Is there a possibility to reshape the (new) culture today via new technology, How?

In the current new era, we still find the same thing in most of the institution. They are still using books for their teaching and learning process. Thus, in my own words, I think that we could reshape the new "e-book" culture using the new technology. Using paper is consuming a lot of trees. The world is getting into the concern about recycling. Deforestation is getting serious nowadays and in order to save the condition of the earth we need to try avoiding from cutting down the tree. In this case, since text books used in school are consuming a lot of trees, it will be more practical to use "e-book" in school. It saves more in using paper. Besides, we could reuse the particular device. Besides, students could store all the text books in just one device so that they could search for their previous course works easily. Remember when you wanted to look for books for the previous session, what came in mind was "duh!!". You will need to search the whole book shelf in the study room for the particular book. It is time consuming. But, by using the "e-book" device, with just a few click within a few minutes perhaps, you could find the particular content. How easy it will be. Perhaps in future, the paper using culture might be reshaped. It might be improved to using a certain device as an improvement and also replacement of the culture.

What kind of culture influences through technology can you see from today’s world?

Nowadays, culture often get influenced through technology. Such as TV culture that had been mentioned in class. People seldom watch TV nowadays. Like those days, we watch when it is shown on TV. But now we can watch whatever and whenever we want. It's TV culture.

What else? Here's a question, are you still writing a letter to a pal? Are you still getting to know a pen pal through a magazine or newspaper? I'm pretty sure non of you still doing either of this. Right, people now mail to each other instead of writing a letter. People get to know each other via networks on the Net such as Facebook, Friendster and MySpace. In such networks, there's always a similar tool that you can easily find anyone that you could loose contact with. With just a click, you could do almost anything. Internet brings conveniences and you could simply stay connected with each other. However, there's no privacy considering once you've entered the Internet. Whether you use it wisely or other way. Internet is such a huge world that no one owns it. The culture nowadays among teenagers through those technology is telling us being convenient, being updated, being fast, this is what accepted in the present and coming generation. Just like what I'm doing now, instead of writing my point on a paper and pass it to the lecturer, I was told to write it in my blog. You won't have the concern of losing it and can always be done anytime, anywhere. Besides, we can share our points around. 

Personal reflection on this week lecture.

Er... honestly, the lecture for this week was quite interesting as it is so related to me, us, the teenagers in current generation and also relating the next generation. The topic was 'Technology and Media'. Technology, emmm... sort of in thing. The lecturer bring the topic out clearly. Plus, there were few video clips being shown on screen that I found were cool. Imagine that you were given a brand new 'iPhone' once entering particular university. It's so cool man. The whole routine in university is navigated by a phone. Convenient, cool stuff, and even the lecturers are using it. However, definitely there will be less interaction between us. Though, this is how the culture of the generation being. I just wish I were one of the student in that university. 

The Power of Nightmares (Part 3 - Shadow in the Cave), theory of Media Imperialism.

The Power of Nightmares assesses whether the threat from a hidden and organized terrorist network is an illusion. In the concluding part of the series, the video clip explains how the illusion was created and who benefits from it. How do we relate the video clip with the theory of media imperialism? The media imperialism is about the idea that powerful and wealthy countries can exercise economic, cultural and social control over others through control of media industries. Sometimes, it is about controlling or influencing the thinking of the world wide. The video clip has taken the 911 incident that had happened in the year 2001 in USA. Who was actually behind the bomb? No one knows. But the USA seems to insist it was by the leader of Islamic terrorist. There's no actual proof showing that this guy was the planner of the whole incident. Since one of the powerful country insists it, the whole world wide seem to believe it. And now, in the mind of most American, Islamic has been stereotyped as terrorist. USA is a powerful country and as w all know it could brings a huge affects and influences to the world wide through media. Due to this, the 'real' truth doesn't really matter. What matters is that what has shown out and what was believed as the truth. This is how powerful the country is in controlling the situation.

This given topic was tough i would say. And that's all I can say. Hope I'm not mistaken.

Medium or media application or tool and its media effects according to the tetrad of media in McLuhan's theory.

According to the theory of McLuhan that had been brought out in class, media is a massage. I've found some research from the Internet (which also does bring a huge effect to the society nowadays) saying that in Laws of Media (1988) has written the summarized McLuhan's idea about the media in a concise tetrad of media effects. The tetrad is a means of examining the effects on society of any technology (any medium) by dividing its effects into four categories and displaying them simultaneously. McLuhan designed the tetrad as a pedagogical tool, phrasing his laws as questions with which to consider any medium:

-what does the medium enhance?

-what does the medium make obsolete?

-what does the medium retrieve that had been obsolesced earlier?

-what does the medium flip into when pushed to extremes?

The example that i want to bring out according to the theory is blogging, which what I am doing now. Blogging since few years ago start to be so popular in society. It's free for any user to create their own blog and provides unlimited space for users to write their journal and insert anything they want including video clip and music on net. It considers no privacy at all which means anyone on earth can stop by and have a look at each other's blogs. 

Let's me 'tetrad' it:

-Enhancement: as I've mentioned above, it provides unlimited space for users to write their journal and insert anything they want including video clip and music on net. It provides a space for the people from the world wide to share their life. Unlike a 'paper' like diary, it contains no other thing but words and some picture (sometimes...) It's dull!!

-Obsolescence: blogging reduces the using of paper. At the same time, it reduces the importance of protecting one's privacy as it consider no privacy once you've posted something on blog. Everyone can view it.

-Retrieval: Blogging continue the habit of writing journal. Nowadays, everyone is so busy to make both ends meet. There is no way for them to continue their habit of writing a journal. Thus, blogging replaces it. It is free and easy to use. While you are having a tough day in working, try to express it in blog. Plus, you will get a positive comments that make your mood gets better. It's about sharing of one's feeling and communication.

-Reversal: Since blogging is being used widely and anyone of us can view it anytime and anywhere, blogging is not only about writing a journal, sometime it could have been included in any learning process. For example, as what I am doing now, students could assess their assignment via blog. It requires no paper and it can be done in anytime, anywhere. Other than that, some of them even sell their product in their blog. Thus, blogging flips into commercial use. They do business and earn money via blogging as it is free.

Personal reflection.

Erm... This week En. Radzi Berdu had given a 'long' lecture on the topic  McLuhan's theory of media as a message or "massage-mass age". I find it quite interesting as the topic require a lot of thinking and understanding. And again, as usual, a lecture with a long and boring-looking presentation slide show. I had a question in my mind... in the first semester we had already touched the topics as given by lecturer again in the third semester. Why are we keep learning the same syllabus? And I've got an answer... we, as FCM students, will be touching the same theories by the same theorists but considering the level of understanding. It will be tougher and tougher. Wow. Theory... not my type, and never be my type of learning. Anyway, this is still something that you've got to face no matter like it or not. Theory doesn't sound cool...

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

After reading the definition and the information of these terms, i think i had some thought of the topic.

-Obscenity is more like a body language that express the sexual culture, for an example, a women wearing a sexy-looking outfit. It's considered as a sexual attraction. But, in my opinion, why women always the "victim"? It's already a kind of stereotype, and the status of women can be seen clearly. Though, it will never be the same in future. 

-Pornography is more in graphic, visual form which a picture of women wearing little clothes in which can be seen in many media ways especially on the Internet. Even we could find magazine that shows such pornography, such as Playboy Magazine. Other than that, even the magazine with the content of sport news covered with a pornography. Though with just a picture, it shows the body language of sexiness. How shameful...

-last but not least, indecency involves criminal that contains sexual behaviour in some circumstances. Though, in some circumstances, certain sex theatre shows are not illegal as they are advertised. 

-the society nowadays is getting "polluted" with many "dirty" things. People gets a lot of different information in many ways. In some countries, action is taken on those who involves in those "dirty" information. Media really does play an important role in human's living. It's can be both goods and bads. It brings a lot of impact to the society either in the positive ways or the negative ways.

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

The first reaction seeing this given topic was... WOW!!! I wondered why lecturer gave us such a topic for the blog assignment? Maybe she might thinks that this will be the issue that need to be concerned. Let's start wikipedia-ing...

Obscenity

-describes expressions (words, images, actions) that offend the prevalent sexual morality of the time.

-many cultures have produced laws to define what is considered to be obscene, and censorship is often used to try to suppress or control materials (pornographic material).

Pornography

-the explicit depiction of sexual subject matter with the sole intention of sexually exciting the viewer.

-Over the past few decades, an immense industry for the production and consumption of pornography has grown, due to emergence of the VCR, the DVD, and the Internet, as well as the emergence of social attitudes more tolerant of sexual portrayals.

-may use any of a variety of media- printed literature, photos, sculpture, drawing, painting,animation,sound recording, film, video or video game.

-In most countries pornography is treated as a separate entity, both culturally and legally, from depictions of naked persons in art or photography.

Indecency

-Indecent conduct could be constituted as being in some circumstances, e.g. indecent exposure, sexual intercourse in public view.

-For example, certain sex theatre shows are not illegal as they are advertised as such and should therefore not be offensive to the public if in enclosed viewing. So long as the public as aware of the content of the show, it would not be regarded as public indecency.

All the informations above are taken from Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia.

Personal reflection on the lecture this week.

We've been waited for 30mins for the lecturer in the class. Holiday has ended and school gate has been reopened. Everyone seems to be so exciting about sharing how they spent their whole solid short breaks. For me, I was just hanging around with my buddy gang. Here he comes with a bad news and a good news. 

Good news is- there will be no class on that day.

Bad news is- we are required to continue our new assignment, a 800-words abtract on the topic of "Role of Media in Socializing; Discuss the human needs that the Media help satisfy in term of the News and Entertainment." 

I could hear the thunder storming right above my head. 800 words???!!! Oh my God!! How to write? I think I need to do some researches on it. Langsung no idea. Good luck!

Why is media literacy important for me as FCM student to have it?

Media literacy is all about learning. First of all, as an FCM student that considers media literacy is important, I could feel the importance through my assessment of most assignment. It makes me understand which media to be used for which assignment to convey such messages or ideas of mine. Other than that, it makes people thinks and ask question in order to understand. For instance, when you were looking at one of the famous artwork by one of the famous artist, at the first sight, you might not know what it was all about. Thus, you start thinking, and then you start asking question based on the artwork. As a n artist, you might not choose to use the direct way to present your ideas or messages through art. There are various ways. In my words, I think that if an artist’s artwork makes people think or even ask question, I think the artwork shall be a succeed. It is about creativity too as a creative person would think out of the box which do things that are unusual. To be creative is to be different from other people. 

About media literacy...

-the process of accessing, analyzing, evaluating and creating messages in a wide variety of media modes, genres and forms.

-uses an inquiry-based instructional model that encourages people to ask questions about what they watch, see, and read. 

-provides tools to help people critically analyze messages to detect propaganda, censorship, and bias in news and public affairs programming 

-to understand how structural features (such as media ownership, or its funding model) affect the information presented. 

-enable people to be skillful creators and producers of media messages, both to facilitate an understanding as to the strengths and limitations of each medium, as well as to create independent media. 

-an expanded conceptualization of literacy. 

-By transforming the process of media consumption into an active and critical process, people gain greater awareness of the potential for misrepresentation and manipulation (especially through commercials and public relations techniques), and understand the role of mass media and participatory media in constructing views of reality.

source from: Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia, and had been edited.

In my own words, it is about learning and gaining knowledge. It is important definitely. It is not only about listening or seeing, it's also about thinking and analysing.

Personal Reflection on this week lecture

For the lecture this week, I would it was quite interesting that the lecturer kept asking “yes or no” question and the reply from student is either no or silence. It was quite clear about the topic of “representation and stereotype”. Though it was still the same as usual with those boring looking slides, the lecturer really did quite a good job which she tried so hard to get into the group of “teenagers”. By the way, she kept asking whether she is “in” enough to be the lecturer or not. Ok… she isn’t that “out” I would say. She’s always willing to upgrade herself with the techs and fashion I think. Though I wasn’t concentrating for the most of the time, I still get what the lecturer was trying to bring out. And the video (as a desert after the boring main meal…) was interesting and damn cool. Hope to get more cool stuff week by week.

Personal Reflection on Media Culture Class

After the past few weeks of media culture class, I've found that there's nothing interesting (and I'm not saying that it's boring...) about the class overall. Compare with the classes in semester 1, the class is a little bit dull with just presentation slides for lecture session. I expect for some movie. Perhaps the syllabus for this semester isn't much about watching movies, but it will be much more interesting to have some in class.  

Example of media stereotype

Other than what have been said in the article given, on TV we can find some commercial that playing the role as stereotype in people life. For instance, when you ask a child of what to eat for lunch, I’m sure that the answer will be “KFC”, “Mc-Donald” or “Pizza Hut”. A lot of commercials are to sell their products. Hence, the products are advertised in an interesting and attractive way. So that people have the willing to buy. Commercials nowadays play role as parts of life as what is being shown on TV probably the first choice for those beginner users. The commercials are influencing people’s mind and keep telling the audience the same thing. The brand might just pop up when we are fed up in choosing which brand to consume. Or in another way, when people mention “Tupperware”, it directly relate us to the plastic container though it is just a name of container brand. “Pendrive” reminds us of the USB storage device though it is also one of the famous brands which came out with the initial design of USB storage device. It is not about how well you know the brand, it is about how well the brand sell their product and even name every similar product same as theirs.

What is media stereotype?

Media stereotypes are needed in life especially in the advertising, entertainment and news industries. It’s needed for an audience as wide as possible to quickly understand the information indicated. It is like something that reminds you of another thing. Such as cowboy is a stereotype of American heroes. It is a kind of representation or reflection of something to another thing. There is one thing I’ve seen in the article that we are told to read. “Repetition teaches the donkey”. This is a proverb telling that when you keep seeing something or hearing it, you will end up learning it and believing it. Your brain will be crowded with the information, either fake or true, that have seen through the media stereotype.

Do you often take what is on the Internet as truth without thinking much about it?

Can’t be denied that I often take what is on the internet as truth or just as references. When one is facing a question, he would post is on internet to find out the answer though it isn’t always the correct one. The “relationship” between man and internet is getting closer and closer nowadays which a man couldn’t live without it. Don’t you think it’s silly? (though, the same thing happen to me either.) We know that same information on the internet might be fake, we still rely on it. What’s the point? People are getting lazy and lazy. Lazy to think, lazy to look for information other than what’s on the net and even lazy to compare which is the truth. When we look back the time in older days, how human being look for information and how human being gather the information. They are always using the manual way to do so. As the recent generation, we couldn’t choose the manual way as we are fighting against the time. People need to be fast, to be effective in working and to be the pioneer of all. We are competing day by day. Day by day, technology is getting improved than before. Thus, we rely on the internet which we thought is reliable. Is that so? Are we actually lose our mind and become lazy to think? In older days, human invented computer. Nowadays, computer (technology) created our minds. It is silly to say that but it is true. Perhaps someday in future, computer will control our minds and even our living. Even myself is one the “victims”.

Do you often take what is on the Internet as truth without thinking much about it?

It’s an interesting topic and need to be concerned. First of all, we couldn’t tell if the information on the internet is telling the truth. Let’s take myself for an example. There are a lot researches to do for my university assignment. Thus, where to look for that information? Without thinking much, I surf the net for the research. For instance, when I key in the words that I want to look for, within a few seconds, a lot of results from different website appear on my computer. With just a easy click, I can look for what I want. Search engine such as Google, yahoo!, msn and so on. On the other hand, Wikipedia, which is a very familiar website to gather information, normally appear for one of the results for most search engines. As everyone knows, anyone of us could edit the information within the place. This makes the information in Wikipedia doesn’t seem to be so reliable. But, do you really about that? Most of us, without thinking much, directly refer to the words written on the net. Without thinking much. Is this the reflection of man’s laziness? Or man, nowadays, getting more and more reliable on internet. And of course, this is not a good sign or a positive circumstance. We know that besides surfing the internet, there are a lot more ways to look for information. And I can tell that these sources are more reliable than what is on the internet. But, most of the students including myself might be too lazy to check out more in a library. They would prefer sitting in their room facing their computers. And again, this is absolutely not healthy. Anyway, I still take what is on the internet, not as truth, but as references.

Personal reflection on the media culture class

As for the class this week, in my opinion, the PowerPoint that been used in class is boring to me. Other than words, I couldn’t find much picture in the PowerPoint. As feedback, lecturer should cut down some words and includes more necessary pictures so that PowerPoint will be more interesting. Thus, sleeping in class will be effectively avoided. Other than that, lecturer should be more interactive with students. He might be good in explaining but not in interactivity. 

Social Media (2) How this new phenomenon is affecting the lives around me?

On the other hand, there will be no PRIVACY once you start using those social media especially via internet. Social media such as blog, facebook, you tube and so on. Anyone of us can post anything such as video clip, diary post and so on. Once you’ve chosen to use those social media through internet, there will be no consideration about protecting self-privacy as people can see anything posted by anyone. Let me take blog as an example. In the older days, writing diary is a private thing which no one can see one’s diary without one’s permission. But, as we can see, nowadays, online diary aka blog is no longer a private thing. Just with an easy click, you can view anyone’s blog without the owner’s permission and hence writing a diary is no longer personal. Besides, people might know your friends through social network such as facebook. This could bring good and bad effects.

Good: we could find those “long-time-no-see” friends through the network

Bad: you could get some negative friends and get negative messages.

Social Media (1) How this new phenomenon is affecting my life?

After viewing the video of "social media in plain English", I would like to share some of my opinion. Using ice-cream to represent social media in that video is quite interesting. Ice-cream in older days has only few flavors, but now we found lots of flavor in town. This is creativity. People become greedy when there are more choices. How this new phenomenon is affecting my life? Nowadays there are more and more different kinds of social media. Each of them provides a place for posting feedback, comments, and even rates it. For instance, at first I didn't know what or which to choose. Hence, I’ll refer to those comments or feedback to help in making choices. This helps a lot which I don't need much time to figure out which is better. In return, I’ll post my own comment. It makes thing easier and even faster in process. Thus, things would be improved as well according to those comments and feedbacks.