My Best Friend...

If you're a big believer in having everything your way, talking to the people you like, searching for the sort information you'd like, and networking with individuals around the world, when you want, where you want, in other words if you want to stay connected to the internet at your free will and love the idea of a global village, this is your blog post!

In order to understand net neutrality better, I made observation results of my time spent on  the internet.

Everyday, I turn on my laptop, and click on Safari (which is the web browser for Mac). When I'm on my web browser, the first place I go to is my Facebook account. Logging on to my account, I find I have about 10 alerts. These alerts usually indicate friends that have posted messages on my profile wall, friends that have commented on my pictures, friends that have commented on pictures I have been tagged in, friends that have commented on my updated status, etc. As I read these messages and comments, I feel bored and decide to listen to some music. The first website that comes into my mind is YouTube. I know I can find almost any sort of genre on this website so I type in "Russian Roulette by Rihanna" to listen. As Im listening to the music, I then check my Hotmail. I log on to my account and read every mail I've received and start replying. My song finish's, so I go back on YouTube and type in "Forever by Drake" to listen to that. As I complete replying to my Hotmail, I log onto the Guelph-Humber websites to check my mail there. I know I have a media assignment due the next day, so I go on the Google search engine, and check out examples of news releases. I start taking notes. While I'm at it, I also read the news. Might as well right? I suddenly remember that I need to update my Twitter status. I immediately go on my twitter page and type in, "All the possibilities the internet has to offer us. My brain has just been in so many places in just 15 minutes….and I love it!".

I just had so many choices over the internet. I did just about everything I wanted to do. Net neutrality is what made this possible for me. However, net neutrality is not being taken seriously enough by the government. The acts against it are occurring now and we need to stop it somehow. I can't imagine not having the freedom to do everything I just did in 15 minutes. Net neutrality fights for open media verses closed media, allows access to websites, enforces no restrictions and provides freedom of choice. It acts as the voice of the public and over all is a "democratic device" (CBC News, 2009). Having regulations is like "if the law imposed the death penalty for parking tickets, we'd have fewer parking tickets, we'd also have much less driving"(Lessig, 192). Without net neutrality, we'd have less people using the internet, therefore less views on websites, therefore bringing down the reputation and familiarity of each website, and every company linked to that website. It would be a downward spiral for businesses and the the global village culture. To make it more simple for you and myself to understand, I like to compare this to innovation, since innovation equals to productivity. "If innovation is constantly checked by this uncertain and unlimited liability, we will have much less vibrant innovation and much less creativity"(Lessig, 192). So, this "punitive system of regulation will systematically stifle creativity and innovation. It will protect some industries and some creators, but it will harm industry and creativity generally"(Lessig, 192).

 I have had the freedom of choice over the Internet ever since I was about 11 years old. I've been brought up with it and learned from it. I have become a fast thinker, an analyzer, a more productive person and have connected with more people and organizations around the world due to my freedom I have on the Internet. No net neutrality will equal to no best friend.

Works Cited

Curtis, A. "Net Neutrality". YouTube. 21st April 2006. 20th November 2009.

Lessig, Lawrence. Free Culture. United States of America: Penguin Books, 2004.

"Net Neutrality and Internet Traffic Management". CBC News. 19th October 2009. 20th November 2009.

Buy Nothing Day

BUY NOTHING DAY- WATCH VIDEO - CLICK TO WATCH

"Buy Nothing Day" on November 28th, is a fantastic day which discourages overconsumption. In my opinion, material standards of living has reached such heights, that it has become a core source of happiness. Or at least this is what we are encouraged to believe. Consuming has become an icon which "we use to represent concepts, ideas and philosophies"(McCloud, 27) of what we desire. In fact, I think shopping centres have replaced churches because it is now a symbol of cultural values. Shopping has become a religion, where we are told to consume, and the result of that consumption will come through happiness and self-satisfaction. Just for the fun of it, I decided to research this topic and found that "90% of us visit shopping malls each week more than attend houses of worship"(Miss Changelez, 2009).

Although overconsumption is a fuel for the economy, as we are reminded constantly of the economic benefits, which are usually summed up in these so called wise words, "the more we spend, the more we get back"(Adele, 2009), we must also think about the social and health indicators within the subject area. For example, statistics show, "family breakdown, stress, loneliness and depression are much higher in 'developed' countries"(Altruists International, 2008). Many reasons can explain why this is a result and a cause of increased economic activities. In the past, recreation was spent on non-consumptive activities such as visiting friends or appreciating nature. This is especially hard in a dying social and natural environment. Now a days, depressed people are told to cheer themselves by selfish consuming, whether of food, drugs, digital culture, or even a means of escapism. For example, a result of food consumption has caused obesity which is an obvious symptom of over-consumption. While there are millions of people dying of hunger in other parts of the world, overeating is widely known throughout North America - which is evidence of how the manipulation of large companies is indirectly, unintentionally promoting self-destruction. Also, most people, including myself, spend hours everyday devoted to digital culture. My family no longer spends time together in conversation, but are usually busy on our digital devices which keep us busy. However, we feel as if our lives aren't complete as we feel depressed and lonely because we forget the value of family, friends and togetherness. What we miss out in our daily consumerist lives is that same togetherness which is and has been the true meaning of fulfilment for generations on end. So I ask you one question- what is more important? The growing economy, which lets me spend in return for short- term self- satisfaction or the disadvantages of overconsumption which promotes fulfillment, with a long term elimination of social and health issues. You choose. "Buy Nothing Day" is your day to decide.

Works Cited

Confer, Jess. Buy Nothing Day 2009, November 28 | Black Friday Protest. YouTube. 5th November 2008. 20th November 2009.

Emile and Adele. "How to Become Financially Free". E-Blogger. 1st October, 2009. 20th November 2009.

McCloud, Scott. Understanding Comics - The Invisible Art. New York: Harper Perennial, 1993.

"Oversumption". YouTube. 22nd May 2006. 20th November 2009.

"Re-establishing Altruism As A Viable Social Norm". Helping Others Altruists International. 2008.   20th November 2009.

Praise The Onion!

In the world of satirical fake news and citizen journalism, individuals without professional journalism training can utilize modern technology or the internet to produce an opinion or fact-check media. Fake news also known as mock news, is similar to parody displayed in a format that is usually of mainstream journalism. News satires depend on irony and deadpan humour. It is sometimes mistaken for real news, which is exactly why it exists. It allows for the truth or a bias to be understood by an average person through entertainment. Citizen journalism and fake news show bias where as regular news show facts. For example, blogs allow people to interact with the world just like journalists in order to inform, except they are purely opinions and not facts. Fact-checking news in a newspaper article and pointing out factual errors or bias is another advantage. Therefore, both citizen journalism and fake news, in a way, go hand in hand. Personally, I tend to be bias towards news satires. As a media literate, I find myself analyzing brand names, advertising, social issues, and how technology has an impact on people. I found a video on The Onion, which is basically a fake news channel. The channel puts together various actors and actresses in order to display fake news stories which mocks at real life issues. The viewer can then understand the bias or maybe some of the truth and schemes behind corporate companies that make people buy their products. The Onion also pokes fun at social issues and exaggerates them in order to send out a message. Clearly, I am bias towards the fake news. As I am sitting here writing in my blog, a citizen journalist, I think fake news is a good way to have a good laugh and learn something at the same time. For example, check out this Onion video.

Apple MacBook Wheel  (click)

This is a mock of the Apple brand. Every year the company tries something new in order to make more money. They will think of many ways to make life simpler for consumers. What they mock at is how the new "revolutionary" MacBook Wheel will accomplish daily tasks by typing just a few dozen spins and clicks of a wheel. Who would want to do that? I know i wouldn't.The man being interviewed says, " I never realized how much i hated using a keyboard until i saw this thing." What the Onion also emphasizes is how the man spent 45 minutes just to send an email to someone. This laptop provides sentence options so people don't have to think as much while completing work on word (the Onion tries to emphasize how it will only make people dumber). Its a great piece of technology everyone has on their wish list, but in the end, according to Onion, its a piece of useless money wasting product. It just makes life harder and the person dumber. It breaks down the Apple ads in order to expose the underlaying consequences. There is great irony and sarcasm in this news story. Funny huh? 

Next time you can watch out while buying Apple laptops. I recently has a bad experience with the MacBook as well. I bought the MacBook Pro this summer for school as it was recommended. I was really excited to have an amazing new laptop that has advanced features. As I've used Windows all my life, i thought i would simply download MSN and start video chatting. What i didn't know was that using MSN on a Mac didn't allow me to video chat with my friends. I mean, it costs more than my HP right? I thought there would be more options. Not only that, i wasn't able to send offline messages to any of my friends and neither could I receive any from them. In the end i had to resort to other options. Watching this commercial got a good laugh out of me because I could totally relate to their bias. My example is just a minor example of why these satires are important. They are like assassins, killing evil (in their own media literate-ish way). Sometimes people need other opinions to finalize their own. Watching fake news is a great way to influence opinions, which will almost always be cruelly correct.

 Works Cited

Various, "Citizen Journalism". Wikipedia - The Free Encyclopedia. 10th October 2009. Web.  

Various, "News Satire". Wikipedia -The Free Encyclopedia. 10th October 2009. Web.  http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/News_satire

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9BnLbv6QYcA&feature=related

Theory/Praxis- Importance of Media Literacy

Media literacy is a big part of my life. It is the ability to access, analyze, evaluate and produce media in a variety of forms. Before I became media literate sometime last year, I was just like the ordinary girl walking down the street. I was an example of a media product. I carried and advertised brand names and accessories everywhere. As much as i hate to admit it, even my attitude changed every 6 to 7 months according to how i felt about things. I've been through that Abercrombie and Fitch phase. I've been through that "Gena" phase when i wore head bands and TNA sweaters. Funny thing is, I was never a loser like I think I was now. I was the girl that could "fit in". I was the girl that could move with the time, move with the crowd so i was never criticized. I know the person reading this blog right now has been through certain phases as well. If you haven't realized the phases as yet, then here is your chance. I call them phases because it is something that wont last long. When your subjected to something that will not last very long, it shouldn't be very significant either. Therefore, if it isn't a true trait or a habit of a person, its a phase.

When I realized that it is important to analyze the media, no matter how much it may benefit us, I realized a whole lot of other things. Before, I never stopped for a second to think where I was going, and what was leading me. "I will always be my own person", or at least thats what I thought. I started to think about things I've never noticed about myself like the way I talk, the way I approach people. It was as if i was approaching people exactly the way my best friend was, or her friend, or even her friend's friend. I started to think about McLuhan's words, technology and the world around me. I learned the true meaning of being media literate. I learned that, "Media literacy is a new expanded view of traditional literacy which acknowledges and includes the role and impact of mass media. It is an essential basic skill for our future as individuals and as members of a democratic society".(Aspen Leadership Conference on Media Literacy,1992). I suggest we all need to know media literacy, especially those, just like myself who aim to pursue a career in media which will lead to creating many other forms of media. It is important to know how the minds of our society think and understand that ,"Today's technologies represent a startling fusion of sight and sound that frequently make it difficult for us to discern illusion from reality, fact from fiction."(Introduction to Media Literacy,1995). This quote describes how I was so caught up in my made up world of "coolness" and many of us still are in the illusion that the technologies create. In my opinion, what the technology and media produces becomes an ideology we follow and they eventually become principles we live off if we aren't aware of our surroundings. 

Works Cited

Considine, David. "An Introduction to Media Literacy: The What, Why and How To's".  Mastering the Media at Appalachain State University. 10th October 2009. Web.

Center for Media Literacy. "Research and Theory (Media Literacy)". CML: Empowerment Through Education. Web. http://www.medialit.org/focus/rsch_home.html

Sex Sells - D&G!, PETA?

I am not a feminist. Neither am I one to judge easily. However, the violence of any kind doesn't manage to pass me by. As I intend to pursue a career in the media industry (perhaps advertising?), it's painful to see the kinds of actions being made to sell a brand name product. What surprises me the most is that not only brand name organizations but also charity causes like PETA have now become a part of the "sex sells" clan. The reason why I mentioned feminism earlier is because most of the violence occurring in the advertising world is targeted towards women in sexual ways. Women are hugely targeted to influence in different ways due to the way advertisers portray their message. Now a days, it is possible to look at a photograph and guess the underlaying meaning behind the visual. However, the advertisers have the right to answer to questions and change the way people think about the photograph. This is what the people need to think about- their misconceptions of high-end advertising. To explain, I picked out 4 different pictures from 2 different companies to show the underlaying meaning of these ads. I'll explain each of these pictures and how woman have become a sex project in them. They also look flawless, thin and vulnerable no matter what product the advertisement is produced for.

1) Dolce and Gabbana- A high-end fashion line that makes millions of dollars off of their products. What do we see? A bunch of sweaty hunks posing confidently and a sexy girl posing provocatively on the ground. How creative? Don't think so.This is an ad of shoes by the way, not gang rape. This ad indicates that men are on a more superior level than the woman in the picture. There are 4 of them, and one of her. She is pinned down to the floor as all the men angrily stare her down. It is very degrading for the female in this photograph.The shoes are the selling product, but we barely notice them. If one doesn't think this photograph spells violence towards women, there is something wrong with his or her mentality. Literally. This ad was band from France as a result of the government stating, "This is not what we want our nation to follow."(The Girl Revolution).

2) Dolce and Gabbana- I had a weird time analyzing this ad because for one, the violence is obvious, but the violence toward the female is not obvious at all. There is more than one meaning to this ad. You see a bunch of attractive men wearing Dolce Gabbana clothing involved in gang violence. It emphasizes the "power" of their product. However, there is a lady, literally butt naked, sexually embraced to what looks like the leader of the stronger pack. He is the man who committed the murder. The woman is the price, but is made to look vulnerable because while they are all covered in expensive Dolce Gabanna wear, she is wearing nothing but a pair of boots (degrading to the woman in the picture). Also, what the ad wants us to see is the perfect flawlessness of her body. The man has got everything he has ever wanted through his power. He has the naked woman. In the end, sexuality prevails.

3) PETA - PETA stands for People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals. Their main goal is to end fur and leather use, meat and dairy consumption, fishing, hunting trapping, etc. I saw this ad and was confused at first. The first word that came out of my mouth while thinking about this ad was, "What?". I questioned,"are you serious?" as i starred at it some more. The photograph is taken from a high angle to make the woman look vulnerable and helpless as her beautiful locks contrast the red chilly peppers in the back. She is completely naked starring up at the audience, which happens to be me at this point. Her desperate look can trap anyone. "She looks like she has anorexia nervousa! :-( This isn't a good image for the promotion of vegan life." sent in anonymously as a comment. While promoting PETA, this ad also promotes beautiful physic and sexuality.

4) PETA-  Again, There is a woman with red chilli peppers surrounding her. She is viewed on a high angle so she seems vulnerable. The picture is demeaning. Naked, her body shape is skinnier than the usual female frame. This is for an animal cause, why is there a girl stripped naked on the ground surrounded with chilli peppers, that cover her private parts? The whole point to this is going vegetarian isn't it? Why cant they have happy, healthy people sitting at a table posing with delicious looking vegetarian food? It is because PETA now has a style. The style indirectly indicates that sex sells. Most of the people that pose for it are celebrities. Depicts reality right in front of us to see. Sexuality and a stick thin body is what everyone needs right? I think its degrading and doesn't get the point across clearly. There is no sign of animals, or the act of preventing the harm and killing of animals anywhere. The advantage for this cause is that they have higher chances of bringing contributors and volunteers to their program.

Selling is a business and many techniques make the businesses successful. Sexuality just happens to be one of them. It is important to be media literate so we are aware of how it can influence us. We need to make sure that media does not illustrate reality for us.

Works Cited

Tracee, "Sex & Violence in Advertising". The Girl Revolution. 5th October 2009. Web.

Unknown (Various), "Ad Sneeze". Ads by Google. 7th October 2009. Web.

Mass Media

According to the most common definition, mass media is a system designed to reach a large number of people. These include prints such as newspapers and magazines. However, types of mass media such as books and manuscripts have been around for centuries. I think the specific form of media that has transformed societies into what McLuhan calls the "global village" is the public media. Public media is the total of public mass distributors of news and entertainment across media such as newspapers, television, radio and broadcasting. Mass Media includes internet media such as blogs, message boards, podcasts and video sharing. The communications audience has been viewed by some commentators as forming a mass society. This means any society that possess a mass culture and large scaled impersonal institutions.

My opinion on the mass media is similar to McLuhan's point of view. He once quoted, "There are no passengers on spaceship earth, we are all crew."(McLuhan) As i sat there fascinated by this quote, I thought to myself that we all work together as a team to influence ourselves. We created the mass media, and in turn, the media has influenced us. As we are constantly swayed, we are doomed as passengers . Passengers symbolize individuality, where as crew workers exist only for the spaceship and not themselves. Crew workers also look and dress the same. The medium has taken control of our lives to the extent where it is almost like we have lost out distinctiveness as passengers. This is because when one tries to emulate his or her role models (which are presented through the mass media) of the glamour industry, is that person thoughtful to distinguish between right and wrong? Can that person differentiate between who he or she is and who he or she wants to be? In the end we all become the same. We balance the effects back and forth from one person to another. For example, on Facebook, individuals describe themselves only the way they want to be perceived and not  who they usually are. Are they doing this  for themselves or for the world around them to see? The whole reason is, they want to become good citizens of the global village. This may be because we subconsciously need to please each other. In other words, work for each other. Are we shaped based on how our friends are shaped? Maybe so. Or are we shaped based on the way media moulds us? That is another possibility. Since most of us want to feel, look and act the same (which we do), we are not passengers but the crew of "spaceship earth". Personally, I agree that mass media has shaped us into crew members.

Works Cited

McLuhan, Marshall. "Marshall McLuhan Quotes". Brainy Quotes. 2nd October 2009. Web.

Coleman, Brenna. "Media Literacy". suite101.com - The genuine article. Literally. 5th October 2009. Web.

Media Ecology- Television Vs. Postman

I have been questioning myself about the media's impact on society for a bit now. When I think about the technology that has effected us innocent human being's the most, I came to the conclusion of television. Long before the television, the most direct visual media were paintings. Everyone perceived the paintings a different way. Imaginations were soaring when assuming the purpose and meaning of a painting. The "Assumptions concerned: Beauty, Truth, Genius, Civilization, Form, Status, Taste, etc."(Berger,11) The television on the other hand, limited our imagination. It shows us exactly what the evil mind gamers (companies, producers, advertisers etc.) want us to see. I think I went a little too far by saying evil mind gamers though, as it is a helpful source of information. Anyways, back to the argument, in time, television has made most of the population in North America visual learners. It has proved that "it is seeing which establishes our place in the surrounding world; we explain that world with words, but words can never undo the fact that we are surrounded by it."(Berger,7)

I thought about how the television can be explained in different ways. The television can enhance yet has change us from normal to abnormal. I will explain what I mean.

 Television's role is to enhance the source of entertainment and allow access of information across to a large public at one time. For example, news stories and weather. Now with sound and visuals, people are happier than ever. The news educates us about important decision's being made around the world . The weather is always updated to inform us of how the atmosphere will appear in advance so we are able to make plans if wishing to go out. The reality show's and music video's keep us entertained and the advertisers keep us buying and owning newer, more advanced and latest products. Hence, the television enhances the effect of how people can be plugged into one channel at once. We think television is an enhancement because it makes information available to a number of individuals at one time at various timings. I wont lie, I think the television is an extremely convenient piece of technology, but being the Postman fan that I am, I will argue against the medium. Television shows content that will eventually teach reality to its audience. It is basically a story teller. From cartoons and soaps to advertisements and films, people gather together to tell stories to reveal messages whether they are moral or immoral, real or unreal. No matter what it is, it becomes the new truth. As Postman says about television, ‘Has the power to fly far beyond (its original) context into new and unexpected ones…It imposes itself on our consciousness and social institutions in myriad forms. It sometimes has the power to become implicated in our concepts of piety, or goodness, or beauty. And it is always implicated in the ways we define and regulate our ideas about truth.’ (Postman,1985). For example, the new soaps like "90210" or "Gossip Girl" indicate that being stick thin is the new beauty. Reality shows like the "Real World" or "Big Brother" emphasize that everyone has one distinct trait that sets them apart from everyone else. A person can only have one kind of effect on people, the "good girl" effect, the "bitch" effect, the "bad boy" effect, the "Emo" effect, etc. Dialogue, camera angles and sets are all used to bring these fake characteristics to life on screen for the everyday average viewer. As the main stream television shows change, so do the people watching.

Works Cited

Goldstein, Jonathan. "Neil Postman's Criticisms of the Television Medium". Aber. 2nd October 2009. Web.

Berger, John. Ways of Seeing. London: British Broadcasting Corporation and Penguin Books, 1972.