Virtual Reality

I don't understand the concept of a cyberspace world, avatars, Linden dollars, etc. It's such a fake and strange world. I understand that people want to escape reality but I think it's getting a bit extreme. If these people spent half the time they spend in second life, trying to make their actual life a life they could enjoy, wouldn't they be much more happy?

For example, I get that part of the fun is that you can do things in second life that you can't do in real life, like fly. But going on second life just so you can be skinny. You can do that in real life it's called self control and a little hard work. I think second life is making us lazy.

And then there is the whole issue of whether crimes committed on second life are punishable in real life. I don't really know what else to say because I guess the thought of second life just kinda creeps me out.

Videogames

I found our discussion about videogames very interesting because videogames have raised so many issues and concerns for our society. It seems that it wasn't that long ago that people were concerned about what we watch on TV and how that might effect our lives. While that is still a concern it doesn't seem to be as big a concern as videogames. Perhaps because videogames are so interactive.

I think that gender is displayed in a somewhat unrealistic way but that it isn't just toward woman it is men as well. Not only are their dis proportioned women but their are dis proportioned men as well.

While I think that videogames can have a bad effect on people, I also think that they can help with hand eye coordination. I believe it is the parents place to monitor game playing or if it is adults for them understand they should play in moderation and realize what happens within their video game isn't realistic.

Mediaspace

This weeks discussions about surveillance and privacy were very interesting to me. I find if interesting that so many people want to keep themselves private but at the same time they are updating their facebook status or twitter every hour on the hour. While I realize that those mediums are not being used in the same way that say a surveillance camera at a bank, atm, or store are being used they aren't exactly keeping people out of public. If you want to stay private then don't put yourself on the internet. I do realize this does sound a bit extreme because there is a difference in using facebook and having your name printed for everyone to see which way you donated your money. But at the same time you cannot say I want to remain completely private but I want to be all over facebook at the same time.

Internet

This weeks lectures and discussions about the internet have made me start to think about the internet and technology and its effect in my life and the lives of others around me. You don't realize how much technology plays a part in your life until you step back and think about it. For many people today, the technology of the internet, DRV, cable, etc. has always been a part of their lives. We don't know any different.
Clay Shirky puts into perspective how much the media effects our everyday lives and how much time we spend using technology.

Reality TV

In Jenkins article "Buying into American Idol" he describes the phenomenon that has become reality TV. Starting with the hit TV series Survivor and then American Idol. These shows have changed the context in which American broadcasting is operating (61). Jenkins says that consumer behavior is starting to shape programming and marketing strategies (61).

This is also taking effect in Belizean TV. They are adopting American TV and people are beginning to worry that cultures are going to be changed or forgotten due to TV.

TV has become such a huge part of American culture that it is slowly influencing other parts of the world and world leaders are becoming worried about the life of their cultures.

Globalization

The world today is huge, just think, in Australia it's tomorrow already. However, globalization has caused us to think that the world isn't really that big.

With TV and the internet we can be anywhere we want in a matter of seconds. We can know exactly what's going on in Beijing and at the same time know what's going on in Canada and Tulsa, Oklahoma. One can effected by what happens all around the globe. I can see a trend from Paris on the TV, internet, or in the paper which makes me want to be a part of that trend too, even though it's popular half way around the world.

One can also see that the world is tied together economically, especially right now. With the current economic situation in the U.S. we aren't the only ones being effected. Tourism in other countries is hurting, trade and production as well. We are all tied together by globalization. Even though our world is so huge that it can already be tomorrow in some places.

The Black Image in the White Mind

In Entman and Rojecki's essay " The Black Image in the White Mind" they state that contrary to how the media have portrayed white's view of blacks, whites have actually shown quite a bit of tolerance starting in the 1950s.

On Thursday we talked about the schema and the frame. The media creates how they want us to think about race and becuase humans are cognativly lazy we seem to go along with them. However, most whites are not as racially biased as the media make them out to be.

I think this is very well demonstrated by the fact that our country has just elected a black president, obviously we don't have that much of a racial biased towards blacks.

Gender, the first lady, and news media

I would like to focus this blog on the Brown, Gardetto article titled, "Representing Hillary Rodham Clinton: Gender, Meaning, and News Media."

This article points out that the news media is supposed to, or tries to, report in an unbiased way. But points out that the fact that Clinton is not only female she is, first lady (public wife), and citizen. She must be careful how she speaks to the media. If she speaks as first lady she is violating herself as citizen, if she speaks as citizen she is going against herself as first lady. This puts Clinton in a very awkward situation.

It is interesting that as a nation we have certain expectations of what a woman should do and who she should be. We expect a lot of women to fight for woman's rights and to be independent. But when it comes to our first lady we expect the woman to take on the traditional roles of wife and succumb to the husband. Many Americans do not like the idea that Clinton might have been behind some of the decisions made by her husband Bill. We expect her to act as a wife should act. Staying out of the media and out of politics.

It is interesting that when Clinton became involved the the media through her testimonial for the Whitewater case American's weren't sure how to view her; citizen or first lady. I can't help but raise the question why was Clinton's involvement in the media such a big deal? Nancy Reagan was very involved in her husband's presidency, often relying on her psychic for advice. Was this as controversial? Or not the same situation?

Semiotics and Stereotypes

I was very interested in the discussion that we had in class on Thursday. As we were discussing signs of sports vs. fitness we noticed several signs that signified certain stereotypes. For example, a hot woman on the cover of Sports Illustrated is a stereotypical sign that attracts men; or a headline stating a new way to get flatter abs in just minutes a day is supposed to appeal to women.

As we pointed out these are all signs that are stereotypical signifiers. I would like to point out that even though these signs are stereotypical, we have stereotypes because they are usually true. Naked women DO appeal to men, and wanting to get flat abs in minutes a day DOES appeal to woman. Now there are always exceptions to stereotypes, their are exceptions to almost everything.

What seemed very interesting, however, was the question, are these signifiers that are very stereotypical, stereotypical because our society has mad them stereotypical? Or do naked women naturally appeal to men, and does not having to work hard to get flat abs naturally appeal to women?

I do not remember if we talked about this any in class, and I do not know if there is an exact answer. But I think that society has made these signifiers stereotypical, over time. Over time we have just come to accept that women are supposed to like one thing and men another.

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