John McCain was a fumbling mess. So what I say. I don’t care who looks nicer, or talks smoother. What I want to know is what these men stand for; and specifics on how it will be accomplished. I’m hoping I won’t be as disappointed in the next debates as I was in the first.
Brown, Carrie and Parnes, Amie. "McCain Obama may skip bailout vote." Politico.com. Capital News Company LLC. 28 Sept. 2008. Web. 30 Sept. 2008. http://www.politico.com/news/stories/0908/14047.html
Flintoff, Corey. "Obama, McCain Face Off Over Spending And War." NPR.org. NPR. 27 Sept. 2008. Web. 1 Oct. 2008. http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=95128815
Halperin, Mark. "Grading the First Presidential Debat." Time.com. Time Inc. 26 Sept. 2008. Web. 30 Sept. 2008. http://www.time.com/time/politics/article/0,8599,1845106,00.html
Halperin discusses John McCain’s inability to show how much he knows about the world (Halperin, p.1). His arguments were all over the place and filled with too many anecdotes. It was painfully obvious that he was nervous and quite possibly unprepared. Halperin says “McCain wavered between respectful and domineering, and ended up awkward and edgy.” Listening to the same sentences repeated over never won anybody a debate. Overall Halperin gives McCain a B- which might even be a little too generous.
In his discussion of Barack Obama he compliments his polished, confident, and fully prepared attitude (Halperin, 2). However he also mentions his failure to get down to the specifics on policy positions. His multiple references to McCain being another Bush were his primary line of attack (Haperin, 2). Although Halperin makes a point to note Obama’s over-prepared often planned responses were a bit obvious. Overall Halperin gives Obama an A- saying, “Standing comfortable on the star with his rival, he showed he belonged."
Personally I was not overly impressed by either candidate. Right from the beginning we were aware of their refusal to debate one another. Both candidates failed to address the current economic crisis in our country today. Their answered were generic and maybe even too rehearsed. When asked about the implications of the bailout plan, and how they planned to compensate for the $700 billion cost, neither candidate had a solution. These issues are currently the most important we are facing as a nation. However, It appeared as though the candidates feared alienation of voters if they took any stance on the subject.
Obama spokeswoman Jen Psaki said, “We are closely monitoring the vote schedule, Senator Obama has always said that when the vote is close and his vote is needed he will be there” (Brown Parnes, 1). This man plans on being President of the United States of America and will only vote if the “vote is close?” I can’t think of a better time then NOW for his vote to be “needed.” McCain’s campaign manager Rick Davis said their candidate, “retains his rights to evaluate it as it goes along and make a final decision” (Brown Parnes, 1). These men are far too concerned with themselves and being elected to get involved. They fear showing their cards to the American people and taking a stance on the issue!
We are supposed to vote for the best candidate, and they won’t even tell us where they stand on the most important issue in our country today? Corey Flintoff said, “Both men agreed that Congress needs to take action, but neither committed to supporting specific parts of the plan.” Jim Lehrer the moderator for the debate was even forced to reward and ask the question twice. Neither candidate wants to take a stance on the economy which leaves me unimpressed. Yes, Barack Obama was eloquent, prepared and a great speaker. And John McCain was a fumbling mess. So what I say. I don’t care who looks nicer, or talks smoother. What I want to know is what these men stand for; and specifics on how it will be accomplished. I’m hoping I won’t be as disappointed in the next debates as I was in the first.
Brown, Carrie and Parnes, Amie. "McCain Obama may skip bailout vote." Politico.com. Capital News Company LLC. 28 Sept. 2008. Web. 30 Sept. 2008. http://www.politico.com/news/stories/0908/14047.html
Flintoff, Corey. "Obama, McCain Face Off Over Spending And War." NPR.org. NPR. 27 Sept. 2008. Web. 1 Oct. 2008. http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=95128815
Halperin, Mark. "Grading the First Presidential Debat." Time.com. Time Inc. 26 Sept. 2008. Web. 30 Sept. 2008. http://www.time.com/time/politics/article/0,8599,1845106,00.html
Sunday, September 21, 2008
Where do we go from here?
Throughout history the invention of new technologies has helped to shape our society. These inventions included many new forms of communication. Going back through history to before the existence of media, we witness the inventions that made communication and the media we know it today possible. From tokens used for trading, to the invention of the alphabet, these primary developments in communication across societies helped shape our media today. The invention of papyrus (or paper) in about 2680-2540 B.C. paved the way for documentation of information. Having papyrus to write on helped societies pass information on throughout history.
Papyrus was a transition from previous stone writing, to a much lighter writing medium (Crowley, 23). Some might argue that the writing was now hastily written, unlike the careful precision previously used on stone monuments (Crowley, 24). This is can be viewed as the loss of an art form. “After 2000 B.C. the central administration employed an army of scribes, and literacy was valued as a stepping-stone to prosperity and social rank (Crowley, 24). Due to the power associated with the knowledge to read and write, there was a redistribution of power. Those who were not literate relied on others to interpret this new form of communication for them. The society became more hierarchical in nature, with those who were literate possessing a powerful knowledge. Therefore the pharaoh was able to gain power, as well as to spread power.
Not all effects of the invention of papyrus are negative. There were a lot of positive gains made to society through the invention of papyrus. Papyrus allowed for portability and ease of communication over distances. One could even argue that this was able to increase the size of society. The power the limited number of people who could read and write held made them essential to society. Another extremely important aspect of this invention was its ability to organize complex data in new ways. Papyrus elaborated on the already present system of accounting that came with the invention of tokens. In turn it strengthened a growing economic society. This helped to introduce a system of education focusing on grammar and mathematics (Crowley, 28).
Focusing on the negative aspects to change seems to be at the forefront of current discussions. Many people argue that literacy in America is disappearing (Gardner). According to Susan Jacoby, a journalist for the Washington Post, “Americans are in serious intellectual trouble – in danger of losing our hard-won cultural capital to a virulent mixture of anti-intellectualism, anti-rationalism and low expectations.” These arguments come from people who think that technology is basically making Americans lazy and stupid. However, optimists believe inventions such as the internet are bringing a new, participatory culture of words (Gardner). I agree with Gardner’s argument that, “Literacy—or an ensemble of literacies—will continue to thrive, but in forms and formats we can’t yet envision.
Before the invention of papyrus, would that society have been able to envision the new forms of writing and communication that it would bring? Most likely no. This is probably similar to the inability of society to envision the invention of a typewriter, and later the computer. People could not have even imagined possessing the ease of communication these forms of technology would bring. Humans are always striving to create new outlets of communication that will make public access to them possible. With each new form we see a change in our society, and as with any change people will argue whether the effects are positive or negative.
Knowing the potential arguments for the effect papyrus had on society, we must realize the positives outweigh the negatives. The development of a form of communication that increased the prosperity of those living in this society was essential to its growth. Also the working class citizens were able to sell and trade their goods in order to survive. This can be attributed in part to the invention of papyrus and its impact on creating an economy. Also the establishment of an educational system is an overwhelmingly positive affect. The need of the society required an educational system, which is partially responsible for the educational systems of today.
Papyrus helped shape and create a way of keeping and spreading information. I find it hard to believe that the creation of such new technologies creates unintelligent human beings. If anything it requires us to be further educated, as was the case with the invention of papyrus. I read books often for pleasure however, I learn more from the internet and news outlets then I do in a single book. Jacoby states, “But the inability to concentrate for long periods of time – as distinct from brief reading hits for information on the web – seems to me intimately related to the inability of the public to remember even recent news events” (Jacoby, 1). Sure web blogs and stories are not as long as a 250 page book. But, after reading a short blurb people have a concise overview of a story. They can then decide whether it is of interest to them, and if they want to research it further. Despite all of the current technological advances literacy has been able to survive thus far. People like Jacoby believe technological advances and the media are responsible for keeping United States citizens ignorant. But, memory and knowledge can never be universal. Everyone has a different interest and will therefore remember some things better than others.
The issue of new forms of media and their affect of society is not black or white. While some people blame technology for the loss of so called “art forms,” it is important to remember these technologies would not succeed without societies demand for them. Each successful technology shapes and alters our society. In return we receive new forms of media at our fingertips.
“But whatever our digital future brings, we need to overcome the perils of dualistic thinking, the notion that what lies ahead is either a utopia or a dystopia. If we’re going to make sense of what’s happening with literacy in our culture, we need to be able to triangulate: to bear in mind our needs and desires, the media as they once were and currently are, and the media as they’re continually transforming” (Gardner).
Works Cited:
Crowley, David. Heyer, Paul. Communication in history-Technology, Culture, Society. Pearson Education, Inc. 2007
Gardner, Howard. “The End of Literacy? Don’t Stop Reading.” WashintongPost.com. The Washington Post Company. 17 Feb. 2008. Web. 21 Sept. 2008. http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/02/15/AR2008021502898.html
Jacoby, Susan. “The Dumbing of America.” WashingtonPost.com. The Washington Post Company. 17 Feb. 2008. Web. 20 Sept. 2008. http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/02/15/AR2008021502901.html
Papyrus was a transition from previous stone writing, to a much lighter writing medium (Crowley, 23). Some might argue that the writing was now hastily written, unlike the careful precision previously used on stone monuments (Crowley, 24). This is can be viewed as the loss of an art form. “After 2000 B.C. the central administration employed an army of scribes, and literacy was valued as a stepping-stone to prosperity and social rank (Crowley, 24). Due to the power associated with the knowledge to read and write, there was a redistribution of power. Those who were not literate relied on others to interpret this new form of communication for them. The society became more hierarchical in nature, with those who were literate possessing a powerful knowledge. Therefore the pharaoh was able to gain power, as well as to spread power.
Not all effects of the invention of papyrus are negative. There were a lot of positive gains made to society through the invention of papyrus. Papyrus allowed for portability and ease of communication over distances. One could even argue that this was able to increase the size of society. The power the limited number of people who could read and write held made them essential to society. Another extremely important aspect of this invention was its ability to organize complex data in new ways. Papyrus elaborated on the already present system of accounting that came with the invention of tokens. In turn it strengthened a growing economic society. This helped to introduce a system of education focusing on grammar and mathematics (Crowley, 28).
Focusing on the negative aspects to change seems to be at the forefront of current discussions. Many people argue that literacy in America is disappearing (Gardner). According to Susan Jacoby, a journalist for the Washington Post, “Americans are in serious intellectual trouble – in danger of losing our hard-won cultural capital to a virulent mixture of anti-intellectualism, anti-rationalism and low expectations.” These arguments come from people who think that technology is basically making Americans lazy and stupid. However, optimists believe inventions such as the internet are bringing a new, participatory culture of words (Gardner). I agree with Gardner’s argument that, “Literacy—or an ensemble of literacies—will continue to thrive, but in forms and formats we can’t yet envision.
Before the invention of papyrus, would that society have been able to envision the new forms of writing and communication that it would bring? Most likely no. This is probably similar to the inability of society to envision the invention of a typewriter, and later the computer. People could not have even imagined possessing the ease of communication these forms of technology would bring. Humans are always striving to create new outlets of communication that will make public access to them possible. With each new form we see a change in our society, and as with any change people will argue whether the effects are positive or negative.
Knowing the potential arguments for the effect papyrus had on society, we must realize the positives outweigh the negatives. The development of a form of communication that increased the prosperity of those living in this society was essential to its growth. Also the working class citizens were able to sell and trade their goods in order to survive. This can be attributed in part to the invention of papyrus and its impact on creating an economy. Also the establishment of an educational system is an overwhelmingly positive affect. The need of the society required an educational system, which is partially responsible for the educational systems of today.
Papyrus helped shape and create a way of keeping and spreading information. I find it hard to believe that the creation of such new technologies creates unintelligent human beings. If anything it requires us to be further educated, as was the case with the invention of papyrus. I read books often for pleasure however, I learn more from the internet and news outlets then I do in a single book. Jacoby states, “But the inability to concentrate for long periods of time – as distinct from brief reading hits for information on the web – seems to me intimately related to the inability of the public to remember even recent news events” (Jacoby, 1). Sure web blogs and stories are not as long as a 250 page book. But, after reading a short blurb people have a concise overview of a story. They can then decide whether it is of interest to them, and if they want to research it further. Despite all of the current technological advances literacy has been able to survive thus far. People like Jacoby believe technological advances and the media are responsible for keeping United States citizens ignorant. But, memory and knowledge can never be universal. Everyone has a different interest and will therefore remember some things better than others.
The issue of new forms of media and their affect of society is not black or white. While some people blame technology for the loss of so called “art forms,” it is important to remember these technologies would not succeed without societies demand for them. Each successful technology shapes and alters our society. In return we receive new forms of media at our fingertips.
“But whatever our digital future brings, we need to overcome the perils of dualistic thinking, the notion that what lies ahead is either a utopia or a dystopia. If we’re going to make sense of what’s happening with literacy in our culture, we need to be able to triangulate: to bear in mind our needs and desires, the media as they once were and currently are, and the media as they’re continually transforming” (Gardner).
Works Cited:
Crowley, David. Heyer, Paul. Communication in history-Technology, Culture, Society. Pearson Education, Inc. 2007
Gardner, Howard. “The End of Literacy? Don’t Stop Reading.” WashintongPost.com. The Washington Post Company. 17 Feb. 2008. Web. 21 Sept. 2008. http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/02/15/AR2008021502898.html
Jacoby, Susan. “The Dumbing of America.” WashingtonPost.com. The Washington Post Company. 17 Feb. 2008. Web. 20 Sept. 2008. http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/02/15/AR2008021502901.html
Sunday, September 14, 2008
The Media and Its Role in the Election
In his post, "Cindy McCain's Struggle with Addiction," Mark Halperin links to a story about Cindy McCain on the Washingtonpost.com. “A Tangled Story of Addiction” is an article on washingtonpost.com discussing Cindy McCain’s past history of addiction to prescription medications. Throughout the election process the media attempts to illustrate candidates, and their families, in a negative light. Is this because that information is important in choosing the next leader of our country? No this is done hopefully to sway votes and increase viewership. The media may receive this information from sources within a candidate’s party, but ultimately they choose what appears in the news. We can argue that this comes solely from an advertisement standpoint, but everyone has a political agenda, especially The Media.
Our nation’s news has become extremely “gossip centric.” We cannot believe how many times Lindsay Lohan has been in rehab, or the fact that Tom Cruise practices Scientology. These are the types of stories our nation loves to read about. While this may be what some consider “newsworthy,” in an election these types of issues have no place. Over the course of this election the number of times I have read a story that focuses on a candidate’s character or values rather than the issues at hand is ridiculous. For example, Barack Obama did an interview with Fox News George Stephanopoulos regarding his religious beliefs, and his words were misconstrued to cause the public to question the truth (Obama My Muslim). Fox News being a typically right winged news outlet used their power to help negatively portray a candidate. Again after the nomination of Sarah Palin to the Republican candidacy, a list of books that she supposedly hoped to ban from libraries in her town began to circulate the internet (Malkin). This has since been proven false, but people who do not support her candidacy hoped to shed negative light on her character.
These examples are similar to the problem I found with the article “A Tangled Story of Addiction” on the WashingtonPost.com website. News outlets are focusing on topics that have no relation to the ability of these people to lead our country. However, like the story of Cindy McCain’s addiction to pain medication in 1989, the media chooses to waste time on stories like these. Cindy McCain’s addiction is not news. She speaks on the topic regularly and hopes to prevent others from similar experiences (Kindy, 1). Yet for some reason the Washingtonpost.com decided to write a five page story on this issue. In conversations that I have recently had about politics, people actually believe these things make or break a candidate. This is not because they are not educated, but because the media spends so much time on these insignificant issues that people begin to perceive them as significant.
This election isn’t about false accusations, and “name bashing.” We as citizens should be informed on the topics that will affect our country once we elect the next President of the United States of America.
Halperin, Mark. “Cindy McCain’s Struggle with Addiction.” The Page. Time, 12 Sept. 2008. Web. 13 Sept. 2008. http://thepage.time.com/2008/09/12/cindy-mccains-struggle-with-addiction/
Kindy, Kimberly. “A Tangled Story of Addiction.” WashingtonPost.com. The Washington Post company, 12 Sept. 2008. Web. 14 Sept. 2008. http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/09/11/AR2008091103928.html?sid=ST2008091103947&s_pos=
“Obama’s ‘My Muslim Faith’ Gaffe Fuels New Round of Rumor-Busting.” FoxNews.com. Fox News Network, 8 Sept. 2008. Web. 14 Sept. 2008. http://elections.foxnews.com/2008/09/08/obama-my-muslim-faith-gaffe-fuels-new-round-of-rumor-busting/
Malkin, Michelle. “The Bogus Sarah Palin Banned Book List.” Michelle Malkin. Michelle Malkin LLC, 6 Sept. 2008. Web. 14 Sept. 2008. http://michellemalkin.com/2008/09/06/the-bogus-sarah-palin-banned-books-list/
Our nation’s news has become extremely “gossip centric.” We cannot believe how many times Lindsay Lohan has been in rehab, or the fact that Tom Cruise practices Scientology. These are the types of stories our nation loves to read about. While this may be what some consider “newsworthy,” in an election these types of issues have no place. Over the course of this election the number of times I have read a story that focuses on a candidate’s character or values rather than the issues at hand is ridiculous. For example, Barack Obama did an interview with Fox News George Stephanopoulos regarding his religious beliefs, and his words were misconstrued to cause the public to question the truth (Obama My Muslim). Fox News being a typically right winged news outlet used their power to help negatively portray a candidate. Again after the nomination of Sarah Palin to the Republican candidacy, a list of books that she supposedly hoped to ban from libraries in her town began to circulate the internet (Malkin). This has since been proven false, but people who do not support her candidacy hoped to shed negative light on her character.
These examples are similar to the problem I found with the article “A Tangled Story of Addiction” on the WashingtonPost.com website. News outlets are focusing on topics that have no relation to the ability of these people to lead our country. However, like the story of Cindy McCain’s addiction to pain medication in 1989, the media chooses to waste time on stories like these. Cindy McCain’s addiction is not news. She speaks on the topic regularly and hopes to prevent others from similar experiences (Kindy, 1). Yet for some reason the Washingtonpost.com decided to write a five page story on this issue. In conversations that I have recently had about politics, people actually believe these things make or break a candidate. This is not because they are not educated, but because the media spends so much time on these insignificant issues that people begin to perceive them as significant.
This election isn’t about false accusations, and “name bashing.” We as citizens should be informed on the topics that will affect our country once we elect the next President of the United States of America.
Halperin, Mark. “Cindy McCain’s Struggle with Addiction.” The Page. Time, 12 Sept. 2008. Web. 13 Sept. 2008. http://thepage.time.com/2008/09/12/cindy-mccains-struggle-with-addiction/
Kindy, Kimberly. “A Tangled Story of Addiction.” WashingtonPost.com. The Washington Post company, 12 Sept. 2008. Web. 14 Sept. 2008. http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/09/11/AR2008091103928.html?sid=ST2008091103947&s_pos=
“Obama’s ‘My Muslim Faith’ Gaffe Fuels New Round of Rumor-Busting.” FoxNews.com. Fox News Network, 8 Sept. 2008. Web. 14 Sept. 2008. http://elections.foxnews.com/2008/09/08/obama-my-muslim-faith-gaffe-fuels-new-round-of-rumor-busting/
Malkin, Michelle. “The Bogus Sarah Palin Banned Book List.” Michelle Malkin. Michelle Malkin LLC, 6 Sept. 2008. Web. 14 Sept. 2008. http://michellemalkin.com/2008/09/06/the-bogus-sarah-palin-banned-books-list/
Sunday, September 7, 2008
Media and Me
Living in a world where information and knowledge are at the center of success, it can be very difficult not to interact with the media. However, my own personal interactions with the media can be better described as a choice. I choose daily to get on the internet and send e-mails; read my blogs; read the news; and even to check MySpace and facebook. I also read the newspaper, watch TV, and thoroughly enjoy the entertainment I receive from watching a good movie. I believe most people are aware of our constant interactions with different mediums. But, I often wonder if we are all as aware of what we are actually receiving from the media. For me, media is more than just a source of information for the masses. Media is entertainment, and it is an essential aspect of my intelligence. Whenever I hear something of interest, or want to learn something I do not already know I look to the media for knowledge. For some people, the media is simply entertainment, an escape from daily life. These people fail to notice all the information the media is responsible for portraying. Our ideals about race and gender can be seen in advertisements, and television programs. The media is often responsible for reinforcing what our nation believes to be the “status quo.” The relevance of the information we are receiving daily is so important, that as citizens we need to be intelligent. I do not mean intelligence like you would obtain from reading a textbook. I mean the kind of intelligence that comes with responsibility. With the presidential election directly around the corner it is more important than ever to pay attention to the media. Therefore I believe right now, we as citizens need to take responsibility for the information we receive from the media. I believe the media does the best it can to remain neutral on the subject, but if we as individuals do not attempt to learn both sides of this election we are not being intelligent citizens. As a Media and Communication Studies major, the media will hopefully one day be my career. I have many interests within the communications realm, however I am most interested in Public Relations. I believe the media is one of the most influential aspects of our society, and as such should be understood to the best of our ability.
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