Media & Media Literacy
The importance of media and media literacy
Entry 1: What is the Media?
Media is a large platform where people can get information quickly: newspaper, radio, phone or online. People use media on the daily because it helps them stay connected, informed, and entertained. However, it has both positive and negative aspects, for example we can read about the news from across the world, or we can get wrapped up in social media and get lazy. If we get too obsessed with it, it can cause a problem. A lot of what we do and judge is based on media. Media is always changing, so you never know what can appear. It seems to me that the twenty first century has shaped people into caring about celebrities, fitness, and gossip. Most people would get their daily dose of reading by the internet. What is posted online is the fastest way to spread news.
I believe media literacy is based on language arts/ English. You should be well around with all the skills like diction. This plays a huge role on everyday life because we use it without knowing: emailing a letter, researching a paper, giving a presentation, etc. It’s also cruel to being able to understanding different sources of information. We might be put in a situation to get information from a magazine, and then host a t.v show. Media literacy will allow us to explore different ways to create, analyze and access something. I feel that media is everywhere and it goes along within our culture and society, since the teacher teaches us on what we should know its important to see the things from our perspective.
Self Reading
Media and Media Literacy
Media and Media Literacy Circle
Entry 2: 24 hours No Social Media Challenge
I did not accomplish the no social media for 24 hours challenge. The assignment was not a hard task because I have gone days without my phone in the past; however, this assignment was on my birthday. I did not want to be rude and not respond to people who sent me happy birthday wishes throughout the day. During the school day I would catch myself going clicking on the apps like Instagram or Snapchat to see what people posted and what they sent me. I would not say I completely failed at this assignment because I would only reply to those who sent me birthday wishes. If it was about anything else, I would ignore it.
Once the bell rang to go home, that was when I really did not use social media as much. Once I got home, I did not pick up my phone at all. It would ring and vibrate, but I was busy spending my birthday with my family. My sister who came back from the University of Georgia to celebrate it with me even wondered why I was on my phone so less. Time actually went by really fast when I was busy doing other stuff. By my bedtime, I looked at my phone one last time to respond with thank you to those I did not reply to earlier and went to sleep. If this assignment was not assigned on my birthday, I really do believe I can live about my day without going on social media.Entry 3: Is it the Truth?
The important thing about fact checking is actuality of the content being provided. The source you get it from should also be from a credible source like from the news or when you use the internet, you must make sure it is from a dot org, edu, or gov. For example, one site that is not credible is Wikipedia because anyone is able to edit the information. I think most people usually go off a story by one source when they should check multiple sources. In order for it to be correct, it is best if you are examining others resources as well because that will increase the chance of it being more correct and reliable.
In one of the news I searched online, it was about about worms in Lipton green tea. The consumer opened the tea bag and found worms within the leaves. Furthermore, the consumer recorded and posted a video to show the worms in the tea bag. People began to do the same and saw worms in their tea bags. This crisis caused Lipton to lose business. The company denied the rumors by posting a 2 minute video of opening the tea bag and showing the alleged worms and said they are actually leaves. They proved their point by pouring the “worms” in hot water and it dissolved. This showed how easily a consumer can be persuaded by seeing one video, a cause it spreads so quickly. I would fact check something at least twice by finding another source from someone or something different. Before accepting the truth, I would make sure to process it and evaluate the story. I wouldnt like to give incorrectly information because it will cause a misunderstanding. Thus it better to fact check something yourself than hearing it from others.Entry 4: Reflection on 1984
Entry 5: Revolution
The Cultural Revolution was insisted by Mao Zedong. This started during his last decade in power from 1966–76 to renew the spirit of the Chinese Revolution. He believed that this will be able to help China and its people from the “impure elements”. After seeing what happened to the Soviet Union, Mao was afraid that might happen to China. To begin this process, Mao shut down the schools and gathered young people to spread his word. Following his actions, the people, especially the students, named themselves the Red Guards because they fully supported Mao’s ideas. Together they wanted to go against the system.
Following Mao Zedong was Lin Biao, the successor, who Mao ended up using Zhou Enlai to help move around Lin’s idea of helping China because Mao did not like Lin’s ideas. Zhou played a great part in the Cultural Revolution because he stabilized China by bringing back the education and bring back former officials to power. When Mao and Lin discovered they did not have long to live, they offered their support to Deng Xiaoping, who is also known as the Gang of Four. But the radicals thought it would be best if Deng was removed. When Mao and Zhou died, Deng regained his power and lead China for another twenty years.
Through this revolution, 1.5 million people were killed and millions were sent to jail. The effects of this revolution greatly impacted the people and might continue to because it caused the people to lose faith in their government.
Students Supporting Mao
The Little Red Book
Mao's
Entry 6: Similarities of Winston and Edward Snowden
Winston works for the ministry of truth; he is responsible for history revision and misleading information, situations where he can’t express his thoughts. In that society they are banned from having thoughts that goes against the big brother. Edward Snowden is a citizen of United States, so as Americans they are commandants that we have. Edward is allowed to voice his concerns over the surveillance that are hidden in the cameras. Edward Snowden works with the NSA and states that the NSA have violated thousands of rules and it effected three thousand people. He was able to execute this manner because of his job as a CIA. On the other hand, Winston is like Edward because they are not conforming to the government. When Winston bought a journal he knew that was an act against the party to jot down his thoughts. Edward does this by discussing how the NSA violated the law but no one him is speaking about this topic. Their jobs allowed Winston and Edward to have access to information that an average person doesn’t have authority. In 1984, Winston has a plan to rebel against the party. There were more important details to be share because of Julia who taught Winston ways of act of defiance. They are both are in a dispute on overwhelming technology, it has been a wreck in 1984 because of the television in people’s homes.
Entry 7: Predications for Winston and O'Brien
After we finished reading up to the end of 1984, I think Winston will become a villain to the government. Before Winston went inside of room 101, he was conversing with O’Brien. He truly believes that the party will fall, just like now nature is brought upon to do. Thus, following his torture, he had the mindset of surviving whatever torture he is going through. He does this in order to help the next generations, a world where they don't change facts daily. Also I feel that Winston will be okay because he has been through the toughest part of this journey. The government would separate him into a different part of the country because he knows too much about the party.
As far as O’Brien, I predict he will continue to stay in power. He still has the master plan to destroy the people who has the desire to overthrow the party. After a period of years, the children realize that this isn't a place where they can live their life, a place filled with secrets. Moreover, a group of ten students hacked into their office to get the real reason why they are under these living conditions. O’Brien won't be able to handle the pressure of the children's so he surrender to defeat.Entry 8: 1984
In 1984, there are many themes that are seen in the book. Propaganda is used to promote an idea to the citizens, “ At this moment the entire group of people broke into a deep, slow, rhythmical chant of B’B!... B’B!... over and over again…- a heavy, murmurous sound, somehow curiously savage, in the background of which one seemed to hear the stamp of naked feet and the throbbing of tom-toms” (Orwell, 16). This piece of evidence allows the party members to easily direct their hate for them over to Big Brother. This is called the two minute hate speech where in that time frame they are permitted to hate the party. Also this fits the theme above by creating this mythical character Big Brother: love, brave and guardian angel. In 1984, there are many themes that are seen in the book. Propaganda is used to promote an idea to the citizens, “ At this moment the entire group of people broke into a deep, slow, rhythmical chant of B’B!... B’B!... over and over again…- a heavy, murmurous sound, somehow curiously savage, in the background of which one seemed to hear the stamp of naked feet and the throbbing of tom-toms” (Orwell, 16). This piece of evidence allows the party members to easily direct their hate for them over to Big Brother. This is called the two minute hate speech where in that time frame they are permitted to hate the party. Also this fits the theme above by creating this mythical character Big Brother: love, brave and guardian angel.
Reflection over Media Literacy
Prince Ea's message
In Prince Ea’s video “ Can we Autocorrect Humanity” he explains the danger of our current status of a person on his or her phone. An average person spends about 4 years wasting time on his or her phone. That is 35040 hours that could have been spent with friends or family. Ea starts his rap by going through the stages of one’s life, the numbers we get of likes are not real satisfying if his or she doesn't want to meet face to face. In order to get better at not being glue to our phones, one should have self discipline, the ability to know when its appropriate to use his or her cell phone. For example, spacing out the time of when you need the technology, homework assignment or for leisure time browsing on the internet. Furthermore, I think this is an addiction we can control. Children doesn't have the resources to get the phone if their parent doesn't buy one for them. If the parent limits the starting age to teen years they will learn that interacting and socializing are essential to life. When you start them young, you get them hooked on the phone or internet. On the contrary, if this is not being fixed there would be no longer humanization. One can lose social contact with people who actually care for them. Social media has been a huge part in our world because it can connect many people on to a website where they can all connect with each other. On the other hand, the growing rate of using social media can hinder our relationships in which we can spend more time on it then building a relationship with people. In my experience of media and social technology, I feel better knowing I did not waste my day being on the Internet. If I was on the laptop for more than two hours, I would get up to stretch and get some water. This would not only benefit my health, but allow my brain to take a break. No one can help cure our addiction to social media and technology, one must realize when to use it.