Reflection

After writing in this blog for over a month now, I have been able to reflect on everything I have written and everything I have learned about what we call media.

See, when I did my first blog back in April, I had been under the impression that there was only one kind of media: social. I would immediately associate media with Facebook and Twitter and all of the stupid, pointless things people post about. The things they know no one would care about in the real world.

But now I understand that media is everywhere and comes in all forms. Music, movies, T.V. shows and books are just some of the forms media takes. And these are forms I am very receptive to. Movies like The Princess Bride and books like Once Upon a Time by Niki Daly heavily influenced me growing up, and I still enjoy and appreciate them today.

I've also learned that I consume a lot more media than I thought. If books count as a form of media, then I've read a few thousand of them and over one hundred novels. I have also been influenced by a lot of T.V. shows, starting with C.B.S. when I was in kindergarten to the one thousand channels available to me in my teenage years.

There are also forms of media that I know are considered social that I like to indulge in. YouTube is one of my favorite sites online. I can find thousands of songs and videos that interest me. Deviantart is also a favorite of mine. As an artist, I love looking at the works of fellow artists and it interests me to see the different mediums used by different people to express similar ideas and interests.

I understand now that media, social or otherwise, is not necessarily a bad thing. My parents both have Facebook accounts and they don't use them to post pictures of their breakfasts. I don't think the amount of media a consume is something to be ashamed of. There are adults who are just as immersed in media than I am and some who are even more so.

Sell Me Some Cool, Man

Last week in my Critical Thinking class, we finished a documentary by Frontline called Merchants of Cool. In it, we got to talk a look at 2001's world of "cool." We saw what "cool" meant to the teenagers, but, most importantly, the documentary focused on how media companies were using "cool" to sell their products.

 

In the world of "cool," teens have always had all the power in determining what is "cool" and how they spend their money on it. Marketers have always tried to find the best ways to discover the newest trends and turn it into a profitable product. Unfortu-nately for the media, as soon as they discover what's "hot," it  stops being "hot." Adolescents are often turned off by adults pretending to be them or attempting to understand them when it's clear they're getting nowhere. The trick is to market in a way that doesn't feel like marketing to the consumers. And eventually companies start to understand how to sell us "cool."

 

But what, according to the media, is "cool?" What is it teens want from them and are they delivering?

 

According to the marketing representatives of 2001, media is a mirror: a reflection of teenagers and their desires. Adolescents want sex in their T.V. shows, they want horror movies that are rated R. What the media presents to us is just a feedback loop of what they see us wanting.

 

On some accounts they were right: marketing is just a feedback loop... of sorts. The way I see it, the media views  a small minority who we'll call Minority X. They take what Minority X wants-- Product A. They then turn it into a product to sell to the majority-- Majority Y. They then see Minority X turn into the majority and Majority Y turn into the minority. They believe that Product A is what teens wanted the whole time and that Minority X was actually Majority X to begin with. This causes them to continue to sell Product A to their demographic. In this way, marketers get the false impression that Product A, and other products like it, are what define the generation they are appealing to.

 

Is this misrepresentation such a bad thing since you wind up wanting the product in the end? How do you think the media winds up finding these minorities to appeal to? Do they misrepresent us on purpose

"Generation Like" pt.2: So, You've Found out You're Being Used

So, you've found out that the same people who claim to want to make you happy are using you. The people who say that you have all the power when you shop are working their hardest to ensure that you feel you are incomplete without their product.

So, you've found out you're being used. That all these toys and cookware and latest trends and gizmos and gadgets are next to useless. That they have not, in fact, improved your life.

So, you've found out you're the exact same person. Same hair (though it may be a different color and cut), same body (though it may be covered in expensive fabrics), same face (though it may be filled with plastic). You're still you. None of these products have changed that.

So, you've found out you're being used. That none of the companies actually care about you. That all they see you as is a statistic-- a demographic that can be exploited and tricked into buying things you don't need. Only think you do.

So, what do you do now? Do you throw away all your useless junk? Do you give up shopping, fast food, gadgets, and one-time-use products you forgot you had? Is something like that even possible?

So, you've realized that you can't, in fact, live without these products. You've been taught to want-- to expect-- more. You've become aware of the ruse. You've stepped outside of it and taken a good, long look at the world. You've spread the word that everyone is being used just like you. But, no one has stopped. The world keeps spinning in the same direction. Everyone is still under the spell because no one cares to live a life that isn't full of easy solutions and products that have no real value but allow you to be a little more lazy.

So, now you know. The door is right over there. And all you have to do is take three steps to get there. But they've got you in their grasp, though they treat you like royalty. They've made you their slaves, though they've housed you in a castle. You say to yourselves, "If this is hell, kill me now!" But I say to you, "If that is hell, then imagine heaven."

"Generation Like" pt.1: Your True You

NOTE: I have based this entry on a Frontliner documentary called "Generation Like." The link to the video is below. This content is completely satirical and is meant to be taken as a joke. If you get offended easily, go home.

How do you express yourself? How are you supposed to portray to the world who you are? How are you supposed to cure every-day boredom? Well, according to Frontliners and their interview with a group of Millennials, the best way is through your online profile. In this way, these teens can become popular just by introducing their true selves to the world. So, how can your everyday Millennial create a profile and become world famous and beloved? Just follow these easy steps and you're on your way to stardom!

The first thing you will need to know is what a profile is. Your profile consists of your photo, your username, and various interesting tidbits about yourself. Your photo should be your favorite one of yourself. (Or someone else if you're looking to star on Catfish) Your photo should scream "You" in every way.

Next comes your username. You could be strait forward and use your own name, but, come on! BORING! Your username can also represent you. If you're in love with someone, make your name "Mrs./Mr. Insert-favorite-person's-name-here." If you're an animal lover make your name "insert-favorite-animal's-name-her lover insert-how-many-other-people-love-that-exact-same-animal-here." The possibilities are endless!

The information you post about yourself should be strategic. It should start out as comments featuring you that you would normally say to a person you've just met. Then it should quickly escalate into useless, disgusting facts about you that you would never tell someone in real life. NOTE: THIS IS NOT OPTIONAL! T.M.I. IS LIFE!!

Now that your profile is all set, how are you supposed to become popular and cure your boredom?

Curing boredom is easy! All you need is an ex. An ex-boyfriend, ex-girlfriend, ex-mailman, ex-grocery-store-clerk ex-hobo, ex-that-one-guy-you-saw-at-the-bus-stop-that-one-time-and-never-saw-again-but-vaguely-remember. Go find him or her on Face-Twitter-Chat and stalk them online! Find out what they like, what they don't like, what they had for breakfast three mornings in a row. I know what you're thinking: "How can I find out all that personal stuff about mostly strangers?" But have no fear, 'cause all this stuff is right on their page! It's all been willingly and openly posted for all the world to see in the hopes of getting likes, re-tweets and followers galore. (Ignore the fact that you have also posted this information about yourself so that any creeper can stalk you, too.)

Now it's time to make you popular! Do you like movies? Songs? Celebrities? Books? Games? YouTubers? Viners? Friends? Family members? If the answer is yes, post stuff about it! Take clips from movies and T.V. shows and loop them endlessly for no reason. Create memes about popular stuff. Tweet about the issues that matter to you; even if they're stupid or completely incorrect. Eventually people will see your content and those that agree with it will love you!

Now you have a profile and content, you're popular among total strangers, and you've cured your boredom through kinda-sorta illegal activity! I hope you enjoy your life now that it hasn't been upgraded in any way, shape or form!

Frontliner's documentary: http://www.pbs.org/video/2365181302/

Media and Me

Media and Me

 



            In the year 2016, the media has definitely become a large part of my life. I am constantly surrounded by sources of information each vying for my immediate attention. And it would be a lie to say that I am immune to the pull of technology. But, I still think it is fair to say that I am able to resist its charms and seductions a lot better than some of my piers.

             There are so many forms of media out there today. On the Internet there are websites like Facebook, Tumbler, Deviantart, YouTube, Twitter, Grinder, Snap Chat, and Tinder—to name a few. On television there are almost 2,000 channels in the United States alone. Not to mention the hundreds of different magazines available in the U.S.

             With all of these options to choose from—and not being required to choose just one—it is pretty amazing how little I partake in it all. I tend to ignore most forms of social media: Facebook, Twitter, Tumbler, dating sites, and Snap Chat. I suppose the main reason for this is that the majority of the people I know, I see everyday at school, so I don’t need to check up on all of them every five minutes to see what is going on in their lives. If I really cared, I would ask. Also, I don’t see the appeal of getting involved in the lives of people you may never meet. They are complete strangers and yet I know what they had for breakfast.

             But, as I mentioned before, I am not totally secluded from the world around me. I do enjoy watching YouTube videos, I do have an email account, and I almost regularly check on Deviantart to keep up with my favorite artists. I also use Google frequently whenever I need the Internet for homework purposes or if I have a question that no one knows the answer to. I have also found a website that allows me to read novels for free!

             All-in-all, my relationship with media and technology could be worse: I have some classmates who have admitted to feeling “phantom vibrations” in their pockets when their phones are in their backpacks.