Bagdikian complains of a need that have adolescents to identify themselves or make themselves cool that can be met (seemingly no other way) through the media and by buying things.
Good point Bagdikian.
When I was in high school I noticed a wave of "cool" changing. At first it was cool to be like everyone else. Then it was suddenly cool to be an individual. And the way to be an individual was to dress differently than everyone else. Thus Hot Topic (or Hot Topic came, thus the changing of what was cool).
Hot Topic mass produces what isn't "in" (but of course, it really is in).
Teens across the nation flocked to this goth store where they found the keys to their identity. They all banned together to be individuals...together. They went against the crowd, they swam upstreem together.
So did anything really change? Hardly.
I think this is a good example of Bagdikian's three complaints.
1) Adolescents have increasingly fewer resources for identity outside of the media-corporation-produced mainstream.
2) The "Cool" available through media is dependent on endlessly purchasing products and access.
3) The stereotypes and caricatures presented do not provide resources for living in soceity (mooks and midriffs do not orient people towards being).
People feel the need to identify themselves and they do this by observing other people and then buying things that make them who they are.
~Nadia
Wednesday, April 25, 2007
Silver Bullets
So...I just realized that I've only posted one blog this entire month. That's somehow surprising to me. I think it's because I always plan what I'm going to write in a blog. But now I see that I haven't actually written anything at all.
Aaannnyway...let's talk about the Magic Silver Bullet Effect.
We briefly touched on it tonight at our study session or else I might have forgotten about it. But I have noticed it running rampant through the Internet, television and conversation as of late.
You know why? Because everyone loves a tragedy.
As I'm sure you heard, there was a student at Virginia Tech decided that he'd shoot a lot of people at school. So last Monday 32 people died and many more were injured from the bullets shot by Seung-Hu Cho. It has been labeled as the largest massacre in the history of the United States.
And as I'll bet you also heard, lots and lots of people have the answer to problems to things like this. I'm sure you hear it all of the time. Columbine, 9/11 all of the major tragedies. And even though we all mourn at times like this, I have a sneaking suspicion that people love to take these opportunities to indulge in long and senseless ramblings of their opinions concerning such issues.
The Magic Silver Bullet Effect suggests that our media texts affect us in immediate, powerful, direct and uniform ways. I noticed that a lot of people tend to lean that toward that belief when these tragedies occur. Or at least they voice their opinions about them more.
Someone pointed out the high correlation bewteen kids who are violent and kids who play video games (particularly violent video games). I thought this was an absurd connection to make in the same way that it's absurd to compare the number of people who get in car accidents and the number of people who own microwaves. A lot of people get in car crashes and a lot of people own microwaves. The correlation is probably higher there because most people own microwaves, but the fact is a lot of kids play video games. I don't know exact numbers, but even without them I always thought it was ridiculous that Magic Bullet believers didn't realize this on their own.
More people seem to believe in Magic Silver Bullets than I thought. Would Seung-Hui Cho have shot up the school if he never played a video game, listened to any music or watched a movie? Maybe not. But I like to think that the media is less like a bullet and more like...ultra violent rays? They slowly soak into your skin, sometimes burning you immediately. But the burning fades away. You play in the sun a lot and still protect your skin from the rays. You can too much sun, you can get too little. See where I'm going? So on and so on.
~Nadia
Aaannnyway...let's talk about the Magic Silver Bullet Effect.
We briefly touched on it tonight at our study session or else I might have forgotten about it. But I have noticed it running rampant through the Internet, television and conversation as of late.
You know why? Because everyone loves a tragedy.
As I'm sure you heard, there was a student at Virginia Tech decided that he'd shoot a lot of people at school. So last Monday 32 people died and many more were injured from the bullets shot by Seung-Hu Cho. It has been labeled as the largest massacre in the history of the United States.
And as I'll bet you also heard, lots and lots of people have the answer to problems to things like this. I'm sure you hear it all of the time. Columbine, 9/11 all of the major tragedies. And even though we all mourn at times like this, I have a sneaking suspicion that people love to take these opportunities to indulge in long and senseless ramblings of their opinions concerning such issues.
The Magic Silver Bullet Effect suggests that our media texts affect us in immediate, powerful, direct and uniform ways. I noticed that a lot of people tend to lean that toward that belief when these tragedies occur. Or at least they voice their opinions about them more.
Someone pointed out the high correlation bewteen kids who are violent and kids who play video games (particularly violent video games). I thought this was an absurd connection to make in the same way that it's absurd to compare the number of people who get in car accidents and the number of people who own microwaves. A lot of people get in car crashes and a lot of people own microwaves. The correlation is probably higher there because most people own microwaves, but the fact is a lot of kids play video games. I don't know exact numbers, but even without them I always thought it was ridiculous that Magic Bullet believers didn't realize this on their own.
More people seem to believe in Magic Silver Bullets than I thought. Would Seung-Hui Cho have shot up the school if he never played a video game, listened to any music or watched a movie? Maybe not. But I like to think that the media is less like a bullet and more like...ultra violent rays? They slowly soak into your skin, sometimes burning you immediately. But the burning fades away. You play in the sun a lot and still protect your skin from the rays. You can too much sun, you can get too little. See where I'm going? So on and so on.
~Nadia
Monday, April 2, 2007
The Relationship Between Dane and Me
It was brought to my attention in class this morning that Dane Cook and I haeve a parasocial relationship. I am in a parasocial relationship with Dane Cook. I like the way that sounds. It makes me want to go on Facebook and change my relationship status from "single" to "parasocial" and then link my site to Dane's.
Oh how Dane Cook loves me.
Anyhoo, I was looking at my parasocaial scale and I decided to a little outline of it.
1) The media text shows you what Dane Cook is like.
Five
I strongly agree. From what I have heard from my Dane Cook media texts, I have become fully aware that Dane is an observant man who is very funny, energetic and lives a life much like you and I do. He puts a lot of personality into his work.
2) When Dane Cook jokes around with someone else, it makes the media text easier to watch.
Five.
I have chosen to interpret the word "easier" as "better." And "someone else" is "someone else-ish." I'd say that is fairly subjective. For the most part, Daney Boy stands alone up on his stage. But while he's telling his stories he includes a lot of other people and he imitates them so it seems as if Dane isn't the only one on stage. So his act is much better when he's joking with "someone else." Also, I'm quite sure that I am included under "someone else" and I am positive that when Dane Cook jokes, he jokes with me.
3) When Dane Cook shows me how he feels about an issue, it helps me make up my own mind about the news story.
One
Dane and I don't usually discuss these types of things.
4) I feel sorry for Dane if he makes a mistake.
One
If Dane Cook makes a mistake I laugh.
5) When I am watching/ listening to Dane Cook I feel as f I am part of the group.
Five
Absolutely. I am a member of the gigantic, laughing audience . And quite often, my beloved looks directly at me.
6) I like to compare my ideas with what Dane says.
Five
I do this more with Dane than with anyone else. Mostly because everything he says relates to my life. In fact, my friend and I came up with our own formula for how to tell a Dane Cook story.
-Find an average story and break it apart in to pieces.
-Point out the obvious in an exaggerated way.
-Coin your own terms and phrases for describing every day thoughts, ideas and occurrences.
-Use the Dane Voice Intonation
-Repeat yourself with emphasis
And voila, there ya go. You've got yourself a story exactly the way my Dane would tell it.
7) Dane makes me feel comfortable as if I am with friends.
Five
Dane Cook and are good friends indeed.
8) I see Dane as a natural, down-to-Earth person.
Five
He completely is. Dane Cook is just like you and me. He stands in long lines at Walgreens and buys things he didn't intend to get at first, he cries when he's upset, he likes to eat twistie cones. Dane Cooks life very average, he's just really good at being funny/
9) I like hearing Dane Cook's voice at home.
Five
I like hearing his voice anywhere. At any moment I'm ready to hop on that great Dane Train.
10) Dane keeps me company when I watch/ listen to the him.
Five
It's true. When Dane is playing in the car, Dane is riding in the car.
11) I look forward to watching Sir. Dane-a-lot on television.
Five
Why yes, as a matter of fact I do. In fact, I make plans to watch his DVDs with my friends. We go over each other's houses and enjoy him together. Dane can party with us any time.
12) If Dane appeared in another text, I would watch or read that text.
Another Five
Oh, most certainly. I remember when I first heard that Dane Cook would be in a movie. I was like, "What, a movie??? I have to see that." I haven't seen it yet, and I heard it wasn't that great but I still have every intention of experiencing a Dane Cook movie. Why? Because I love him. And if I ever come across a magazine or newspaper article I'll read it.
13) When my Dane performs, he seems to understand the kins of things I want to know.
Four
I suppose. After all, I want to know what Dane's going to say next. He understands that.
14) I sometimes make remarks to my Dane Cook on television.
Five
If by sometimes you mean often, then yes. Dane and I practically engage in full conversation at times.
15) If there was a story about Dane in the newspaper or a magzine, I would read it.
Five
Please refer to number twelve.
16) I miss seeing Dane when he has been absent from my life for a while.
Five
In fact, I am going through a small Dane Cook withdrawal right now. I need to go watch Tourgasm.
17) I would like to meet Dane Cook in person.
FIVE
I would be over come with joy to meet dear Dane.
18) I think Dane Cook is like an old friend.
Three
Not so much an old friend as a very good friend.
19) I find Dane Cook to be attractive.
Father, I cannot tell a lie. Dane Cook is an attractive man.
20) I am not as satisfied when I read or listen to similar media texts from other comedians.
Three
It depends on who it is. I do compare other comedians to Dane a lot, and since he is one of my favourites I am often less satisfied. But there are other comedians that I like just as much as or more than Dane (sorry Love). So it's just a matter of who those other comedians are.
That puts me at an 84. It was 71 when I first took it, but after upon further investigation and a bit of revaluation I decided that the relationship that Dane and I have is, in fact, even stronger than I ever realized.
so there we have it kids. I am in a parasocial relationship with Dane Cook. Facebook, here I come.
~Nadia
Oh how Dane Cook loves me.
Anyhoo, I was looking at my parasocaial scale and I decided to a little outline of it.
1) The media text shows you what Dane Cook is like.
Five
I strongly agree. From what I have heard from my Dane Cook media texts, I have become fully aware that Dane is an observant man who is very funny, energetic and lives a life much like you and I do. He puts a lot of personality into his work.
2) When Dane Cook jokes around with someone else, it makes the media text easier to watch.
Five.
I have chosen to interpret the word "easier" as "better." And "someone else" is "someone else-ish." I'd say that is fairly subjective. For the most part, Daney Boy stands alone up on his stage. But while he's telling his stories he includes a lot of other people and he imitates them so it seems as if Dane isn't the only one on stage. So his act is much better when he's joking with "someone else." Also, I'm quite sure that I am included under "someone else" and I am positive that when Dane Cook jokes, he jokes with me.
3) When Dane Cook shows me how he feels about an issue, it helps me make up my own mind about the news story.
One
Dane and I don't usually discuss these types of things.
4) I feel sorry for Dane if he makes a mistake.
One
If Dane Cook makes a mistake I laugh.
5) When I am watching/ listening to Dane Cook I feel as f I am part of the group.
Five
Absolutely. I am a member of the gigantic, laughing audience . And quite often, my beloved looks directly at me.
6) I like to compare my ideas with what Dane says.
Five
I do this more with Dane than with anyone else. Mostly because everything he says relates to my life. In fact, my friend and I came up with our own formula for how to tell a Dane Cook story.
-Find an average story and break it apart in to pieces.
-Point out the obvious in an exaggerated way.
-Coin your own terms and phrases for describing every day thoughts, ideas and occurrences.
-Use the Dane Voice Intonation
-Repeat yourself with emphasis
And voila, there ya go. You've got yourself a story exactly the way my Dane would tell it.
7) Dane makes me feel comfortable as if I am with friends.
Five
Dane Cook and are good friends indeed.
8) I see Dane as a natural, down-to-Earth person.
Five
He completely is. Dane Cook is just like you and me. He stands in long lines at Walgreens and buys things he didn't intend to get at first, he cries when he's upset, he likes to eat twistie cones. Dane Cooks life very average, he's just really good at being funny/
9) I like hearing Dane Cook's voice at home.
Five
I like hearing his voice anywhere. At any moment I'm ready to hop on that great Dane Train.
10) Dane keeps me company when I watch/ listen to the him.
Five
It's true. When Dane is playing in the car, Dane is riding in the car.
11) I look forward to watching Sir. Dane-a-lot on television.
Five
Why yes, as a matter of fact I do. In fact, I make plans to watch his DVDs with my friends. We go over each other's houses and enjoy him together. Dane can party with us any time.
12) If Dane appeared in another text, I would watch or read that text.
Another Five
Oh, most certainly. I remember when I first heard that Dane Cook would be in a movie. I was like, "What, a movie??? I have to see that." I haven't seen it yet, and I heard it wasn't that great but I still have every intention of experiencing a Dane Cook movie. Why? Because I love him. And if I ever come across a magazine or newspaper article I'll read it.
13) When my Dane performs, he seems to understand the kins of things I want to know.
Four
I suppose. After all, I want to know what Dane's going to say next. He understands that.
14) I sometimes make remarks to my Dane Cook on television.
Five
If by sometimes you mean often, then yes. Dane and I practically engage in full conversation at times.
15) If there was a story about Dane in the newspaper or a magzine, I would read it.
Five
Please refer to number twelve.
16) I miss seeing Dane when he has been absent from my life for a while.
Five
In fact, I am going through a small Dane Cook withdrawal right now. I need to go watch Tourgasm.
17) I would like to meet Dane Cook in person.
FIVE
I would be over come with joy to meet dear Dane.
18) I think Dane Cook is like an old friend.
Three
Not so much an old friend as a very good friend.
19) I find Dane Cook to be attractive.
Father, I cannot tell a lie. Dane Cook is an attractive man.
20) I am not as satisfied when I read or listen to similar media texts from other comedians.
Three
It depends on who it is. I do compare other comedians to Dane a lot, and since he is one of my favourites I am often less satisfied. But there are other comedians that I like just as much as or more than Dane (sorry Love). So it's just a matter of who those other comedians are.
That puts me at an 84. It was 71 when I first took it, but after upon further investigation and a bit of revaluation I decided that the relationship that Dane and I have is, in fact, even stronger than I ever realized.
so there we have it kids. I am in a parasocial relationship with Dane Cook. Facebook, here I come.
~Nadia
Friday, March 30, 2007
I Am a Fan of Many Things
This morning in class we discussed fandom and how it helps us build identity and community. So I've decided to take a look at myself and see howmy life is made up of fandom of different sorts.
Fandom builds our identities:
By articulating our personal identities:
*Through Inspiration to try new things
Let's see. I already said in class that I want to be a martial artist. Would I ever want to be a martial artist if it weren't for shows like TMNT and Power Rangers? Well maybe. Both of my parents are martial artists. But they fail to make it look nearly as cool as Michelangelo does. And being like Michelangelo is just about as great as anyone can possibly be i.m.o.
*By influencing our vocational choices.
It's true. I have been influenced by a major media text that I was once a fan of when it comes to choosing a vocational path. When I was a kid, there was a show on Nickelodeon called Caitlin's Way. According to many of my friends it was a pretty lame show (which is probably why it didn't last very long). But I thought Caitlin, a troubled teen living in foster care, was pretty cool girl with a pretty cool camera. And she took pretty cool pictures. I saw that show and decided that I too would take awesome pictures and develop them beneath the red lights of wonder. So I did. And I loved it. But I'm not very good in the dark room and film photography is much too expensive, so I'm all digital now. Even so, this is what I plan to do with my life. Thank you Caitlin for showing me the way.
*Through symbolizing dreams and motives.
I suppose that it's obvious that if fandom inspires you to try new things and influences vocational choices that it must influence dreams and motives. Otherwise, we'd never try the news things or make the vocational choices. But then there are those unachievable dreams and motives.
I must say that Amy Brown, J.M. Barrie, Cicely Mary Barker and especially Bill Kroyer have motivated me to go out and try to find fairies. I've searched for fairies and dreamed of becoming a fairy all my life. Of course, I can never be a fairy because I was already born as a person. And seeing how fairies are not real, I will probably never find one (I can say that now because I am no longer child. But if a child would have said that he or she did not believe in fairies, it would have caused a fairy somewhere to drop dead. I wouldn't want to do that. But I am confident that I no longer fall under the category of child so I am not worried about it.). I am a big fan of fairies.
That's all I'm going to say about identity for now. How about community?
*Shares Values
I am a big fan of children's books. In fact, my clothes display that fandom today. My Dr.Suess hoodie, complete with Horton the Elephant and his quote "A person's a person no mater how small" is showing on the top layer with pride. But if I take that off you will see my gray "Where the Wild Things Are t-shirt, beneath." That's an amazing book. Read it to your kids.
Anyway, I love to read children's books to kids. I must say, the value they hold in these books is a bit different than the value I hold in them. Even so, the value is shared. The End.
*Developing Standards of Authority
Um...I can't quite remember what that means. Is it the one that has to do with Trekkies vs. Trekkers? If it is then I do have an example like that. I'll come back to it in a second.
*Models belonging.
I have found my sense of belonging at a place called P.I. (Perfect Isolation), which is a board for Nine Inch Nails fans. It is definitely a community and that is where the best of Nine Inch Nails fans go to talk to other NIN fans. And we have our NIN lingo which will take me back to what I said I'd get to into in a second.
If you're a NIN fan on PI, then you are a NINie. Newbs and n00bs who come to the board and address us as NINers are quickly corrected. NINes who go over-board with enthusiasm and are too often too drooly are quickly labeled as fan boys/ fan girls and dismissed. If you're a fan boy, then go back to being fifteen years old. You're not welcome at PI.
*Participate in interpretive community. Wait, maybe that's what the Trekkie vs. Trekker thing is about. I can't remember. Either way, I covered something. So that's about it.
I am a fan of many things.
~Nadia
Fandom builds our identities:
By articulating our personal identities:
*Through Inspiration to try new things
Let's see. I already said in class that I want to be a martial artist. Would I ever want to be a martial artist if it weren't for shows like TMNT and Power Rangers? Well maybe. Both of my parents are martial artists. But they fail to make it look nearly as cool as Michelangelo does. And being like Michelangelo is just about as great as anyone can possibly be i.m.o.
*By influencing our vocational choices.
It's true. I have been influenced by a major media text that I was once a fan of when it comes to choosing a vocational path. When I was a kid, there was a show on Nickelodeon called Caitlin's Way. According to many of my friends it was a pretty lame show (which is probably why it didn't last very long). But I thought Caitlin, a troubled teen living in foster care, was pretty cool girl with a pretty cool camera. And she took pretty cool pictures. I saw that show and decided that I too would take awesome pictures and develop them beneath the red lights of wonder. So I did. And I loved it. But I'm not very good in the dark room and film photography is much too expensive, so I'm all digital now. Even so, this is what I plan to do with my life. Thank you Caitlin for showing me the way.
*Through symbolizing dreams and motives.
I suppose that it's obvious that if fandom inspires you to try new things and influences vocational choices that it must influence dreams and motives. Otherwise, we'd never try the news things or make the vocational choices. But then there are those unachievable dreams and motives.
I must say that Amy Brown, J.M. Barrie, Cicely Mary Barker and especially Bill Kroyer have motivated me to go out and try to find fairies. I've searched for fairies and dreamed of becoming a fairy all my life. Of course, I can never be a fairy because I was already born as a person. And seeing how fairies are not real, I will probably never find one (I can say that now because I am no longer child. But if a child would have said that he or she did not believe in fairies, it would have caused a fairy somewhere to drop dead. I wouldn't want to do that. But I am confident that I no longer fall under the category of child so I am not worried about it.). I am a big fan of fairies.
That's all I'm going to say about identity for now. How about community?
*Shares Values
I am a big fan of children's books. In fact, my clothes display that fandom today. My Dr.Suess hoodie, complete with Horton the Elephant and his quote "A person's a person no mater how small" is showing on the top layer with pride. But if I take that off you will see my gray "Where the Wild Things Are t-shirt, beneath." That's an amazing book. Read it to your kids.
Anyway, I love to read children's books to kids. I must say, the value they hold in these books is a bit different than the value I hold in them. Even so, the value is shared. The End.
*Developing Standards of Authority
Um...I can't quite remember what that means. Is it the one that has to do with Trekkies vs. Trekkers? If it is then I do have an example like that. I'll come back to it in a second.
*Models belonging.
I have found my sense of belonging at a place called P.I. (Perfect Isolation), which is a board for Nine Inch Nails fans. It is definitely a community and that is where the best of Nine Inch Nails fans go to talk to other NIN fans. And we have our NIN lingo which will take me back to what I said I'd get to into in a second.
If you're a NIN fan on PI, then you are a NINie. Newbs and n00bs who come to the board and address us as NINers are quickly corrected. NINes who go over-board with enthusiasm and are too often too drooly are quickly labeled as fan boys/ fan girls and dismissed. If you're a fan boy, then go back to being fifteen years old. You're not welcome at PI.
*Participate in interpretive community. Wait, maybe that's what the Trekkie vs. Trekker thing is about. I can't remember. Either way, I covered something. So that's about it.
I am a fan of many things.
~Nadia
Monday, March 19, 2007
Christian Values for Society
This morning our media squad was brain storming about what we thought a good society should be based on. One of the things we decided was that our laws should be (loosely) based on good morals. And good morals, we decided, were Christian morals. Biblical morals.
This, of course, isn't to exclude other religions or beliefs from the system. We noticed that the laws we have now are based on Christian morals. For instance, most of us would agree that people should go around killing other people, or sleeping with other people's spouses. These are Biblical principals that are not unique to the Christian religion. Most societies seem to agree that laws should forbid these types of things, no matter if the ideas came from the Bible or not. The point is, it is things like these that we consider to fall under the "good morals" category. And since the word "good" is debatable, we put it under Biblical morals.
But this isn't to say that every single law should be based on whether Christians believe it is right or wrong. For instance, I would have to say that most Christians view things like abortion, (or as Andrew Rudd mentioned this morning) smoking weed and prostitution as immoral. But some would argue that these things should be legal just the same. Not because making it legal would be saying, "Yes this is good, go ahead and do it," but because these things will go on whether they are legal or not. And if they are legal, then we (the people, the government...whomever) are better able to regulate, keep it under control and if at all possible, find any beneficial sides.
Over all, though, I think that a society that is based on Christian morals (along with other qualities of course) is a good society.
~Nadia
This, of course, isn't to exclude other religions or beliefs from the system. We noticed that the laws we have now are based on Christian morals. For instance, most of us would agree that people should go around killing other people, or sleeping with other people's spouses. These are Biblical principals that are not unique to the Christian religion. Most societies seem to agree that laws should forbid these types of things, no matter if the ideas came from the Bible or not. The point is, it is things like these that we consider to fall under the "good morals" category. And since the word "good" is debatable, we put it under Biblical morals.
But this isn't to say that every single law should be based on whether Christians believe it is right or wrong. For instance, I would have to say that most Christians view things like abortion, (or as Andrew Rudd mentioned this morning) smoking weed and prostitution as immoral. But some would argue that these things should be legal just the same. Not because making it legal would be saying, "Yes this is good, go ahead and do it," but because these things will go on whether they are legal or not. And if they are legal, then we (the people, the government...whomever) are better able to regulate, keep it under control and if at all possible, find any beneficial sides.
Over all, though, I think that a society that is based on Christian morals (along with other qualities of course) is a good society.
~Nadia
Tuesday, March 6, 2007
Music Can Be A Sign
Here's an entry I meant to post ages ago that has been collecting dust in my saved drafts:
Last Monday evening I watched the Oscar Awards. Everyone there was in some way involved in the creation of a movie. Dressed to impress and looking their best all in sparkles and glitter, celebrities and whatnot flocked to the ceremony. The crowd was was a mass of excited people, anxiously awaiting the announcement of who would get what award. Who would be rewarded for their hard work, time and effort? Who would be recognized? Who would be given the shiny trophy and a shining moment of glory?
When a person's name was called after being read on a card, he or she would make way to the stage beaming, speech prepared. The person was given a brief moment to accept the award and say a few words expressing gratitude and thanking the little people. After the speech was given, the orchestra (which was -amazingly to me- placed directly beneath the translucent stage floor)would begin to play happy "You've just received an Oscar" music, accompanied by jovial applause.
But I noticed that there were times where people didn't seem quite ready to let go of the microphone and prance merrily off of the stage. A person would be not quite finished speaching it up, but time had run out. So the music and applause would ring loudly, a cue to stfu and get off of the stage. This was blatantly pointed out when Al Gore jokingly stepped up to the mic prepared to announce his decision to jump into next year's presidential race. But before he could get the words out, the orchestra began to play and he was forced to head back to his seat.
Now of course Al Gore wasn't literally forced back to his seat. No one physically removed him and put him in his place. In fact, there probably isn't even a written rule. How did he know to have a seat? Was there a big sign, in all caps? ATTENTION OSCAR WINNERS: PLEASE LEAVE THE STAGE AND RETURN TO YOUR SEAT WHEN THEN MUSIC BEGINS. I doubt it.
People are able to put two and two together. Every time someone leaves the stage the same music is played. So if the music is played while no one is leaving the stage, automatically it comes to mind, "Oh, I should leave the stage now."
And think of how awkward and absurd it would have been to stay on stage and keep on talking while the orchestra played. For one thing, it would ruin the happy "You've just received an Oscar" effect that the specially chosen exiting-the-stage-music was supposed to have. How could it give the happy feeling when someone is loudly talking over it? It would have broken unspoken rules. It would have been a social no-no. Imagine what people would think, "Is he really still talking?" It would have just been an awkward moment.
Remember when Michale Jackson gave that speech accepting an award he hadn't received? Awkward...
So yeah. The exiting the stage music played is a sign. It means "Thank you come again."
~Nadia
Last Monday evening I watched the Oscar Awards. Everyone there was in some way involved in the creation of a movie. Dressed to impress and looking their best all in sparkles and glitter, celebrities and whatnot flocked to the ceremony. The crowd was was a mass of excited people, anxiously awaiting the announcement of who would get what award. Who would be rewarded for their hard work, time and effort? Who would be recognized? Who would be given the shiny trophy and a shining moment of glory?
When a person's name was called after being read on a card, he or she would make way to the stage beaming, speech prepared. The person was given a brief moment to accept the award and say a few words expressing gratitude and thanking the little people. After the speech was given, the orchestra (which was -amazingly to me- placed directly beneath the translucent stage floor)would begin to play happy "You've just received an Oscar" music, accompanied by jovial applause.
But I noticed that there were times where people didn't seem quite ready to let go of the microphone and prance merrily off of the stage. A person would be not quite finished speaching it up, but time had run out. So the music and applause would ring loudly, a cue to stfu and get off of the stage. This was blatantly pointed out when Al Gore jokingly stepped up to the mic prepared to announce his decision to jump into next year's presidential race. But before he could get the words out, the orchestra began to play and he was forced to head back to his seat.
Now of course Al Gore wasn't literally forced back to his seat. No one physically removed him and put him in his place. In fact, there probably isn't even a written rule. How did he know to have a seat? Was there a big sign, in all caps? ATTENTION OSCAR WINNERS: PLEASE LEAVE THE STAGE AND RETURN TO YOUR SEAT WHEN THEN MUSIC BEGINS. I doubt it.
People are able to put two and two together. Every time someone leaves the stage the same music is played. So if the music is played while no one is leaving the stage, automatically it comes to mind, "Oh, I should leave the stage now."
And think of how awkward and absurd it would have been to stay on stage and keep on talking while the orchestra played. For one thing, it would ruin the happy "You've just received an Oscar" effect that the specially chosen exiting-the-stage-music was supposed to have. How could it give the happy feeling when someone is loudly talking over it? It would have broken unspoken rules. It would have been a social no-no. Imagine what people would think, "Is he really still talking?" It would have just been an awkward moment.
Remember when Michale Jackson gave that speech accepting an award he hadn't received? Awkward...
So yeah. The exiting the stage music played is a sign. It means "Thank you come again."
~Nadia
Sunday, February 25, 2007
Friday, February 23, 2007
Semiotic Domains: Culture
The following comment is part of a reply from Kevin Leader to a Xanga entry I posted yesterday.
"We are all a part of a huge number of cultural groups, and you and I share enough of them (e.g. Malone, faith, Canton, music, Xanga) that I don't really think about the cultures that we don't have in common -- specifically, that my background is that of a white man and yours is of a black woman. I'm so used to not wanting to think of other people as "different", especially along racial lines, that I become a bit naive to the fact that people from different backgrounds face different challenges.
But that doesn't make us "different" in any way that needs to separate us, but rather we are different in ways that define our God-given individuality, which offers more opportunity to enlighten us than to divide. Reading about your challenges that fall so far outside my scope is really meaningful to me, so I appreciate it a lot. (Of course I'm thinking through this as I write, so forgive the ramble.)"
When I read this, I immediately thought of this class and semiotic domains and affinity groups. I also felt immediately compelled to consider what other cultural differences there are between my peers and I, and maybe explore them. What other differences are there because of cultures that I am and am not a part of? I have compiled this list:
I am:
- Nigerian American
- American Born
- A woman
- Twenty years old
- A college student
- A Christian
I think those things are just a small part of who I am, but I also think they're the biggest and most obvious parts of who I am. And they may make up the biggest cultural differences. So here are some things that I obviously am not.
- Caucasian
- Asian
- Nigerian born
- Chinese born
- In my thirties
- A high school student
- Muslim
- Jewish
- Atheist
I took each category from the first list, and named another type of the same category. But I didn't choose them randomly. I specifically chose categories that I felt that I would like to (am able to somewhat effectively) explore. I know people from each of these affinity groups and I will explore each of these the best I can. I will get back to you on this.
Here is a link in case you're interested in viewing the Xanga entry:
http://www.xanga.com/ScarlettHalo/572125280/item.html
"We are all a part of a huge number of cultural groups, and you and I share enough of them (e.g. Malone, faith, Canton, music, Xanga) that I don't really think about the cultures that we don't have in common -- specifically, that my background is that of a white man and yours is of a black woman. I'm so used to not wanting to think of other people as "different", especially along racial lines, that I become a bit naive to the fact that people from different backgrounds face different challenges.
But that doesn't make us "different" in any way that needs to separate us, but rather we are different in ways that define our God-given individuality, which offers more opportunity to enlighten us than to divide. Reading about your challenges that fall so far outside my scope is really meaningful to me, so I appreciate it a lot. (Of course I'm thinking through this as I write, so forgive the ramble.)"
When I read this, I immediately thought of this class and semiotic domains and affinity groups. I also felt immediately compelled to consider what other cultural differences there are between my peers and I, and maybe explore them. What other differences are there because of cultures that I am and am not a part of? I have compiled this list:
I am:
- Nigerian American
- American Born
- A woman
- Twenty years old
- A college student
- A Christian
I think those things are just a small part of who I am, but I also think they're the biggest and most obvious parts of who I am. And they may make up the biggest cultural differences. So here are some things that I obviously am not.
- Caucasian
- Asian
- Nigerian born
- Chinese born
- In my thirties
- A high school student
- Muslim
- Jewish
- Atheist
I took each category from the first list, and named another type of the same category. But I didn't choose them randomly. I specifically chose categories that I felt that I would like to (am able to somewhat effectively) explore. I know people from each of these affinity groups and I will explore each of these the best I can. I will get back to you on this.
Here is a link in case you're interested in viewing the Xanga entry:
http://www.xanga.com/ScarlettHalo/572125280/item.html
Wednesday, February 21, 2007
Statements From The Merchants of Cool
I believed that altogether I have watched The Merchants of Cool at least three times. And each time I watch it, there are two statements that stick out in my mind more than anything. The first one comes from NYU Communications professor, Mark Crispin Miller.
Miller says:
"The MTV Machine doesn’t listen very carefully to children. When corporate revenues depend on being ahead of the curve, you have to listen. You have to know exactly what they want and exactly what they’re thinking so that you can give them what you want them to have. Now that’s an important distinction. The MTV Machine doesn’t listen to the young so it can make the young happier...The MTV Machine tunes in to it can pitch what Viacom has to sell"
I have listened this statement over and over. I've read it and re-read it. And you know something? I don't quite know what to make of it.
Even after watching the Merchants of Cool several times I have a hard time digesting this statement. I asked myself, "Is this true?" Can MTV gives us whatever they want as long as we think we're asking for it? It seems like that's what he just said. But the idea seemed rather absurd. But then when I see the scene of the teenagers partying on Spring Break it becomes evident to me that this must be true.
Spring Break partying on television = Spring Break partying in real life. Funny how that works.
The other statement that stuck out in my mind was from the thirteen year old girl, Barbra. Barbra said:
“I wanna be a model, I wanna be an actor...I want people to notice me and just be like, ‘Wow, she is pretty.’ I have to look good for people. I need to look good. Like if I don’t look good for people, I’ll be really upset and it’ll like ruin my day. Um, so whenever I go out with friends, like even just over to their house I need to look good.”
I think that when I was younger (maybe not quite so young as thirteen) I might have agreed with her. Looking good for people is important. I must look nice. I cannot leave the house without make up. I have to be pretty.
I'm not exactly sure when my mentality changed, but when I heard Barbra say this, my thought was, "Look good for what people?"
Why do girls have to look good? Who are they trying to impress? Are they trying to be appeal to boys?
I gave this some thought and reached deep down, way to the back of my mind to find the time when I thought the same way as Barbra. And then I remembered what people I wanted to look good for. All people.
I had to look good for everyone. I was always everywhere being seen by everyone all of the time, and I had to look good. I had to have make up on, my hair had to look nice. Some people could get by without make up, but not me. Why? Because my make up looked fabulous. And since I looked fabulous with the make up, I only looked worse without it. And worse was bad.
Why did I have to look good for everyone?
I don't know. I think I somehow adopted this notion from celebrities. You know, celebrities really do have to look good all of the time. They're constantly being followed around by cameras. And if they look too thick, too thin, or unkempt, their pictures will be plastered on the the front covers of all the magazines. And if a teenage girl shows up to school and doesn't look fabulous, everyone will notice. Maybe they'll talk about her.
People on TV are always pretty. I remember watching a girl cry in a movie once and thinking, "She sure is pretty when she cries."
So of course Barbara feels a need to look good for everyone all of the time. A lot of people feel that way. Hopefully it's nonsense that she has out-grown by now.
-EDIT-
At first I said there were two statements that stuck out in my mind. But I just not went back to watch part of it again, and I have another one. Let's compare the midriff to the mook.
“If the he is arrested in adolescence, she is pre-maturely adult. If he doesn’t care what people think of him, she is consumed by appearances. If his thing is crudeness, her’s is sex.”
Big difference between a glamourized male and a glamourized female.
I don't really have anything to say about that right now. I just wanted to throw that statement out there for you to read and re-read. Go back and re-read it.
~Nadia
Miller says:
"The MTV Machine doesn’t listen very carefully to children. When corporate revenues depend on being ahead of the curve, you have to listen. You have to know exactly what they want and exactly what they’re thinking so that you can give them what you want them to have. Now that’s an important distinction. The MTV Machine doesn’t listen to the young so it can make the young happier...The MTV Machine tunes in to it can pitch what Viacom has to sell"
I have listened this statement over and over. I've read it and re-read it. And you know something? I don't quite know what to make of it.
Even after watching the Merchants of Cool several times I have a hard time digesting this statement. I asked myself, "Is this true?" Can MTV gives us whatever they want as long as we think we're asking for it? It seems like that's what he just said. But the idea seemed rather absurd. But then when I see the scene of the teenagers partying on Spring Break it becomes evident to me that this must be true.
Spring Break partying on television = Spring Break partying in real life. Funny how that works.
The other statement that stuck out in my mind was from the thirteen year old girl, Barbra. Barbra said:
“I wanna be a model, I wanna be an actor...I want people to notice me and just be like, ‘Wow, she is pretty.’ I have to look good for people. I need to look good. Like if I don’t look good for people, I’ll be really upset and it’ll like ruin my day. Um, so whenever I go out with friends, like even just over to their house I need to look good.”
I think that when I was younger (maybe not quite so young as thirteen) I might have agreed with her. Looking good for people is important. I must look nice. I cannot leave the house without make up. I have to be pretty.
I'm not exactly sure when my mentality changed, but when I heard Barbra say this, my thought was, "Look good for what people?"
Why do girls have to look good? Who are they trying to impress? Are they trying to be appeal to boys?
I gave this some thought and reached deep down, way to the back of my mind to find the time when I thought the same way as Barbra. And then I remembered what people I wanted to look good for. All people.
I had to look good for everyone. I was always everywhere being seen by everyone all of the time, and I had to look good. I had to have make up on, my hair had to look nice. Some people could get by without make up, but not me. Why? Because my make up looked fabulous. And since I looked fabulous with the make up, I only looked worse without it. And worse was bad.
Why did I have to look good for everyone?
I don't know. I think I somehow adopted this notion from celebrities. You know, celebrities really do have to look good all of the time. They're constantly being followed around by cameras. And if they look too thick, too thin, or unkempt, their pictures will be plastered on the the front covers of all the magazines. And if a teenage girl shows up to school and doesn't look fabulous, everyone will notice. Maybe they'll talk about her.
People on TV are always pretty. I remember watching a girl cry in a movie once and thinking, "She sure is pretty when she cries."
So of course Barbara feels a need to look good for everyone all of the time. A lot of people feel that way. Hopefully it's nonsense that she has out-grown by now.
-EDIT-
At first I said there were two statements that stuck out in my mind. But I just not went back to watch part of it again, and I have another one. Let's compare the midriff to the mook.
“If the he is arrested in adolescence, she is pre-maturely adult. If he doesn’t care what people think of him, she is consumed by appearances. If his thing is crudeness, her’s is sex.”
Big difference between a glamourized male and a glamourized female.
I don't really have anything to say about that right now. I just wanted to throw that statement out there for you to read and re-read. Go back and re-read it.
~Nadia
Friday, February 9, 2007
No News is Good News
Everyone had a lot of great things to say about the news today. One of my favourite things someone said (though I cannot remember who it was) was that the news is full of depressing stories. Every day we hear lots and lots of bad news. People are sick and dying and killing each other, the world is going to hell, and mostly that people are sick and dying and killing each other.
This made me think of The Nightmare Before Christmas. If you remember in this story, there is a part of the movie that everyone thinks that Jack Skellington is dead. Jack Skellington is loved and admired by everyone in the community. They look up to him. It is even inferred that he is the most important person in Halloween Town. Not even the Mayor knows what to do without him.
But then something horrible happens. While Jack is trying to make his own Christmas by flying across the world as Santa Clause, there is a misunderstanding and the police shoot him down. BOOM! His sleigh looks as if it has been blown to smitherines. This is obviously horrible news. And when the Mayor finds out he takes what struck me as the most absurd and ridiculous action ever when I first saw this movie.
The Mayor hops into his little vehicle thing that has a loud speaker on top and begins driving around Halloween Town to announce Jack's death. And in the most agonizing and greif-stricken voice, he cries out,"Terrible news, folks! The worst tragedy of our times! The King of Halloween has been blown to smithereens! Skeleton Jack is now a pile of dust!"
I absolutely could not believe it. In my mind, that was not how news is to be delivered. There was way too much emotion in that report. The news itself would be startling and upsetting enough without such emotional emphaisis. And his choice of vocabulary? Inconceivable. You can't say that he has been blown to smitherines and is now a pile of dust. Please say, "We have just received word that Jack Skellington has been killed," or something along those lines.
In our world, news is usually delivered in a emotionless tone of voice. It's informative-sounding and matter-of-fact. But whether we are hearing good news or bad news, it is usually delivered in mostly the same kind of voice. Imagine if there was emotion behind every news report. I don't think we could bear it. By the end of the hour our hearts and minds would be so heavy with greif that we'd probably collapse.
I used to spend a lot of time hanging out at the Repository. I would attend "budget meetings" (which has nothing to do with money) where what news would go where in the newspaper was decided. This is where I learned the term "gallows humour." It means being able to joke about things that would normally be viewed as morbid and unfunny. People who work in news do this because they encounter so much bad news on a daily basis and that can really make a big impact on a person. "You have to laugh or you'll cry," one of the editors said to me when explaining it.
I actually don't have much more to say on the matter. I just had to get the thoughts in my head into some sort of blog form while they thoughts were still fresh from class.
~Nadia
PS I love Tim Burton
This made me think of The Nightmare Before Christmas. If you remember in this story, there is a part of the movie that everyone thinks that Jack Skellington is dead. Jack Skellington is loved and admired by everyone in the community. They look up to him. It is even inferred that he is the most important person in Halloween Town. Not even the Mayor knows what to do without him.
But then something horrible happens. While Jack is trying to make his own Christmas by flying across the world as Santa Clause, there is a misunderstanding and the police shoot him down. BOOM! His sleigh looks as if it has been blown to smitherines. This is obviously horrible news. And when the Mayor finds out he takes what struck me as the most absurd and ridiculous action ever when I first saw this movie.
The Mayor hops into his little vehicle thing that has a loud speaker on top and begins driving around Halloween Town to announce Jack's death. And in the most agonizing and greif-stricken voice, he cries out,"Terrible news, folks! The worst tragedy of our times! The King of Halloween has been blown to smithereens! Skeleton Jack is now a pile of dust!"
I absolutely could not believe it. In my mind, that was not how news is to be delivered. There was way too much emotion in that report. The news itself would be startling and upsetting enough without such emotional emphaisis. And his choice of vocabulary? Inconceivable. You can't say that he has been blown to smitherines and is now a pile of dust. Please say, "We have just received word that Jack Skellington has been killed," or something along those lines.
In our world, news is usually delivered in a emotionless tone of voice. It's informative-sounding and matter-of-fact. But whether we are hearing good news or bad news, it is usually delivered in mostly the same kind of voice. Imagine if there was emotion behind every news report. I don't think we could bear it. By the end of the hour our hearts and minds would be so heavy with greif that we'd probably collapse.
I used to spend a lot of time hanging out at the Repository. I would attend "budget meetings" (which has nothing to do with money) where what news would go where in the newspaper was decided. This is where I learned the term "gallows humour." It means being able to joke about things that would normally be viewed as morbid and unfunny. People who work in news do this because they encounter so much bad news on a daily basis and that can really make a big impact on a person. "You have to laugh or you'll cry," one of the editors said to me when explaining it.
I actually don't have much more to say on the matter. I just had to get the thoughts in my head into some sort of blog form while they thoughts were still fresh from class.
~Nadia
PS I love Tim Burton
Monday, February 5, 2007
This Might Be More Than 500 Words
There are times during class that I get very excited. I become very interested in what we are learning and cannot wait to take what it is that I have just learned, and make new discoveries with it. Today I was fascinated when I learned the term "Dogme 95." Just the name excited me. I was like, "Dogme 95, what's that???" I remembered seeing a movie called Dogma and I wondered if it had anything to do with that. Did it have anything to do with the year 1995? I didn't know! But I didn't have to wait a long time to hear Andrew Rudd's definition. After all, these thoughts were flashing through my mind in seconds' time because I first heard this term within the same moment and same sentence that he explained it.
I listened intently as he told us of this wonder. It was a movement, it had rules - very strange rules. And the more I heard, the more intrigued I became. How could it be possible to create a any kind of film under these standards? Or rather, how could it be possible to create any kind of film that a human being might actually watch and enjoy, under these standards? Well, according to my professor it was possible. And I wanted to know how. I listened eagerly for examples. "Tell," I begged in my mind,"Please tell me Andrew Rudd, where can I find these Dogme 95 films? What are they???"
But to my dismay we continued on to the next subject without the slightest mention of an example. What, had I missed it? I raised my hand to ask for examples, but he didn't see. After a while, I put it down. After all, we were on a whole new topic now. And it was just as interesting. Besides, hadn't he mentioned something about a link on his blog? Surely I would find my answer there.
So off I went to Rudd's Media World. This would be a world of answers. I took off to this world in hopes of finding a way to watch a Dogme 95 film. I wanted to see for myself what sort of phenomena this was. And this is what I found:
Check out this Wikipedia entry on Dogme 95 -- and if you're really brave watch one of the films (beware they're not exactly "malopriate").
What are your impressions about this movement.
Excellent. Here we go...but wait. Check out what entry? Where was the entry he spoke of? There was no link. Was I missing it? And how could I watch one of the movies? Were they available online? Could I go to Blockbuster and rent one? Where were they???
Wikipediatime.
So off I went to the world of online encyclopedia. And there I found an entry concerning Dogme 95. But I didn't really read much more than what I had already learned in class. This, in fact, inticed my curiosity even further. So I was ecstatic to see a list of Dogme 95 films at the bottom of the page. But I found no way to watch any of these movies. Only descriptions to make me even more curious. And I saw a trailer, but it was not in English.
Oh sad day.
Feeling unfufilled and defeated, I headed back to Rudd's Media World once more in search of some sort of over-looked explination. But I found none.
Instead, I decided to go back to my own blog. A new entry was due, and I decided that I would discuss one of my favourite films ever. Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind. What better film to relate to everything we'd been discussing in class. But when it came time to start typing up my blog, I didn't feel like it. So I instead described to you today's long an fruitless quest that was not my journey to the world of Dogme 95. Thank you.
THE END
~Nadia C. Terrell
PS I have no word count on my crappy word processing program here at home. I'm thinking this post might have exceeded five hundred words. I do not appologize. Thank you. = )
I listened intently as he told us of this wonder. It was a movement, it had rules - very strange rules. And the more I heard, the more intrigued I became. How could it be possible to create a any kind of film under these standards? Or rather, how could it be possible to create any kind of film that a human being might actually watch and enjoy, under these standards? Well, according to my professor it was possible. And I wanted to know how. I listened eagerly for examples. "Tell," I begged in my mind,"Please tell me Andrew Rudd, where can I find these Dogme 95 films? What are they???"
But to my dismay we continued on to the next subject without the slightest mention of an example. What, had I missed it? I raised my hand to ask for examples, but he didn't see. After a while, I put it down. After all, we were on a whole new topic now. And it was just as interesting. Besides, hadn't he mentioned something about a link on his blog? Surely I would find my answer there.
So off I went to Rudd's Media World. This would be a world of answers. I took off to this world in hopes of finding a way to watch a Dogme 95 film. I wanted to see for myself what sort of phenomena this was. And this is what I found:
Check out this Wikipedia entry on Dogme 95 -- and if you're really brave watch one of the films (beware they're not exactly "malopriate").
What are your impressions about this movement.
Excellent. Here we go...but wait. Check out what entry? Where was the entry he spoke of? There was no link. Was I missing it? And how could I watch one of the movies? Were they available online? Could I go to Blockbuster and rent one? Where were they???
Wikipediatime.
So off I went to the world of online encyclopedia. And there I found an entry concerning Dogme 95. But I didn't really read much more than what I had already learned in class. This, in fact, inticed my curiosity even further. So I was ecstatic to see a list of Dogme 95 films at the bottom of the page. But I found no way to watch any of these movies. Only descriptions to make me even more curious. And I saw a trailer, but it was not in English.
Oh sad day.
Feeling unfufilled and defeated, I headed back to Rudd's Media World once more in search of some sort of over-looked explination. But I found none.
Instead, I decided to go back to my own blog. A new entry was due, and I decided that I would discuss one of my favourite films ever. Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind. What better film to relate to everything we'd been discussing in class. But when it came time to start typing up my blog, I didn't feel like it. So I instead described to you today's long an fruitless quest that was not my journey to the world of Dogme 95. Thank you.
THE END
~Nadia C. Terrell
PS I have no word count on my crappy word processing program here at home. I'm thinking this post might have exceeded five hundred words. I do not appologize. Thank you. = )
Wednesday, January 31, 2007
Another Pointless Post
So all week long I've been repeatedly going to Andrew Rudd's blog. I look at the long list assignements, almost none of which I have actually completed. Each time I do this it is because I have decided that I should write a blog that is actually based on one of the blog assignments. I should put some thought into what I write and relate it to what we've been learning in class. But I don't like to think. So I look up and down the list, reading and re-reading each of his blogs. Then I come to the conclusion that I don't want to do any of them. Why? Because I am becoming lazier and lazier.
Would you like to know what I have been doing? I've been listening to this song from a YouTube video over and over. I have it memorized now.
I intend to go to a McDonalds and do this same thing. But I think I'll alter the rap slightly because I'm nearly positive that you can't actually order a Dr.Pepper there.
I wish every day was my day to tell a story in class. I love telling stories.
~Nadia
Would you like to know what I have been doing? I've been listening to this song from a YouTube video over and over. I have it memorized now.
I intend to go to a McDonalds and do this same thing. But I think I'll alter the rap slightly because I'm nearly positive that you can't actually order a Dr.Pepper there.
I wish every day was my day to tell a story in class. I love telling stories.
~Nadia
Friday, January 26, 2007
Minority Report
Music is a very powerful thing.
Last night I found myself staying up with my sixteen-year-old brother, once again, listening to Jay Z. “You have to hear this song Nadia,” he said to me. “It makes me feel so guilty. It’ll probably make you feel guilty too.”
At these words I was very prepared not to feel guilty. In fact, I was prepared not to feel any emotional difference after listening to the song. And I might not have if I hadn’t listened closely to and considered the words. But my brother made me listen. He repeatedly stopped and rewound the c.d. to break down the words and make me listen to them.
I clearly remember sitting in kitchen at my grandma's house with the news turned on. My aunt gasped, "That's awful," she said as she covered her hands with her mouth. Then she turned her head, "Hey, are those green beans done yet?"
But when I listened to the words of the song, I imagined if it was me in the situation if the Katrina victims. I imagined if it was my family sitting on the roof of our flooded home. I imagined my brothers and my sisters wet and cold with nothing to eat, no sanitary place to dispose of waste, or sleep or live for days.
It hit me really hard. "Wait..." I said to Bruce. "How long were they stranded on roofs?"
"For days Nadia." he said.
This is also when I considered the words, "George Bush doesn't care about black people," in a different way than I had before. I had been watching the television when Kanye West said those words. And I had agreed with him. But it wasn't until over a year later that it crossed my mind, "Bruce," I said. "That's inexcusable. And there's no way it would have never happened if all of the victims were white."
Please read the lyrics as you listen to this song. I think the words are more powerful than the images of the video.
Here are the lyrics:
"Minority Report"
(feat. Ne-Yo)
[Intro: News Excerpts]
The damage here along the gulf coast is catastrophic.
There's a frantic effort under way tonight to find
survivors. There are an uncounted number of the dead tonight...
People are being forced to live like animals...
We are desperate...
No one says the federal government is doing a good job..
And hundreds and hundreds and hundreds of people...
No water, I fought my country for years..
We need help, we really need help..
In Baghdad, they they drop, they air drop water, food to people..why cant they do that to their own people?
The same idiots that can't get water into a major American city in less than three days are trying to
win a war...
[Verse 1 - Jay-Z]
People was poor before the hurricane came
But the down pour poured is like when Mary J. sang
Every day it rains, so every day the pain
But ignored them, and showed em the risk was to blame
For life is a chain, cause and effected
Niggas off the chain because they affected
It's a dirty game so whatever is effective
From weed to selling kane, gotta put that in effect
Wouldn't you loot, if you didn't have the loot?
Baby needed food and you stuck on the roof
Helicopter swooped down just to get a scoop
Through his telescopic lens but he didn't scoop you
The next five days, no help ensued
They called you a refugee because you seek refuge
The commander-in-chief just flew by
Did he stop? No, he had a couple seats
Just proved jet blue he's not
Jet flew by the spot
What if he ran out of jet fuel and just dropped
hu,That woulda been something to watch
Helicopters doing fly-bys to take a couple of shots
Couple of portraits then ignored 'em
He'd be just another bush surrounded by a couple orchids
Poor kids just 'cause they were poor kids
Left 'em on they porches same old story in New Orleans
Silly rappers, because we got a couple Porches
MTV stopped by to film our fortresses
We forget the unfortunate
Sure I ponied up a mill, but I didn't give my time
So in reality I didn't give a dime, or a damn
I just put my monies in the hands of the same people that left my people stranded
Nothin' but a bandit
Left them folks abandoned
Damn, that money that we gave was just a band-aid
Can't say we better off than we was before
In synopsis this is my minority report
Can't say we better off than we was before
In synopsis this is my minority report
[Verse 2 - Ne-Yo]
So many times I'm, covering my eyes
Peeking through my fingers
Tryin' to hide my, frustration at the way that we treat
(Seems like we don't even care)
Turn on the TV, seein' the pain
Sayin' such a shame
Then tryin' to go on with my life
Of that, I too, am guilty
(Seems like we don't even care)
So we send a lil' money, tell 'em it's alright
To be able to sleep at night
You will pay that price
While some of these folks' lost their whole life
(Seems like we don't even care)
Now it wasn't on the nightly news no more
Suddenly it didn't matter to you no more
In the end almost nothing changed
What the hell, what was that for?
(Seems like we don't even care)
[Outro: News Excerpts]
...Buses are on the way to take those people from New Orleans to Houston
...They lyin'
...People are dying at the convention center
...Their government has failed them
...George Bush doesn't care about black people
Monday, January 22, 2007
You Guys Want Some Cookies?
This isn't actually related to anything we're discussing in class; I just want to see what people think about is.
I was thinking the other day about the phrase, "in love." What does it mean to be in love? I was puzzling over phrases like "I thought I was in love." or "Have you ever been in love?" or "How do you know if you're in love?" when a thought occured to me. I've never actually heard a real person that I actually know describe the way he or she felt as being in love. And that brought forth this question.
Was the phrase "in love" invented by the media?
I'd like to know what people in my Mass Media and Society class think of this. I really want feedback so I have a bribe for you. I will bake cookies for the first five people to give their thoughts on this matter.
Go.
~Nadia
I was thinking the other day about the phrase, "in love." What does it mean to be in love? I was puzzling over phrases like "I thought I was in love." or "Have you ever been in love?" or "How do you know if you're in love?" when a thought occured to me. I've never actually heard a real person that I actually know describe the way he or she felt as being in love. And that brought forth this question.
Was the phrase "in love" invented by the media?
I'd like to know what people in my Mass Media and Society class think of this. I really want feedback so I have a bribe for you. I will bake cookies for the first five people to give their thoughts on this matter.
Go.
~Nadia
Sunday, January 21, 2007
Response to Blog Four
Okay, let’s go with The Coming of the Messiah. I think this myth is most prominent in fairy tales. Wouldn’t you agree? I absolutely love fairy tales, particularly fairy tales in the form of Disney Movies, so I think that Sleeping Beauty would be a marvelous (and obvious) example.
The Coming of the Messiah is a myth in which something goes horribly wrong and one person (or a group of persons I suppose) comes along and fixes it for everyone.
In Sleeping Beauty a baby princess is given the “gift” (I’d say it was a curse) of death by a rather grumpy fairy. All of the other fairies are giving her gifts that more like blessings. They gave her beauty, wit, grace and musical talents. But then here comes along Miss Grumpy Pants Maleficent ruining the party by making it so that at the age of sixteen, this baby princess will die.
Here enters Messiah number one: Merryweather
Merryweather is a good fairy. She tries to reverse the spell, but that would make the story absurdly short and uneventful. So she instead is able to make it so that Princess Aurora will not die on her sixteenth Birthday, but fall asleep until she is awakened by her prince charming. And to keep them from grieving, Merryweather makes it so the entire kingdom will fall into slumber along with their princess.
For her protection, Princess Aurora is raised by the good fairies for sixteen years. And even though they know about the curse (or gift or whatever it’s supposed to be), the fairies do a rather lousy job of watching over her. Maybe it doesn’t matter anyway because if she was supposed to prick her finger and fall into a deep sleep, she was going to.
So a spinning wheel magically appears before Aurora while no one is looking. She is drawn to this spinning wheel and next thing you know she’s pricking her finger on a spindle, just as Maleficent planned, but she didn’t die. She fell into a deep sleep, just as Merryweather intended. And the entire kingdom fell into a deep sleep as well. How terribly awful!
But wait! There is no need to fear. For here enters Messiah number 2: Prince Philip.
Hooray for true love. This daring young man comes along to save everyone from eternal slumber. He kneels next to his sleeping beauty, and with true love’s first kiss, unbinds her. She and the kingdom awaken and they, most likely live happily ever after.
So there we have it. Sleeping Beauty = The Coming of the Messiah.
Hooray.
~Nadia
The Coming of the Messiah is a myth in which something goes horribly wrong and one person (or a group of persons I suppose) comes along and fixes it for everyone.
In Sleeping Beauty a baby princess is given the “gift” (I’d say it was a curse) of death by a rather grumpy fairy. All of the other fairies are giving her gifts that more like blessings. They gave her beauty, wit, grace and musical talents. But then here comes along Miss Grumpy Pants Maleficent ruining the party by making it so that at the age of sixteen, this baby princess will die.
Here enters Messiah number one: Merryweather
Merryweather is a good fairy. She tries to reverse the spell, but that would make the story absurdly short and uneventful. So she instead is able to make it so that Princess Aurora will not die on her sixteenth Birthday, but fall asleep until she is awakened by her prince charming. And to keep them from grieving, Merryweather makes it so the entire kingdom will fall into slumber along with their princess.
For her protection, Princess Aurora is raised by the good fairies for sixteen years. And even though they know about the curse (or gift or whatever it’s supposed to be), the fairies do a rather lousy job of watching over her. Maybe it doesn’t matter anyway because if she was supposed to prick her finger and fall into a deep sleep, she was going to.
So a spinning wheel magically appears before Aurora while no one is looking. She is drawn to this spinning wheel and next thing you know she’s pricking her finger on a spindle, just as Maleficent planned, but she didn’t die. She fell into a deep sleep, just as Merryweather intended. And the entire kingdom fell into a deep sleep as well. How terribly awful!
But wait! There is no need to fear. For here enters Messiah number 2: Prince Philip.
Hooray for true love. This daring young man comes along to save everyone from eternal slumber. He kneels next to his sleeping beauty, and with true love’s first kiss, unbinds her. She and the kingdom awaken and they, most likely live happily ever after.
So there we have it. Sleeping Beauty = The Coming of the Messiah.
Hooray.
~Nadia
I lied
The previous post is actually a response to blog four. I would change the title but I couldn't figure out how. The next post will be the actual response to blog six. But that title will have been taken already by that imposter blog so maybe I'll title Response to Blog Four.
Just giving you the heads up. You know, so I don't throw you off guard.
Yup yup.
~Nadia
Just giving you the heads up. You know, so I don't throw you off guard.
Yup yup.
~Nadia
Response to Blog Six
I have decided to write about one of my favourite semiotic domains despite the fact that am hardly a part of it anymore. Or perhaps I am in some sort of way, but not in the way that I used to be.
When I was a little girl my mom took me to see the ballet. When I saw the images of dancing sugar plums, nutcrackers and snow flakes it seemed clear to me that this performance could be nothing other than the product of magic. Immediately upon seeing the wonders of the lights, hearing the wonders of the music and feeling the wonders of this magic I fell completely in love. I wanted nothing more than to be a part of this magic. I knew in my child’s mind that if I could not become one of the ballerinas up on that stage, my life would never be complete. So in order to complete my life my wonderful mother enrolled me in ballet lessons at The Canton Ballet. At the age of six, the completion of my life began.
I danced with the Canton Ballet for eleven years. I was an awkward dancer compared to the other girls who seemed to be so petite and somehow, more perfect. But I loved ballet, despite the fact that it didn’t take me long to know the blood and sweat of hard work from discipline, and unknown magic. I was quickly disenchanted.
Words like tendu, plie and releve took on meaning and I knew when to stretch my leg forward and point my toe, bend my knees and, rise onto pointe. These things were drilled into my skull so deeply, that I could be seen in the school hallways doing ballet, and I wouldn’t even realize it.
Ballet is one of my favourite semiotic domains because it had a great impact on my life. Even though I rarely dance these days some of my best friends are people from my affinity group (look at me using vocabulary) at the Canton Ballet. Ballet is still very much a part of who I am. I’m not one of those dancers who started dancing as soon as I could walk, or went onto a school of dance after high school, but it instilled a love for performing in me, off and on stage. Singing, dancing, acting and playing music became what I was all about. And if you pay attention you’ll probably notice me still standing in first or fifth position every now and then. Yup yup.
~Nadia
So hooray for ballet.
When I was a little girl my mom took me to see the ballet. When I saw the images of dancing sugar plums, nutcrackers and snow flakes it seemed clear to me that this performance could be nothing other than the product of magic. Immediately upon seeing the wonders of the lights, hearing the wonders of the music and feeling the wonders of this magic I fell completely in love. I wanted nothing more than to be a part of this magic. I knew in my child’s mind that if I could not become one of the ballerinas up on that stage, my life would never be complete. So in order to complete my life my wonderful mother enrolled me in ballet lessons at The Canton Ballet. At the age of six, the completion of my life began.
I danced with the Canton Ballet for eleven years. I was an awkward dancer compared to the other girls who seemed to be so petite and somehow, more perfect. But I loved ballet, despite the fact that it didn’t take me long to know the blood and sweat of hard work from discipline, and unknown magic. I was quickly disenchanted.
Words like tendu, plie and releve took on meaning and I knew when to stretch my leg forward and point my toe, bend my knees and, rise onto pointe. These things were drilled into my skull so deeply, that I could be seen in the school hallways doing ballet, and I wouldn’t even realize it.
Ballet is one of my favourite semiotic domains because it had a great impact on my life. Even though I rarely dance these days some of my best friends are people from my affinity group (look at me using vocabulary) at the Canton Ballet. Ballet is still very much a part of who I am. I’m not one of those dancers who started dancing as soon as I could walk, or went onto a school of dance after high school, but it instilled a love for performing in me, off and on stage. Singing, dancing, acting and playing music became what I was all about. And if you pay attention you’ll probably notice me still standing in first or fifth position every now and then. Yup yup.
~Nadia
So hooray for ballet.
Saturday, January 20, 2007
My Brother's Affinity Group
I didn't even realize when I started our assignment of experiencing someone else's affinity group. I just went up to my little brother's room to study because he has heat in his room and mine is freezing. I started to complain when he turned on Jay Z, even though it was his room.
“No, we’re going to listen to Jay Z.” he said. And that was the end of that. I could either listen with him, or I could leave. And seeing that I enjoyed the cozy warmness of his room, I decided against the latter.
As I made an attempt to like my brother’s music while I did my work, it dawned on me that I was listening to music outside of my affinity group. “Hey Bruce, what’s the name of this album?” I asked. “Kingdom Come.” He said. “Why?”
“Why do you like Jay Z?” Apparently this question warded a look that clearly said, “Are you out of your effing mind?” because that’s what he gave me. And he immediately began to ramble all of the things that make Jay Z a wonderful music artist.
“He’s not hot headed,” he said. “And his words actually make sense. He makes good albums. Not good songs, good albums.”
So I listened closely to the lyrics of the songs. And despite the horridly atrocious grammar I did enjoy some of the lyrics. I especially liked the song Minority Report. These were my favourite words:
“People was poor before the hurricane came
But the down pour poured is like when Mary J. sang
Every day it rains, so every day the pain
But ignored them, and showed ‘em the risk was to blame”
My little brother then shared with me his other favourite music artists. His top five were:
1) Nas
2) The Game
3) Jay Z
4) Kanye West
5) Eminem (And I actually love Eminem too)
I like a wide variety of music, but rap is probably one of my least favourite genres. That isn’t to say that I dislike all rap music. I am a very big fan of Eminem and I absolutely love some of Ludacris’s stuff. But my when I listen to my brother’s music I am most definitely listening to music outside of my affinity group. And although I did enjoy listening to Jay Z’s album with him, it is very unlikely that I would invest my own money into such music or listen to it on my own.
Mission accomplished
~Nadia
“No, we’re going to listen to Jay Z.” he said. And that was the end of that. I could either listen with him, or I could leave. And seeing that I enjoyed the cozy warmness of his room, I decided against the latter.
As I made an attempt to like my brother’s music while I did my work, it dawned on me that I was listening to music outside of my affinity group. “Hey Bruce, what’s the name of this album?” I asked. “Kingdom Come.” He said. “Why?”
“Why do you like Jay Z?” Apparently this question warded a look that clearly said, “Are you out of your effing mind?” because that’s what he gave me. And he immediately began to ramble all of the things that make Jay Z a wonderful music artist.
“He’s not hot headed,” he said. “And his words actually make sense. He makes good albums. Not good songs, good albums.”
So I listened closely to the lyrics of the songs. And despite the horridly atrocious grammar I did enjoy some of the lyrics. I especially liked the song Minority Report. These were my favourite words:
“People was poor before the hurricane came
But the down pour poured is like when Mary J. sang
Every day it rains, so every day the pain
But ignored them, and showed ‘em the risk was to blame”
My little brother then shared with me his other favourite music artists. His top five were:
1) Nas
2) The Game
3) Jay Z
4) Kanye West
5) Eminem (And I actually love Eminem too)
I like a wide variety of music, but rap is probably one of my least favourite genres. That isn’t to say that I dislike all rap music. I am a very big fan of Eminem and I absolutely love some of Ludacris’s stuff. But my when I listen to my brother’s music I am most definitely listening to music outside of my affinity group. And although I did enjoy listening to Jay Z’s album with him, it is very unlikely that I would invest my own money into such music or listen to it on my own.
Mission accomplished
~Nadia
Meh
Well, it's been two weeks and I've posted nothing. I have no excuse for my laziness so I suppose I will post a blog now. Actually, I will post two blogs. Three if you include this third pointless post. I enjoy the pointless posts though. There will probably be more.
~Nadia
~Nadia
Tuesday, January 16, 2007
So indecisive
I am so indecisive right now. I have been indecisive for several days. And so I will post nothing.
This post was pointless but I wanted to do it anyway.
~Nadia
This post was pointless but I wanted to do it anyway.
~Nadia
Wednesday, January 10, 2007
This is a Test Blog
Esto es un blog de la prueba.
C'est un blog d'essai.
Est a teste blog.
这是测试blog
這是測試blog
C'est un blog d'essai.
Est a teste blog.
这是测试blog
這是測試blog
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