Mirror Mirror On The Wall, Give Me A Pout That I Can Shout To All!

 

When we look in the mirror what do we see? A reflection of oneself. In the 21^st century a mirror is not the only way we project our self and now our mediatised world has captured our image, plastering it for the world to see. This goes beyond entertainment and yes Big Brother, The Shire (which I feel embarrassed to refer to in my blog) and the likes of Bondi Rescue all capture an identity that is now exposed to the wider community. Such shows have ‘allowed the development of a surplus economy related to personalities and a different structure through which the famed construct their public image’. (Marshall, 2010, p.498) Today this is referred to as the “SPECULAR ECONOMY” where individuals are becoming more conscious about how they represent themselves in order for others to perceive them in a way that they want. But let’s bring this discussion a little closer to home.

Heard of the word – “SELFIE?” Nowadays its normal to give a pout in the bathroom mirror, then post it on Facebook or Instagram, tag yourself where you are and ask for ‘likes’. ‘We are constantly placing ourselves as with the simple technology of the mirror, into the picture and onto the screen’. (Marshall, 2010, p.499) By making ourselves mediatised we are putting ourselves in a position to be noticed and strive for power. This self-constructed spectacle is viewed by millions around the world, a scary thought that we do forget. The dangers of this mediatised world – stalkers, and there are many out there! Although it is practically impossible to estimate how many there are, you only have to Google the issue and many statistics will pop up thus recognising that it is a problem. But with the bad comes the good – we all know how Justin Bieber became the name of thousands of screaming girls!

References:

Marshall, P.D 2010, ‘The Specular Economy’, Society, vol. 47, no. 16, pp.498-92.

Images are from the website Tumblr (how Ironic!) www.tumblr.com.

 

INTERESTING TITLE!

I picked a reading for this week, based solely on what the reading was called. ‘My life with computers on a remote island’ caught my attention but for all the wrong reasons. I was expecting some story about a person who could live their life in isolation with a computer and still completely live a satisfactory existence. The picture above is a sarcastic way of looking at it. I was wrong. Instead Bethalia Gaidan talks about computers and the internet as some sort of device that her community has been deprived of. She complains that she has to ‘teach herself’ how new software programs and hardware work, yet don’t we all? I recently purchased a new computer, there I also had to purchase Microsoft and then I had to figure the programs out for myself. I am 21 years old and I still have trouble and sometimes frustrated when using Microsoft word and Microsoft excel. She also complains that she would like computers to be more reliable because it is very expensive for ‘us’ in remote areas to get our computers fixed. Have you ever tried to get your laptop fixed at a price you are happy with?

Her complaints and story seems to be out of touch with the environment today. Although we live in a mediatised technological world, we cannot simply pick out remote areas and see them as less fortunate than those who come from the city.

The old saying goes – ‘don’t judge a book by its cover’ – I certainly did.  

References:

Gaidan, B 2007, ‘My life with computers on a remote island’, in LE Dyson, M Hendriks & S Grant (eds), Information technology and Indigenous people, Information Science Publishing, Hershey, Pa., pp. 58–60.

Image: Masood, N 2008, Do you suffer from Internet Addiction Disorder? Nadia Masood travel. food. photography., retrieved 21  August 2012, http://nadiamasood.com/do-you-suffer-from-internet-addiction-disorder.  

“Fantasising the homeland” – where would you call home?

When we think about our identity, our sense of belonging and cultural values where do you associate yourself? When we get behind our athletes at the recent Olympic Games we immediately call them ours because they wear the green and gold, but who do they really identify themselves as? This national culture has slowly disintegrated in an evolving technological and deterritorialised space. ‘Much has been written about how electronic media have transformed our understanding of temporality, spatiality, and a sense of who we are as individuals’. (Sun, 2002, p.115) The global atmosphere as Wanning Sun puts it is memoryless, losing the inability to translate historical stories to our younger generations.

The fear of losing one’s freedom or the ability to gain employment in Australia is ever increasing, and thus contributes to the national consciousness and patriotism that our government continues to promote. In doing this we control other races and cultures such as the Chinese, through slavery and delve to ensure our superiority.

‘…there will be nothing we Chinese will be able to do to wipe away the humiliation and suffering of being an enslaved people.... Wake up! If you do not make a determined effort to strengthen our nation, we will soon be confronted with the death of our people and the destruction of our ancient civilisation’. (Sun, 2002, p.114)

The mediatised and technological world has progressed our international sphere into one of angst, searching for national stories and one’s identity, whilst being caught in the midst of a “motherland fantasy”.

References:

Image: Drake K 2008, Our National Identity, National Identity Task Force, retrieved 14 August 2012, http://canadian-unitarian-council.pbworks.com/w/page/13798009/Our%20National%20Identity.

Sun, W 2002, ‘Fantasizing the homeland, the internet, memory and exilic longings’, Leaving China: media, migration, and transnational imagination, Rowan & Littlefield, Lanham, Md., pp. 113–36.

“Mass Media”: Do we really understand what it means?

When we think of the saying “mass media” I am certain that what pops into most regular minds, is the TV, the radio, and film. Collectively we put these media forms together and denote a negative understanding – “mass” meaning cheap and easy, being everywhere, not individual. When we do this we also assume that if we have mass media then production is accompanied by mass audience as Peter Steven writes. I couldn’t help but delve into Steven’s train of thought and pin point his idea that mass media does not define our audience and its effectiveness.

‘The term mass media fails to describe the ability of media to control and shape the direction of society, the range of content quality and the diversity of audiences’. (QUOTE P.4)

Great example that I’m sure we can all convert our minds to: THE OLYMPICS! The lead up to the games was more exciting than the games themselves this year. I’m not sure – perhaps it is because Australia is going terribly or because our ability to enjoy an event 24/7 shows the negative affect mass media can actually have on its audiences.

The Olympics is a globalised phenomenon -  a chance for mass media to grasp its influences and branch out to the world the domination that it can have. But when push comes to shove really how effective is it? We can simply flick a switch and it can be gone.

http://www.google.com.au/imgres?start=97&num=10&hl=en&biw=1280&bih=703&tbm=isch&tbnid=LNfOrH3iHh2AhM:&imgrefurl=http://communities.washingtontimes.com/neighborhood/london-2012-summer-olympic-games/2012/jul/27/top-olympic-games-twitter-phelps-lolo-lebron-bolt/&docid=zq_m322E3kqavM&imgurl=http://media.washtimes.com/media/community/viewpoint/entry/2012/07/27/social-media-montage-

MAKING CULTURES

Let’s admit when we ask ourselves and actually think about it how would we define Australia’s culture? Is there one definition for it? Because of our multicultural status occurring because of globalisation there exists cultures within a culture which we cannot define. Agree? The physical movement as discussed in my first blog identifies the movement of not only the person but more importantly what they bring with them: their culture. This is their beliefs, their way of living, their social and moral principles and values in life, all making up their culture.

For some this can cause anxiety, but for others it is seen as a way to understand and embrace new cultures – a learning experience.

How does this relate to the media world? A lot of ways but one that caught my attention was the ways in which these cultures try to adapt to new environments through the use of media technology and try to educate their children through old and new ways of technology.

http://www.google.com.au/imgres?um=1&hl=en&sa=N&biw=1280&bih=703&tbm=isch&tbnid=Qe63fbDhJfVihM:&imgrefurl=http://www.cartoonstock.com/directory/o/office_personnel.asp&docid=nCg-Y5K7gaiwWM&imgurl=http://www.cartoonstock.com/newscartoons/cartoonists/ato/lowres/aton1482l.jpg&w=400&h=384&ei=MIMcUPPkOqikiAf_0oDYCw&zoom=1

GLOBAL MEDIA LANDSCAPES: AMERICA AND ANXIETY ON THE RISE

New Global Empires And Americanisation

The American Imperialism thesis started in 1969 with Herbert Schiller's book, Mass communication and the American Empire, that spoke of American domination of the world’s media. It was Schiller’s contention that the American ‘military-industrial complex’ was using American made television programs and films to obtain world dominance in cultural products, as well as to propagate American interests.

-          Example: American films constantly on our TVs: Friends, CSI New York, CSI Miami, Criminal Minds, How I met your Mother. Films: Promote American lifestyle. Prom, Hooters, Taco Bills, etc… Im sure your mind is starting to think of a whole lot more.

Cultural impact à “AMERICANISATION” – a cultural term around the term relaying American dominance on nations.

Wiring the world: information and media flows and national anxieties

In the era of satellite and internet technologies that have the ability to cross national boundaries with the greatest of ease, it is to be expected that the most dominant administrative entity of our era, the nation-state, should begin to cast anxious glances towards intruders that appear to undermine its ‘right’ to regulate entry to, and exit from, its boundaries.

Heard of this:

http://www.google.com.au/imgres?hl=en&biw=1280&bih=703&tbm=isch&tbnid=dicyL2D6k622XM:&imgrefurl=http://www.brisbanewikileaksdefence.blogspot.com/&docid=e2qQnhoqPm7OsM&imgurl=https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgtA9pQ-V6_0KZIQuWBthm83C3WIcmGPp2rzn0QJy10ptcZir5Th8ppVF8sjRDPWoSdi3_1HSw7Gpg3yvc_7f47r5dZIFQuZPbe8H4cPMyvocV2R1YIFvITYCQakKWeIdWXlf6WvDIs-Po/s1600/wikiLeaks.jpg&w=460&h=276&ei=C4AcUOzcO4O6iQf444DgCg&zoom=1&iact=hc&vpx=391&vpy=173&dur=1629&hovh=174&hovw=290&tx=117&ty=83&sig=103761634959872333060&page=1&tbnh=133&tbnw=221&start=0&ndsp=15&ved=1t:429,r:1,s:0,i:73

Surely! Look at the catastrophe this caused for governments! This was only documents, imagine what the global media could do in order for invasions, terrorist attacks and sneaky home dwellers.