I have previously used a blog for a class. We created a Word Press website, and posted many different styles of content to it. The blog was used as a grade for our class, and that was the only grade we received.
I liked using the blog in RTF 305 because we are able to create our input on our own time. We were also able to communicate online, rather than in person, or through paper and pen.
I had no binding technical difficulties, but some things that I disliked about the blog were being told specifically what to write about. I find value in being able to express myself without conditions. I would have liked to be more creative, but the requests of our instructors made that very hard.
The topics were sometimes hard to conceptualize but emailing the TA, and meeting with them during office hours was helpful. It seems that in an effort to make our discussion group smarter, our TA was very particular about the blog prompts. It would be helpful if all TA's were on the same page, meaning, they all graded with the same level of difficulty.
I liked the blog prompts that defined the ideas required in class. This made the blog seem like a review for the test. Actually, most blogs were like that, but, some seemed vague in comparison to the lecture.
I would definitely recommend a blog for future courses! Although, it would be nice to have more creative control, it is nice to convert to a digital medium to turn in home work!
I think I said it above, but it would be great if all TA's were the same amount of easy or difficult! There are many students in the class, so equality would be great across the board.
Yes, you can use my blog in a paper or report! Thanks for a great semester!
Monday, November 29, 2010
Sunday, November 21, 2010
Globalization and Cultural Imperialism
In the broadest sense, globalization began with the advent of ships that could travel between continents; carrying foods, textiles, animals, and people, to places they could not have gone otherwise. From our class lecture, globalization is a process of increasing interconnectedness among nations, cultures and people. To me globalization is something that is dynamic that cannot be defined in just one sitting. Globalization consists of intricate networks of social capital, developed online and offline, through airlines, telephones, cell phones, communities, nationalities, trends, popular beliefs, consumer patterns, consumer needs, consumer desires, this list goes on and on. Most consider globalization to be a mixed blessing, and this is absolutely true. While this ability to have every commodity at the tip of your fingers is very useful, someone had to foot the bill. These are the players who will suffer the most. We are all culprits of buying in to this machine. No matter how elegant it may seem to those who live with privilege, it runs on a mechanism that subjugates and stratifies humanity. I believe that while globalization is a wonderful thing, there is an underlying mode of corruption that controls the largest share of the resources on this planet.
Cultural Imperialism is evident in many patterns of consumerism. Something that makes the global market uneven, is the fact that there are no global rules and regulations. We like to think of ourselves as progressive human beings, but capitalism is not a person. Businesses and corporations make money by ripping people off. All they care about is finding the best way to make money, and they will stop at nothing to achieve their goals. As we can all see, those few who are in power, are very successful at what they do. Cultural Imperialism just sounds negative, but one thing that is most disturbing is that the West has set some kind of standard for other countries to ascribe to. America may have been successful at making and spending money, but we cannot keep our books straight, and are in great debt. Our priorities are focused on football and American Idol, and IPhone accessories, not the millions who go without water, food, and life. One good aspect about cultural imperialism is that it has not succeeded in diminishing other cultures. In fact, people are able to learn about other cultures and ways of life. Hybridizing cultures can lead to more open minded thinking and this will eventually lessen the gap in cultural bias and negativity.
After having see a documentary called Life and Debt, directed by Stephanie Black, I was awakened to the saddest outcomes of governmental and political interference, and their control of globalization. When Jamaica became free of the English rule, they found themselves in debt. They were forced to sign into high interest loans, only to eventually be denied the right to trade their own crops on a global scale. To such an extent, that the food that was produced naturally on their own island, was being replaced by imported goods from overseas. The tourists in the hotel and resorts were eating, authentic local cuisine, minus the local ingredients. It was simply easier and cheaper to consume imported goods than to pay a living wage to the local farmers. One scholar said that by the 1970's, Jamaica owed $400,000,000.00 to the International Monetary Fund. In this way, the IMF indirectly controls the fate of the native people in an internal, and all encompassing limbo of debt. The documentary also points out the fact that Jamaica is so beautiful, tropical, and wonderful but still there is a side of the island that most tourists don't see, a world of poverty and corruption.
Another thing the documentary touches on is underwear. There is a free zone, where global big name brands have strategically established businesses where they have to pay no tax. They set up shop, paying local women $30.00 American dollars per week, to sew clothing and underwear. These women, who make up most of the workforce, are pressured very hard to meet quotas. They are subject to unethical working conditions; for instance they are not able to talk, eat or go to the bathroom. They are also taxed heavily on their already low wages. Then companies like Hilfiger get to sell their product worldwide for much more than what they are worth.
A good idea to take away from this documentary is to appreciate everything about globalization, not only the ease of accessibility, but the blood and sweat that goes into those many things that we enjoy so freely. Question were the products you buy are from. Only through knowledge can we break this cycle of abuse.
View Life & Debt instantly on Netflix.
Image from Netflix:
http://www.netflix.com/MemberHome
Cultural Imperialism is evident in many patterns of consumerism. Something that makes the global market uneven, is the fact that there are no global rules and regulations. We like to think of ourselves as progressive human beings, but capitalism is not a person. Businesses and corporations make money by ripping people off. All they care about is finding the best way to make money, and they will stop at nothing to achieve their goals. As we can all see, those few who are in power, are very successful at what they do. Cultural Imperialism just sounds negative, but one thing that is most disturbing is that the West has set some kind of standard for other countries to ascribe to. America may have been successful at making and spending money, but we cannot keep our books straight, and are in great debt. Our priorities are focused on football and American Idol, and IPhone accessories, not the millions who go without water, food, and life. One good aspect about cultural imperialism is that it has not succeeded in diminishing other cultures. In fact, people are able to learn about other cultures and ways of life. Hybridizing cultures can lead to more open minded thinking and this will eventually lessen the gap in cultural bias and negativity.
After having see a documentary called Life and Debt, directed by Stephanie Black, I was awakened to the saddest outcomes of governmental and political interference, and their control of globalization. When Jamaica became free of the English rule, they found themselves in debt. They were forced to sign into high interest loans, only to eventually be denied the right to trade their own crops on a global scale. To such an extent, that the food that was produced naturally on their own island, was being replaced by imported goods from overseas. The tourists in the hotel and resorts were eating, authentic local cuisine, minus the local ingredients. It was simply easier and cheaper to consume imported goods than to pay a living wage to the local farmers. One scholar said that by the 1970's, Jamaica owed $400,000,000.00 to the International Monetary Fund. In this way, the IMF indirectly controls the fate of the native people in an internal, and all encompassing limbo of debt. The documentary also points out the fact that Jamaica is so beautiful, tropical, and wonderful but still there is a side of the island that most tourists don't see, a world of poverty and corruption.
Another thing the documentary touches on is underwear. There is a free zone, where global big name brands have strategically established businesses where they have to pay no tax. They set up shop, paying local women $30.00 American dollars per week, to sew clothing and underwear. These women, who make up most of the workforce, are pressured very hard to meet quotas. They are subject to unethical working conditions; for instance they are not able to talk, eat or go to the bathroom. They are also taxed heavily on their already low wages. Then companies like Hilfiger get to sell their product worldwide for much more than what they are worth.
A good idea to take away from this documentary is to appreciate everything about globalization, not only the ease of accessibility, but the blood and sweat that goes into those many things that we enjoy so freely. Question were the products you buy are from. Only through knowledge can we break this cycle of abuse.
View Life & Debt instantly on Netflix.
Image from Netflix:
http://www.netflix.com/MemberHome
Sunday, November 7, 2010
Do You Know What 2:30 in the Afternoon Feels Like?
An advertisement that I have seen frequently that works very well, is the 5 Hour Energy Drink. It contains many common characteristics of advertising, including repetition, style and audience construction, but I will concentrate on the ubiquity of this commercial. First, I will explain the ad in detail.
Most likely, we are all familiar with this commercial. The progression of the ad is very simple and involves a few different cast members who are in mid-work day, and seem to be lagging. They appear sleepy, tired and look as if they wished they were in bed. The protagonist of the ad is a good looking guy, who appears to work in an average office. He narrates the procession of the day as if he was stepping into the lives of his co-workers. He refers to people who are having a groggy day, who run for coffee and soda to fend off tiredness, and then the camera focuses on a close up, head shot of his face. He then lifts the bottle and holds it next to his face, and then a close up, single shot of just the bottle in his hand. After introducing the drink he again enters the lives of his co-workers, and they implicitly look more revived, appearing to be more happy and energetic. Through out the commercial, the narrator speaks with a matter of fact tone of voice. Through narration and the appearance of the happier workers he insinuates that the answer to all of their problems lies within a little bottle of 5 Hour Energy. I feel like this ad is very successful because it aims at an issue that affects many people, especially students. Being physically exhausted is not fun, and the idea of feeling better when you have keep going, for about two bucks, sounds like a great deal. It's also interesting that the price is never mentioned, because we all know how priceless it is to feel good.
Ubiquity by definition, according to Mirram-Webster, means: presence everywhere or in many places especially simultaneously, or omnipresent. In advertising, ubiquity can take many forms. If could mean familiarity, funny, quirky, helpful, necessary, indulgent; it could apply to any meaning. An idea could also be omnipresent by being printed in magazine, newspaper, and billboards; and broadcast on television, radio, cable, film, and the Internet. Ideas can also be ubiquitous, appealing to many people in a certain geographic location, demographic location, or both. I feel like the 5 Hour Energy drink does a good job of all of the above.
When referring to this ad, ubiquity has many different applications. First and foremost, as I mentioned above, appealing to the tired masses is very clever. Most people experience some form of exhaustion at some point in their lives. The ubiquity here refers to everyone's feeling of exhaustion. The ad also cleverly places the scene in an office setting which could be thought of to many as a place of monotony and boredom. The add is also ubiquitously placed in many different advertising venues as mentioned above. In any given day you could wake up to your radio alarm, hear the ad; get in your car on the way to work or school and hear the ad, and possibly see a billboard on your way as well. You might see that familiar little bottle at the gas station, the grocery store, in the previews of a movie, during a TV commercial, on your web browser, and most notably, as an ad on Hulu. If this isn't a good example of omnipresent, I don't know what is! Also, I don't think I have ever seen another add for this product, which makes it even more familiar and constant. When I feel tired, I think of 5 Hour Energy and that cozy commercial of energized, productive people, and I want a bottle! The producers of this commercial have succeeded in creating a presence that appeals to many and continues to make the company profit.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X8Sq25eToVo&feature=related
Most likely, we are all familiar with this commercial. The progression of the ad is very simple and involves a few different cast members who are in mid-work day, and seem to be lagging. They appear sleepy, tired and look as if they wished they were in bed. The protagonist of the ad is a good looking guy, who appears to work in an average office. He narrates the procession of the day as if he was stepping into the lives of his co-workers. He refers to people who are having a groggy day, who run for coffee and soda to fend off tiredness, and then the camera focuses on a close up, head shot of his face. He then lifts the bottle and holds it next to his face, and then a close up, single shot of just the bottle in his hand. After introducing the drink he again enters the lives of his co-workers, and they implicitly look more revived, appearing to be more happy and energetic. Through out the commercial, the narrator speaks with a matter of fact tone of voice. Through narration and the appearance of the happier workers he insinuates that the answer to all of their problems lies within a little bottle of 5 Hour Energy. I feel like this ad is very successful because it aims at an issue that affects many people, especially students. Being physically exhausted is not fun, and the idea of feeling better when you have keep going, for about two bucks, sounds like a great deal. It's also interesting that the price is never mentioned, because we all know how priceless it is to feel good.
Ubiquity by definition, according to Mirram-Webster, means: presence everywhere or in many places especially simultaneously, or omnipresent. In advertising, ubiquity can take many forms. If could mean familiarity, funny, quirky, helpful, necessary, indulgent; it could apply to any meaning. An idea could also be omnipresent by being printed in magazine, newspaper, and billboards; and broadcast on television, radio, cable, film, and the Internet. Ideas can also be ubiquitous, appealing to many people in a certain geographic location, demographic location, or both. I feel like the 5 Hour Energy drink does a good job of all of the above.
When referring to this ad, ubiquity has many different applications. First and foremost, as I mentioned above, appealing to the tired masses is very clever. Most people experience some form of exhaustion at some point in their lives. The ubiquity here refers to everyone's feeling of exhaustion. The ad also cleverly places the scene in an office setting which could be thought of to many as a place of monotony and boredom. The add is also ubiquitously placed in many different advertising venues as mentioned above. In any given day you could wake up to your radio alarm, hear the ad; get in your car on the way to work or school and hear the ad, and possibly see a billboard on your way as well. You might see that familiar little bottle at the gas station, the grocery store, in the previews of a movie, during a TV commercial, on your web browser, and most notably, as an ad on Hulu. If this isn't a good example of omnipresent, I don't know what is! Also, I don't think I have ever seen another add for this product, which makes it even more familiar and constant. When I feel tired, I think of 5 Hour Energy and that cozy commercial of energized, productive people, and I want a bottle! The producers of this commercial have succeeded in creating a presence that appeals to many and continues to make the company profit.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X8Sq25eToVo&feature=related
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)