Blog Three: Learning Outcome

Mass media influences everyone regardless of their awareness of it or not. While some claim this to be untrue, media dictates people’s perceptions of life and reality.

As seen with American reality television shows, reality made by producers is not often times how reality really is like. For example, it can be claimed that reality television, such as Jersey Shore, focuses on what they believe the audiences want. For that show, it can be said that audiences want to see drama and a whole lot of partying; hence, producers and directors would not want to highlight the moments that the ‘cast’ gets along, but the parts when members of the group get into disagreements. While this is not advertised, the audience sees only what is edited together and the story filmed from a third party view. Yes, there are people who claim that reality television does not change their perceptions of reality, but it sure changes their cognitive thinking… If anyone was seen walking down the street dressed like Snooky, it is more likely that someone would begin to subconsciously stereotype the person as being what looks like to be a party girl. That is natural, but to what extent is television changing someone’s reality if it actually changes their stereotypes?

Media on a global scale is much easier to use as an example of how media can dictate people’s perceptions. Something that happened in China would be portrayed differently there versus here in the United States. That has various factors that go along with it. The form of government and customs is much different there than it is here. With that said, something could be shown on the news here and can give an entirely different look at an issue than what is shown of the actual situation. This could be done intentionally by using propaganda.

While there are only a few ways that media can influence perceptions given, there are many ways that it can be done. As previously mentioned, propaganda can be used as well as censorship. In the third learning outcome of the semester, it pinpoints the main ways that media plays a role. On an everyday bases, people are consistently influenced by mass media in the ways language and images as used as well as by the style, layout, and possible manipulation of the media that are used.  

Blog Two: The Machine Stops

Technology’s advancements have been the topic of the town, and much of the world. It is the advances in computers, phones, and digital devices that better lives and entertainment worlds that is the center of the topic. Yes books are clearly being replaced by electronic readers and iPad screens, but to what extent does society praise the advances in medical technology?

Technology is most thought of for entertainment purposes and will continue to produce products desirable for consumers. In the most recent years advancements in technology has changed the way society works and how people live and communicate. In the article Our Media, Ourselves: Are We Headed For A Matrix? by Bob Mondello, he writes about how the future is perceived to be something barren and most modern in the sense that people will lose their individuality by ridding themselves of the clutter that makes them who they are. He states, “It’s a horror story in which humanity has abandoned all of what makes us human,” when describing how movies tend to view the future.

Mondello continues with the previous statement by describing how it is right to think that future generations will not want what he says is “the accumulated mess of existence.” The future and present alike paint a picture of convenience in having everything one would need at the tips of their fingertips. He even gives an example of a friend who said she no longer has CDs in her house and does not buy the amount of books that she used to. Of course she would buy music online and keep only a minimal amount of books to not take up space that CDs and books use. It is convenient to have what you want with the click of a button. With that said, Mondello claims that people gather things around them to not lose the connections they represent, and the fear is not of having nothing material around someone, but having emptiness inside of someone.

 In E.M. Forster’s,The Machine Stops, Forster describes the future of a dystopian society that in which every person is secluded in their own room. Forster states “...though it contained nothing, was in touch with all that she cared for in the world.” On the surface of things, this quote supports Mondello’s claim. Though her room contained nothing, Vashti had all that she needed at the touch of a button. Vashti was fearful, and to an extent it was brought to the attention of the reader. After the character Vashti was trying to persuade her son to not go to the surface of the earth, Forster writes, “For a moment Vashti felt lonely.” This supports to some extent what Mondello had claimed. Vashti had all that she could want, but was discomforted by the idea that her son would not take her advice. It was not about material items, but about human feelings that had left her feeling lonely.

A comment made about Mondello’s article disagrees with his claim. RodgerDodger1 wrote that it is not the inner feeling of emptiness that gives fear, but the fear that comes from people knowing everything about a person. Surprisingly, The Machine Stops also can support this claim from the reader.  In the story Forster writes, “Vashanti’s next move was to turn off the isolation switch, and all the accumulations of the last three minutes burst upon her.” She had been in isolation to talk to one person, her son. Although she had been annoyed at first for him taking up her time, it was a time that she would not be distracted by everything around her. Isolation is something used to keep any personal information from being known.

While both claims made by the writer Bob Mondello and the reader of his article are different, they can both be qualified by using different parts from The Machine Stops.

Blog 1: Image Number Two

All art does not necessarily need to have a purpose. Some art forms may simply elicit joy or a liking for a specific piece of art. Other art forms such as advertisements and graffiti may have not always fit in the classic category of art, but they sure do now. Banksy, for instance, is, in my opinion, a great artist whose purpose is to voice his or her political opinion on a current or past political issue. Sure the stencils from Banksy do not take after styles from Monet or Picasso, but it can still evoke emotion and thought from a viewer. Is that not the point of art?

For example, one image from Banksy is that of a messenger bird spreading its wings. The bird holds a stem of a small branch with leaves on it, and wears what looks to be a bullet proof vest. Following the classic color choice of the artist, the image is displayed on a relatively plain, grey background. In the near bottom right corner, there is what looks to be a small box that could possibly be for electrical purposes. Using this plain grey wall as the background, Banksy paints an image with meaning and what I myself get from it, passion. The white carrier pigeon spreads its wings wide and shows its left side of the face, revealing the right eye. As mentioned previously, it holds a small branch with leaves on it in its yellow-orange beak. The vest that covers its chest is a combination of a light and darker grey color. Maybe the most thought provoking aspect of the image is the red target that crosses directly over the bullet proof vest where one can imagine the heart of the pigeon to be.

In an almost ominous tone, the colors that stick out the most are white and grey. The hint of green from the leaves, the yellow-orange from the beak, and the red from the target are also quite visible; they are almost like a second layer to the image. What interests me is the red target. Although made clear when looking closely, the part of the target that covers the vest almost blends in with the grey color.

As for meaning, this bird could be portrayed easily as a carrier pigeon. With that

said, it carries the branch of leaves in the beak and looks to me, like a peaceful bird. It is almost like it is offering the branch to someone as a token of peace. The vest on the other hand is a sign of defense. The target, well, is the potential threat. To me, the target does not look menacing as it reminds me of a harmless video game. Put into the context of the entire image, it is quite menacing.

It is hard to know exactly what Banksy wanted the audience to get out of this image if there is even a message itself. One can argue that “we see things not as they are, but as we are.” With that said, this message is to show the threat to peace. The purpose is to relate with others on the topic of peace and possible international relations. This carrier pigeon wants to make peace, but is threatened for trying to advocate that message. Could this be about war, or about neighboring countries? In my opinion I think it is about both. How often do nations enter a war to help out another country? Sure it sounds good, but is it that nation’s right to enter in something that may not be a problem in the eyes of those who live where armies are evading? Is this bird foreign support coming to help a nation? Say for example Fishers was going through tough times and they were having trouble with their mayor. Carmel sends their carriers of peace over to help but that means sending in a large group of people. Chaos erupts because this is now affecting the everyday lives of civilians. These civilians of Fishers are now mad at Carmel because it was them who tried to change things by bringing in their people to fix a problem that is not theirs to begin with. That is very far fetched and not necessarily anything like a real war as circumstances play a big role in war, but it is simply an example of what is just one of my interpretations of this image. I personally believe in working together on a global scale and simply thought of that as food for thought.

Going along with my thoughts, this image could be placed in a country that has recently been to war, is currently in a war, or has been affected by war. That leaves room for many potential locations. That also leaves room for a large audience by claiming that nearly everyone has heard of war or has been personally affected by war.

Remember, this is only one interpretation of this image. This could have endless possibilities for what a meaning behind it is as well as the audience and purpose. I believe that is what is so great about art. It is always open to interpretations and can spark thoughts about what could be.