Wrap up

So, after 10 weeks of studying new media I thought I would post one final thought about how I feel about everything I've learned. The thing I have to say is technology is scarily up to date and simple. Media has given us insights into so many things at the snap of a finger and in many cases I think thats a good thing. But there are other areas where I just have to think, "Why? Why do we need this?"
Someone was discussing Apple Music in class and talked about how we can share playlists. My immediate thought was, "why on earth is that a selling point? That sounds so pointless!" But some people think thats necessary, I guess. Media, and the things we can do with it are so cool. But I've hit a point in my life where I feel too accessible. Where the new gadgets just seem too much. I was recently at the movies and there was a call button next to my RECLINER(why on earth was there a recliner?!) so that a staff member could bring me a drink or a milkshake. As if my lazy butt can't get up and get it myself. I think technology and media has become something we abuse. Which is frightening. Our dependence on media and technology to communicate, shop, and share ideas is slowly poisoning and crippling us. I love media and technology, but I think we need to slow our rolls! The quicker we update, the more we will alienate ourselves.

Hey, Sexy Lady

Today Blizzard, a video game company, released its new online first person shooter, Overwatch. Overwatch recents got a little flap from the public for its oversexualization of its playable female characters. In particular, there was a lot of gripe of the poster character Tracer. When winning a match this characters victory pose had her back facing the audience showing off her butt, placed in a pair of tight fitting spandex pants. Fans were outraged at the over sexualiation of her and Blizzard listened. They changed the pose and apologized, stating that the fans were right. Fan were also upset do to the fact that all the females seemed to have a very sexual issued and sultry design. Where as the male characters had a variety of looks. In response Bilzzard released a female character that was strong and sporty in order to show the crowed that the company was wrong and the fans were, once again, right. But this isn't always the case. There are many games where females are overly sexualized. They are give large dairyaires and have their bosoms busting out of their blouses. In other areas women can either be drop dead gorgeous or an old crone. How do you feel about video games over sexualizing women? Do you think they do it to their male characters too? Many think it's just the female characters. Why do you think they sexualize the female characters?

Is Any Where Safe?

I agree with everything Carrie Rentschler says in her article "We need Good Samaritans on the Web." There is quite frankly no where that is safe from the praying habits of bullies. In fact online bullying and abuse can outweigh the abuse found in the real world. People who hide behind a screen are far more likely to abuse because no one can tell who they are. But when the online community is a place we go to in order to find a place for acceptance, something we all discovered in our ethnography projects I am sure, it hurts to see that there are people out there who want to abuse the comfortable environments people have found for themselves. Bullying in the online world I a huge issue, especially for women. Women are demeaned and sexually assaulted over the internet for nothing more then being a female.
Recently there has been a very big issue in the online gaming world known as "Gamer Gate." Gamer Gate is a harassment campaign revolving around sexism in the online gaming community. Actress, YouTube personality, and gamer Felicia Day was a target of this kind of discrimination. Day wrote a blog post in response to Gamer Gate where she expressed fear on speaking out on this issue. However, after making this post she had her address and personal email published online by an online bully. What on earth is this world coming to?

A Quick Praise for the Internet

I feel like I have spent much of my time on this blog shaming the Internet and our culture's dependence on it. But I would like to take a moment to give media and its acceptability one small bit of praise for three reasons:

1.) Geek & Sundry - Table Top:
There is a channel on YouTube called "Geek & Sundry" on which they produce mulitple shows, one specific show .... Table Top. Table Top is a board game review show, one of many on the Internet, on which actor Wil Wheaton plays table top board games with other celebrities. Wil teaches you the game and shows you a play through. Here's why this is important. It's exposing people to something fun to do outside of the computer, the tablet, the smartphone. In a world where we are so wedded to our gadgets what better way to help get people off the Internet then by using the Internet to show them what they are missing by being barrier in it! Geek & Sundry's show has proven to be so popular that they created a whole day based around gaming, International Table Top Day (April 30th)
(Click HERE to go to the Geek & Sundry YouTube page)

2.) Netflix helps me flex:
I know I am not the only one in this big wide world of ours that has trouble motivating myself to workout. I can make it to the gym, but staying there and pushing myself for realistic amount of time is even harder. But thanks to being able to access Netflix on my smartphone I'm able to watch while doing cardio workouts on a treadmill or an elliptical machine. I may be buried into my phone, but the hour I spend doing cardio passes in the blink of an eye and as a result I am able to stay in shape.

3.) Personal Branding:
Random success story, not my own sadly.
There is a YouTuber by the name of Rachel Bloom Rachel made comedic/parody music videos and posted them on YouTube. A year ago a producer in Hollywood saw Rachel's videos and contacted her about making a TV show. They created a pilot for showtime, which showtime later rejected. HOWEVER, the show ended up being picked up by The CW and Rachel won a Golden Globe this year for best actress in a TV musical or comedy. Rachel had her dreams come true thanks to her use of media and now she is an award winning actress with a brilliant show (Crazy Ex-Girlfriend).



So I will give in and say that the Internet and media isn't ALL bad, it can have some really good uses. But we have to be careful, if we abuse our access to the Internet then the Internet will abuse us.

Who Could That Be Ringing on My Phone?

Recently I saw a segment of a stand up routine in which comedian Sebastian Maniscalco talks about having someone show up at your front door. I'll post the video below so you can take it in in all of its glory, but in a nutshell:
We used to be excited when someone showed up at our door, but now if someone just shows up unexpected it is a truly terrifying experience. Similarly, we feel the same way about phone calls. I remember being younger, before texting, and getting really excited when someone would call me. But now your phone rings and you just stare....
Why is this person calling me? They could have just texted me! WHY? WHY? WHY?!?!?!
You see what I'm saying? Sebastian Maniscalco got me thinking. How have we gotten to a point where a phone call or a surprise visitor is unwelcome and unwanted? Is it social media? Our ability to communicate in the blink of an eye? I think it's odd. Let's bring back showing up at a friend or relatives door because we were "in the neighborhood." How about we start calling each other instead of just texting?

The Smartphone from the Black Lagoon

So I'm sitting in class, minding my own business, when my teacher, Dr. Steve, brings up the topic of the day....social media.
Ok...I'm here. I get social media, I understand it. Then he starts asking us questions.

Dr. Steve: How many times do you visit a social media site a day?

I shamefully hang my head. I think "gosh, I must go on about 5-10 times a day, depending on the day." Then someone raises their hand.

"30-50"

....THIRTY TO FIFTY TIMES A DAY?! I was embarrassed before, but after hearing that I'm just confused. How does one have the time to go onto social media that many times a day? How are the Facebook posts and Instagram photos so interesting that they can take up that much time in our lives? Some students leave Facebook open on their computer all day, most everyone in the class is on social media while they are walking....that's when I realized, I have to blog about this.

Is social media nice, yes it is. I'm glad it's in the world. I've utilized it since high school and have been thoroughly addicted ever since. But I thought that I was using social media to much in my regular day life. I've been trying to downsize the amount of time I spend on it. I took Facebook off my phone in order to cut off my access from it while I'm out with my friends. But now that I know that my class finds the norm of time spent on social media to be so high I don't know what I think. Am I just an oddity in my generation or should my generation be spending more time with their heads out of their social media...especially when moving in the streets!

David and Goliath - SMART PHONE EDITION!

In this corner, the tiny little pocket screen that we carry with us at all times...better known as SMARTPHONE. In the opposing corner, the big large champion of the movies...some know him as "The Silver Screen"..... He is THE MOVIE THEATER!
                                                  FIGHT! 

Recently AMC theaters considered creating smartphone friendly theaters, sort of like how restaurants used to have smoking sections. Why, well the idea was that millennials will be more likely to go to the theater if they will be allowed to pull out their cell phone without being told to please turn their phone off. However, many have taken to Twitter and attacked AMC for their texting friendly theaters. Some went as far to say that they would stop going to their theaters if they were to do this. AMC has since ditched the idea of creating these smartphone friendly theaters.
Honestly, bad idea AMC. Some people believe that our addiction to technology has caused our attention span to shorten. It makes us far less likely to sit still for more then a few minutes. Inviting us to be able to have our phones out in theaters is just going to help support our need to be wedded to our gadgets. We NEED to learn to put them down from time to time. I'm very glad they have trashed this idea. It would have done far more harm to society and would completely neglect the purpose of the movies.