What is this term "politically correct", and why are we so obsessed with it?
For starters, let us disambiguate such a statement. On the surface, it suggests the esteemed approval of the political figures; as to say, politically correct statements have the stamp of approval from President Barack Obama ... but is that really where the term lies?
It might just be me, but I think politicians represent all that is wrong with the world. Plato once said that in order for the world to develop in a successful manner, we must trust in philosopher kings for needed change. These days, all we do is buy into whatever bullshit political parties spit out, pick a side, and vote. Of course, our false confidence in whatever media conglomerate we see these politicians through forces us to believe most of the blatant lies they drown us with; but what's really important is that we trust our media coverage so much that we cannot think for ourselves.
Moving forward, the term "politically correct" may signify a stamp of approval from Barack Obama; and I argue even that is a tainted definition of approval, however I take these two words to mean something totally different. Perhaps my polysemic understanding of such a term is rooted in my upbringing as a jaded New Yorker, but I absolutely detest when people need to be "politically correct".
To me, "politically correct" merely means that even a politician would speak in such terms publicly. Now, I ask you; given my aforementioned understanding of politicians ... aren't most statements of political correctness just lies draped in the fancy cloth of the mass media? I think the term just demeans whatever true statement is hidden behind it!
My mom once taught me; if you don't have anything nice to say, don't say anything.
Or be an asshole but suffer the consequences ...
Thursday, December 16, 2010
Monday, December 6, 2010
Essentialism in Aesthetics
In art, essentialism represents the inherent strengths and weaknesses of various forms of communication. That is to say, a painting does little justice to the speed of a WWII dogfight, but the attention to detail allows the viewer to inspect each subtle grain of inspiration. Although artists are innately limited by their physical talents, it's still important to respect essentialist boundaries of media for several reasons.
Take, for instance, this National Guard commercial ... 3 Doors Down ft. The National Guard. When I saw this video, I actually couldn't believe that the National Guard could make such a mockery of war as to align it with a mainstream music video. I am no soldier, but I do know that war is hell; and although the National Guard isn't exactly our first line of defense, I couldn't help but view this as poor taste. This commercial is a perfect example of media violating essentialist limitations, and therefor sending the wrong message ... at least to me.
Moving forward with the physical limitations of media, it is also important to use such limitations as markers for your fan base. For instance, a classical melody about the perils of teenage drug use may send the desired message ... but to the wrong people.
Lastly, is the risk of sending the opposite message! My favorite example >>> Talking Dog = Awesome!
Okay, for starters ... if my dog started talking to me, I'd probably start hoarding whatever drug I was on when it happened, because I have a lot of questions for her. Truthfully, the only way to stop drug abuse is through actual education. This is why such commercials as "Above the Influence" often miss the mark when choosing a message to convey to their kids.
Take, for instance, this National Guard commercial ... 3 Doors Down ft. The National Guard. When I saw this video, I actually couldn't believe that the National Guard could make such a mockery of war as to align it with a mainstream music video. I am no soldier, but I do know that war is hell; and although the National Guard isn't exactly our first line of defense, I couldn't help but view this as poor taste. This commercial is a perfect example of media violating essentialist limitations, and therefor sending the wrong message ... at least to me.
Moving forward with the physical limitations of media, it is also important to use such limitations as markers for your fan base. For instance, a classical melody about the perils of teenage drug use may send the desired message ... but to the wrong people.
Lastly, is the risk of sending the opposite message! My favorite example >>> Talking Dog = Awesome!
Okay, for starters ... if my dog started talking to me, I'd probably start hoarding whatever drug I was on when it happened, because I have a lot of questions for her. Truthfully, the only way to stop drug abuse is through actual education. This is why such commercials as "Above the Influence" often miss the mark when choosing a message to convey to their kids.
Thursday, November 18, 2010
Earth's First Medium ... The Stars!
The Mayans used to look at the stars for guidance. They weren't searching for god, they were simply studying the correlation between the constellations and planet earth; and after many years of tracking the night sky, they postulated that what happens above essentially happens below. This simple logical progression was based on the notion that we are no different than anyone else in the universe.
They were not divine geniuses nor prophets; they were simply looking to give meaning to their existence, and isn't that as human as it gets? To them everything was real; there were no computers or advanced communication, their lives existed between the sky and the water. This way of life does not strip one of media, but rather forces a profound understanding of the term. The Mayan obsession with the night sky was an obsession with the messages they received from the stars; they knew they were not alone, and if the stars rotate, so must we. In fact, the Mayans were so obsessed with a universally cyclical calendar that it perpetuated itself throughout their entire existence.
With this calendar as a medium, they even went so far as to predict the alignment of the center of the galaxy, the sun, and earth! When 12/21/12 comes around, there is no question that the media will have a field day predicting the end of the world. Everything will be blown out of proportion without any notion of scientific proof, because the actual Mayan data simply suggests certain planetary alignments to occur on such a date. In fact, they only highlighted this date in time so that the people who witness it can attest to the awe of the universe! On that day, the universal power which stems from the center of the galaxy will essentially be blocked by our sun. That is to say, we will have no choice but to focus on the medium around us; and this is thought to be a period of great enlightenment.
So to those who are actually worried about the end of the world ... you're idiots.
They were not divine geniuses nor prophets; they were simply looking to give meaning to their existence, and isn't that as human as it gets? To them everything was real; there were no computers or advanced communication, their lives existed between the sky and the water. This way of life does not strip one of media, but rather forces a profound understanding of the term. The Mayan obsession with the night sky was an obsession with the messages they received from the stars; they knew they were not alone, and if the stars rotate, so must we. In fact, the Mayans were so obsessed with a universally cyclical calendar that it perpetuated itself throughout their entire existence.
With this calendar as a medium, they even went so far as to predict the alignment of the center of the galaxy, the sun, and earth! When 12/21/12 comes around, there is no question that the media will have a field day predicting the end of the world. Everything will be blown out of proportion without any notion of scientific proof, because the actual Mayan data simply suggests certain planetary alignments to occur on such a date. In fact, they only highlighted this date in time so that the people who witness it can attest to the awe of the universe! On that day, the universal power which stems from the center of the galaxy will essentially be blocked by our sun. That is to say, we will have no choice but to focus on the medium around us; and this is thought to be a period of great enlightenment.
So to those who are actually worried about the end of the world ... you're idiots.
Sunday, November 14, 2010
Harder, Better, Faster, Stronger ... but Ultimately nothing has changed.
Indubitably, the internet has made most everything faster. Whether that be talking to friends, communicating with colleagues, or building a business from the air down; I believe technological progression is not a novel concept; and that it has, in fact, diminished over time ...
Before the dawn of remote controls, there were children! My dad used to tell me that I had it easy, and that his parents always called him in from anywhere around the house to change the channel. Granted, the messages media portrayed back in its infancy of 5 channels is vastly different than the 6,000 choices we are offered today, but the way in which they were and are perceived in their respective generations is roughly the same. That is to say, my grandmother's amazement at her new cathode ray tube was based purely on the absence of such a machine when she was growing up. Therefor, my amusement with satellite television stems from the existence of the aforementioned cathode ray tube ... it's all relative.
What does this have to do with children-remote controls? Just last week my mom called me from 200 miles away to explain how to record her favorite TV show ... like I said, it's all relative.
"Tell the People About This!"
Before the dawn of remote controls, there were children! My dad used to tell me that I had it easy, and that his parents always called him in from anywhere around the house to change the channel. Granted, the messages media portrayed back in its infancy of 5 channels is vastly different than the 6,000 choices we are offered today, but the way in which they were and are perceived in their respective generations is roughly the same. That is to say, my grandmother's amazement at her new cathode ray tube was based purely on the absence of such a machine when she was growing up. Therefor, my amusement with satellite television stems from the existence of the aforementioned cathode ray tube ... it's all relative.
What does this have to do with children-remote controls? Just last week my mom called me from 200 miles away to explain how to record her favorite TV show ... like I said, it's all relative.
"Tell the People About This!"
Thursday, November 11, 2010
Just Because We're Facebook Friends Doesn't Mean I Like You
Ever walk by someone who seems to know you a little too well? This is probably an example of a digression in your Facebook Friend Multiplier Statistic!
Facebook Friend Multiplier: Statistic from 0 - 1 which represents the degree of legitimate friendship between two Facebook users. For instance;
Now, you may think a difference in this statistic is minuscule, but I ask you to look inside the mind of a Facebook Stalker! Whether they are looking at your pictures a little too intently, or subtly tracking your wall posts; these people perceive a Facebook friendship very differently than they should. To them, the message attached to a friend request is one of love and admiration! To you, maybe a fledgling love interest or experimental friendship might not be a big deal ... but to others it's a chance at REAL friendship! I warn you, be weary of these seemingly subtle differences in Facebook perceptions, because they can grow dangerously into strong differences of opinion; and angry "friends".
It's always been difficult to tell your friends from your enemies, but these days it's becoming increasingly difficult to distinguish friends from "friends"! My solution to you, my friend, is the multiplier! This simple statistic not only measures your degree of friendship, but suggests how vast the difference is in your perceptions of Facebook as a form of social media. I, for one, use a minimum Facebook multiplier of .4 in order to accept a new friend request.
Facebook Friend Multiplier: Statistic from 0 - 1 which represents the degree of legitimate friendship between two Facebook users. For instance;
Mikal Smith (multiplier of 1) vs. Semi-Random Friender (multiplier of .3)If I were to waste hours assigning these multipliers to all of my 950 "friends", I would probably be saddened by how small my social life really is. That is not to say I don't enjoy influxes of friend requests, but I would argue that the allure of friend requests are being diluted by sheer volume.
Now, you may think a difference in this statistic is minuscule, but I ask you to look inside the mind of a Facebook Stalker! Whether they are looking at your pictures a little too intently, or subtly tracking your wall posts; these people perceive a Facebook friendship very differently than they should. To them, the message attached to a friend request is one of love and admiration! To you, maybe a fledgling love interest or experimental friendship might not be a big deal ... but to others it's a chance at REAL friendship! I warn you, be weary of these seemingly subtle differences in Facebook perceptions, because they can grow dangerously into strong differences of opinion; and angry "friends".
It's always been difficult to tell your friends from your enemies, but these days it's becoming increasingly difficult to distinguish friends from "friends"! My solution to you, my friend, is the multiplier! This simple statistic not only measures your degree of friendship, but suggests how vast the difference is in your perceptions of Facebook as a form of social media. I, for one, use a minimum Facebook multiplier of .4 in order to accept a new friend request.
Sunday, October 31, 2010
They Lie, We Listen; Radio
The manipulation of radio waves was perhaps the most notable technological achievement in media, ever. Prior to its invention, it was unfathomable to send any sort of message, whether that be physical or through interpretation of any kind other than morse code. These days, satellite radio's most effective trait is it's ability to make AM/FM waves obsolete; aside from a monthly subscriptions and the ability to curse not much has changed.
QUESTION: When the time comes that all "radio" is satellite transmitted, will we stop calling it radio? To those who think this question to be foolish, I ask you why we trust any of the messages we hear on the radio and digital broadcasts. I truly believe this all has to do with the mental association of radio and how people perceive it's messages as truth.
OLD DOGS, keep falling for the same tricks.
Hot 97.1, like any other broadcasting network, has advertisements which are specifically tailored to their listeners; duh. Of course, this started when Crest toothpaste had the luxury of marketing their product to entire families simultaneously; but the days of "single radio" homes are over. It also doesn't take a history buff to appreciate this technological life span, as I believe it to be the single most effective source of consumer trust in radio. Our grandparents were raised with Radio as their primary connection to media, and it only took 4 stations to gain their trust.
I believe one's perception of music goes hand in hand with the media messages attached to them, and with the hundreds of stations available today; the amount of marketable processes of perception are innumerable. Thus, logically, the amount of media being transmitted throughout any form of "radio" is equally as awesome.
SIRUIS-XM USERS BEWARE, "music has an agenda of its own."
So, let's say you don't call it radio; you call it, "groovy-satellite-music" or whatever liberal mumbo-jumbo you're in the mood to drive your Prius to. Commercial-free does not mean Media-free, in fact I wouldn't even call it Commercial-Free at all. Surely there are no advertisements, but it doesn't get more commercialized than a monthly subscription partnered with virtually every car maker in the world; capitalism ftw.
And when all else fails, music has an agenda of it's own. With more and more music embodying sex and many other messages so blatantly, today's traditional media messages are anything but subtle. Music is a way of life.
Sunday, October 24, 2010
They Lie, We Listen; TV News
The first segment in this mini 'Immedia series' will focus on TV News, come back soon for the continuation.
It's an age old question, really.
First of all, what news?
Are we talking about mainstream television, NPR, or even those satirically witty faux shows like "The Daily Show". Before we can even begin to delve into political bias', we must undertand the innate differences between forms of News Media, and not only the ways in which they impact a perceived message, but who pays attention to each one.
Traditional news media is just that, traditional. With the exception of High Definition, which may have ended the careers of certain anchors, not much has changed in the way TV News is portrayed and interpreted. Now, although I do believe that TV News tends to have the most perceived validity, it stems more from advertisements and product alignment than actual substance.
Media networks broadcast at the expense of their advertisers, literally. Television News is no different, and when it all comes down to sweeps week; you gotta give the people what they want. Now y'all ready for the coup de grace? 24 HOUR NEWS CYCLE
If you give a monkey a TV show, it's bound to be entertaining,
So, my dad watches Fox News, my philosophy professor listens to NPR, and I have read Stephen Colbert's "I am America, And So Can You!". I'll tackle the rest next week.
It's an age old question, really.
"Do you watch the news? " -Inquisitive figure who probably thinks they are smarter than you.Let us dissect;
First of all, what news?
Are we talking about mainstream television, NPR, or even those satirically witty faux shows like "The Daily Show". Before we can even begin to delve into political bias', we must undertand the innate differences between forms of News Media, and not only the ways in which they impact a perceived message, but who pays attention to each one.
Traditional news media is just that, traditional. With the exception of High Definition, which may have ended the careers of certain anchors, not much has changed in the way TV News is portrayed and interpreted. Now, although I do believe that TV News tends to have the most perceived validity, it stems more from advertisements and product alignment than actual substance.
Media networks broadcast at the expense of their advertisers, literally. Television News is no different, and when it all comes down to sweeps week; you gotta give the people what they want. Now y'all ready for the coup de grace? 24 HOUR NEWS CYCLE
If you give a monkey a TV show, it's bound to be entertaining,
... and you might learn something about the jungle.
If you give that same monkey a banana every time people laugh, ...it's only a matter of time before he starts throwing shit.
So, my dad watches Fox News, my philosophy professor listens to NPR, and I have read Stephen Colbert's "I am America, And So Can You!". I'll tackle the rest next week.
Monday, October 18, 2010
If life was like Grand Theft Auto, would we run around killing people? Better yet, would we invent video games that allow us to passively sit at a computer all day?
Hell, no...
The reason people love videogames is because our lives are boring; or at least when compared to movies and TV shows. The truth is, whether it's a gory videogame or even The Jersey Shore, what is an existence really worth without spray tans and juice, yeah bro! But back to Videogames.
If people like media for their ability to interpret it, then our infatuation with video games merely stems from our obsession with fairy tales.
The human obsession with video games is much like our infatuation with media; our ability to decide the outcome is really what keeps us spending our money.
Now for those people who think these games are the vain of our existence. Let me make this dry clear, I think elementary school Grand Theft Auto competitions are BAD IDEAS, but blaming violent graphics for our juvenile youth is ridiculous. Well, blaming anything for our societies problems is a cop out, but virtual violence just tantalizes parents everywhere with a nice safe bandwagon. Last time I checked, the "Grand theft Auto" ticket wasn't on the ballot.
So who's to blame? We all are! (Yay)
Very rarely can a problem be boiled down to one solution, so why don't we try parenting for a while and see if that helps. If your kid enjoys burning insects with magnifying glasses a bit too much, maybe you should keep an eye out for dead prostitutes in Grand Theft Auto; or you could just teach him how to effectively interpret media ... By showing him this blog ...
So there you go! Videotapes don't kill people, people kill people. And I could be a child psychologist.
Bam.
Hell, no...
The reason people love videogames is because our lives are boring; or at least when compared to movies and TV shows. The truth is, whether it's a gory videogame or even The Jersey Shore, what is an existence really worth without spray tans and juice, yeah bro! But back to Videogames.
If people like media for their ability to interpret it, then our infatuation with video games merely stems from our obsession with fairy tales.
The human obsession with video games is much like our infatuation with media; our ability to decide the outcome is really what keeps us spending our money.
Now for those people who think these games are the vain of our existence. Let me make this dry clear, I think elementary school Grand Theft Auto competitions are BAD IDEAS, but blaming violent graphics for our juvenile youth is ridiculous. Well, blaming anything for our societies problems is a cop out, but virtual violence just tantalizes parents everywhere with a nice safe bandwagon. Last time I checked, the "Grand theft Auto" ticket wasn't on the ballot.
So who's to blame? We all are! (Yay)
Very rarely can a problem be boiled down to one solution, so why don't we try parenting for a while and see if that helps. If your kid enjoys burning insects with magnifying glasses a bit too much, maybe you should keep an eye out for dead prostitutes in Grand Theft Auto; or you could just teach him how to effectively interpret media ... By showing him this blog ...
So there you go! Videotapes don't kill people, people kill people. And I could be a child psychologist.
Bam.
Sunday, October 3, 2010
I realize I should be picking a new device to analyze, but over the past couple of days I have experienced certain technology-related behaviors that deserve notice.
Whether it be a cell-phone, computer, or TV remote; I believe one side affect of such mediums is technological anxiety. Now, I'm not simply talking about feeling out of touch without your phone for a day, because that comes hand in hand with being disconnected from people or the world. The particular type of anxiety I wish to dissect is that of the instant feeling of uncertainty when you lose control of the way you connect to media.
Let's take a group of people watching Television as an example. I postulate that in every group of media consumers, there is at least one person who experiences anxiety when they lose control of the TV remote, phone, or computer.
In fact, just this past weekend a good friend of mine was trying to show me some new iPhone apps. As soon as I tried to explore one before he had the chance to explain it, he became subtly frustrated with his lack of control.
I believe this is becoming a new form of social anxiety; and as technology becomes faster and more direct, I can't imagine this stopping any time soon.
Whether it be a cell-phone, computer, or TV remote; I believe one side affect of such mediums is technological anxiety. Now, I'm not simply talking about feeling out of touch without your phone for a day, because that comes hand in hand with being disconnected from people or the world. The particular type of anxiety I wish to dissect is that of the instant feeling of uncertainty when you lose control of the way you connect to media.
Let's take a group of people watching Television as an example. I postulate that in every group of media consumers, there is at least one person who experiences anxiety when they lose control of the TV remote, phone, or computer.
In fact, just this past weekend a good friend of mine was trying to show me some new iPhone apps. As soon as I tried to explore one before he had the chance to explain it, he became subtly frustrated with his lack of control.
I believe this is becoming a new form of social anxiety; and as technology becomes faster and more direct, I can't imagine this stopping any time soon.
Sunday, September 19, 2010
 |
| Addiction is a sickness. |
My name is Ethan Greenspan and I am a recovering Blackberry addict.
I recently gave up BBM, and although I thought I was giving up my addiction to media with it; I couldn't have been more wrong. Although my new iPhone did rescue me from knowing exactly when people read my messages, and from ridiculously fast BBM conversations; it has forced me into a new type of addiction.
Do I need an app that lets me see constellations at night?
No, but it's really fucking cool so I bought it.
Recounting my purchases since I got this phone a month ago, I have spent about $20 on applications alone. But if Apple didn't E-Mail me receipts every month, I would ignorantly go on purchasing apps as if $.99 purchases don't add up.
So I'm going to keep tracking my fantasy team, looking up new drinks, and playing mind-numbing games until a new flashy piece of technology comes out. And when I convince myself I need it, I may just spend another $20 filling it up with ridiculously useless application.
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