As much as I would like to say that I have been a member of Greenpeace for three years or a lifetime member of Habitats for Humanity, and as much as I would like to say I have taken to the streets, picket sign in hand, to bring awareness to a war or conflict abroad, unfortunately, I have not.
Now I ask myself the question: Does this mean I am a bad person? Do I care about those less fortunate than myself?
And although I haven’t shown my support for a particular cause, I still know the answer to this question. The answer being that I do care. So why am I not doing something about it?
I do not find myself especially political but I do care about what matters in the world. I may not have a button pinned to my backpack that says I care about the environment, but I recycle. I may not have been a part of a signature campaign to garner support for the hungry in Africa, but I donate to my church and create food baskets at Christmastime.
What I’m getting at is that I may not be an ‘activist’ in the traditional sense of the word, but that doesn’t mean I’m insensitive or apathetic. I believe that activism does not need to be organized to be effective, that it starts with the person - the individual - and though the larger and more formalized organizations help the cause, they are not the only solution or option. I may be a silent activist, but I still feel strongly about certain issues and help where I feel I can (at this ripe young age of 18).
I recycle, I donate to charity when I can, I donate to my church and I want to do more but I feel like I can’t. Maybe that’s an excuse, but I feel inclined to use the cliche, “I don’t have enough time.”
And as I type this I get angry. Who am I to say that I “do not have enough time” for the poor, the helpless, the taken-advantage-of? I’m writing this blog in a warm house, wearing designer clothes, and clicking away on a MacBook worth more than some of these poor individuals make in a year.
But I “don’t have enough time,” right?
Ah, I love being a part of the multi-tasking, blame-absolving, Facebook generation. It’s a sad, pathetic, (hopefully you’ve inferred, a ‘sarcastic’) love, but a love all the same.
Nov 24, 2009
Facebook! (Participatory Culture)
Recently, I met a twenty-one year old woman who was discussing why she does not like to use the telephone to speak directly with friends; she would much rather text or Facebook message to chat with them. I noticed, that when speaking to her, she did not have a lot to say, kept quiet and hid behind her many text messages she sent out while participating in a ‘real life’ conversation with me. It was as if she would text a friend whenever there was a pause in our talk.
This made me think of how our culture has been completely changed by technological advancements. People have become so accustomed to using text and Facebook messages, that they have lost the confidence to speak face-to-face with individuals. In Sex, Drugs and Cocoa Puffs, author Chuck Klosterman discusses the impact media has acquired with an explanation of the virtual-life game known as, The Sims. Facebook and The Sims have something in common, they are “an escapist vehicle for people who want to escape to where they already are” (Klosterman 13). On Facebook, we become socially connected and we can make new friends and maintain older friendships. This social networking tool is useful, however, it is different from our ‘real’ lives. My professor, Ian Reilly has mentioned that we have hundreds of “fake friends” online. The first time he said this, I took offense and did not agree. Later, I decided to check how many of these friend I write to on Facebook, and let’s just say that out of my six-hundred and ninety-four friends, I keep in touch with twenty of them.
Facebook provides strong incentives for active participation, by providing users with options to upload pictures and videos, write to friends, join groups, and create groups. Many Facebook users will judge a person by the photo they use as their profile picture, or the photos that our tagged of them. This makes for a very judgmental online community because people are always uploading information to Facebook, allowing people to view their details and from this conclusions are made about their personalities.
Before Facebook was created, there was Myspace, a website where people would post pictures, videos, and chat with friends. When myspace was popular, there was what was called the “Myspace picture,” a photo taken from a high angle pointed towards a mirror reflecting the Myspace user. This type of image was used by many as a profile picture, I admit I used to take these photos too...
I thought these images were sexy and appealing because everyone had plastered these kind of photos all over their Myspace pages. Luckily, I now understand that I would hide my true identity behind fake looking images to fit into this participatory culture. Much like the way I put up attractive photos on Facebook, but look for images that are more unique and artistic in comparison to our “fake friends”. Klosterman writes, “The impact of this understanding comes later in life, usually at college, and usually around the point when being “weird” starts to be periodically interpreted by others as “charming” and /or “sexually intriguing” (Klosterman 123). Now when I look at profile pictures of friends in my age group on Facebook, the most unusual or creative images are those that attract me the most.
Works Cited:
Klosterman, Chuck. Sex, Drugs, and Cocoa Puffs. New York: Scribner., 2003.
This made me think of how our culture has been completely changed by technological advancements. People have become so accustomed to using text and Facebook messages, that they have lost the confidence to speak face-to-face with individuals. In Sex, Drugs and Cocoa Puffs, author Chuck Klosterman discusses the impact media has acquired with an explanation of the virtual-life game known as, The Sims. Facebook and The Sims have something in common, they are “an escapist vehicle for people who want to escape to where they already are” (Klosterman 13). On Facebook, we become socially connected and we can make new friends and maintain older friendships. This social networking tool is useful, however, it is different from our ‘real’ lives. My professor, Ian Reilly has mentioned that we have hundreds of “fake friends” online. The first time he said this, I took offense and did not agree. Later, I decided to check how many of these friend I write to on Facebook, and let’s just say that out of my six-hundred and ninety-four friends, I keep in touch with twenty of them.
Facebook provides strong incentives for active participation, by providing users with options to upload pictures and videos, write to friends, join groups, and create groups. Many Facebook users will judge a person by the photo they use as their profile picture, or the photos that our tagged of them. This makes for a very judgmental online community because people are always uploading information to Facebook, allowing people to view their details and from this conclusions are made about their personalities.
Before Facebook was created, there was Myspace, a website where people would post pictures, videos, and chat with friends. When myspace was popular, there was what was called the “Myspace picture,” a photo taken from a high angle pointed towards a mirror reflecting the Myspace user. This type of image was used by many as a profile picture, I admit I used to take these photos too...
I thought these images were sexy and appealing because everyone had plastered these kind of photos all over their Myspace pages. Luckily, I now understand that I would hide my true identity behind fake looking images to fit into this participatory culture. Much like the way I put up attractive photos on Facebook, but look for images that are more unique and artistic in comparison to our “fake friends”. Klosterman writes, “The impact of this understanding comes later in life, usually at college, and usually around the point when being “weird” starts to be periodically interpreted by others as “charming” and /or “sexually intriguing” (Klosterman 123). Now when I look at profile pictures of friends in my age group on Facebook, the most unusual or creative images are those that attract me the most.
Works Cited:
Klosterman, Chuck. Sex, Drugs, and Cocoa Puffs. New York: Scribner., 2003.
We're Jammin! (Culture Jamming)
When I read the words “Culture Jamming” on the syllabus, I was very confused as to what the words meant and the only thing that came to mind was Bob Marley’s song entitled, “Jammin”...Which is playing on my Itunes as I write this post.
After reading several definitions of the two words, I still could not find a source that I thought described it in the best of terms. So I have chosen to define it myself. I believe Culture Jamming to be a rebellion against corporations that are interested in selling products to consumers by poking fun at the messages they send to the masses. Culture Jamming is usually done to raise awareness to consumers in an entertaining way.
To show my understanding of Culture Jamming, above is an image that I came across that I will analyze.
This image pokes fun at the Pepsi Corporation by using the well-known Pepsi logo and modifying it to look like a large man drinking Pepsi. The logo is recognizable because it uses the three colours that Pepsi is known for: red, white and blue. In Understanding Comics the Invisible Art, Scott McCloud writes about the colours used in comic superheroes costumes, explaining how these colours symbolize the character in the mind of the reader, much like the colours used in popular logos. To further this idea, think of the colours that represent the McDonalds, Roger’s, Cocoa-Cola, Re/max, Nike, Ebay, Zellers... and I think you get the point! When we see these colours in an image, we quickly can recognize what company it belongs to.
...and now for something completely different so I still pass!
This image presents ideas that twist the message Pepsi delivers to the public. As discussed in class, the advertisement has been hijacked to create something effective. The image was made available by Adbusters, “a global network of artists. activists, writers, pranksters, students, educators and entrepreneurs who want to advance the new social activist movement of the information age. [Their] aim is to topple existing power structures and forge a major shift in the way we will in the 21st century” (“Adbusters”). This group has a collection of images that spoof the original meaning of logos and advertisements in order to make awareness about what a product might do to the consumer. This image tells us that Pepsi has the possibility of making the consumer overweight... if they choose to drink a lot of this product.
Works Cited:
Klosterman, Chuck. Sex, Drugs, and Cocoa Puffs. New York: Scribner., 2003.
An Expensive Visa Bill (Buy Nothing Day)
Upon review of my Visa bill this month, that I have yet to pay, I have come to learn that this year I should take part in Buy Nothing Day on November 25th...
It seems that when I use my Visa card, a seventy dollar hat from a cute boutique, eighty-three dollar bra and pantie set from La Senza and a thirty-five dollar meal at Moxie’s are all necessary and affordable. Despite my lack of income as I only work weekends and tuition is sucking me dry. I choose to use my credit card when I see an overpriced must-have because I figure that by the time my bill is due I can put aside money each week to pay it off. This idea fails to work when I use the money on other items that I consider necessities!
Well, to look on the bright side, I am doing a great job of keeping our economy stimulated!
Our culture has become incredibly materialist, to the point where it is hard for us to avoid buying things for one day of the year. We are inundated by the media providing advertisements, commercials, logos and stores that are convincing us that we need to buy things in order to be happy or “cool”. The Buy Nothing Day campaign was created by activist, Ted Dave when he became frustrated with the markets pricey items. His purpose was to put the spotlight on how consumeristic our culture has become; informing many of us that we use money wastefully. Buy Nothing Day is celebrated on November 25th, and is now recognized by several countries around the world.
This year I challenge you to participate in Buy Nothing Day!
Works Cited:
McKay, John. “Vancouver actor Ted Dave better known as an activist”. Canadian Press. Sept. 15. 2000. <>. Nov. 19. 09.
Link: https://www.adbusters.org/campaigns/bnd
It seems that when I use my Visa card, a seventy dollar hat from a cute boutique, eighty-three dollar bra and pantie set from La Senza and a thirty-five dollar meal at Moxie’s are all necessary and affordable. Despite my lack of income as I only work weekends and tuition is sucking me dry. I choose to use my credit card when I see an overpriced must-have because I figure that by the time my bill is due I can put aside money each week to pay it off. This idea fails to work when I use the money on other items that I consider necessities!
Well, to look on the bright side, I am doing a great job of keeping our economy stimulated!
Our culture has become incredibly materialist, to the point where it is hard for us to avoid buying things for one day of the year. We are inundated by the media providing advertisements, commercials, logos and stores that are convincing us that we need to buy things in order to be happy or “cool”. The Buy Nothing Day campaign was created by activist, Ted Dave when he became frustrated with the markets pricey items. His purpose was to put the spotlight on how consumeristic our culture has become; informing many of us that we use money wastefully. Buy Nothing Day is celebrated on November 25th, and is now recognized by several countries around the world.
This year I challenge you to participate in Buy Nothing Day!
Works Cited:
McKay, John. “Vancouver actor Ted Dave better known as an activist”. Canadian Press. Sept. 15. 2000. <>. Nov. 19. 09.
Link: https://www.adbusters.org/campaigns/bnd
Net Neutrality
Net Neutrality allows Internet users to freely search information on the web, upload content and create their own websites and blogs. This is ideal for students like myself, because as I mentioned in earlier posts, I have a place to voice my opinions on matters just like Net Neutrality. Unfortunately, many companies wish to make profit on the information we access online, controlling the content we want to use. Telecom companies such as AT&T and Verizon Communications are limiting the freedom of the Internet by aggressively campaigning to control what will be available to us online.
I strongly disagree with this elimination of Internet freedom because it provides us with information at our fingertips. Richard Whitt from Google’s Public Policy Blog, agrees that, “The Internet was built and has thrived as an open platform, where individuals and entrepreneurs -- not network owners -- can connect and interact, choose marketplace winners and losers, and create new services and content on a level playing field.”
As Lawrence Lessig, author of Free Culture explains, “the Internet has made communication faster, it has lowered the cost of gathering data, and so on. These technical changes are not the focus of this book. They are important. They are not well understood. But they are the sort of thing that would simply go away if we all just switched the Internet off” (Lessig 7). If the Telecom companies succeed by controlling the information we can access for free, these technical changes would not exist and our culture would not be as knowledgeable about varieties of subjects and occurring issues in the world.
Works Cited:
Lessig, Lawrence. Free Culture. New York: Penguin Books Ltd., 2004.
Bateman, Justine. “We Need To Put Our Foot Down On Net Neutrality”. The Huffington Post.
. Nov. 23. 09
I strongly disagree with this elimination of Internet freedom because it provides us with information at our fingertips. Richard Whitt from Google’s Public Policy Blog, agrees that, “The Internet was built and has thrived as an open platform, where individuals and entrepreneurs -- not network owners -- can connect and interact, choose marketplace winners and losers, and create new services and content on a level playing field.”
As Lawrence Lessig, author of Free Culture explains, “the Internet has made communication faster, it has lowered the cost of gathering data, and so on. These technical changes are not the focus of this book. They are important. They are not well understood. But they are the sort of thing that would simply go away if we all just switched the Internet off” (Lessig 7). If the Telecom companies succeed by controlling the information we can access for free, these technical changes would not exist and our culture would not be as knowledgeable about varieties of subjects and occurring issues in the world.
Works Cited:
Lessig, Lawrence. Free Culture. New York: Penguin Books Ltd., 2004.
Bateman, Justine. “We Need To Put Our Foot Down On Net Neutrality”. The Huffington Post.
More than meets the eye (Media Hegemonies/Mapping Who Owns What)
It is important to understand the role media has in our society to be able to analyze the information we are flooded with by the media itself.
To explain the above, the more media literate we are as a society the more power we have to understand media hegemonies and the impact they have on our culture.
Corporations that have cross media ownership have the power to influence the people en masse. In many cases, there is one larger corporate conglomerate that owns different sub-companies underneath its umbrella. A perfect example of such a company is “News Corporation”
News Corporation’s portfolio contains so many different entities, it is simpler to just let them speak for themselves:
“News Corporation is the globe’s leading publisher of English-language newspapers,with operations in the U.K., the United States, Australia, Fiji, Papua New Guinea and across Europe and Asia. The Newspaper and Information Services segment includes News International, which publishes four national newspapers in the U.K.; News Limited, which publishes more than 110 national, capital city and suburban newspapers in Australia; the New York Post in the U.S.; The Wall Street Journal in the U.S., Europe and Asia; and Dow Jones. News Corp. also publishes several special interest magazines in Australia.”
And that is simply the companies News Corporation owns under the “Newspapers and Information Services” heading! They also own the whole FOX family of television channels, filmed entertainment companies such as Twentieth Century Fox and major websites such as www.myspace.com and www.ign.com!
What I find more shocking than finding out that one shell company owns a multitude of media outlets, is the fact that there are very, very few people who own that particular shell. For the purposes of this study, I’m speaking of one, Mr. Rupert Murdoch, their company Chairman and CEO.
Rupert Murdoch is a media powerhouse and is often questioned about whether or not he uses the scope of his conglomerate to influence the way people think and what people think about. In discussing Bush’s agenda in Iraq, Mr. Murdoch addresses his company’s role in influencing Americans to be in support of Bush’s agenda here:
Being conscious of the fact that media hegemonies exist is crucial because we should take in the millions of messages we are fed everyday with a grain of salt, so to speak. There may not be a need to instantly transform into a conspiracy theorist but knowledge is power; being critical, expressing our opinions, and looking at the world through out own lens (not merely a lens we are provided with) is necessary to ensure that the will and thoughts of one do not trickle down into the will and thoughts of ourselves.
LINKS:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0K2pLo8JV5Y
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jZinUQHAN74
To explain the above, the more media literate we are as a society the more power we have to understand media hegemonies and the impact they have on our culture.
Corporations that have cross media ownership have the power to influence the people en masse. In many cases, there is one larger corporate conglomerate that owns different sub-companies underneath its umbrella. A perfect example of such a company is “News Corporation”
News Corporation’s portfolio contains so many different entities, it is simpler to just let them speak for themselves:
“News Corporation is the globe’s leading publisher of English-language newspapers,with operations in the U.K., the United States, Australia, Fiji, Papua New Guinea and across Europe and Asia. The Newspaper and Information Services segment includes News International, which publishes four national newspapers in the U.K.; News Limited, which publishes more than 110 national, capital city and suburban newspapers in Australia; the New York Post in the U.S.; The Wall Street Journal in the U.S., Europe and Asia; and Dow Jones. News Corp. also publishes several special interest magazines in Australia.”
And that is simply the companies News Corporation owns under the “Newspapers and Information Services” heading! They also own the whole FOX family of television channels, filmed entertainment companies such as Twentieth Century Fox and major websites such as www.myspace.com and www.ign.com!
What I find more shocking than finding out that one shell company owns a multitude of media outlets, is the fact that there are very, very few people who own that particular shell. For the purposes of this study, I’m speaking of one, Mr. Rupert Murdoch, their company Chairman and CEO.
Rupert Murdoch is a media powerhouse and is often questioned about whether or not he uses the scope of his conglomerate to influence the way people think and what people think about. In discussing Bush’s agenda in Iraq, Mr. Murdoch addresses his company’s role in influencing Americans to be in support of Bush’s agenda here:
Being conscious of the fact that media hegemonies exist is crucial because we should take in the millions of messages we are fed everyday with a grain of salt, so to speak. There may not be a need to instantly transform into a conspiracy theorist but knowledge is power; being critical, expressing our opinions, and looking at the world through out own lens (not merely a lens we are provided with) is necessary to ensure that the will and thoughts of one do not trickle down into the will and thoughts of ourselves.
LINKS:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0K2pLo8JV5Y
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jZinUQHAN74
Oct 12, 2009
Citizen Journalism (Fake news)
Investing four years of my life in a reputable University program for Media Studies is something that I am confident will provide me with the knowledge basis and contacts needed for a career in journalism. However, I was introduced to the term Citizen Journalism, a writer who can in a sense take the spotlight away from paid journalists because they had a note pad and cell phone camera at the right time. Despite the fact that there are citizen journalists out there, I plan to do my best to ensure that my stories and comments will be read.
Everyone deserves the freedom to voice their thoughts and opinions, I just have a little problem with the fact that here I am learning all the formal fundamentals while someone who may have not gone to post-secondary education has the potential to publish a better story than me!
As I reflect on citizen journalism, I was thinking about how my blog could be considered citizen journalism too. I make this relation because I am voicing my own opinions on the world-wide web which could be easily compared to someone writing a small article in the newspaper. In this mindset I encourage the idea of Citizen Journalism (because it is giving me a small voice in world issues). Yet, somehow I am troubled to think that when I complete my program at the University of Guelph-Humber, a normal citizen could get a better spot in the paper than me.
Everyone deserves the freedom to voice their thoughts and opinions, I just have a little problem with the fact that here I am learning all the formal fundamentals while someone who may have not gone to post-secondary education has the potential to publish a better story than me!
As I reflect on citizen journalism, I was thinking about how my blog could be considered citizen journalism too. I make this relation because I am voicing my own opinions on the world-wide web which could be easily compared to someone writing a small article in the newspaper. In this mindset I encourage the idea of Citizen Journalism (because it is giving me a small voice in world issues). Yet, somehow I am troubled to think that when I complete my program at the University of Guelph-Humber, a normal citizen could get a better spot in the paper than me.
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