Blog Post Six

I chose 'death in the age of Facebook' because I found this topic intereseting and relatable. In class we've talked about how technology and social networks have impacted our daily lives, because I'm so used to this I've never thought about the fact that how one grieves and deals with death has too evolved with technology. 

The first article I found was written on a blog site by just an average person. She went to church with a man named Steven who was recently shot and killed. In her blog she writes about the evolution of grieving on Facebook connecting it to this event. She writes, "The memories of our loved ones will far outlive this particular strand of social networking. But in the meantime, Facebook’s new policy offers us a place to commune, remember, and grieve collectively, no matter how far-flung we are. No, it’s not a dirt-on-your-shoes cemetery. However, when normal life changes to something quite alarming, Facebook helps us grieve as we search for asterisks to explain what transpires in life and why." (Nancy French, http://www.good.is/posts/death-in-the-age-of-facebook/) I took this quote out of her conclsion. I feel that it is a very good representation of where she stands with this topic. Nancy is saying that our memories are a more promising way to remember a loved one but for now, while Facebook is popular and active that's how we will grieve. Right after the inital shock she talked about how Facebook turns into an open book for grieving, "I'm sorry", "I wish I could have helped", and "I miss you". Then it turns into a celebration of their life with stories, pictures, quotes, etc. It helps people learn and remember the times they had with someone. She said it "helps us grieve as we search for arterisks to explain what transpires in life and why". She mentions this because it is only a temporary way to grieve while we feel the loss and ask the natural questions, something technology can't help us do yet.

The second article was written by Lisa Miller for Newsweekly Magazine called 'R.I.P on Facebook'. She writes about Facebook's new policy where when someone passes their page remains active for friends and family to connect. She quoted Facebooks policy, "When someone leaves us, they don't leave our memories or our social network" and talks about how that is a positive helpful thing. In her article she also says, "This is how we collectively mourn: Globally. Together. Online." (http://www.thedailybeast.com/newsweek/2010/02/16/r-i-p-on-facebook.html) I chose this quote because I think it shows how differently we deal with death now in the age of Facebook. It's public and known to everyone but also creates a closer community for those close to that person online. She too speaks positively about Facebook and that it helps people through death but also includeds that it can't help you through all of the physical emotion with the loss of a loved one. 

Both articles said that death in the age of Facebook doesn't fully replace the natural feelings and hurt with lossing a loved one. Facebook does offer a place for a loving community to be created about the loved one that can help friends and family through the death. How we deal with death is just like technology, always evolving and changing.

Blog Post Five

Consider how a text’s meaning is determined by your (the reader’s) identity and cultural context.

In what ways does your identity and experiences impact or determine the way you read and understand “Feed?” 

Everyone looks at text differently for lots of reasons and depending on the context of the reading too. I am a 16 year old female who was born into a world of expanding technology. This has played a huge role in how I've interpreted the context in Feed.

Feed is a futuristic world where everyone has this "Feed" planted in their head which is the equivalent of a phone, chat room, online shopping, television, dictionary, etc. it's a device that provides all our modern day technology in your brain. To me, this sounds super convenient. I know that when I get home after school I am watching TV, on the computer, on my phone, everything. It's really distracting but it's the way of living I was born into. I know my parents have somewhat adapted to it too but for example my grandparents just don't get it. They would probably think a Feed being put into our heads is like the end of humanity, where as I just think it's a way more convenient way of doing all my after school business and just living everyday life.

In the book Feed Titus is talking about missing his Feed. His was turned off the previous night due to a hacker at the club. This chapter titled, "missing the feed" is just that, Titus missing his feed. He says in it (on page 47) "I missed the feed. I don't know when they first had feeds. Like maybe, fifty or a hundred years ago. Before that, they had to use their hands and their eyes. Computers were all outside the body. They carried them around outside of them, in their hands, like if you carried your lungs in a briefcase and opened it to breath." To me this quote just shows how obvious it is to this society that technology should be used the way they use it, in the feeds. It compares carrying the feed (or a computer) around outside the body with carrying around your lungs in a suit case - making the point that it just doesn't make sense. In their time computers are part of their body essentially and I think that wraps right back to our technological world and how much we relay on our phones, computers, etc. maybe a feed would be the most sensible thing to do at this point in our world. But hey, that might just be my 16 year old female iPhone lover talking.

Blog Post Four

Argentinian Print Ad for Olay Skin Cream "Surgical Markers Can Do Prettier Things"

This print ad is a bright, positive, simplistic ad with one zoomed in focal view point being the drawings on the woman's face. It is very minimalist because there isn't much going on, it just gets to the point. I assume they chose an Aryan woman with little to no makeup to create even more of an emphasis on the drawing and on the product. The placement of the product is strategic because they put it in the bottom right hand corner, off to the side, so when you first look at the ad you see the drawing on the woman's face then the product then the quote tying it all together. The quote says "surgical markers can do prettier things". This is a terse and pithy statement that makes the whole advertisement make sense. It is saying use this skin cream to fix you up instead of getting facial surgery because surgical markers can do prettier things then remake your face. The speaker of this is the Olay skin company and it is intended to draw in people who want to 'look prettier' or 'younger' with surgery, Olay is saying you don't need all that, just their product. The included perspective in this is the Olay company who loves and wants to show off their product. On the other hand, they leave out a plastic surgeon's perspective who might say no face cream doesn't give nearly as good of results as surgery or the viewer who for whatever reason does need some kind of face surgery and knows cream won't help them. They also leave out males and people of other races than white because it's just this one face trying to sell their product. But personally I don't think this ad would upset any viewer too much. I think this is an effective ad because it is simple but original enough to catch your attention which is the initial objective of an advertisement. And then yes, I do think it is persuasive because it's making a pretty bold statement saying their cream is just as helpful as facial surgery and I think that will draw lots of people in to buy their product.

Blog Post Three

Think about our conversation regarding the four big ideas of media studies. Then, reflect on the commercial clips that we viewed and discussed. What did you learn? Was there any information or ideas that surprised you? What kinds of thinking did you have to do to participate in the conversation about the commercials? Discuss your thinking and comment on any new ideas that came to you through our discussions.

The commercials we've watched in class have brought me to many different realizations about advertisements and how we are supposed to see them. Advertisers have lots of different tactics they use to draw people in and really listen to them. Some of these are music, pacing, catchy jingles, logos, short and sweet phrases , or easy connections to our lives. For example Coke's phrase is "open happiness" when I see this, I think of Coke. Another example is the Dove commercial where they show a little girl's face and then pile endless pictures and videos of models, plastic surgery, music videos, make up, beauty product advertisements, etc. At the end they say to talk to your daughter before the advertisements do. This connects to people with children or who know young kids who could be influenced by society. Advertisers are very smart because they know ads like this will be watched or heard because they play into our every day lives. A lot surprised me but the main thing was just how oblivious I was to these commercials. I've never challenged the thought or meaning behind an ad or commercial and now that I have I see that they are solely geared toward persuading us into wanting their product or believe their ideas. To participate in a conversation about this you need to actually think about every angle the advertisers are trying to get at and how. Like the tactics they use, or what kind of impact they are trying to make, or just what they want you to think after watching. Once you've broken down an advertisement I think it's a lot easier to converse about commercials because you actually understand them and their end goal.  

Blog Post Two

What kinds of advertisements do you see on a daily basis? Where and in what format do you see them? Do you believe these ads are affecting your life at all? Why or why not?

On a daily basis I see all kind of advertisements. I see them walking to school on buses and on billboards. I see them in school on clothes kids wear and after school on the Internet and television. These advertisements are mainly for food, clothes, cars, and travel. Sometimes I don't even realize I'm seeing an advertisement and next thing you know I'm persuaded to buy something that I really don't need. That brings me to the question on if these ads are affecting my life at all and the answer is an obvious yes. We are a consumer driven nation and I am not any different. There's always things I see or hear about and automatically say I need to have that, and I know I'm not alone. This summer Jimmy Johns had a $1 sub day which I heard about on a daily basis for at least a week. Their advertisements worked perfectly, I went and so did SO many other people. The line that day stretched far past the door. Funny thing is I could have made a sandwich for lunch at home just fine, I wouldn't have spent a dollar or waisted gas money but there was so much hype on the Internet and radio that I just really felt the need to attend. Looking back it's kind of crazy that their advertisements got so much attention and worked so well but that's just how our society is. We are subconsciously persuaded into thinking we need it now just because something's said to be worth it, good, or helpful, but that's exactly what advertisements want out of us - we let them do their job. 

Blog Post One

Imagine that television, movies, the internet, etc. were never invented. How would you be spending your free time without these things? How would you have grown up without these things?

I am a twenty first century kid meaning I have grown up in a very technological world and I've always been around technology. For me it's hard to go without the internet, phone, or my camera for a day, never less its hard to think about a world without it. If I grew up without technology I'd be spending my time doing the "old fashion things" my parents did. I know I'd probably read, and play games, hang out with friends, maybe I would get more involved with sports or get better at art. I might be forced to find a real hobby or new passion (right now mine is photography but that's only possible with technology). I would have grown up in a completely different world. No home videos to look back at or TV shows for my parents to turn on so I'd fall asleep. School would be very different. No typed essays or online blog assignments. Math would be much less efficient without a calculator and Spanish without an online translator. A world without technology means more free time to go out and do useful things with yourself. Time to independently become creative and stretch your imagination. Compared to this modern day world, a world without technology seems unimaginable.