Writing In a Nutshell...
KAYLA NGUYEN
SMORE #1: Media & Media Literacy
I feel like media very closely relates to technology or that technology plays a big part of media. However, the first thing that comes to mind when I hear the word “media” is television, which is a form of media. I generally think television media is any type of news broadcast. I think of how the media portrays certain scenarios as something that it is not. For instance, the media could take a scenario where celebrity, Justin Bieber, is getting into a car. The media could manipulate that and make it seem like Justin Bieber was stealing someone’s car. When in actuality, the celebrity is getting into his own car. Media could also be social media. Social media includes Instagram, Twitter, Facebook, Myspace, etc. I don’t have a single ounce of knowledge as to what it means to be media literate; but if I had to guess, I would think that being media literate is being able to fully grasp the concept of media. This means that you fully understand the way that the media operates. I’m guessing that it also means that you are completely informed on all the different types of media there is. Media literate people are probably capable of breaking down and evaluating the small kinks of all the different types of media. If it came down to who would be more media literate, it would generally be the younger generation. The younger generation is the most experienced with technology and have easier access to the media.
E! News
Media & Media Literacy
SMORE #2: Police Brutality
Police brutality has always been a big deal, but social media has managed to shed a brighter light to the matter. Since social media plays such a big role in spreading and raising awareness about police brutality, I will use social media platforms to spread it even further. First, I will create a webpage so that people can “take a pledge” by simply signing their name electronically. I will then spread the website by posting the link on social media platforms, which include Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, etc. I will encourage family and friends to support the cause. The website alone will spread awareness. I will set it up in a way where after a person electronically signs their name onto the petition, the website will have a feature where it will give them to option to share the link to their Facebook page. I will set it up to where it will be able to share with one click of a button, since I know laziness gets the best of us! Another way I plan on changing the world is by simply getting involved. If I ever get the chance to record a situation where police officers are abusing their power, I will record the situation and personally publish it to my social media accounts. This will be another way to raise awareness. The internet is a very powerful place and I will use it to its fullest potential in order to stand up for what I strongly support and believe in.
SMORE #3: Superbowl Commercial
SMORE #4: Advertising and Society
SMORE #5: Manipulation in Advertising
The media manipulates viewers in various ways and we may not even realize it! I know that I definitely do not. For example, Kellogg’s used the slogan: “Ever thought of Coco Pops after school?” That stirred up many problems with parents. Parents do not want their children to have such a sugary cereal after school because that will spoil their dinner. Rather than taking the healthier alternative and telling children to pick up an apple or banana after school, the media is telling children to eat Coco Pops. In my opinion, Coco Pops is such a sugary cereal that it should just be classified as a dessert. It’s also interesting how these commercials are targeted towards children. There is a child sitting at the table eating the cereal and a mother standing in the background smiling. This makes it seem like it is okay to have sugary cereals after school/ before dinner. Even if a parent were to tell their child that it’s not okay to have a sugary cereal, the child could easily tell the parent that the kid in the commercial was able to have cereal after school. So why couldn’t they? I feel like fast food commercials are the most misleading and manipulative. For example, the size of the burgers on Burger King commercials are never the actual size that you receive when you pick it up in the drive-thru. Those commercials of the mouthwatering looking burgers is just a business tactic that will lure you into their restaurant, but it only leaves you with disappointments. It’s all about the business and luring people in to advertise their product regardless if that means they are jeopardizing the health of consumers.
SMORE #6: Should Apple Fix?
SMORE #7: 1984 Agree or Disagree?
I was given the quote stating, “Patriotism means supporting your government during times of war”. I was asked whether or not I agreed or disagreed with the statement and I disagreed. The meaning of patriotism is defined by showing love to one's country. That does not imply that they have to support their government by any means. The definition itself does not mention a single thing about the government. It is truly based off of just loving your country unconditionally. It’s as simple as that. It is like saying you are only proud of your child when they achieve something and that is so wrong! You have to love your child at all times, like you do your country, if you claim to be a patriot. I do not believe that you have to support your government in order to love your country. I feel like supporting your country in times of war is not the best way to let your patriotism shine. I feel like if you are a true patriot, you will love your country at all times, not just when your country is at war. You can love your country in a copious amount of ways. There are times where the government does things that you do not agree with; it is inevitable. Just because the government does one thing wrong, it does not mean that it makes you any more or less patriotic. The government is not always righteous; it can be completely corrupt. Citizens following the government can be patriots, but not all patriots are followers of the government. An example of this is during the Vietnam War. The United States did not have to get involved, but we got involved anyways.
SMORE #8: Get It Straight
SMORE #9: Ain't Rebellion Fine
SMORE #10: Government Wins Again
SMORE #11: Is Technology Really From Heaven?
The definition of primitive is to “not be developed or derived from anything else”. Where is civilized means that it is “of or relating to ordinary citizens and their concerns, as distinct from military or ecclesiastical matters”. Based on the passage, it is to my understanding that technology is supposed to grow and develop, but it was the scientific side of things that made it impossible for Oceana’s technology to become more advanced. To me, I feel like Orwell’s meaning of science and technology are two different things. One effects the other and because of that, Ocean is so undeveloped and not where it should be because of this. Oceana does not have the resources that it should to be a good place to live. That’s why Orwell goes into saying that Oceana fell behind in a sense.
SMORE #12: Happiness vs. Freedom
SMORE #13: Gaslighting
SMORE 14: Can We Auto-Correct Humanity?
REFLECTION
I feel like starting out, I thought that “media literacy” was just the idea of social media. I focused a lot of it on Instagram, Twitter, etc. Now, I know that there is so much more to it now. I have been exposed to how much social media impacts our daily lives outside of what my friends are doing on social media. I learned that there’s a lot more to social media than I thought there was. It can be used to your advantage or disadvantage depending on you. I’m taking away the fact that I can use this Media Literacy class to better benefit the world. This class is different from other Language Arts classes because it focuses on what actually matters. Sure, Romeo and Juliet was important, but did it really teach me about anything that was going to benefit me for the rest of my life? Not necessarily. Learning how to write correctly was important. I think that this is a good senior course. I don’t think that this would be a good course for a freshman class. It’s literally the perfect class for a senior to get us accustomed to the way college classes will be, since colleges do use things like eClass and dropboxes to turn in assignments. I like the concept of this class and the way that it is set up. Our generation is very comfortable with using technology and I like that technology is being used in school as a teaching strategy.