Week 12 - New Technology

It’s typical for a new technology to be adapted within a culture and used to support existing patterns of behavior. With your own relevant examples, answer these questions.

1) What kind of culture influences through technology can you see from today’s world?
2) Is there a possibility to reshape the (new) culture today via new technology, How?

Critical Reflections

1) From my point of view, most of the culture are influenced through technology that I can see in today's world. For example, our course which is Foundation of Creative Multimedia is heavily influenced by the technology. The subject that we are learning, such as Computer Graphics, requires a computer at least in order to complete our assignment. Besides that, now most of our work are done by using the computer. Even this blog shows that technology influence the culture today. I googled on this topic, and i read an interesting article.

The students’ inspirations may have been great painters like Braque, Dali and Hockney, but their canvas was a computer and their palette Photoshop, version 8.0.

This freshman seminar, “Technology in Art and Cultural Heritage,” is no simple course in digital art. It explores how developments in science, technology and mathematics not only influence artistic styles but also, ultimately, shape our cultural heritage.

http://www.princeton.edu/pr/pwb/06/1120/7a.shtml

It says there that it also shape our cultural heritage. It is clearly shown that technology ultimately influences the culture. By the way, we are looking this matter on the good side. By all means, its up to us on how we use the technology.

2) I think this is a good question to answer. The other day I watched a video that was played in the MLC lecture, and from there we can see that technology clearly can reshape our culture today. In the video, it shows on how technology can reshape the culture. In that video, the student that was studying in that university was given an iPhone for them. With that powerfull tool, it acts as a tool to guide you and as well it was used for education purpose. The students can vote, check their assignments and what nots using their iPhone. I think with that way, we can reshape our culture via technology. I can't find the video that I'm talking about, but those who came for the lecture that Monday should be understand what I'm talking about :) 

Reflection on the Media Culture class

The population who attended for the lecture class was quite good. I think it was because of the assignment that we had to pass up ;) By the way, the thing that catches my eye on that lecture is the videos that Ms Helena showed to us. It is amazing on how technology can really influence you. On the second note,  I'm quite relieved that the holidays are coming near! :D

Week 11 - Media Imperialism

The documentary entitled "The Power of Nightmares (Part 3 - Shadow in the Cave)" by Adam Curtis was shown in class on Monday. How do you relate the information given to you in the documentary to the theory of Media Imperialism that we talked about in lecture?

Definition of 'Media Imperialism'

Media imperialism is a theory stating that smaller countries are losing their identity due to the force-feeding of media from larger nations. It can be equated to small community shops closing down due to large superstores moving in, taking over and having a monopoly. As the larger media corporations begin to take over, smaller media companies are either being forced out or swallowed up.

http://www.wisegeek.com/what-is-media-imperialism.htm

Critical Reflections

1) After watching this cool documentary, I found out a lot of things by watching it. It trully is an eye opener to me after watching it. The documentary is about the Neo-Conservative movement in the United States of America and the radical Islamists. The documentary compares the rise between of these movements. It exposes and reveal the truth and secrets that was used to brainwashed smaller countries and smaller community as well in giving out the idea of terrorism. United States of America used 'Media Imperialism' theory by using the media such as the television to potray "terrorism". With this documentary, Adam Curtis revealed the truth of the "lies" that was set up by the United States in order to get people on their side.

2) Starting of the show, the narrarator said that politician promised us to protect from nightmares. But however, we are actually living in the world of fantasy and deception. We do not know what is the truth and what is the lies. With the power of the Media, the politician can create a propaganda just by using any media tool they want. The United States of America did a good job in fabricating those lies and create a new propaganda and idea of 'terrorism'. They brainwash the people with images of Muslim people in robes and weapons in their hands. I hope that more documentary such as The Power of Nightmares will be produced more in the feature for the sake of mankind. Come to think of it, now I can't really trust anything and I have to be more careful in media.

Reflection on Media Culture Class

This week, our dearest Miss Helena showed us the documentary of Power of Nightmares in the lecture hall. At first I thought it was boring, but then again, as I watched closely and paid more attention, it was actually an eye opener movie to me. It gives me new idea and opened up my mind. Thus, it also gives me a better understanding of "Media Imperialism".

Week 10 : Tetrad of Media

Using McLuhan's "Tetrad of Media", choose a medium or media application or tool (e.g. newspaper, books, radio, tv, film, internet, computer games, handphone, instant messaging, blogging, online advertising, youtube, facebook etc.) and explain its media effects.



Critical Reflection : McLuhan's Theory

1) The media tool or application that I choose is the mobile phone. In my opinion mobile phone is a powerful media tool that was invented in the century. It was the upgraded version of a normal phone. The mobile phone enhances the usage not only by communicating to people, but you can also perform multiple things with the handphone such as MMS, GPRS, and Bluetooth. To me this is a plus point for a media tool. This tool is so powerful, it obsolesces the normal telephone that we use in our daily life. This is because the mobile phone is portable and small, where else the normal telephone is not portable and bulkish.

2) I also think that most of the usage of this telephone retrieves one of the most important usage of a normal telephone, which is to communicate. But the mobile phone is so powerful than the normal phone, it can send messages and do video call to anyone around the world in the blink of an eye. I think this is very reliable to a lot people around the world. However, if we are obsessed with this media tool, it can effect our lives throughout the process. If we are obsessed with this tool, people will spend a huge amount of money to get a better and cooler phone, which is very wasteful in my opinion.

Personal Reflection on the Class

In this week, we learnt the explanation of the topic "The Extensions of Man"in class. Our lecturer gave a grasp about the McLuhan's Theory which I find very amusing. Besides that, we also learnt the rendition of the Hot and Cold media together with the Tetrad of Media as well. This topic is kinda fun and complicated as well. I think I read about the Hot and Cold Media topic before in the internet.

Week 9 :Obscenity, Pornography and Indecency

Blog Assignment: Topic 5 :

Obscenity, pornography and indecency: What are the differences between these terms?

Definitions of Obscenity, Pornography and Indecency on the Web :

Obscenity is a term that is most often used in a legal context to describe expressions (words, images, actions) that offend the prevalent sexual morality of the time.

en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Obscenity

Pornography or porn is the explicit depiction of sexual subject matter with the sole intention of sexually exciting the viewer. It is to a certain extent similar to erotica, which is the use of sexually arousing imagery.

en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pornography

Indecency is the state or quality of being indecent; lack of modesty, taste, or propriety

http://www.yourdictionary.com/indecency

Critical Reflections on Obscenity, Pornography and Indecency

1) Obscenity, pornography and indecency are three different words but they are linked together from my opinion. Pornography is defined as production that consist of video or pictures that are fully intended to stimulate sexual arousal to the viewer illegally, while obscenity is to describe expressions from the picture for example that offend the prevalent sexually morality of the time according to wikipedia. Indecency in the other hand is the state or quality of being indecent according to yourdictionary.com

2) Nowadays media are the tools to spread out this 3 different things, especially pornography. For example, Internet are popular with the word "pornography" as it is every easy to search for it in the internet. I do agree that it can spoil a child's mind with pornography. Movies are also one of the tools to spread obscenity, pornography and indecency. In some countries, porn are legal. It is still a debatable topic to make it legal or illegal. But in my opinion all I can see are bad effects, so there's no point making it legal except of getting pleasure.

Reflection on the Media Culture class

This week we didn't learn anything for our subject Media Culture, but we had a good briefing on our second assignment on discussing the human needs that the Media help satisfy in term of the News and Entertainment.