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Final Exam Part II

One of the things that I like most about my newfound media literacy is that I am more aware of what is available to me on the Internet. Previously, I really only used the Internet for what I already knew was there (e-mail, facebook, research for papers etc.). However, through this class I felt like we explored so many different websites and looked at so many different things on the Internet, that it made me much more curious and adventurous about what else was out there. For example, after our discussion about online forums I began to look around the Internet to see what kinds of forums I could find.

Another thing that I like about my newfound media literacy is that I feel like I have more options as far as different programs that I could use to explore my creativity for projects. I had already used Photoshop and Illustrator before I came to this class, but Adobe Flash, for example, was brand new to me. While learning to use Flash was not always a smooth ride, I really enjoy learning new programs, and it gives me more options and different ways to be creative for future projects.

A last thing that I like about my newfound media literacy is that I better understand the history of some of what I have been studying. Sometimes in classes we don’t really learn the history of how certain disciplines came to be (ie. we learn how to make an advertisement but not where advertising started). For example, one of my favorite things that we watched in class was the BBC documentary about Edward Bernays and public relations. I thought it was fascinating and learned a lot about the origins of PR and how they used propaganda to get the public to do what they wanted. I just like to be informed, and I feel much more informed about history and different forms of visual media than I was before.

Extra Blog entry 10

I was really interested by the World According to Sesame Street documentary that we watched in class the other day. I think it’s ambitious that they hope to slowly change the way Albanians and Serbians see one another, as one example, but I wonder if something like that will be able to change their strong opinions. I just feel like if their parents are so against the co-mingling of the two, will they even let their children watch the show? I didn’t even know that they had Sesame Street in other countries, so I think it is really interesting what they are doing, and I hope that in 30 years I remember to check up on the situation in Kosovo and see if it had any sort of impact. It will prove how strong visual media can be if something like this makes a difference.

Extra Blog entry 9

The book discusses postmodern anti-ads, that instead of selling the product, focus more on selling an attitude that associates the brand name as hip, socially aware, etc. While we have been looking at ads like this throughout the semester - such as the Benetton ads - I was flipping through images on the Internet and found this picture of a Diesel ad. I thought this was an interesting ad that shows Diesel’s support of social issues such as the campaign to stop smoking. While I have always found this sort of anti-ad interesting, and definitly a page stopper, I had never before known to associate it with postmodernism. I think that classifying these ads as postmodern helps me better understand some of the characteristics of the term postmodern.

Extra Blog entry 8

The other week in class we were talking about the Homeland Security Advisory System, and how they have changed the way it looks, and what that means. (I have only included a picture of the old way, because I couldn’t find how to get back to the one we were looking at in class). The new way of representing the advisory - which just looks like a line of color - is very unassuming. It has no sense of urgency or importance. The old one looked like it was telling us something vital, and under every color it had the explanation of what it meant. The change over to the new way seems to indicate that our country has become laid-back with the security advisory, and makes it seem like we don’t put a lot of weight behind what the advisory color is or what that means for our country’s safety.

Extra Blog entry 7

There is a billboard (2 actually) that are on the corner when you are turning onto West Cedar Street towards the campus housing. I pass these billboards all the time, since I have lived in that housing for the past year and a half. Yet I never paid attention to what they were about, until earlier this semester I found out that they put up a new one and that one of my friends was on it! After being forced to look at it, I began to notice it all the time. It is clearly visible from a few points on campus, as well as every time I drive by it. It was just very strange to me that I had always just ignored it, and now, after being brought to my attention just the one time, I always notice it. I guess I missed it before because I have become immune to billboards? I thought I was more observant than that!

Extra Blog entry 6

Chapter 7, (as well as in class), discussed modern art - an example of which is seen here. I have had a hard time appreciating a lot of art like this in the past. I guess I just never understood what possessed the artist to splatter paint on a canvas, and that it didnt look like it took much thought. After reading more about what is the real meaning of paintings such as these though - that it is about the color, the action and expressive movements, etc. - I find it really fascinating. While I think that visual media is really powerful, I feel like sometimes it needs explantion for people - like me - to fully appreciate it.

Extra Blog entry 5

When we were discussing forums in class the other day it got me thinking about how I don’t really use them, and should I be? What would I want to talk about or read about on forums? After looking through the Internet a bit I decided that I think forums are better for unimportant issues. When reading about politics and the elections and things like that, I prefer to read news stories. Even though I know that they have slants in different ways depending on the source, I feel like I am getting more facts and less opinions. I don’t really want other people’s opinions on politics; I just want the facts so that I can make my own opinions. Rather, if it’s something more trivial, such as beauty advice (which makeup is best for oily skin? which sunscreen works the best? etc), I realized that forums can be helpful. Consumers that have used products, talking about how they worked/didn’t work is cool because it gives you a place to start rather than trying out everything on your own.

Extra Blog entry 4

In class the other day was the first time that I had ever been on Second Life. I had heard about it because I have a friend, a girl that went to Marist, who used to work for Second Life as a part time job. She was a “customer service” person, and she would walk around the virtual world and help people (I’m not really sure with what). From hearing her talk about it I thought it was a strange concept. I just don’t understand the appeal of a virtual world and virtual relationships. After seeing it first hand, it only reinforced my views on the subject. It is a interesting concept that you would be able to virtually visit different places, but in reality it is no comparison. Speaking as someone who has visited Amsterdam, the virtual version was no comparison and I feel like people should get out and experience life rather than sitt in front of their computers. Having a virtual relationship with a Second Life boy is nothing like going out and meeting someone and having a real relationship. I think it hinders people rather than is helpful.

Extra Blog entry 3

I have obviously noticed that they change the Google picture almost every day, since I probably use Google at least once a day. However, this one caught my attention more than the others. A lot of the time they are just representations of holidays or seasons. This one seemed odd to me, and it made me click on it to read more about what it was (it turned out to be artwork from Jeff Koons). I thought it was really cool that Google was using the internet to visually intrigue people into learning more about art. It is a unique way to educate through visual media.

Extra Blog entry 2

When I was in Louisiana over spring break, I saw these billboards from the FBI that showed criminals that they wanted to catch. The tour guide, Tyrone, on the bus that was taking us to New Orleans specifically pointed them out to us. I don’t know if they have these in New York, but I had never seen anything like that before. I thought it was a really interesting way to use visual media to attract public attention. Tyrone said that these billboards have actually been successful in catching criminals.