Class Highlights

I think its safe to say that I have learned a lot in JOUR2. When first starting this class, I was rather intimidated, but now I felt like at certain moments that I got into the mind of a true media literate "journalist" (if you want to call it that). After being in this class it definitely gave me a different perspective of the media, and how it has affected our world, and will continue to grow as well.

For example, never did I think that the media and a huge negative effect on us viewers. In the "Media Impact" chapter I never would of thought that video games, TV shows, commercials, and even movies can create such a negative influence on us. I definitely learned that Media (to some extent) is responsible for the influence that some of our viewers act upon.

We helplessly follow media's examples, that me personally try to avoid falling helplessly into that type of influence. Whether be off an advertisement, or even a news broadcast, I'm very hesitant with all that media has to offer us in the world, only because I don't want to be blinded like the rest. Even when taking the test to scale how media literate I am, my result come out pretty accurate to what I believe to be. I am enjoying what Media has provided for us, but at times there are some thing I won't just dive into.

That for me was the most was something in this class that I found most interesting. I never realized how much Media affects us in the world until after taking this class. Now I know if there's ever a message to be sent out to the world, it's best to do it over any type of Media broadcast, for the message will be heard... like it or not.

Propaganda in Advertising

There are many different types of propaganda techniques used in advertising. Two types of propaganda techniques are bandwagon and beautiful people.

Bandwagon advertising is like joining in. For example, I myself am I Miami Heat fan, however a lot of people are Golden State Warriors fans, and on my stream of feeds on Facebook you primarily see people say stuff like "WARRIORS!" "Curry!" etc. but say if Stephen Curry was advertising a brand of shoes, I can guarantee a lot of people especially those who love basketball are going to buy those shoes because Stephen Curry we know is an amazing player, so people will think that if they get those shoes they too will play like Stephen Curry.

Here is another example of Bandwagon advertising for all you basketball fans. I'm sure that a lot of people have seen that Gatorade commercial where Kevin Durant goes in to score, but Dwayne Wade goes in and blocks him, so Kevin trains hard, and gets energized with the help of Gatorade, so that doesn't happen. How many people do you think will end up buying Gatorade after that?

http://www.youtube.com/user/whatsg?v=kE1H31FmHV4

Another form of propaganda advertising is the beautiful people technique. One way to understand this is having a group of attractive people advertise a product, if they're attractive, and happy what will that show potential buyers? They too can be that way simply by buying the products that they are advertising. Here is a video that just does that. A DSW commercial showing a bunch of young men and women having a good time wearing very sensible, and fashionable shoes hanging out and dancing.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=avuIpTEBldc

Internet

I think it is safe to say that we as human beings use the internet for all sorts of stuff such as shopping, gaming, or even dating. I mean, who doesn't now a days? There are many other uses for the internet... There are so many to list, but in a general sense, you can use it for more personal use, or you can use it for more work related uses.
Me? I happen to use the internet not just for your average Facebook, but I also use it for homework, networking, shopping, and of course for my own personal uses, but mostly homework, and shopping are my two favorite past times on the internet.
If I'm not on my laptop, I'm definitely on my iPhone glued to the screen either networking on Facebook, shopping or even texting, etc.
Overall, internet believe it or not, can be good, and it can be evil.
Good in the sense that yes, we can use it for some many things, but its evil when it decides to turn on us: Ever had a moment where you have a paper due in less than a couple hours, and all you have to do it print it, and the printer just decided not to work on the day you have something very important due?
Or even doing research, for a huge project, and just magically loses internet connection? I know I've had many of those moments.

Another way it can be evil is how it can start DRAMA!
In High School the biggest networking site, and still is; Facebook... People meet other people on Facebook, leading to hook ups, breakups, etc.
I can't tell you how many people got together starting with how they started talking: FACEBOOK.
Or how drama gets started "I heard .... talking shit about .... over Facebook..."
"Why did you like ... picture on Facebook..?"

Overall, the internet can make us or even break us.
As much as the internet can frustrate us and some points, including myself, It doesn't over power all the good that the internet gives us...
Whether it be here on my laptop, or even to the small screen of my iPhone.

Television

This seven minute video talks about the potentially negative effect that media has on the innocent minds of young children. Media not only blinds young children, but it influences us adults as well. However, I think it is important that the adults, and only the adults should be the role models in young children's lives, not media, or in this case, television. Young adolescent is the age where children are still developing, and learning off of what they see, and questions new things that they are exposed to. This is where the media expositions becomes embedded into their behaviors. This video goes on to explains the negative effects it has on young children in many different aspects such as violence, inappropriate sexual behaviors, unhealthy habits, obesity, and so much more. After watching this video it should promote parents to really take into consideration what it is that their children are being exposed to brought by the media... AKA TELEVISON.

Length: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UFqcsOx_x6I
Description: Negative effects TV has on young adolescents.
Chapter 2: Media Impact and Chapter 9: Television
Quiz Question: What other forms of media negatively effect young adolescents?
Answer: Video games, magazines, internet etc.

Movies or Recording

I can't honestly think of the last time I went to the movie theatres, but there is one movie that I saw months ago that I completely fell in love with: Gangster Squad. As I have mentioned before, I am very much into the lifestyle from the 40's-60's. This movie took place in the early 40's, and I have such a fascination with the wardrobe as well. Overall the movie was absolutely incredible.

My all time favorite movie(s), I have to say I'm happy with either the movie A Bronx Tale or Cinderella Man.
A Bronx Tale is a movie about a small Italian boy name Calogero (nicknamed C) witnessing a shooting by the well-known Italian gangster named Sonny. After C saves Sonny from the authorities, he grows a bond with the gangster, but his bus driver Father, Lorenzo, disapproves of the friendship they have. So, throughout the movie, C is growing up under the wing of his father, and his Gangster friend Sonny.
Cinderella Man is a movie that takes place during The Great Depression. James J. Braddock, a boxer from New Jersey is discouraged to know that he is being kicked out of the ring, due to his hand breaking. However, without boxing he, and his loving wife have no income without his boxing career. After his hand heals, he takes up offers by his manager to get back in the ring despite his wife's wishes. In the final Championship bout, Braddock faces the dangerous Max Baer, a boxer who is known to knock boxers out to their death. In the end, Braddock wins, which is where he gets the name Cinderella Man.

I'm open to a big variety of movies, but as you can see, my kind of movies are preferably those that take place in an older decade. :)

Books

There has been many books I have ready through my college experience that... I guess you could say influenced me, but in a way that made me look at things in a different light. A lot of the books I have read are Chicano lit, which I have grown to love, and other books that I have read outside of school assignments.

One book I reads just for the heck of it was a book called "Why Men Love Bitches." This book was what my sister called "the women bible." This book basically tells you how to act in certain situations when it comes to men. Before reading this book, all I would hear is my sister go on about how great this book is, so I took matters into my own hands, and wanted to see what this book was all about for myself. After reading it I couldn't help, but analyze situations between couples. Another thing this book influenced was the empowerment of women. Stereotypically, Men are only after one thing, and will whatever it takes to get it. This book helps women realize that, and make them feel like they too can empower their men.
http://www.amazon.com/s/ref=nb_sb_ss_i_0_8?url=search-alias%3Daps&field-keywords=why%20men%20love%20bithces&sprefix=why+men+%2Caps%2C273&rh=i%3Aaps%2Ck%3Awhy%20men%20love%20bithces

Another book that opened my eyes, and gave me a good sense of reality was a memoir by author Lac Su: I Love You's Are For White People. This book tells about Lac, and his life leaving a war-zoned Vietnam, and growing up in a racial clashing lifestyle, and trying to understand, and better his relationship with his old-fashioned father. This story made my heart stop. It made me realize that this does happen in life. People illegally leave their countries, they do get physically disciplined by their parents, they live in poor conditions. That's a huge part of life. I finished this book in two days, ive never done that with any other book that I have read.
http://www.amazon.com/s/ref=nb_sb_ss_i_0_13?url=search-alias%3Daps&field-keywords=i+love+yous+are+for+white+people&sprefix=i+love+yous+a%2Caps%2C128&rh=i%3Aaps%2Ck%3Ai+love+yous+are+for+white+people

Another book that had influenced was a book called ZigZagger, by Manuel Munoz. ZigZagger is a novel that consists of short novels inspired by his life. Most of these book entail different heart tugging stories of relationships between a father, and son, confusion of sexual orientation, and so much more. What really inspired me about this book was, it made me proud that I am a Chicana myself. Manuel Munoz's work has been banned from Tucson Arizona, like many other authors. Which made me cherish this book from here on.
http://www.amazon.com/s/ref=nb_sb_noss_1?url=search-alias%3Daps&field-keywords=ZigZagger&sprefix=i+love+yous+a%2Caps%2C128&rh=i%3Aaps%2Ck%3AZigZagger

Media Impact

We as a society are helplessly blinded by the media. Whether it be through the news, commercials, or even reality TV shows; we unintentionally believe the media influences our actions, and even our thoughts/ impressions of how things "should be." One of the biggest issues that has effected our society is how video games influence violence through out the community; specifically the video game Grand Theft Auto. Researchers, and even video game producers have argued that this is not true, while others disagree. However, video games, and GTA are not the only things that media has been blamed for that has impacted our society in a negative way.

Another real life issue that media has been blamed for is eating disorders. Commercials, and magazines have made us believe that we have to look a certain way to be considered beautiful/attractive. Tall, skinny, flawless, beautiful, and typically blonde models are being exposed on the cover of a magazine, and even on the commercials, getting young women to open their eyes, and say to themselves "I wanna look like that." With that said, some will stop at nothing to look like that even if it means not eating, or even throwing up what you eat; it's not worth it.

I used to be obsessed with watching the TV show America's Next Top Model. I've seen seasons 1-13, and to be honest, there has been some situations where eating issues have come up. In cycle three of America's Next Top Model, there was one woman who would eat very little to where other fellow contestants started to notice. Later, main judge of the competition, Tyra Banks brought in a nutritionist not to specifically address that problem, but to help all the models in the competition to diet themselves in a nice, healthy way, but then that is when Tyra became aware of the situation, and the woman refused to admit she has an eating problem: