Class

In regards to Roberts blog, I too would like to comment on the class. I initially took this class because it was the only night class that fit my schedule, and it sounded somewhat interesting. I wasn’t quite sure what I would learn from or about media, but after all these weeks of class and reading, I’ve really had a hindered approach to the various types of media around me, and how they all work together. At least now I know when I’m in a store I shouldn’t let the music keep me in that store longer than I want to be there. And when I see something on the “news”, not to believe everything “reporter Joe” has to say. I would have to say the most interesting aspect of this class was how music can change our perception of something to a very intense degree. The train ride video we watched with the five or six different artists added to the clip really changed my idea of how much music can effect any situation I’m in. Funny how I felt comfortable watching the train pass through when It was music I enjoyed, and how on edge I felt with the same clip without any music added. Crazy. Anyway, I don’t know about the rest of you, but I got a lot out of this class, and look forward to living the day to day mediation we convince ourselves is “normal”.  - Aaron

Response to Davila

It was interesting reading Davila’s article on Hispanic advertising. As I was reading, I kept on thinking about the different demographics that agencies try and appeal to and how difficult it must be to try and cater to every demographic relating to what  you are selling. Generalizing is never an easy task- there are always exceptions to every one of them.  I kept on thinking about all of the groups within the Mid-West alone that advertisers try to target within their market and it makes my head spin. This summer I had a job promoting a product for Garnier. They gave out specific characteristics of who to look for and what to say before I even gave out any of the product.  Surprisingly enough, the demographic they were shooting for was not the most receptive of their product, but the minority groups they weren’t even shooting for.

To appease the blog Nazi…

…I think I owe one post to the blog for last week! So to keep that mean ol’ Beaster-Jones guy happy…I’ll add a “make-up blog.” As I think this is our final class, I’d just like to say I enjoyed hearing the various comments, ideas and conversations from the class this semester. Needless to say, our little planet is having a rough ride currently and I think the only way to fix the plethora of problems is to identify then discuss them in a setting such as college, university or beyond. I think everyone in the class has something positive to offer society but I’m already half way to taking a dirt nap so I’ll leave it up to you all to fix the mess! So get busy, good luck and enjoy your Summer! -Robert 

Degraded Images…

I was already semi-familar with the “Nigerian scam” from all the spam I get about sending money so they will send you money and so forth… A tell-tale sign you are getting scam mail is the misspelled words and bad grammar that a legit business would try to avoid. However primitive this may seem to me, I’ve read about Hollywood dummies who are already wealthy, falling for this scam. Greed follows greed. I found that Nicaragua had an “alternative free market” that seems similar to what is described about Nigeria in Larkin. Westerners look upon these structures with a different frame of reference, having never lived in a place so debilitated by poverty, political upheaval and latent Imperialism; it is hard for us to see this underground financial system as a valid enterprise. Ironically, things like what Larkin describes happen within our own urban ghettos, where poverty and crime mix to establish a counter culture within a country of capitalistic excess. So Nigeria is not so far away from our society, it is simply less “evolved” than ours.   

The Beauty of Sound

Over the past week I did a little experiment of my own dealing with how we ended last week’s class in watching the clip from India with several different songs and types of music in the background compared to the real sound of the train. Over the past week I found myself listening to music in a similar situation where it completely changes how you perceive your surroundings. Last Monday I found myself in the commons building with a sizable amount of noise and unable to even think. Then I just but my iPod on and all the sounds when away, so over the following days I did the same thing in different places around campus, whether it be in the commons, the huddle, or walking to class. The one place I found it the most helpful was in the library. Since the library is already so quite, except for the construction, one can hear anything that is said or is worked on in a large radius, but with another imputed sound that you want to hear makes the working environment a lot easier to work in.

What Disney has to offer

Since I have never been to and of the Disney theme parks it was hard to visualize the park.  As I read the article I stated to see all of the different parts of the park and visualize what the sights and sounds might be like.   Walt Disney has played a major role in the early lives of almost every American.  From the 1950′s black and white television shows to todays computer generated animation Walt Disney has changed American culture.  Everyone will always remember their first Disney movie, and all the songs that go along the movie.  The  Lion King will alway be in my memory as the first Disney movie i saw.  People of all ages can enjoy what Walt Disney has to offer in his movies and at the parks.  Disney will always remain an American institution, and will never be forgotten.

When I was younger, I always thought that it’d be cool if you could have a soundtrack to your life, just like in the movies. You’d get to walk around and listen to the beat of how you felt- or how you were supposed to feel at that moment. When the iPod was created, i was thrilled. I got one as a gift for my highschool graduation and for nearly a year and a half after that, my headphones never left my ears. I had finally gotten the soundtrack of my life. I didn’t know how i lived without it before and I didn’t think i’d be able to live without after. Until it broke. And that’s when I was forced to face a life without my iPod. But I made it through and now I think I have more of an appreciation for “silence.” I still think I need music, it does a lot for me day to day, but I don’t need to have earbuds stuck in my head for nearly 22 hours of each and every day.

The Disney illusion

I grew up 50 miles East of Disney World. I went to the site with my father in 1970 before any construction had taken place. It was a building in the middle of an orange grove and they were selling Disney stock to the public. After that, they leveled the orange groves, drained wetlands and built the “Magic Kingdom.” All the water bodies there now are manmade, they created a fake environment in the middle of nature and ruined the ground water, displaced all the critters who called the place home and now Central Florida is slowing falling into sinkholes created by this damage. Disney’s success brought in a multitude of copy cat theme parks which further eroded the environment. Last year Florida had a drought that left Lake Okachobee 12 feet below sea level (which has never happened in recorded history). In short, Disney ruined a wide swath of natural forest and wetlands in Central Florida to build a fake environment to make billions in tourist dollars. So the use of music to create false environments isn’t surprising or actually very disturbing in contrast.    

Association in Music

“Now this is a story of about how my life got flipped turned upside down, now I’d like to take a moment just sit right back I’ll tell you how my life got started in the town of Bell-air. In west Philadelphia born and raised, on the playground is where I spent most of my days. Chillin’ out back and relaxin’ all cool, I was shootin’ some b-ball outside of school, when a couple of guys who were up to no good, started makin’ trouble in my neighborhood. I got in one little fight and my mom got scared, she said you’re movin’ with auntie and uncle in Bel-air. I whistled for a cab and when it came near, the license plate said fresh and there was dice on the mirror. If anything I would say that this cab was rare, but I thought aah… forget it, yo home to Bel-air. I pulled up to a house about seven or eight, and I yelled to the cabi yo-ho smell ya later. I looked at my kingdom I was finally there, just to sit on my throne in my of home Bel-air.”

            This use to be one of my favorite songs when I was little because I associated it with one of my favorite television shows Fresh Prince. All that I had to hear to know it was coming on were the first two beats, before the lyrics even started, even if I were in a different room. Sorry if I didn’t cite the lyrics to there exactness.

            Another perfect example is the show CSI. The theme song, which I think is “The Who” at the beginning of the show is probably recognized more by people associating it with the show rather than with the band who sang it. I know I even say, “oh, it’s the CSI song” rather than, “oh, it’s The Who”.

            Everyone can relate to some form of association when it comes to music, whether it’s from a television show or not. It’s human nature to associate things with our senses so that we have a familiar way of recognizing them the next time they come around.

The Call to Prayer in Singapore

T. S. Lee writes ” the reorganization of social space in Singapore during the 1960s and 1970s resulted in an increased dependence on technology to maintain cultural identities” (p. 116).  I would argue that technology, although at times may seem to butt heads with culture, was developed to maintain culture.  Isn’t that the purpose of this class?  To discuss how technology has helped (or hindered) the cultural identities discussed?

Although I find a lot of faults with the Muslim view of what religion should be (or any “established” religion, really), I find it interesting that a supposed “reminder” of one’s faith has become such an issue and a matter of contention…

I thought the article on the Mall of America was interesting as well.. when Sterne talked about individual stores presenting an image and sound that present an image for people was particularly relevent. Every time I go into any mall I can’t help but notice that every store attempts to do this. One that pops into my mind distinctly is Hollister Co. Their music blaring outside their open doors, my parents always refused to go into that store strictly on “principle”. The store tries to represent the west coast, surfer vibe bringing to the table over priced clothes that already have holes in them. Their music is overbearing when you walk in and I can barely think while walking around, and maybe that’s the point. One unique thing that i have seen there though is their choice of music, it’s very predictable but you are able to buy the cds of the bands you are hearing and you are able to use a touch screen to pick the tunes you’d like to hear. But it is very distinctly chosen for that vibe and style they are trying to sell to you. You don’t only buy the clothing, you are buying the image.

Its a small world after all

Its funny how much everyone is tolerant to hearing background music, so much so that they aren’t aware that it’s even there. I notice the background music at work most of the time. I wouldn’t have any idea that the radio was even on if it weren’t for someone shutting it off to talk on their phone. I lived in Minneapolis for a couple years, avoiding the mall as much as possible, but involuntarily went there enough to notice the beats or mood music. Works for some shoppers. The only background music I have ever hated was at Disney World on the “It’s a Small World After All” ride. Man I hate that song.

Noises

I liked the article on background music, the mall of America… It’s amazing how bombarded by different noises we are both in nature and in urban settings. It is also amazing how we “don’t hear it” most of the time. In Nicaragua, around 4pm the locusts go wild, my ears rung after hearing them but the Natives stated they couldn’t even hear it. I recently read an article in the New York Times about the noise level in Cairo, Egypt. It said the noise was at a constant level equivalent to a train going by 20 feet from where you are standing! I may not notice background noise much but I will never get used to the stupid jingle they play over and over at Menard’s! Another reminder that the powers-that-be, think we are sheep! Baaahhhh! …and “save big money at MENARD’S!”

Shopping

The Sounds like the Mall of America artical was very interesting.  It has been several years since I have been up to the cities, so I dont really remeber ever hearing music, but I want to go back to see now.  I have found myself drawn into stories at other malls that have music playing in the store.  Stores like American Egale, Express, and Holister all have some type of background noise.  I find that it almost draws me in, and i dont get it, i hate shopping for one, and i really hate stores like that.  But when ever i go into one, more often than not i find something to buy, i hate it.  The music mostly is popular music or has some type of beat to it, so i linger around so see what else might be playing, and be for i know it i have purchesed a shirt.  The music in the background must get other people as well.

MallRat: The Musical

I enjoyed the article on the Mall of America very much.  Coming from the Suburbs of Minneapolis, I have a love/hate relationship with “MoA,” so I love reading about it.  I always seem to have a song stuck in my head, and I have never been shy (unfortunately for those around me) about whistling, singing, dancing– whenever the mood strikes me.  Yes, I’m that girl.  The mall, then, is usually one of those places where I embarrass myself and those I’m with the most.  When I’m in H&M, I funk it up.  Urban beats mean I’m a hip-hop Dancing Queen.  In J.Crew, my inner crooner escapes with Norah Jones and Eva Cassidy.  Old Navy is usually too loud, and American Eagle is usually trying too hard to get the “cool kids” to notice it by being painfully “indie.”  This article made me think about the different styles of music used by different stores– and how it is another “layer of packaging” on a commodity. Interesting…

Poser

Posers. Posers. Posers. Where is the line drawn between tourist and posers? Its sad to think that anyone from anywhere (not just necessarily native tribes) probably think the same about every “white man” who steps foot into their territory. Its sad because we, the “white man”, would, and do generalize the same suspicions, stereotypes, and prejudices that anyone else does. All that it takes for someone to get the wrong idea about any group in general is one person doing the wrong thing in someone else’s territory. A lot of “white man” create these boundaries that they live in, are comfortable in, and do not want changed, and will ultimately create a hatred or disliking of a certain group based on nothing other than a one-time deal exploitation by another “man”.

New Guinea “Manhood Rituals”

I considered myself fortunate that I ate lunch before reading this article. Not quite sure what giving “head” to your elders has to do with the media but what the heck! To Westerners, the “primitives” seem a little strange but if we invited one of these folks to America to observe our “sacred rituals,” they would probably think we were strange as well. The first ritual of ours that comes to mind is the Navy’s sacred “Chief’s Initiation.” In teaching me how to display honor, courage and commitment to my country, the initiated Chief’s shot me in the side of the head with a 250psi fire hose. Then when I sought medical attention, my medical record had somehow evaporated so my superiors wouldn’t get in trouble for hazing. The final outcome is $200 of my $1000+ pension is paid for damages done and funded by the taxpayers. Cool huh? Now THAT is an important “ritual” designed to hold our little tribe together!   

Keeping the Roots.

With the creation of the world wide web and with the exspansion in modern technology, and of the exchange in information at the speed of light.  I think that indigenous tribes can only grow and become better connected than ever before.  Prins noted that the first indigenous website was posted in 1994 and now 14 years later there are hundreds.  With the free exchange of ideas and technology that allows people to speak to one another from one side of the world to the other.  Tribes and members of these tribes can keep in close contact with each other.  This the trinibad artical the people on the island could keep in contact with relatives who had moved away by email or like how we write our post every week with blogs, and the people that moved away can also keep in contact with their roots.   The indigenous websites can also help other tribes by giving each other examples to show eachother how they maintained their culture and heritage in this ever changing world.

?!

This doesn’t count as my post, I just think it’s hilarious…

Simpsons Ditched by Venezuelan TV

When Veena Das talked about the actor Ashok Kumar and his “educational” addresses he made towards the audience at the end of each episode of Hum Logit reminded me of some of the sitcoms that were on when I was younger.  Occasionally after, I don’t know what you might call it, a socially important episode that brought up touchy subjects such as suicide, bullying or obesity, at the end of the show, a group of actors would make a brief statement about what the episode had addressed. They might mention where you could get help for any of the aforementioned topics or give some advice. Comparing these particular messages to those that are from Hum Log,  I would say that they are drastically different. Sure, maybe they both want to improve or help society but Hum Log takes it a few steps further, the show was created for the “manipulation of television culture in India.”