TOXIC SLUDGE IS GOOD FOR YOU:
1. I was shocked that a woman from an environment organization would be advocating for the use of toxic sludge. It was also intersting that her title is "Director of Public Information." We could see her using selling techniques just in this short phone call, as she advocated for another title.
2. It is shocking to learn about organizations that are considered "good" throughout the U.S. Such as the EPA stalling the request for information, and collaborating with "leaders of industries they are supposed to regulate."
3. Sixty thousand toxic substances and chemicals in sludge!!! When I read this I could not believe that anyone could even think to spread this on farms. I believe that almost anyone would be willing to pay a few extra dollars for the sake of their health.
4. It is interesting how the PR industry manipulates ideas through names. For example chaging toxic slude to "biosolids," or the Federation of Sewage Workers changing its name to the Water Environment Federation.
5. I think it is very sad that there is such environmental inequality. The poorest of the poor are always subjected to the worst environmental conditions because they cannot fight off large corporations and organizations. It is shocking and sad how the environment and animals in a wealthy area are protected while the humans of a low-income area are exposed to toxic chemicals.
Questions:
1. What type of person thinks to spread hazardous material where we grow food?!
2. Where, and how often is selective science used?
3. What should we do with the sludge?
Wednesday, May 5, 2010
#14
Over the course of this semester I have learned an incredible amount about media and how it relates to the functioning of our society. This class has changed the way i view our culture, everything I see on TV, and how I view myself as a member of this society. Although it has made me far more critical of almost everything I see on a daily basis I do not believe this is a bad thing.
I feel that I have become far more critical of everything I see and hear through mainstream media. For example when I see the news I wonder, who paid for that? What are they trying to sell me? What is the full story? and What stories were completely left out?
When I view images in magazines I now take a closer look at the information those images convey. For example, they show me "ideals" in our society, they encourage never-ending consumption, and tell us we are not good enough unleass we consume and meet those ideals.
I have also become more aware of what I am buying. When I purchase a product I consider why I chose that particular one. It is amazing to realize the power advertisements and image have over us. Even with the smallest purchases, for example why do I buy a specific brand of yogurt, is it the color on the outside of this? The feel good images from the TV commercial?
When I buy clothing now I wonder what image this item will give. In a culture that is so image conscious it seems that people are making grand assumptions about my personality simply by the flats I grabbed this morning. Although I believe this is the wrong way to approach people/relationships/life we cannot deny that it happens at every moment of every day.
I have become more aware of the terrible things so many corporations are doing. Yes, I can refrain from buying their products but in that sense I truly am only one person. In order to change we must do more than that, I am only one person but if we work together we can all make a huge differece.
1. Where do we begin?
2. How can we change the laws surrounding corporate practices?
3. How can I change my peers?
I feel that I have become far more critical of everything I see and hear through mainstream media. For example when I see the news I wonder, who paid for that? What are they trying to sell me? What is the full story? and What stories were completely left out?
When I view images in magazines I now take a closer look at the information those images convey. For example, they show me "ideals" in our society, they encourage never-ending consumption, and tell us we are not good enough unleass we consume and meet those ideals.
I have also become more aware of what I am buying. When I purchase a product I consider why I chose that particular one. It is amazing to realize the power advertisements and image have over us. Even with the smallest purchases, for example why do I buy a specific brand of yogurt, is it the color on the outside of this? The feel good images from the TV commercial?
When I buy clothing now I wonder what image this item will give. In a culture that is so image conscious it seems that people are making grand assumptions about my personality simply by the flats I grabbed this morning. Although I believe this is the wrong way to approach people/relationships/life we cannot deny that it happens at every moment of every day.
I have become more aware of the terrible things so many corporations are doing. Yes, I can refrain from buying their products but in that sense I truly am only one person. In order to change we must do more than that, I am only one person but if we work together we can all make a huge differece.
1. Where do we begin?
2. How can we change the laws surrounding corporate practices?
3. How can I change my peers?
Monday, April 26, 2010
#13
Our PSA is finally finished! We chose to do a PSA on legalizing marijuana. We began by each doing some research to get an idea of the direction we wanted to go in. We then decided to film a smoking scene with our information running across the page. Nate and Zach filmed the scene and today we put together the full PSA. Meg, Zach and I worked for a while deciding which part of the footage to use, which facts to put in, and finally chose a song to play in the background.
I believe our PSA gets the point across in a clear and efficient manner. The information is all relevant and easy to understand. I also believe both the music and the background scene are very good and will keep the audience entertained without distracting from the information. I think PSA’s should be used and made far more often. I think this form of communication about issues could be incredibly effective.
I believe our PSA gets the point across in a clear and efficient manner. The information is all relevant and easy to understand. I also believe both the music and the background scene are very good and will keep the audience entertained without distracting from the information. I think PSA’s should be used and made far more often. I think this form of communication about issues could be incredibly effective.
Monday, April 19, 2010
#12
PART ONE: AD ANALYSIS
I chose to focus on an advertisement for Pepsi-Cola. When I was deciding on my ad I saw a few that were far more offensive to me and I decided to focus on this ad because I ACTUALLY LIKED IT! I was shocked how much I liked this ad, and even as someone who is aware of green washing and the tricks of the media I found myself liking Pepsi more simply because of the ad.
The commercial begins by showing us Bob Dylan and Will.I.Am in similar attire in side-to-side frames. So from the very beginning we see the technique of testimonial, from not only one, but incredibly popular artists. We then see the Pepsi Refresh symbol (which looks like a recycling symbol) flash before we head into a commercial full of common advertising techniques.
The commercial is full of positive images reminding us of simple and amazing times. We see nostalgia with the images from thirty years ago, followed by images of today. In many ways all the images are very American, or what we would like to think of as American, both the heroic soldiers and the revolutionizing protestors.
Along with all these images of celebrities and those far from normal we also see many who resemble the “plain folk.” So many cultures are represented in this commercial it would be hard for most to not identify with some aspect. The commercial ends with a voice saying, “Every generation refreshes the world.” I think this final line is incredibly important to look at.
While it appears that many people of my generation do not care about social or environmental issues it is clear that on some level we do. Even for those who are not making an effort to fight for change a commercial like this gives any viewer a warm fuzzy feeling about the “change” their generation is making.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rEJFu3QcKW8&feature=related
PART TWO: ACTIVIST WEBSITES
I chose to look at a website called Project Censored: The news that didn’t make the news. This website has many news stories that were not shown in the news or specifically covered up. I absolutely loved the site. It was set up like a typical news site, such as CNN or the NYTimes but with important stories about incredibly important issues. It is unbelievably hard to believe all these things are going on without more protest.
There is a newsletter for those who sign up, and the people from the website have released books. Project censored has been active for 34 years, so it seems that it should be better known. They spread information through their website, Media Freedom Foundations daily news feed, and their facebook fan page (which I became a fan of). I’m not sure how but it seems that the site could do more to be noticed.
I chose to focus on an advertisement for Pepsi-Cola. When I was deciding on my ad I saw a few that were far more offensive to me and I decided to focus on this ad because I ACTUALLY LIKED IT! I was shocked how much I liked this ad, and even as someone who is aware of green washing and the tricks of the media I found myself liking Pepsi more simply because of the ad.
The commercial begins by showing us Bob Dylan and Will.I.Am in similar attire in side-to-side frames. So from the very beginning we see the technique of testimonial, from not only one, but incredibly popular artists. We then see the Pepsi Refresh symbol (which looks like a recycling symbol) flash before we head into a commercial full of common advertising techniques.
The commercial is full of positive images reminding us of simple and amazing times. We see nostalgia with the images from thirty years ago, followed by images of today. In many ways all the images are very American, or what we would like to think of as American, both the heroic soldiers and the revolutionizing protestors.
Along with all these images of celebrities and those far from normal we also see many who resemble the “plain folk.” So many cultures are represented in this commercial it would be hard for most to not identify with some aspect. The commercial ends with a voice saying, “Every generation refreshes the world.” I think this final line is incredibly important to look at.
While it appears that many people of my generation do not care about social or environmental issues it is clear that on some level we do. Even for those who are not making an effort to fight for change a commercial like this gives any viewer a warm fuzzy feeling about the “change” their generation is making.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rEJFu3QcKW8&feature=related
PART TWO: ACTIVIST WEBSITES
I chose to look at a website called Project Censored: The news that didn’t make the news. This website has many news stories that were not shown in the news or specifically covered up. I absolutely loved the site. It was set up like a typical news site, such as CNN or the NYTimes but with important stories about incredibly important issues. It is unbelievably hard to believe all these things are going on without more protest.
There is a newsletter for those who sign up, and the people from the website have released books. Project censored has been active for 34 years, so it seems that it should be better known. They spread information through their website, Media Freedom Foundations daily news feed, and their facebook fan page (which I became a fan of). I’m not sure how but it seems that the site could do more to be noticed.
Sunday, April 11, 2010
#11
Toxic Sludge Is Good For You: Chapter 12
Democracy is defined as “a government in which the supreme power is vested in the people and exercised by them directly or indirectly through a system of representation.” I feel this definition is precisely my idea of democracy, and while it may appear that we have this in the U.S. we actually do not.
Yes, the people have the power to vote but there is so much control and influence over our thoughts that I wonder if it is really us voting anymore? The chapter opens with the quote “The twentieth century has been characterized by three developments of great political importance: the growth of democracy, the growth of corporate power, and the growth of corporate propaganda as a means of protecting corporate power against democracy.”
This chapter discusses the idea of propaganda and from reading the definition it is clear that propaganda is a significant and invasive part of our everyday lives. If we are constantly bombarded with information specifically designed to alter our views and opinions how can we even distinguish which views are our own and which have been affected by propaganda.
The more troubling question is why is all this propaganda necessary? We must be skeptical of the fact that billions of dollars are spent on PR. If a corporation was to act in the interests of its consumers there would be no need to invest in such large amounts of PR. It scares me to consider what is actually going on behind the disguise designed by the PR professionals.
Immediately after defining propaganda the author discusses education. He writes that the purpose of education is to “encourage critical enquiry and to open minds to arguments for and against any particular conclusion, rather than close them to the possibility of any conclusion but one.” I believe education is the ONLY way to reach the true democracy we all dream of, a government in which all voices are heard and respected equally.
Observation Experiment:
For my observation experiment I went down to the waterfront and lay in the grass. I could feel the sun shining on my legs, breeze blowing through my hair and could hear laughter literally everywhere. I observed numerous children, pets, and parents’ enjoying the beautiful weather and the abundance of energy was everywhere.
Although it was not a quite space I found myself incredibly relaxed. As I lay in the sun I found myself dozing off numerous times simply smelling the grass and listening to the happiness around me. I ended up staying there for about an hour an a half, reluctant to head back to reality.
I watched a half hour of golf this morning. The commercials were long, and boring. I sat in my living room silently staring at the box in front of me. I could hear our fridge humming, a bum pushing bottles down the street and some people outside complaining. As I sat there I thought about my time down by the waterfront. Here in front of the television there is no true happiness. There is no laughter or interactions, there is no cool breeze through my hair and the warmth is coming from our obnoxiously loud space heater.
For me watching television is incredibly boring. My thoughts almost disappeared as I stared forward. When I was outside I had so much on my mind but here I literally can think of nothing else. I feel that people get stuck inside in front of the television. We forget how amazing it is to be outside and enjoying real life.
Democracy is defined as “a government in which the supreme power is vested in the people and exercised by them directly or indirectly through a system of representation.” I feel this definition is precisely my idea of democracy, and while it may appear that we have this in the U.S. we actually do not.
Yes, the people have the power to vote but there is so much control and influence over our thoughts that I wonder if it is really us voting anymore? The chapter opens with the quote “The twentieth century has been characterized by three developments of great political importance: the growth of democracy, the growth of corporate power, and the growth of corporate propaganda as a means of protecting corporate power against democracy.”
This chapter discusses the idea of propaganda and from reading the definition it is clear that propaganda is a significant and invasive part of our everyday lives. If we are constantly bombarded with information specifically designed to alter our views and opinions how can we even distinguish which views are our own and which have been affected by propaganda.
The more troubling question is why is all this propaganda necessary? We must be skeptical of the fact that billions of dollars are spent on PR. If a corporation was to act in the interests of its consumers there would be no need to invest in such large amounts of PR. It scares me to consider what is actually going on behind the disguise designed by the PR professionals.
Immediately after defining propaganda the author discusses education. He writes that the purpose of education is to “encourage critical enquiry and to open minds to arguments for and against any particular conclusion, rather than close them to the possibility of any conclusion but one.” I believe education is the ONLY way to reach the true democracy we all dream of, a government in which all voices are heard and respected equally.
Observation Experiment:
For my observation experiment I went down to the waterfront and lay in the grass. I could feel the sun shining on my legs, breeze blowing through my hair and could hear laughter literally everywhere. I observed numerous children, pets, and parents’ enjoying the beautiful weather and the abundance of energy was everywhere.
Although it was not a quite space I found myself incredibly relaxed. As I lay in the sun I found myself dozing off numerous times simply smelling the grass and listening to the happiness around me. I ended up staying there for about an hour an a half, reluctant to head back to reality.
I watched a half hour of golf this morning. The commercials were long, and boring. I sat in my living room silently staring at the box in front of me. I could hear our fridge humming, a bum pushing bottles down the street and some people outside complaining. As I sat there I thought about my time down by the waterfront. Here in front of the television there is no true happiness. There is no laughter or interactions, there is no cool breeze through my hair and the warmth is coming from our obnoxiously loud space heater.
For me watching television is incredibly boring. My thoughts almost disappeared as I stared forward. When I was outside I had so much on my mind but here I literally can think of nothing else. I feel that people get stuck inside in front of the television. We forget how amazing it is to be outside and enjoying real life.
Monday, March 29, 2010
#9
Dear Kalle Lasn,
My name is Morgan Russell; I am a junior at the University of Vermont. I have recently finished reading your book Culture Jam for a class titled Media Literacy and the Environment. I am writing to thank you for the invaluable information you have provided me with.
In your book you spoke of the American dream, a dream filled with money, excitement, power, sex and fame. This dream has been fed to us by these large powerful corporations and while it is clear a large percentage of us will never achieve this dream it “is so seductive that many of us willingly keep on dreaming.”
What shocked me the most is that it is our own inability to let go of this dream that has made us turn over all control and power to the corporations. “We, the people, have lost control. Corporations, these legal fictions that we ourselves created two centuries ago, now have more rights, freedoms, and powers than we do.” It is both sad and frightening to realize that we created something that is now polluting our bodies, minds and planet.
I find our nation wide media obsession sickening in every way. You wrote, “It’s time to admit that chronic TV watching is North America’s number one mental health problem.” For a large portion of Americans life is ruled by what is on TV. It is sad that so many people with huge amounts of potential waste a large part of their life living through a box in their living room. “Real living had been replaces by prepackaged experiences and media-created events.”
Finally I would like to talk about the chapter titled Rage. I am angry about what is happening to my country, and especially since it is primarily happening to my peers. You wrote that “when is springs from a sense of moral affront, it brings profound change…rage drives revolutions.” Revolution is clearly needed and yes individuals can help but I think that for large scale change there needs to be large scale anger about the current state. Your book infuriated me in the best possible way, it taught me a huge amount and I believe that anyone who has the chance to read it would feel the same way.
Best Regards,
Morgan Russell
The Corporation:
Surprise: I was absolutely shocked to learn about water being privatized in Bolivia. I cannot even comprehend how a country or corporation could justify the privatization of the most basic human right/need. Not only did they privatize specific supplies of water but also rainwater! I was also surprised that police would even consider defending their countries decision to privatize water.
Agitation: Falsifying news is not actually against the law!!!
New Info: I was shocked again when I learned of the corporations who continue to do business with countries that are considered enemies and even with terrorists. It is especially shocking that these corporations are ones we see and deal with on a regular basis. The information about IBM, and coca cola/fanta in Nazi Germany is especially disturbing.
Question: Because most large corporations are global how can anyone enforce rule/regulations? Is it completely up to the consumers? How do we change consumption habits?
My name is Morgan Russell; I am a junior at the University of Vermont. I have recently finished reading your book Culture Jam for a class titled Media Literacy and the Environment. I am writing to thank you for the invaluable information you have provided me with.
In your book you spoke of the American dream, a dream filled with money, excitement, power, sex and fame. This dream has been fed to us by these large powerful corporations and while it is clear a large percentage of us will never achieve this dream it “is so seductive that many of us willingly keep on dreaming.”
What shocked me the most is that it is our own inability to let go of this dream that has made us turn over all control and power to the corporations. “We, the people, have lost control. Corporations, these legal fictions that we ourselves created two centuries ago, now have more rights, freedoms, and powers than we do.” It is both sad and frightening to realize that we created something that is now polluting our bodies, minds and planet.
I find our nation wide media obsession sickening in every way. You wrote, “It’s time to admit that chronic TV watching is North America’s number one mental health problem.” For a large portion of Americans life is ruled by what is on TV. It is sad that so many people with huge amounts of potential waste a large part of their life living through a box in their living room. “Real living had been replaces by prepackaged experiences and media-created events.”
Finally I would like to talk about the chapter titled Rage. I am angry about what is happening to my country, and especially since it is primarily happening to my peers. You wrote that “when is springs from a sense of moral affront, it brings profound change…rage drives revolutions.” Revolution is clearly needed and yes individuals can help but I think that for large scale change there needs to be large scale anger about the current state. Your book infuriated me in the best possible way, it taught me a huge amount and I believe that anyone who has the chance to read it would feel the same way.
Best Regards,
Morgan Russell
The Corporation:
Surprise: I was absolutely shocked to learn about water being privatized in Bolivia. I cannot even comprehend how a country or corporation could justify the privatization of the most basic human right/need. Not only did they privatize specific supplies of water but also rainwater! I was also surprised that police would even consider defending their countries decision to privatize water.
Agitation: Falsifying news is not actually against the law!!!
New Info: I was shocked again when I learned of the corporations who continue to do business with countries that are considered enemies and even with terrorists. It is especially shocking that these corporations are ones we see and deal with on a regular basis. The information about IBM, and coca cola/fanta in Nazi Germany is especially disturbing.
Question: Because most large corporations are global how can anyone enforce rule/regulations? Is it completely up to the consumers? How do we change consumption habits?
Sunday, March 21, 2010
#8
Culture Jam:
1. I absolutely loved a quote at the beginning of the reading, “Eating is a complex act. It’s loaded with moral, psychological, social, and sexual freight…Food is sin. It’s guilt. It’s joy. We overeat, then we undereat.” (p. 79). I began to think about all the negative ideas and images surrounding food in the United States, it is odd that something that should be considered so amazing has become disgusting for the majority of our country. Lasn goes on to say, “We’ve lost the sacred joy of the feast.” To begin with we are fat, over thirty percent of Americans are obese, the highest rates of any country by far. Our food is often processed, loaded with chemicals and fat, and lacking significant nutritional value.
Overeating is a serious crisis in our country and leads to huge health problems, and while not nearly equal in magnitude under eating is also a problem seen throughout the U.S. Americans are estimated to have the highest rate of eating disorders of any country. As we can see Americans clearly are dealing with many social, emotional and psychological issues around food.
It seems that Americans rarely think of the moral issues surrounding the foods they consume. For example consuming produce grown using pesticides. It is clear from sales that most American citizens do not consider themselves to have a moral responsibility to the earth. Another large moral question surrounding food is whether it is ok to eat meat. Americans eat the most meat per capita of any country. This meat-based diet is contributing to huge amounts of environmental degradation, human hunger and suffering, and of course animal cruelty.
2. “Everything human beings once experienced directly has been turned into a show put on by someone else. Real living had been replaced by prepackaged experiences and media-created events” (p. 101). This quote scares me, partially because it is so true already and because it seems we are headed in this direction faster than ever. People spend obscene amounts of time in front of the screen. It seems we are forgetting how to live in the real world and are increasingly trying to mimic the actions of those on the screen.
“One of the juiciest human target groups is…the ‘emulator.’ Emulators look for products that make them feel like somebody else-someone more important. Since no product can help you fully escape your old identity frustration mounts…” (p. 102). After reading this I began to wonder, why is our country so full of “emulators?” Although I have no knowledge of the subject I came up with a few ideas while considering it. Many people are putting huge amounts of pressure on themselves and their families to be “perfect,” or at least this strange media idea of it. Is it possible that we are always trying to be somebody else because we are not meeting these ideas of perfect? Why is it that so many of us are trying to escape ourselves? I think if people really looked at themselves and figured out what aspects they were trying to escape and why, they could also learn who they are. Rather than continuing to try to escape themselves and become someone else they could finally become who they really are.
3. I found the section on “cool” very interesting. The section starts with the author saying how cool used to be the person who was an individual, nowadays marketers have changed the idea of cool, it is those who are all alike, “that bear the unmistakable stamp of American” who are cool, and not the individual. It is sad that we have made so many people feel that they can only be “cool” if they look and act a certain way.
What is even sadder is that (in my opinion anyway) this idea of cool that dominates our society is NOT COOL. Girls are encouraged to be beautiful above all, we are not encouraged to be nice, or smart or opinionated in any way. Men are often shown that cool is aggressive, loud, and unemotional. “Legitimately cool people instinctively understand that the psychology of subservience-getting corporately seduced-is a chicken-ass way to live.” (p. 114).
4. In the section “We’re Not Academic” the author criticizes “Most academics just ramble. Far too few raise a fist or a voice.” (p. 117). I both agree and disagree with the author here. We certainly cannot underestimate the value of our own consciousness on issues as well as raising awareness in others. Professors should help us understand the various issues and points of view, not tell us exactly what to think or how to act. However, as a student I often find myself frustrated with all the information I am given but I am rarely awarded an answer. We learn about so many things that are wrong but never told how to change them or even pointed in the direction of action.
My question is how can our country change? Is it possible to reverse what has already been done? And if so, how do we begin?
The Corporation:
Everything about this movie is disturbing, fascinating, and truly frightening. Many people are unaware that a corporation has the same legal rights as a person. It was interesting to see how precisely many corporations fit the definition of a psychopath. The movie informed us that corporations are legally obligated to try to make money for their investors. We all know that most corporations are selfish, but this shows that they are literally legally required to be selfish.
One thing that was really interesting to me was the idea that while a company may be doing terrible things and considered evil, those who work for it are not necessarily on the same side. While it is counterintuitive to think someone would work for what they are against it actually makes perfect sense. Corporations hold enormous power, and effect things on a large scale. Therefore by working for this corporation if employees, specifically high up employees can influence small areas of policy it can have an enormous effect. We cannot get rid of corporations so we must work to change them for the better.
1. I absolutely loved a quote at the beginning of the reading, “Eating is a complex act. It’s loaded with moral, psychological, social, and sexual freight…Food is sin. It’s guilt. It’s joy. We overeat, then we undereat.” (p. 79). I began to think about all the negative ideas and images surrounding food in the United States, it is odd that something that should be considered so amazing has become disgusting for the majority of our country. Lasn goes on to say, “We’ve lost the sacred joy of the feast.” To begin with we are fat, over thirty percent of Americans are obese, the highest rates of any country by far. Our food is often processed, loaded with chemicals and fat, and lacking significant nutritional value.
Overeating is a serious crisis in our country and leads to huge health problems, and while not nearly equal in magnitude under eating is also a problem seen throughout the U.S. Americans are estimated to have the highest rate of eating disorders of any country. As we can see Americans clearly are dealing with many social, emotional and psychological issues around food.
It seems that Americans rarely think of the moral issues surrounding the foods they consume. For example consuming produce grown using pesticides. It is clear from sales that most American citizens do not consider themselves to have a moral responsibility to the earth. Another large moral question surrounding food is whether it is ok to eat meat. Americans eat the most meat per capita of any country. This meat-based diet is contributing to huge amounts of environmental degradation, human hunger and suffering, and of course animal cruelty.
2. “Everything human beings once experienced directly has been turned into a show put on by someone else. Real living had been replaced by prepackaged experiences and media-created events” (p. 101). This quote scares me, partially because it is so true already and because it seems we are headed in this direction faster than ever. People spend obscene amounts of time in front of the screen. It seems we are forgetting how to live in the real world and are increasingly trying to mimic the actions of those on the screen.
“One of the juiciest human target groups is…the ‘emulator.’ Emulators look for products that make them feel like somebody else-someone more important. Since no product can help you fully escape your old identity frustration mounts…” (p. 102). After reading this I began to wonder, why is our country so full of “emulators?” Although I have no knowledge of the subject I came up with a few ideas while considering it. Many people are putting huge amounts of pressure on themselves and their families to be “perfect,” or at least this strange media idea of it. Is it possible that we are always trying to be somebody else because we are not meeting these ideas of perfect? Why is it that so many of us are trying to escape ourselves? I think if people really looked at themselves and figured out what aspects they were trying to escape and why, they could also learn who they are. Rather than continuing to try to escape themselves and become someone else they could finally become who they really are.
3. I found the section on “cool” very interesting. The section starts with the author saying how cool used to be the person who was an individual, nowadays marketers have changed the idea of cool, it is those who are all alike, “that bear the unmistakable stamp of American” who are cool, and not the individual. It is sad that we have made so many people feel that they can only be “cool” if they look and act a certain way.
What is even sadder is that (in my opinion anyway) this idea of cool that dominates our society is NOT COOL. Girls are encouraged to be beautiful above all, we are not encouraged to be nice, or smart or opinionated in any way. Men are often shown that cool is aggressive, loud, and unemotional. “Legitimately cool people instinctively understand that the psychology of subservience-getting corporately seduced-is a chicken-ass way to live.” (p. 114).
4. In the section “We’re Not Academic” the author criticizes “Most academics just ramble. Far too few raise a fist or a voice.” (p. 117). I both agree and disagree with the author here. We certainly cannot underestimate the value of our own consciousness on issues as well as raising awareness in others. Professors should help us understand the various issues and points of view, not tell us exactly what to think or how to act. However, as a student I often find myself frustrated with all the information I am given but I am rarely awarded an answer. We learn about so many things that are wrong but never told how to change them or even pointed in the direction of action.
My question is how can our country change? Is it possible to reverse what has already been done? And if so, how do we begin?
The Corporation:
Everything about this movie is disturbing, fascinating, and truly frightening. Many people are unaware that a corporation has the same legal rights as a person. It was interesting to see how precisely many corporations fit the definition of a psychopath. The movie informed us that corporations are legally obligated to try to make money for their investors. We all know that most corporations are selfish, but this shows that they are literally legally required to be selfish.
One thing that was really interesting to me was the idea that while a company may be doing terrible things and considered evil, those who work for it are not necessarily on the same side. While it is counterintuitive to think someone would work for what they are against it actually makes perfect sense. Corporations hold enormous power, and effect things on a large scale. Therefore by working for this corporation if employees, specifically high up employees can influence small areas of policy it can have an enormous effect. We cannot get rid of corporations so we must work to change them for the better.
Monday, March 15, 2010
#7
Morgan Russell
Assignment # 7
ENVS 195-Media
As an environmental studies major I often learn of the horrible things being done throughout the world. We are destroying our environment at an alarming rate and it seems that no one cares. I often wonder how people I know can so easily contribute to this destruction. One quote from this book I absolutely loved was on page 7, “The moment you fail to understand why the natural world might have any relevance in the day-to-day lives of human beings, you have become…’a lost ball in the high weeds.” Abandon nature and you abandon your sense of the divine. More than that, you lose track of who you are.”
The author goes on to discuss how advertisements “erode our ability to empathize, to take social issues seriously, to be moved by atrocity,” (p. 23). In my experience this lack of empathy comes from those who are the most media obsessed. I am often shocked when I tell my friends of an issue and they wave it aside with a casual “hmm that’s too bad.”
What I really found scary about this reading was how much I saw the traits and characteristics discussed in myself friends. It may be that I have simply begun to pay attention but more and more often I find myself talking to people who seem disconnected from real life, while being so connected to virtual life. I regularly find myself sitting in a group of people who are all on their laptops, they could hardly tell me the last thing I said but could tell me the last 5 people who wrote on my wall.
I have a friend who I always considered fun/funny. Recently I have begun to notice that oftentimes the joke, or funny statement that has come from my friend didn’t actually come from her at all. We are replacing our own sense of humor and simply restating a line from a movie, show, or song. What confuses me the most is that this friend seems smart, (potentially) creative, and caring. Yet rather than using her own wit I hear a line from something I have just seen.
While it is not a generally known that excessive time spent on the Internet leads to “decline in psychological well-being” (p. 46) it is abundantly clear when looking at many of my peers. In my experience those who seem to spend the most time on the internet also seem to be the least socially adept, on the most medications for various disorders, depressed, and lacking empathy.
While I’m sure everyone would believe this about themselves I do not see most of these qualities in myself. However I certainly did at one point in my life and have since become very aware. One major problem I have is this lack of attention span. I find myself so spoiled by the constant stimulation I cannot bear to do anything without it.
I found this reading very interesting, far more interesting than readings for many of my classes and I still took about 10 breaks while reading the short seventy pages. As a child I would read whole books in one sitting and now as a college student I can hardly read a few pages without chatting with a friend or getting up for some (mostly made up) reason.
For a career I would like to work fighting this corporate machine, and consumer culture. What scares me the most is that I see many of the characteristics discussed in friends and myself. If I am unable to influence those closest to me or even change myself what is the chance that I could ever have an impact on others?
Assignment # 7
ENVS 195-Media
As an environmental studies major I often learn of the horrible things being done throughout the world. We are destroying our environment at an alarming rate and it seems that no one cares. I often wonder how people I know can so easily contribute to this destruction. One quote from this book I absolutely loved was on page 7, “The moment you fail to understand why the natural world might have any relevance in the day-to-day lives of human beings, you have become…’a lost ball in the high weeds.” Abandon nature and you abandon your sense of the divine. More than that, you lose track of who you are.”
The author goes on to discuss how advertisements “erode our ability to empathize, to take social issues seriously, to be moved by atrocity,” (p. 23). In my experience this lack of empathy comes from those who are the most media obsessed. I am often shocked when I tell my friends of an issue and they wave it aside with a casual “hmm that’s too bad.”
What I really found scary about this reading was how much I saw the traits and characteristics discussed in myself friends. It may be that I have simply begun to pay attention but more and more often I find myself talking to people who seem disconnected from real life, while being so connected to virtual life. I regularly find myself sitting in a group of people who are all on their laptops, they could hardly tell me the last thing I said but could tell me the last 5 people who wrote on my wall.
I have a friend who I always considered fun/funny. Recently I have begun to notice that oftentimes the joke, or funny statement that has come from my friend didn’t actually come from her at all. We are replacing our own sense of humor and simply restating a line from a movie, show, or song. What confuses me the most is that this friend seems smart, (potentially) creative, and caring. Yet rather than using her own wit I hear a line from something I have just seen.
While it is not a generally known that excessive time spent on the Internet leads to “decline in psychological well-being” (p. 46) it is abundantly clear when looking at many of my peers. In my experience those who seem to spend the most time on the internet also seem to be the least socially adept, on the most medications for various disorders, depressed, and lacking empathy.
While I’m sure everyone would believe this about themselves I do not see most of these qualities in myself. However I certainly did at one point in my life and have since become very aware. One major problem I have is this lack of attention span. I find myself so spoiled by the constant stimulation I cannot bear to do anything without it.
I found this reading very interesting, far more interesting than readings for many of my classes and I still took about 10 breaks while reading the short seventy pages. As a child I would read whole books in one sitting and now as a college student I can hardly read a few pages without chatting with a friend or getting up for some (mostly made up) reason.
For a career I would like to work fighting this corporate machine, and consumer culture. What scares me the most is that I see many of the characteristics discussed in friends and myself. If I am unable to influence those closest to me or even change myself what is the chance that I could ever have an impact on others?
#4
Morgan Russell
Media, Literacy and the Environment
Assignment # 4
1. AD Nauseam Parts 3&4
When we watched the movie Consuming Kids I was shocked by the way advertisers target and manipulate children into wanting products. In the section “How Do Kids Read Commercials” fox writes about his realization that children are unaware of the intentions of advertisers. A child does not comprehend that the marketers are trying to sell them a product. I find it very disturbing that we are showing children these commercials in school, when they watch it at home we see that the effects are bad enough. However by providing it in school we are literally teaching them to be consumers. Children understand that school is supposed to be a time for learning, and part of their day is consumed with learning, which products they need to buy.
The movie Persuaders discusses a company called Acxiom, which divides consumers into seventy basic types based on age, salary, previous purchases and where they live. How to Tell You’re a Details Reader shows how magazines categorize their readers in the same way in order to sell advertising space. Categorizing people into ever-more specific groups is a tactic used to promote and sell many items and ideals. This is clearly helpful for the advertiser, but it is also convenient for the consumer, it eliminates the clutter and allows us to discover what we really want. The question however is whether we would want it, or by understanding their consumers are the companies becoming even better at making us want products? It is also scary to think that they know all this information about each of us.
As a waitress I really connected with the final section of part 4. This section discussed how bring water to a restaurant table used to be standard practice, with influence from the Coca-Cola company this is no longer practice. If the average person drinks about 64oz. of fluid a day the goal is to make sure a good portion of that is a product rather than tap water. I find myself promoting drinks, before asking people what they would like because a larger bill equals a larger tip, (and hey, I only make $3.90 and hour). But after reading this I found myself questioning whether I was simply a part of this selling machine, promoting more and more consumption.
2. Get Smarter
Over the course of history humans have always increased their intelligence and adapted when in difficult situations, we will continue to do this with the advantages technology provides.
At the beginning of the article Vasilakis says “The trouble isn’t that we have too much information at our fingertips, but that our tools for managing it are still in their infancy.” I believe that we do have too much information and the way we are managing it is making us unable to focus on legitimate information. However Vasilakis points out that there is no going back. Although some of us may want to, realistically it is true that we cannot go back from here, so we must learn how to better manage the abundance of information we encounter every day.
Vasilakis goes on to say that as our technology becomes more capable so do we. I completely disagree with this statement. Yes our species or country or company become more capable of completing a specific task in a short time. However this means that the individual people become accustomed to only using this technology and are now completely incapable of ever completing the task on their own. Is the capability of the group more important than the capability of people? I don’t believe so.
Modafinil can keep a person awake for more than 32 hours, and offers a “cognitive-enhancement effect.” I clearly cannot disagree that this may be advantageous but I don’t believe it should be used on a regular basis. I personally would not want to live in a constantly drugged state even if the effects were as mild as those of modafinil. I don’t feel that drugs like this encourage learning but offer an easy way around it and force us to rely on them.
We are increasingly becoming dependant on technology and drugs. Vasilakis agrees that it would be disastrous if these systems were to collapse. However says that since we already depend on them it cannot hurt to add more complexity and levels to this. I disagree, it seems that we need to work on becoming less dependant rather than more!
3. The Persuaders:
· Advertisers are more and more concerned with emotional and unconscious thoughts of consumers.
· Narrowcasting, or targeting more specific groups. Diving consumers into types.
· Advertisements are increasingly mixed in with programming, or might even be the programming.
· Products have an identity that matches the identity of the consumer.
· Want product loyalty. Partially why products are given identities. Increasing numbers of advertisements directed at children and teens.
Media, Literacy and the Environment
Assignment # 4
1. AD Nauseam Parts 3&4
When we watched the movie Consuming Kids I was shocked by the way advertisers target and manipulate children into wanting products. In the section “How Do Kids Read Commercials” fox writes about his realization that children are unaware of the intentions of advertisers. A child does not comprehend that the marketers are trying to sell them a product. I find it very disturbing that we are showing children these commercials in school, when they watch it at home we see that the effects are bad enough. However by providing it in school we are literally teaching them to be consumers. Children understand that school is supposed to be a time for learning, and part of their day is consumed with learning, which products they need to buy.
The movie Persuaders discusses a company called Acxiom, which divides consumers into seventy basic types based on age, salary, previous purchases and where they live. How to Tell You’re a Details Reader shows how magazines categorize their readers in the same way in order to sell advertising space. Categorizing people into ever-more specific groups is a tactic used to promote and sell many items and ideals. This is clearly helpful for the advertiser, but it is also convenient for the consumer, it eliminates the clutter and allows us to discover what we really want. The question however is whether we would want it, or by understanding their consumers are the companies becoming even better at making us want products? It is also scary to think that they know all this information about each of us.
As a waitress I really connected with the final section of part 4. This section discussed how bring water to a restaurant table used to be standard practice, with influence from the Coca-Cola company this is no longer practice. If the average person drinks about 64oz. of fluid a day the goal is to make sure a good portion of that is a product rather than tap water. I find myself promoting drinks, before asking people what they would like because a larger bill equals a larger tip, (and hey, I only make $3.90 and hour). But after reading this I found myself questioning whether I was simply a part of this selling machine, promoting more and more consumption.
2. Get Smarter
Over the course of history humans have always increased their intelligence and adapted when in difficult situations, we will continue to do this with the advantages technology provides.
At the beginning of the article Vasilakis says “The trouble isn’t that we have too much information at our fingertips, but that our tools for managing it are still in their infancy.” I believe that we do have too much information and the way we are managing it is making us unable to focus on legitimate information. However Vasilakis points out that there is no going back. Although some of us may want to, realistically it is true that we cannot go back from here, so we must learn how to better manage the abundance of information we encounter every day.
Vasilakis goes on to say that as our technology becomes more capable so do we. I completely disagree with this statement. Yes our species or country or company become more capable of completing a specific task in a short time. However this means that the individual people become accustomed to only using this technology and are now completely incapable of ever completing the task on their own. Is the capability of the group more important than the capability of people? I don’t believe so.
Modafinil can keep a person awake for more than 32 hours, and offers a “cognitive-enhancement effect.” I clearly cannot disagree that this may be advantageous but I don’t believe it should be used on a regular basis. I personally would not want to live in a constantly drugged state even if the effects were as mild as those of modafinil. I don’t feel that drugs like this encourage learning but offer an easy way around it and force us to rely on them.
We are increasingly becoming dependant on technology and drugs. Vasilakis agrees that it would be disastrous if these systems were to collapse. However says that since we already depend on them it cannot hurt to add more complexity and levels to this. I disagree, it seems that we need to work on becoming less dependant rather than more!
3. The Persuaders:
· Advertisers are more and more concerned with emotional and unconscious thoughts of consumers.
· Narrowcasting, or targeting more specific groups. Diving consumers into types.
· Advertisements are increasingly mixed in with programming, or might even be the programming.
· Products have an identity that matches the identity of the consumer.
· Want product loyalty. Partially why products are given identities. Increasing numbers of advertisements directed at children and teens.
#3
Morgan Russell
Media Literacy and the Environment
Assignment #3
February 8th 2010
1. Our minds have been fundamentally altered by our constant use of the internet, making both “concentration and contemplation” far more difficult.
2. I agree with the idea that the way we browse the internet may be having a large effect on our reading. When I am online I find myself reading only the headings and first few paragraphs of a news story, and skipping from page to page. I often find that I will read an article as quickly as possible, simply because there are often bad articles online. Rather than spend my time looking at every one we must skim until we find a valid source. However once my brain has been set in this skimming mode it is always difficult to focus once I finally find a useful site.
I also agree that the Internet plays the largest role a communications system ever has and because of this has enormous influence on our thoughts. Internet has been able to absorb almost every medium and has recreated it to fit the World Wide Web. The Internet is not a place for a single medium or topic, when using the Internet we are constantly bombarded with more than just the information in a particular article or email. We have gotten so used to the Internet that it is changing and replacing the original mediums. For example the recent addition of “article abstracts” and “shortcuts” to The New York Times.
I disagree with the statement made by Taylor, “In the past the man has been first, in the future the system must be first.” The system seeks maximum speed, efficiency and output. Taylor’s goal was to reshape both industry and society to be as efficient as possible. I believe if this “system” were to take over society we would see a complete loss of creativity and individuality.
I was unable to find a place where I disagreed with the author. The most shocking information in the article was the goals and quotes from Sergey Brin and Larry Page, the creators of google. “Certainly if you had all the world’s information directly attached to your brain, or an artificial brain that was smarter than your brain, you’d be better off” says Page. I was absolutely horrified to hear this statement, I believe if this ever were to happen it would be the end of society the way we know it.
ADNAUSEAM:
I found the movie consuming kids to be very disturbing. Clearly kids are a large target audience since they have so much influence over parental decisions. Another reason children are so easy to convince through advertising is because they do not yet understand the concept. On page 51 Mclaren and Torchinsky explain that we do not learn to disregard advertisements until the third grade. By the third grade we have essentially trained children to tune out, ignore their surroundings, and act mindlessly out of necessity.
In “Your Ad Here” the authors discuss the enormous number of advertisements that constantly invade our lives. “Perhaps the only real challenge would be to find spaces without advertising” p. 43.This reminded me of the feed. In the feed they literally had advertisements running through their heads at all times. Not only did they see advertisements everywhere (including their own heads) they also spoke them. For example when they could win Coca-Cola if they said it enough times, or when on character would say Nike in every sentence he spoke.
Media Literacy and the Environment
Assignment #3
February 8th 2010
1. Our minds have been fundamentally altered by our constant use of the internet, making both “concentration and contemplation” far more difficult.
2. I agree with the idea that the way we browse the internet may be having a large effect on our reading. When I am online I find myself reading only the headings and first few paragraphs of a news story, and skipping from page to page. I often find that I will read an article as quickly as possible, simply because there are often bad articles online. Rather than spend my time looking at every one we must skim until we find a valid source. However once my brain has been set in this skimming mode it is always difficult to focus once I finally find a useful site.
I also agree that the Internet plays the largest role a communications system ever has and because of this has enormous influence on our thoughts. Internet has been able to absorb almost every medium and has recreated it to fit the World Wide Web. The Internet is not a place for a single medium or topic, when using the Internet we are constantly bombarded with more than just the information in a particular article or email. We have gotten so used to the Internet that it is changing and replacing the original mediums. For example the recent addition of “article abstracts” and “shortcuts” to The New York Times.
I disagree with the statement made by Taylor, “In the past the man has been first, in the future the system must be first.” The system seeks maximum speed, efficiency and output. Taylor’s goal was to reshape both industry and society to be as efficient as possible. I believe if this “system” were to take over society we would see a complete loss of creativity and individuality.
I was unable to find a place where I disagreed with the author. The most shocking information in the article was the goals and quotes from Sergey Brin and Larry Page, the creators of google. “Certainly if you had all the world’s information directly attached to your brain, or an artificial brain that was smarter than your brain, you’d be better off” says Page. I was absolutely horrified to hear this statement, I believe if this ever were to happen it would be the end of society the way we know it.
ADNAUSEAM:
I found the movie consuming kids to be very disturbing. Clearly kids are a large target audience since they have so much influence over parental decisions. Another reason children are so easy to convince through advertising is because they do not yet understand the concept. On page 51 Mclaren and Torchinsky explain that we do not learn to disregard advertisements until the third grade. By the third grade we have essentially trained children to tune out, ignore their surroundings, and act mindlessly out of necessity.
In “Your Ad Here” the authors discuss the enormous number of advertisements that constantly invade our lives. “Perhaps the only real challenge would be to find spaces without advertising” p. 43.This reminded me of the feed. In the feed they literally had advertisements running through their heads at all times. Not only did they see advertisements everywhere (including their own heads) they also spoke them. For example when they could win Coca-Cola if they said it enough times, or when on character would say Nike in every sentence he spoke.
#2
Morgan Russell
Media Literacy & the Environment
Assignment 2
February 1, 2010
1. Titus: handsome, normal, conformist, confused/scared, insecure-“stupid”
2. Meg-really, super, alot
Whats doing?- whats up?
Null-boring
3. Constant connection and access to people and info through technology
Seems like most Americans are unaware of what is going on around the world
Same basic human emotions and tendencies
4. Schools are owned by corporations
Oceans are completely toxic
Individual nature bubbles for houses or blocks—air factories, individual suns etc.
5. Corporate control and consumerism
The dangers of technology
Complete destruction of nature
Social networking sites have changed the way we connect with both our closest friends and loose aquantainces. These sites have also changed the way we view privacy.
The facebook and twitter updates we post every day allow for our distance friends to get a look into our lives and daily routine. Constant updates and information about friends and aquantainces makes us feel much more socially connected without any direct connection, a phenomenon known as “ambient awareness.” I find myself experiencing this with my close friends who are far away. While I only see them on breaks our constant communication, especially with a form such as skype, makes it seem as though we are still a big part of eachothers lives.
I liked that the article pointed out that social networking sites can be beneficial when looking for jobs, or other forms of help and information that may not be available within your closest circle of friends. These sites can also be very helpful when organizing an event, raising awareness about an issue, etc. By allowing us to easily contact a larger cirlce we can get and share information quickly.
He also says that the extreme amount of information from “weak ties” can “spread your emotional energy too thin, leaving less for true intimate relationships.” I feel that by constanly focusing on or recieving updates from distant aquantances we are less able to focus on our own lives. It seems that people are often more concerned with what everyone else is doing than with living and doing things themselves.
I completely disagree with the idea that stopping to consider (and update) how you are doing every day can help a person to “know thyself.” In my experience (the majority of the time) those who are constantly updating their status are far less concerned with knowing themselves than with posting a status they believe will make them look “cool.”
Social networking sites are far from “identity constraining.” If anything i feel they allow people to experience others ideas, thoughts, style, etc. Tufekci makes that point that people cannot play with their identity because their audience is always checking on them. This point seems invalid since the audience in social networking is never fixed.
Media Literacy & the Environment
Assignment 2
February 1, 2010
1. Titus: handsome, normal, conformist, confused/scared, insecure-“stupid”
2. Meg-really, super, alot
Whats doing?- whats up?
Null-boring
3. Constant connection and access to people and info through technology
Seems like most Americans are unaware of what is going on around the world
Same basic human emotions and tendencies
4. Schools are owned by corporations
Oceans are completely toxic
Individual nature bubbles for houses or blocks—air factories, individual suns etc.
5. Corporate control and consumerism
The dangers of technology
Complete destruction of nature
Social networking sites have changed the way we connect with both our closest friends and loose aquantainces. These sites have also changed the way we view privacy.
The facebook and twitter updates we post every day allow for our distance friends to get a look into our lives and daily routine. Constant updates and information about friends and aquantainces makes us feel much more socially connected without any direct connection, a phenomenon known as “ambient awareness.” I find myself experiencing this with my close friends who are far away. While I only see them on breaks our constant communication, especially with a form such as skype, makes it seem as though we are still a big part of eachothers lives.
I liked that the article pointed out that social networking sites can be beneficial when looking for jobs, or other forms of help and information that may not be available within your closest circle of friends. These sites can also be very helpful when organizing an event, raising awareness about an issue, etc. By allowing us to easily contact a larger cirlce we can get and share information quickly.
He also says that the extreme amount of information from “weak ties” can “spread your emotional energy too thin, leaving less for true intimate relationships.” I feel that by constanly focusing on or recieving updates from distant aquantances we are less able to focus on our own lives. It seems that people are often more concerned with what everyone else is doing than with living and doing things themselves.
I completely disagree with the idea that stopping to consider (and update) how you are doing every day can help a person to “know thyself.” In my experience (the majority of the time) those who are constantly updating their status are far less concerned with knowing themselves than with posting a status they believe will make them look “cool.”
Social networking sites are far from “identity constraining.” If anything i feel they allow people to experience others ideas, thoughts, style, etc. Tufekci makes that point that people cannot play with their identity because their audience is always checking on them. This point seems invalid since the audience in social networking is never fixed.
#1
Morgan Russell
Media Memoir
January 25, 2010
The old fake-wood-sided television sat high on a shelf in the entryway of our home. On the rare occasssions it was turned on the picture was fuzzy and the golf channel and local news held little interest. I spent the majority of my childhood outside, since neither of my parents worked full time my days were filled with mini-adventures, nature-focused vacations and activies, leaving little room for television. As a child the single educational computer game I had was reserved for rainy days. Using a computer was not a part of my daily life until high school.
Growing up I read all the time, everything from short childrens books to the classics and the local paper. Specifically our local paper, my mother would sip her tea with the paper every morning so it was only natural that I read it too. I was almost never exposed to advertisements unless it was those in the paper which were mostly for local restaurants, small retailers and possibly ski areas.
As a child the lack of mass media influence in my life seemed normal, hardly any of my friends were heavily influcenced by media. However I eventually attended a boarding school with students from all over the world. Many of these students were from more urban and suburban areas and far more interested in media and popular culture than anyone from my small Vermont town.
For some time I found myself sucked into this consumption oriented and media dominated culture I had never previously experienced. I was concerned about celebrities I had never met, about purchasing the latest thing, and making sure I updated my facebook status, concerns that would have never crossed my mind before. I am grateful that this short phase of my life ended.
After a few years of this I suddenly realized that I rarely went hiking anymore, I had hardly been skiing all season, and hadn’t read a book outside of class in monthes. I realized that I had been so concerned with media and the messages sent through mass media that I was hardly doing any of the things I loved. This realization made me consider how media affected me, and how it affects and changes everyone arounds me.
The New York Times article looks at the mini-generation gaps formed by the increased rate of technological change. Commonly used technology has become so integrated in our everyday life that the changes can drastically alter childrens perceptions and expectations. For example young children now seem to be learning that distance is almost irrelevant to communication and that all communication should be practically instantaneous. I find it both scary and interesting to consider how much more we communicate through technology rather than face to face. I am not sure, but it seems there must eventually be some social or emotional effects from this lack of real connection during our communication.
I found the video very fascinating on many levels. To begin with I never have really understood how websites are created and seeing this prompted me to look into it. The video left me with a sense of unease at first so I watched it again. The idea of the machine using us is a scary thought which left me with a sense of impending doom. However as I thought about it more I realized that since we are the machine and we control the machine we have simply given each individual more power.
Media Memoir
January 25, 2010
The old fake-wood-sided television sat high on a shelf in the entryway of our home. On the rare occasssions it was turned on the picture was fuzzy and the golf channel and local news held little interest. I spent the majority of my childhood outside, since neither of my parents worked full time my days were filled with mini-adventures, nature-focused vacations and activies, leaving little room for television. As a child the single educational computer game I had was reserved for rainy days. Using a computer was not a part of my daily life until high school.
Growing up I read all the time, everything from short childrens books to the classics and the local paper. Specifically our local paper, my mother would sip her tea with the paper every morning so it was only natural that I read it too. I was almost never exposed to advertisements unless it was those in the paper which were mostly for local restaurants, small retailers and possibly ski areas.
As a child the lack of mass media influence in my life seemed normal, hardly any of my friends were heavily influcenced by media. However I eventually attended a boarding school with students from all over the world. Many of these students were from more urban and suburban areas and far more interested in media and popular culture than anyone from my small Vermont town.
For some time I found myself sucked into this consumption oriented and media dominated culture I had never previously experienced. I was concerned about celebrities I had never met, about purchasing the latest thing, and making sure I updated my facebook status, concerns that would have never crossed my mind before. I am grateful that this short phase of my life ended.
After a few years of this I suddenly realized that I rarely went hiking anymore, I had hardly been skiing all season, and hadn’t read a book outside of class in monthes. I realized that I had been so concerned with media and the messages sent through mass media that I was hardly doing any of the things I loved. This realization made me consider how media affected me, and how it affects and changes everyone arounds me.
The New York Times article looks at the mini-generation gaps formed by the increased rate of technological change. Commonly used technology has become so integrated in our everyday life that the changes can drastically alter childrens perceptions and expectations. For example young children now seem to be learning that distance is almost irrelevant to communication and that all communication should be practically instantaneous. I find it both scary and interesting to consider how much more we communicate through technology rather than face to face. I am not sure, but it seems there must eventually be some social or emotional effects from this lack of real connection during our communication.
I found the video very fascinating on many levels. To begin with I never have really understood how websites are created and seeing this prompted me to look into it. The video left me with a sense of unease at first so I watched it again. The idea of the machine using us is a scary thought which left me with a sense of impending doom. However as I thought about it more I realized that since we are the machine and we control the machine we have simply given each individual more power.
Sunday, February 21, 2010
#5
1.AD Nauseam Parts 5&6
“The power of advertising…lay in controlling cultural symbols” p. 234. It is interesting to think about how all advertising now is focused on symbols and emotions. It was not until the second half of the nineteenth century that advertisers began to understand that logic was far less powerful than the emotional pull of a particular product. It seems that all products are essentially the same now yet we still tend to be pulled in by the advertisers. I have begun to shop differently but I used to be sucked into buying particular products for no reason. For example I would buy more expensive pens because they seemed cooler, when in reality the black ink made the same mark on my paper. Its odd how advertisers can easily manipulate the most basic parts of our lives.
Another thing I found very interesting was the fear of subliminal messaging. People were absolutely terrified that they might be manipulated into wanting something without even knowing it. People were so terrified that they actually banned this practice. However we have learned that children are manipulated by advertisements and do not know it. It seems odd to me that nowadays people allow this to happen to their children during their formative years but fought so hard against it thirty years ago.
It seems that almost everyone is opposed to the large corporations and their power. For example Sir John Hargrave who gets back at them through small pranks. Yet it is clear that while many claim to be against these businesses we are all still drawn in to buying their products. It seems that there is no way to get around them completely, and even these small pranks make little/no difference.
· Down The Memory Hole: My question is when did cell phones become so much a part of our lives?
· Grave Revisionism: My question is how can people believe that a company such a coca-cola might not be motivated by the profit motive (as it implies that only other companies are). When, and why did companies start using quotes such as those provided to promote the very thing the quotes condemn?
· Subliminal Seduction: My question is why the American public was so afraid of subliminal messaging but it seems that we STILL allow ourselves to be manipulated into buying products. Also, why is subliminal messaging, which (they believed) convinces people to buy things without them understanding/knowing illegal, but advertisements targeted at children which do the same thing, are shown in schools?
· The Idiot Consumer: My question is if advertisers consider themselves to be smarter than those they are selling to, and is this almost a part of the job? If people do not respond to reason in advertising how can anyone promote something reasonable?
· Everything I Know About Life…: My question is about the statement “selling fragrance today: the product was all [about the] image.” Doesn’t it seem that nowadays selling almost all products is all about the image?
· Corporate Mascots: My question is why don’t people ever look past cute mascots to see a very hideous truth behind many corporations?
· Adventures: My question is how can we advertise for the environment? What are good ways to make harmful environmental practices seem un-cool since our culture is so overly concerned with “cool.”
· Buyer Beware: My question is why were these people so oblivious to what they were buying? Do you believe they discovered the item when they got home?
· True Gentleman: My question is when did advertising begin to invade ALL parts of life, even parties?
· Letter to the Creative: My question is how often do companies doing surveys get completely made up answers and does any of this actually mess with the results?
· Hmmm…wasn’t until here that I realized I didn’t have to write questions for each one, but they were already done so I figured I would share.
2. Twitter.
Twitter is a social networking site that can make communication easier.
I agree that twitter could be used to communicate and especially to share new information. Such as various websites, articles, links to a video etc. It is very interesting to think how people have been changing the way twitter was meant to be used. While people do still tweet about unimportant daily activities they are also using this site for valuable information sharing.
The author seems to believe that twitter is in some ways very intimate. That learning the everyday activities of a friend we don’t see much can give us valuable insight, or that responding to Oprah on twitter feels like actually communicating. I understand that some people may feel this way but isn’t it obvious that this is not actually intimate communication? I personally do not feel any more connected knowing what someone ate for breakfast and even if Oprah read what I said I do not know her.
I believe the author makes twitter sound far better than it is. While it may be useful in certain circumstances it generally is not used for good purposes. Most users on twitter are simply telling us what they are doing and it seems to lead to a competition to see who is doing the coolest thing. Twitter seems like another tool used by many to try to make other people think a certain way about them, and to advertise themselves.
I have a twitter account I made in order to see what the hype was about. I did use this account for about a week and haven’t logged onto it since. The people I knew using twitter seemed to (wanted to) think they’re every movement was important enough for the world to care. I’m not saying this is true of all twitter users; it may be a characteristic more common in my age group. Personally, I’m a more private person and I don’t want my every move to be known, or accessible by everyone on the Internet. I see that twitter can be used for valuable information sharing but I don’t believe that is the norm.
3. Merchants of Cool
· One giant feedback loop. Real life and TV life have begun to blur and we are no longer sure who is reflecting who
· Teen rebelliousness shown in media products directed at teens.
· Kids have always acted wild but it was never celebrated so much on TV.
· “The paradox of cool hunting is that it kills what it finds, as soon as marketers discover cool it stops being cool.”
· Kids see marketers as enemy, so they have to pretend like they’re not the marketer.
“The power of advertising…lay in controlling cultural symbols” p. 234. It is interesting to think about how all advertising now is focused on symbols and emotions. It was not until the second half of the nineteenth century that advertisers began to understand that logic was far less powerful than the emotional pull of a particular product. It seems that all products are essentially the same now yet we still tend to be pulled in by the advertisers. I have begun to shop differently but I used to be sucked into buying particular products for no reason. For example I would buy more expensive pens because they seemed cooler, when in reality the black ink made the same mark on my paper. Its odd how advertisers can easily manipulate the most basic parts of our lives.
Another thing I found very interesting was the fear of subliminal messaging. People were absolutely terrified that they might be manipulated into wanting something without even knowing it. People were so terrified that they actually banned this practice. However we have learned that children are manipulated by advertisements and do not know it. It seems odd to me that nowadays people allow this to happen to their children during their formative years but fought so hard against it thirty years ago.
It seems that almost everyone is opposed to the large corporations and their power. For example Sir John Hargrave who gets back at them through small pranks. Yet it is clear that while many claim to be against these businesses we are all still drawn in to buying their products. It seems that there is no way to get around them completely, and even these small pranks make little/no difference.
· Down The Memory Hole: My question is when did cell phones become so much a part of our lives?
· Grave Revisionism: My question is how can people believe that a company such a coca-cola might not be motivated by the profit motive (as it implies that only other companies are). When, and why did companies start using quotes such as those provided to promote the very thing the quotes condemn?
· Subliminal Seduction: My question is why the American public was so afraid of subliminal messaging but it seems that we STILL allow ourselves to be manipulated into buying products. Also, why is subliminal messaging, which (they believed) convinces people to buy things without them understanding/knowing illegal, but advertisements targeted at children which do the same thing, are shown in schools?
· The Idiot Consumer: My question is if advertisers consider themselves to be smarter than those they are selling to, and is this almost a part of the job? If people do not respond to reason in advertising how can anyone promote something reasonable?
· Everything I Know About Life…: My question is about the statement “selling fragrance today: the product was all [about the] image.” Doesn’t it seem that nowadays selling almost all products is all about the image?
· Corporate Mascots: My question is why don’t people ever look past cute mascots to see a very hideous truth behind many corporations?
· Adventures: My question is how can we advertise for the environment? What are good ways to make harmful environmental practices seem un-cool since our culture is so overly concerned with “cool.”
· Buyer Beware: My question is why were these people so oblivious to what they were buying? Do you believe they discovered the item when they got home?
· True Gentleman: My question is when did advertising begin to invade ALL parts of life, even parties?
· Letter to the Creative: My question is how often do companies doing surveys get completely made up answers and does any of this actually mess with the results?
· Hmmm…wasn’t until here that I realized I didn’t have to write questions for each one, but they were already done so I figured I would share.
2. Twitter.
Twitter is a social networking site that can make communication easier.
I agree that twitter could be used to communicate and especially to share new information. Such as various websites, articles, links to a video etc. It is very interesting to think how people have been changing the way twitter was meant to be used. While people do still tweet about unimportant daily activities they are also using this site for valuable information sharing.
The author seems to believe that twitter is in some ways very intimate. That learning the everyday activities of a friend we don’t see much can give us valuable insight, or that responding to Oprah on twitter feels like actually communicating. I understand that some people may feel this way but isn’t it obvious that this is not actually intimate communication? I personally do not feel any more connected knowing what someone ate for breakfast and even if Oprah read what I said I do not know her.
I believe the author makes twitter sound far better than it is. While it may be useful in certain circumstances it generally is not used for good purposes. Most users on twitter are simply telling us what they are doing and it seems to lead to a competition to see who is doing the coolest thing. Twitter seems like another tool used by many to try to make other people think a certain way about them, and to advertise themselves.
I have a twitter account I made in order to see what the hype was about. I did use this account for about a week and haven’t logged onto it since. The people I knew using twitter seemed to (wanted to) think they’re every movement was important enough for the world to care. I’m not saying this is true of all twitter users; it may be a characteristic more common in my age group. Personally, I’m a more private person and I don’t want my every move to be known, or accessible by everyone on the Internet. I see that twitter can be used for valuable information sharing but I don’t believe that is the norm.
3. Merchants of Cool
· One giant feedback loop. Real life and TV life have begun to blur and we are no longer sure who is reflecting who
· Teen rebelliousness shown in media products directed at teens.
· Kids have always acted wild but it was never celebrated so much on TV.
· “The paradox of cool hunting is that it kills what it finds, as soon as marketers discover cool it stops being cool.”
· Kids see marketers as enemy, so they have to pretend like they’re not the marketer.
Morgans Media Memoir
Introduction:
My name is Morgan Russell. I was born in Quincy Massachusetts but I have spent almost all of my life in Quechee Vermont (however being born in Mass means my grandparents still call me a flatlander). I recently transferred, and am a junior at the University of Vermont. I love to read so I would say that is my favorite form of media. I also love various types music and concerts and attend as many as financially possible.
I love the conveniences offered by the internet. For example looking up directions, concerts, recipes etc. But I hate that the internet and television seem to have taken over our lives in so many ways.
I am an Environmental Studies major but I am particularly interested in media and marketing. It seems that advertisements invade every aspect of our life and as much as I hate this, recently I have been thinking about possibly going into this field. Since advertisements do take over all areas of life they have a large impact on most Americans. I believe the environmental movement could benefit from strong and informative ads making the general public more aware of issues.
Media Memoir:
The old fake-wood-sided television sat high on a shelf in the entryway of our home. On the rare occasions it was turned on the picture was fuzzy and the golf channel and local news held little interest. I spent the majority of my childhood outside, since neither of my parents worked full time my days were filled with mini-adventures, nature-focused vacations and activities, leaving little room for television. As a child the single educational computer game (reader rabbit?) I had was reserved for rainy days. Using a computer was not a part of my daily life until high school.
Growing up I read all the time, everything from short childrens books to the classics and the local paper. Specifically our local paper, my mother would sip her tea with the paper every morning so it was only natural that I read it too. I was almost never exposed to advertisements unless it was those in the paper which were mostly for local restaurants, small retailers and possibly ski areas.
As a child the lack of mass media influence in my life seemed normal, hardly any of my friends were heavily influenced by media. However I eventually attended a boarding school with students from all over the world. Many of these students were from more urban and suburban areas and far more interested in media and popular culture than anyone from my small Vermont town.
For some time I found myself sucked into this consumption oriented and media dominated culture I had never previously experienced. I was concerned about celebrities I had never met, about purchasing the latest thing, and making sure I updated my facebook status, concerns that would have never crossed my mind before. I am grateful that this short phase of my life ended.
After a few years of this I suddenly realized that I rarely went hiking anymore, I had hardly been skiing all season, and hadn’t read a book outside of class in months. I realized that I had been so concerned with media and the messages sent through mass media that I was hardly doing any of the things I loved. This realization made me consider how media affected me, and how it affects and changes everyone around me.
My name is Morgan Russell. I was born in Quincy Massachusetts but I have spent almost all of my life in Quechee Vermont (however being born in Mass means my grandparents still call me a flatlander). I recently transferred, and am a junior at the University of Vermont. I love to read so I would say that is my favorite form of media. I also love various types music and concerts and attend as many as financially possible.
I love the conveniences offered by the internet. For example looking up directions, concerts, recipes etc. But I hate that the internet and television seem to have taken over our lives in so many ways.
I am an Environmental Studies major but I am particularly interested in media and marketing. It seems that advertisements invade every aspect of our life and as much as I hate this, recently I have been thinking about possibly going into this field. Since advertisements do take over all areas of life they have a large impact on most Americans. I believe the environmental movement could benefit from strong and informative ads making the general public more aware of issues.
Media Memoir:
The old fake-wood-sided television sat high on a shelf in the entryway of our home. On the rare occasions it was turned on the picture was fuzzy and the golf channel and local news held little interest. I spent the majority of my childhood outside, since neither of my parents worked full time my days were filled with mini-adventures, nature-focused vacations and activities, leaving little room for television. As a child the single educational computer game (reader rabbit?) I had was reserved for rainy days. Using a computer was not a part of my daily life until high school.
Growing up I read all the time, everything from short childrens books to the classics and the local paper. Specifically our local paper, my mother would sip her tea with the paper every morning so it was only natural that I read it too. I was almost never exposed to advertisements unless it was those in the paper which were mostly for local restaurants, small retailers and possibly ski areas.
As a child the lack of mass media influence in my life seemed normal, hardly any of my friends were heavily influenced by media. However I eventually attended a boarding school with students from all over the world. Many of these students were from more urban and suburban areas and far more interested in media and popular culture than anyone from my small Vermont town.
For some time I found myself sucked into this consumption oriented and media dominated culture I had never previously experienced. I was concerned about celebrities I had never met, about purchasing the latest thing, and making sure I updated my facebook status, concerns that would have never crossed my mind before. I am grateful that this short phase of my life ended.
After a few years of this I suddenly realized that I rarely went hiking anymore, I had hardly been skiing all season, and hadn’t read a book outside of class in months. I realized that I had been so concerned with media and the messages sent through mass media that I was hardly doing any of the things I loved. This realization made me consider how media affected me, and how it affects and changes everyone around me.
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