November 7th: Is Advertising Good for Society?

In this week's reading both the yes and no article argued two very valid points. the yes article said that advertising is necessary and informs the consumers about what is right for them. Also advertising stimulates the economy and the cycle of supply and demand. The no article said that advertising only puts unnecessary stress on the consumer, making them feel that they ned things that don't or cannot afford.

Personally, I cannot think of advertising the same ever since I saw the move The Joneses. If you have not seen the movie I suggest that you do. It is a very interesting take on marketing on product placement. SPOILER ALERT The movie is about a husband and wife who have two children in high school, a daughter and a son. As the plot develops you find out that they are in fact not a real family, but are instead all salesmen and women posing to be a family. No one knows that they are a fake family and just think that they have it all, money, cars, a nice home, good looks. They own, or shall i say, are given the best of the best in order to endorse and promote it within the community that they live in. The family is however, selling much more than products, they are selling a lifestyle.

In the movie the family's neighbor is suffering to keep up the Joneses, and in many ways is going through all the reasons the no article gives as to why advertising is bad for society. In the end the neighbor puts himself in extreme debt trying to buy all of the things that he can't afford and doesn't necessarily need. Unable to cope with the stress, the man unfortunately take his own life.

While advertising may set standards that one feels that he or she must live by, the person shouldn't let it become a negative force in their life. Once again, we cannot let the media determine what are values are. There is so much more to life than fancy things. People need to realize that they can't buy happiness, and advertising may not be the best to learn that.

October 26th: Is Hate Speech in the Media Diectly Affecting Our Culture?

Honestly, I didnt care too much for this week's topic. I found it to be a little overreaching and something that not too many people really take into consideration. I know I certainly haven't regarded the media as an outlet of hate speech. This is actually something that I would rather not discuss because I have nothing to say about it. I don't mean to sound rude, but this past semester I have also been in a constitution class. We have discussed the legality of "hate" speech, and i honestly don't see the issue with people speaking their mind as long as no physical harm or dangers come from their words. Everyone is entitled to their own opinion, that is what makes this country so beautiful.

October 10th: Are People Better Informed in the "Information Society?"

The constant new developments of technology along with the rise of internet dependancy has really brought society into a new era. The technilogical advances that continue to change the way we operate our daily lives, in my opinion, have just as many cons as they do pros. The information society that we have become so accustomed to is quite powerful. I don't mean to sound like a cheese ball or anything but I think spiderman's uncle says it best when he says, "with great power comes great responsibility." The internet and all these new devises can certainly be an amazingly efficient tool when used properly, but you have to take into account that there are going to be certain people who misuse technology all together. There are those who are either slaves to technology or masters of it. I believe that this is what Bauerlein was saying when he argued no to the question. Something about the instaneous effects of today's technology leaves some youth legargic and unmotivated. Everything is right there, only a click away, and yet the simplicity and readiness of it all is enough for them. They are content and don't see any reason to go beyond what is displayed on their computer screen.

September 28th: Does Media Represent Realistic Images of Arabs?

In this week's readings Beckerman, who supported the yes article, said that bloggers from the Middle East are challenging stereotypes about Arab culture. Shaleen, who supported the no article, said that Arabs have been the most maligned stereotype in popular culture. I would have to agree with the no article on this one. Ever since the attack on the World Trade Centers, America has definitely become more prone to racially profiling Arab people. Just recently I flew to Texas, and as bad as it sounds, there is a heightened awareness about what and how many Middle Eastern poeple are on your flight. I blame this on the media, which tends to cause a spark of paranoia, especially in regards to things like this. While I do agree that Arab people can more easily blog about what their life is really like, someone isn't likely to find that blog unless they are looking for it.

September 19th: Does Media Cause Individuals to Develop Negative Body Images?

In this week's readings, Wachs and Dworkin, who supported the "yes" side of the argument stated that health magazine ads tell men and women that a healthy body image is attainable if they buy certain products and causes the men and women to fear fat. Levine and Murnen who supported the no atricle said that the assumption that media causes eating disorders was too limited. They then focus on other ways besides media that tend to inflict negative body i mages on girls.
Both arguments make valid points, I however feel that negative body images aren't as prevelent as they once were. Now a days, it seems as though the focus has shifted. I remeber when I was younger during the mid 90s there was a craze amongst models called heroin chic. It was the look that everyone was going for, where models had pale skin, dark circles around their eyes and protuding bones. I don't see trends liek that these days. The focus seems to be on natural beauty and health. In fact, the media often brings negative attention to those stars who have an eating disorder or apear to have one. Kim Kardashian, America's leading media personality, is one of the curviest women in the business and peole love her for that. Again I think this comes down to values and where you learn them, and the media certainly isn't the most reliable source in teaching life values.

September 2nd: Are American Values Shaped by the Mass Media?

While each chapter is divided into no and yes articles to support the claim whether or not mass media shapes american values, the authors do not explicitly say so. Their responses are more so suggestive. Schiller, who answers yes to the question, says that mass media institutions are key elements of a capitalistic world. Media, he says, conveys a certain ideology necessary to sustain the economical world that we are familiar with. Carey, who answers no to the article, states that communication is not simply a process of sending messages. He then goes on to make the statement, which I find contradictory, that communication is a symbolic process which is inherently linked to culture and our lives.

Personally, I find that media shaping values of Americans does occur, and probably a lot more frequently than some would like to admit. For the most part I think that it comes down to parenting and instruction. If a person has someone telling them what is right and wrong and teaching them other essential values than the media would not have a substantial effect. There are those, however, who rely too much on the media and expect their lives to reflect that of certain celebrities and media figures. I find that it is people like that who tend to have their values shaped more easily by the mass media.

TRANQUILLO

Tranquillo

Concept Developed by Michael Vang

Written by Shelby Valero

Performed by Leah Sawick