As I watch TV I am highly more aware of the hidden messages that people are sending through their commercials. I even started to recognize how the songs relate to the commercials, and actually pay attention to what they are trying to tell me. When in conversation about topics such as censorship, I realized that a lot of people know absolutely nothing about how much is actually censored in our lives and how much we do not know, even about our government.
The biggest reaction I had to a piece of work that we had to read was Feed. I loved the book from front to back and I wished that it were longer. It reminded me of talking to my younger brother, who in every way reminded me of Titus. The slang, the passive behavior, everything resembled a person I knew. I also am I huge sucker for love twists to a novel, and the fact that he was so brainwashed, literally, he could not even feel emotion for his dying girlfriend, bothered me. I thought about how insensitive I am to people around me but when I have something wrong I want everyone to understand.
I truly believe that we are living in the Feed everyday that we open our computers and I feel like we are headed down the wrong path. I want to recommend the book to people who I talk to about consumerism, most people in my major, and then make them feel like an idiot for saying some things that they say about how we NEED advertising and Disney NEEDS to own everything because it just makes the market easier. WRONGO.
So I leave the class with saying, here is my because it's good for you...
The first girl that I believe can actually sing in the pop music world. At the beginning of the video there is a large teddy bear and music box, the music box is playing Johann Strauss II's, The Blue Danube. The teddy bear also symbolizes a corrupted childhood and loss of innocence. Maybe music video makers DO know what they want to say. ;)
Thursday, April 14, 2011
Wednesday, April 6, 2011
dietbookslearningbookspoetrybooksfictionbooks...
The average Barnes & Nobles carries about 100,000 titles IN STORE. That is not including the online ordering site, or college book stores. So why do we need this many books? Why is there even a Barnes & Nobles?
Start by looking at what we use books FOR:
-diets
-fantasy
-therepy
-how to..
-business
-careers
-research
-cooking......
We use books for everything. Essentially the internet was derived from the idea of a book. Google is a book's index. We look in the index to find what is inside the books and then go to the page (click the link)... If there were no books, there would have never been the internet.
Slowly paperback and hardcover books are becoming harder to find. Just recently when I went to the library to check out Hunger Games, the library referred me ONLINE! Libraries are finding it harder to finance, stay in business and pay employees. HELLO MORE JOB LOSS!
Borders recently filed for bankruptcy... why? Because no one is purchasing books from the stores, they are going online or to ebooks.
Would I miss books if they were gone? YES. I read a lot in spare time and over the summer. I can't imagine what my mom would do if she could not read Danielle Steele, and I love knowing the ending of a television show because I've already read the book it's based on.
Books are not only educational, they make people more literate and teach them ideas outside of media culture. People can think and imagine things for themselves, that's why many refuse to move away from books (Such as the lady who begged to be burned with her books in Fahrenheit 451.)
Start by looking at what we use books FOR:
-diets
-fantasy
-therepy
-how to..
-business
-careers
-research
-cooking......
We use books for everything. Essentially the internet was derived from the idea of a book. Google is a book's index. We look in the index to find what is inside the books and then go to the page (click the link)... If there were no books, there would have never been the internet.
Slowly paperback and hardcover books are becoming harder to find. Just recently when I went to the library to check out Hunger Games, the library referred me ONLINE! Libraries are finding it harder to finance, stay in business and pay employees. HELLO MORE JOB LOSS!
Borders recently filed for bankruptcy... why? Because no one is purchasing books from the stores, they are going online or to ebooks.
Would I miss books if they were gone? YES. I read a lot in spare time and over the summer. I can't imagine what my mom would do if she could not read Danielle Steele, and I love knowing the ending of a television show because I've already read the book it's based on.
Books are not only educational, they make people more literate and teach them ideas outside of media culture. People can think and imagine things for themselves, that's why many refuse to move away from books (Such as the lady who begged to be burned with her books in Fahrenheit 451.)
Saturday, March 26, 2011
R.I.P The Hills
"Laguna Beach" started as a pun on "Beverly Hills 90210" in 2004 following the lives of high school teenagers living in Laguna Beach, Calif. The show was an instant hit on MTV and was followed by thousands. After season two, the narrorator of the show Lauren Conrad was offered a spin-off show entitled "The Hills." She had graduated high school and moved to Las Angeles to go to college.
The show was highly criticised and always questioned weather the show was supposed to be "reality" television or just another show for entertainment. The question was not answered until the final episode of "The Hills" seven years after "LC" (Lauren Conrad) had begun her MTV career.
If you skip ahead in the clip to 2:45 left, the ending tells the answer.
The Hills finale final clip
This show was all fake, set-up, and lead everyone to believe these people were truly living these lives. But we were fooled. If you look at how much people live and thrive off of reality television, it's astonishing how people were literally heart broken to find out what they were lead to believe for 7 years, was all fake.
We play a huge role in the formation of reality television and keeping it on the stations. "Laguna Beach" and "The Hills" were set up to look real because "reality" television is what was popular when they came out. MTV knew that in order to make the ratings sky-rocket, the show HAD to be "reality."
The show was watched because of the people being followed, not because of quality, or of how much it impacted our lives, but simply on beautiful girls in a beautiful city. They were the "popular" girls living out the "perfect" life, and that is what every 14 and 15 year old girl wants to know and see.
Most of the story line, if not all, is based around boyfriend drama, aka, sex appeal. We as viewers were judging the girls' boyfriends and thinking what we would do in those situations, but in "reality" those girls were never even dating those guys.
Reality television is the biggest joke, but that is "where the money is." I feel as though Gabler was exactly on point as to why people do and watch reality television. They want money, we want to watch people live lives we only dream about.
The show was highly criticised and always questioned weather the show was supposed to be "reality" television or just another show for entertainment. The question was not answered until the final episode of "The Hills" seven years after "LC" (Lauren Conrad) had begun her MTV career.
If you skip ahead in the clip to 2:45 left, the ending tells the answer.
The Hills finale final clip
This show was all fake, set-up, and lead everyone to believe these people were truly living these lives. But we were fooled. If you look at how much people live and thrive off of reality television, it's astonishing how people were literally heart broken to find out what they were lead to believe for 7 years, was all fake.
We play a huge role in the formation of reality television and keeping it on the stations. "Laguna Beach" and "The Hills" were set up to look real because "reality" television is what was popular when they came out. MTV knew that in order to make the ratings sky-rocket, the show HAD to be "reality."
The show was watched because of the people being followed, not because of quality, or of how much it impacted our lives, but simply on beautiful girls in a beautiful city. They were the "popular" girls living out the "perfect" life, and that is what every 14 and 15 year old girl wants to know and see.
Most of the story line, if not all, is based around boyfriend drama, aka, sex appeal. We as viewers were judging the girls' boyfriends and thinking what we would do in those situations, but in "reality" those girls were never even dating those guys.
Reality television is the biggest joke, but that is "where the money is." I feel as though Gabler was exactly on point as to why people do and watch reality television. They want money, we want to watch people live lives we only dream about.
Thursday, February 24, 2011
Privacy Shmivacy.
Have we lost our privacy?
Hmm.. I don't know.. ask the clerks running the scans and pat downs at the air port. Or ask the creator of Facebook. Ask your mom what it was like having a diary and trusting that no one would actually read it, let alone post it online!
I feel as though the internet has definitely made us make a choice between being private or letting it all out there. People will argue "you have the choice to get online, no one is forcing you.." BUT! Over my past week trying to live without the internet, I missed emails and messages that lead me to being late for important meetings and events. Things on Facebook can ruin lives, let alone ruin your privacy.
As for those saying "well you don't have to have a Facebook.."
Go to the airport. Get patted down, better yet.. just watch someone get patted down.
On my recent trip to Miami, I watched an amish woman be patted down.. REALLY?! I felt bad for the poor woman, she looked like she was going to cry! The way she was dressed, long skirt, sneakers with socks, a sweater with pockets, made her the ultimate target of a pat down. She could have had a bomb! Right.
I think that everyone would agree that yes, we do want to be safe, yes we do not want to be blown up on an airplane. But, in retrospect, why would we target people who we know in our heart would never hurt us?
After we get so far as to say "we are doing this for your safety" the government will take privacy and throw it out the window. In the novel the government is always pressing a "we are doing this for you" aspect, but by scaring people into doing what they want, they are in no way helping anyone. I think if that was not the amish woman's first plane ride, it certainly would be her last. She was scared so much that she couldn't even walk away with dignity. Maybe that is what they are trying to do to us.. Scare us and make examples out of people. Why else would people have their phone lines tapped.. they're trying to protect us.. right?
Hmm.. I don't know.. ask the clerks running the scans and pat downs at the air port. Or ask the creator of Facebook. Ask your mom what it was like having a diary and trusting that no one would actually read it, let alone post it online!
I feel as though the internet has definitely made us make a choice between being private or letting it all out there. People will argue "you have the choice to get online, no one is forcing you.." BUT! Over my past week trying to live without the internet, I missed emails and messages that lead me to being late for important meetings and events. Things on Facebook can ruin lives, let alone ruin your privacy.
As for those saying "well you don't have to have a Facebook.."
Go to the airport. Get patted down, better yet.. just watch someone get patted down.
On my recent trip to Miami, I watched an amish woman be patted down.. REALLY?! I felt bad for the poor woman, she looked like she was going to cry! The way she was dressed, long skirt, sneakers with socks, a sweater with pockets, made her the ultimate target of a pat down. She could have had a bomb! Right.
I think that everyone would agree that yes, we do want to be safe, yes we do not want to be blown up on an airplane. But, in retrospect, why would we target people who we know in our heart would never hurt us?
After we get so far as to say "we are doing this for your safety" the government will take privacy and throw it out the window. In the novel the government is always pressing a "we are doing this for you" aspect, but by scaring people into doing what they want, they are in no way helping anyone. I think if that was not the amish woman's first plane ride, it certainly would be her last. She was scared so much that she couldn't even walk away with dignity. Maybe that is what they are trying to do to us.. Scare us and make examples out of people. Why else would people have their phone lines tapped.. they're trying to protect us.. right?
Saturday, February 19, 2011
day 6.
Well, the past week I have not watched one movie. That is AWESOME! I only ever watch movies when I'm extremely bored, which I know now what being bored really means, and to have not turned on the DVD player in six days kind of amazes me.
I usually always have the TV on when I go to sleep, and since I truly have not turned on any TV I am fancinated that I have gotten better sleep!
The only problem I had with this experiment was that everyone else around me was trying to text me and call me, including my mom who knew I was doing this, so I constantly had to leave my phone on because she would go nuts if I didn't answer. The other problem was that people would purposely text me to see if I would answer giving me the temptation. To overcome the obsticles, I did not bring my phone with me to campus. I realized I was taking better notes and less worried about who's text I was missing.
The last issue I had was when I went out to dinner, or even on campus, there are TVs EVERYWHERE!! I never realized it before but I noticed that everywhere has some kind of sport show or news playing.
The positives of this project were better notes, which also is very helpful because I have three exams this week, better sleep, and I payed attention more to things going on around me rather than having my eyes glued to my text messaging. I actually spent four hours in the library on a Thursday and did not bring my computer so I had nothing other than work in front of me.
I think that this experience definitely opened my eyes to how much I rely on my cell phone. Turning the TV off was not the hard part, but not being able to answer a text rocked my world.
I usually always have the TV on when I go to sleep, and since I truly have not turned on any TV I am fancinated that I have gotten better sleep!
The only problem I had with this experiment was that everyone else around me was trying to text me and call me, including my mom who knew I was doing this, so I constantly had to leave my phone on because she would go nuts if I didn't answer. The other problem was that people would purposely text me to see if I would answer giving me the temptation. To overcome the obsticles, I did not bring my phone with me to campus. I realized I was taking better notes and less worried about who's text I was missing.
The last issue I had was when I went out to dinner, or even on campus, there are TVs EVERYWHERE!! I never realized it before but I noticed that everywhere has some kind of sport show or news playing.
The positives of this project were better notes, which also is very helpful because I have three exams this week, better sleep, and I payed attention more to things going on around me rather than having my eyes glued to my text messaging. I actually spent four hours in the library on a Thursday and did not bring my computer so I had nothing other than work in front of me.
I think that this experience definitely opened my eyes to how much I rely on my cell phone. Turning the TV off was not the hard part, but not being able to answer a text rocked my world.
Thursday, February 17, 2011
What would "pop up" on my feed?!!?!?
When choosing these advertisements I thought very closely about the needs of everyday living TODAY. Not the needs of those characters living in Feed.
Number 1: You need to eat!
"Bada ba ba ba! I'm lovin' it."
McDonalds spent around $1.2 billion dollars in advertising in 2008. McDonalds to me would DEFINITELY be an ad that would pop up on our feeds if we had them today. Just think.. How many commercials and billboards do we see for McDonalds each day, now times that times 3 considering your taking tv, radio and billboards and throwing them into one feed system. BAM MCDONALDS.
Number 2: You have to sleep!
Awe these little sheep will keep you soft and cozy all through the night! If there is one thing I hate seeing when I'm tired, it is Serta matress commercials but guess what!? That's why they play them! Because when I went shopping for my matress, I TOTALLY bought a Serta.
FYI: The term count the sheep came from hired barn help that would sleep in the barns and the sheep were the only thing to look at when they couldn't sleep =)
Number 3: You have to take a shower!
I picked Herbal Essences because.. well, that's what I use. But! Another necessity of life, if you are a normal showering person, would be body wash. Herbal Essences grossed about $80 billion in 2009. If that doesn't say good product, I'm not sure what does. Why wouldn't you want someone laughing while taking a shower to pop up on your feed?!
Number 4: Put some clothes on!
In 2009, Nike made an estimated $19 billion. That doesn't seem high enough to me, but when does wikipedia ever lie ;) As far as clothing goes, Nike has EVERYTHING. Hats, shoes, shirts, jackets, pants, shorts, sports bras, underware, socks.. I can keep going. But on a feed for today Nike would DEFINITELY be on there as a "great sports wear choice."
Number 1: You need to eat!
"Bada ba ba ba! I'm lovin' it."
McDonalds spent around $1.2 billion dollars in advertising in 2008. McDonalds to me would DEFINITELY be an ad that would pop up on our feeds if we had them today. Just think.. How many commercials and billboards do we see for McDonalds each day, now times that times 3 considering your taking tv, radio and billboards and throwing them into one feed system. BAM MCDONALDS.
Number 2: You have to sleep!
Awe these little sheep will keep you soft and cozy all through the night! If there is one thing I hate seeing when I'm tired, it is Serta matress commercials but guess what!? That's why they play them! Because when I went shopping for my matress, I TOTALLY bought a Serta.
FYI: The term count the sheep came from hired barn help that would sleep in the barns and the sheep were the only thing to look at when they couldn't sleep =)
Number 3: You have to take a shower!
I picked Herbal Essences because.. well, that's what I use. But! Another necessity of life, if you are a normal showering person, would be body wash. Herbal Essences grossed about $80 billion in 2009. If that doesn't say good product, I'm not sure what does. Why wouldn't you want someone laughing while taking a shower to pop up on your feed?!
Number 4: Put some clothes on!
In 2009, Nike made an estimated $19 billion. That doesn't seem high enough to me, but when does wikipedia ever lie ;) As far as clothing goes, Nike has EVERYTHING. Hats, shoes, shirts, jackets, pants, shorts, sports bras, underware, socks.. I can keep going. But on a feed for today Nike would DEFINITELY be on there as a "great sports wear choice."
Day 4.
Though the first few days of a technology ban came with opportunities to become creative I felt as though I was getting alot accomplished. I cleaned my bedroom, went to visit my mom at home (about a 40 minute drive without a radio), and then helped my mom make cheerleading bows (FOUR HOURS.) Even though there were a few times my phone rang and I had to take the call (for work and sorority bid day) I took advantage of sleeping in because my phone was shut off. I do not miss waking up to a text message or phone call from someone and it has definitely provided me with better sleep.
At first I thought I would turn my phone off completely and ignor television and computers for a while, but then I realized, doing just that would make it seem like I dropped off the face of the Earth. I leave my phone on, but on silent. I do not take my phone to class or my laptop, a huge adjustment, but a huge benefit for not getting destracted.
I have learned so far that I pay attention to other things around me. Such as... walking on campus... there is no possibility of running into someone because I'm not paying attention and texting. Or, who knew there was a rock in the quad that says "Shippensburg State University." I NEVER PAYED ATTENTION. And that is a lesson that I am glad I have learned so far.
3 days to go. Lets see if the phone will stop ringing.
At first I thought I would turn my phone off completely and ignor television and computers for a while, but then I realized, doing just that would make it seem like I dropped off the face of the Earth. I leave my phone on, but on silent. I do not take my phone to class or my laptop, a huge adjustment, but a huge benefit for not getting destracted.
I have learned so far that I pay attention to other things around me. Such as... walking on campus... there is no possibility of running into someone because I'm not paying attention and texting. Or, who knew there was a rock in the quad that says "Shippensburg State University." I NEVER PAYED ATTENTION. And that is a lesson that I am glad I have learned so far.
3 days to go. Lets see if the phone will stop ringing.
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