Media Literacy Journals
Jackson Schlinkert
What is the media and what does it mean to be Media Literate?
Reporters Asking Questions
Related Words
Social Network Applications
Social Media Challenge
Recently, I was presented a challenge which asked that I "log off" of social media for a day. Sounds simple right? It was actually a lot harder than I thought it would be. I noticed myself mindlessly tapping on my various social media apps, only to quickly exit out after realizing that I was not supposed to be using social media for a full day. I must honestly admit, I did not make it a full day. The next morning, tired from the day before, I turned off my alarm on my phone and picked it up, automatically checking all of my social media accounts before realizing that I still was taking the no social media challenge. I was disappointed in the fact that I did not make it a full twenty-four hours. This challenge proved to me how much social media has become apart of not only my life, but my entire generations. I have become so accustom to checking my social media accounts throughout the day, it has basically become a second nature to me. I wonder how much time I spend daily on social media, and how much the average person spends on social media daily. Social media has become apart of almost everyone's daily lives, and for most people, going twenty-four hours without social media is impossible. It makes me wonder what our lives would be like without any social media at all. What would we do in place of all the time we spend logged on to social media? How much different would society be?
Snapchat
Various Applications
Advertising Reflection
Fact Checking
Recently, A New York Times article made a claim that "Nearly 20 percent of Donald Trump's voters disagreed with the freeing of the slaves in Southern states after the Civil War" (Armbruster). I decided to check the validity of that statement, and the author's claim is partially true. The reported data was exit poll data that revealed one in five Trump supporters opposed the Emancipation Proclamation. However, data from February 2016 indicated 38 percent "of Trump voters say they wish the South had won the Civil War" in specific Southern polling results. Data from 2014 taken before Trump's campaign was even announced showed surprisingly similar responses.
Checking the validity of statements is very important, because the media does not always report the truth. The media can easily manipulate the news to any way they want. I will always try to find all sides of a story before forming my own opinion on a topic.
Confederate States Flag
Trump Supporters At A Rally
It Is Always Important To Double Check The Facts
The Cuban Revolution
"Top 10 Revolutions Felt Around the World - Listverse." Listverse. N.p., 03 Oct. 2010. Web. 18 Mar. 2016.
"Fidel Castro and The Cuban Revolution." Fidel Castro and The Cuban Revolution. N.p., n.d. Web. 18 Mar. 2016.
Castro's Granma Yatch
Fidel Castro
Castro Celebrating After Taking Office
O'Brien: Victim or Villain?
O’Brien, is he a victim or a villain? In George Orwell’s 1984, O’Brien, a well dressed questionable character, is first mentioned during the two minutes of hate, and later seen meeting with Winston and Julia in his own apartment. Winston then finds out O’Brien’s plot against the party, and he believes that O’Brien is on his side. Later in the story it is revealed that O’Brien only met with Winston and Julia to trick them into trusting him, and revealing their secrets to him. When Winston is captured and taken to The Ministry of Love, O’Brien is seen again in the torture room with Winston. O’Brien tells Winston “Don’t worry, Winston; you are in my keeping. For seven years I have watched over you. Now the turning point has come. I shall save you, I shall make you perfect.” (Orwell, 244) revealing that he has been plotting against Winston for a long period of time. I believe O’Brien is the true villain, for tricking Winston into trusting him and revealing all of his secrets against the Party.
Media Literacy: Revisited
Can Man Fix His Habits Before It's Too Late?
The only true thing that can be done to really prevent us from becoming disconnected to the world is to stop using so much of the technology. Put down your smart phones, tablets, PS4s, Xboxs, and whatever you spend enormous amounts of your time on. You should spend time with the people you care about, and actually connect with them. You should share your wildest experiences and even have a laugh. There’s no emotion through a phone, so you’re never truly connection with them.