Little Girls and Pageants

I must admit I am guilty of watching "Toddlers and Tiaras," but more out of astonishment than actual interest. I think it is harmful for young girls, 2 and up, to be competing in beauty pageants. (I started competing in pageants when I was 13, old enough to make the decison for myself and I've entered mostly scholarship pageants which are not based on beauty but academics, community service, talent, and accomplishments.) Little girls who are being forced to compete in pageants by their mothers or grandmothers can have a negative effect on them. I can't believe how many little girls I've seen with fake teeth, spray tans, makeup, and fake eyelashes. This is not setting a good example for these impressionable girls who grow up thinking that fake is the way to be successful. I just think this has become an issue with our society. Little girls should not be dressing up like dolls for money, there is just something unethical about the whole thing.

Video Games

Where do I begin?? I used to never care about video games or give them a second thought until my boyfriend starting playing constantly. He's into COD, NHL, FIFA, etc. I think I've watched him play one game and I just can't get into it. I don't know how he can sit there for hours and play without even realizing how much time is going by! I understand they're ok to play sometimes but I think I have more of a problem with obsessive video game use. I always feel like people could more doing something so much more productive with their time. I especially can't stand how young children are inside on beautiful days wrapped up in video games. I miss the days when I walked down the street and there were kids on every corner, you hardly see that anymore. Although technology is great and I understand we all abuse it once in awhile, it's important we don't rely on it.

Internet Safety

I've realized our society likes to state problems that are going on but rarely finds a solution to these problems. For example, I often hear how dangerous the internet is and how much access there is to inappropriate websites. However, what are we doing to educate young individuals about these online dangers? I think it is most important, not to state a problem, but to find a solution. We need to start educating today's society about safe internet-use. It is important for the next generation to learn how to use the internet in order to be successful in their future; however, there are dangerous websites that could be stumbled upon. I think we need to start taking these matters more serious. Even social networking, young teens are posting inappropriate pictures and status' that are getting in the way of obtaining jobs. One of the ways to make change in society is to educate people, we need to start being more proactive about such a serious issue.

Another Reunion?

So for my new followers, I like to use my blog as an outlet to vent about the media or issues I found within the wonderful world of technology. I turned the TV last night before bed and immediately saw three different shows on different channels entitled, "Mobwives Reunion," "Basketball Wives Reunion," and "Teen Mom Reunion." We are taking reality TV to a whole new level, why is that we have to have a reunion for every show out there now? I can't remember if it started with the Real World but then it's gone through Jersey Shore, Rock of Love, you name it. I think it's crazy how the media takes one idea for one show and ruins the originality of it by making it universal for all shows now. This is just one example of how REPETITIVE the media can actually be.

Semester Comes to a Close

Just like everything else, this class flew by way too quickly. When I signed up for this class and another I was really nervous about it being summer and not being able to stay ontop of the work; however, I am proud that I've stayed focused and been able to time manage everything I have going on. The one area I definitely need to work on is procrastination. By being forced to write on the blog and discussion 3, 4 different days allowed me to space my homework out a little better. Everything else, I pretty much save until the last possible day to do it. I know this has always been my biggest struggle and it's something I've been trying to work on in the past 15 years. This class not only taught me a lot about media and today's society but I also learned how to time manage better and procrastinate less. I would reccommend taking this class online to anyone, it's a great way to graduate early, get ahead, or make up a class. I will continue to think about my use with media and technology. I've made a conscious effort to only use it as necessary ever since I started this class and I find I'm enjoying quality time with my family and friends and focusing more on what's important in life. I've even been thinking about deleting my Facebook because I'm hardly using it now! I've enjoyed reading all of your blogs and posts on the discussion board. I wish everyone a happy and safe summer!! :)

Internships

I recently started a summer internship 2 days a week at Reebok World Headquarters in Canton. My brother's girlfriend works there and was able to give my resume to a few people. I still find it interesting how most success starts with who you know, sad but true. So when I spoke to my supervisor, she originally said the internship was unpaid but I would have to do it for college credit. Well unfortunately, since I'm taking summer classes, BSU wouldn't allow me to get credit for it, so they made an exception and I'm still able to intern there. I'm a communications media major and I'm working with their blog, events calendar, and a ton of excel, it's great for experience but it's killing my bank account. Not only is it two days off that I have to ask off work but it's an extra $40 a week in gas to get there. They say not having an internship when you graduate is one of the worst things you can do, but why do they make having one seem impossible? Most students cannot, financially afford to do an internship and not get paid or credit. Luckily this one was 2 days a week. My brother had to do an internship in order to graduate, he had to PAY the school to do an unpaid internship. It is almost mind boggling. I know we live in a competitive work market but starting out is extremely unfair.

The reason I say this has to do with media is because a LOT of other internships in other majors are paid. My sister (criminal justice major) and my other brother (mechanical engineering) both were offered paid internships in those fields. Why is it in the communications field it is extremely unlikely to get paid? Where would we be with a communications/PR/Human Resources department? Where would we be with the radio and news stations? It's not like our major is unimportant so why not show a little appreciation for what we are studying? This is just something that has frustrated me especially now that I'm doing an internship (free labor) and they can't even pay for gas. I guess we all have to bite the bullet at one time or another to get our foot in the door!

Cake..what?

I turned on TLC today because I love watching "Say Yes to the Dress," however, it seems everytime I turn on that channel, there is ALWAYS a cake show on. It first started with Cake Boss and now there are so many different versions of it. I feel the media always seems to do this. When one show becomes a hit, they copy it and make 10 slightly different versions of it. We've also done this with reality tv, bride shows, teen pregnancy, and large families, just to name a few. I think it is getting a bit ridiculous. How many different cakes can we see? How are these shows making us productive or teaching us anything? The amount of entertainment shows out there way surpass educational or constructive shows. No wonder why our generation wants to grow up so fast, because all they see on tv is pregnant teens and women searching for their bridal gowns.

The media has a way of overdoing everything. Humans are naturally never satisfied and just like the media, they are not satisfied with the success of one cake show, they have to have 5. How many sequels to movies are there nowadays? The Hangover wasn't good enough, they had to make a Hangover 2 and a Transformers 2. What makes a movie such a classic is that it is so different from the rest so when we start making sequels to every movie, they lose originality. I used to like the show, "Cake Boss," but now that there are other shows like it, I've lost interest.

Everything in Hand

Mobile apps have taken over. These little handheld devices have everything you would ever need. The other day, I was not home or by a computer ALL day and had to write on my blog, so I did so via cellphone. Nowadays people don't even need computers. What used to be buying a cellphone is now so much more than that. Being able to check the weather to checking movie times and gas prices to gps and so much more, cell phones have advanced into phone, internet, music, gps, and any information of game we could possibly think of. Smart phones have literally made the need for computers less valuable. The only reason I use my computer is for homework purposes because it's much faster to type on the computer than on my phone. But even ipads nowadays, are basically a smaller version of a PC that allows you to download any kind of app you can think of. I remember having to look in the newspaper as a child for movie times, now I have a movie app on my phone.

I have mixed emotions about all this technology being compacted into one device. First of all, having information at our fingertips doesn't allow us to research or exercise our brains because we've become so reliant on these apps. Second of all, I think it's sad that when we lose our phones or they break, we feel "lost," and are perhaps more upset than failing a class. Where have our priorities gone? It's frightening to think that so much of our life and personal information is compacted into a little thing called a smartphone.

Less and Less Personal

I've been waitressing at the same little diner for the past 5 years. It was great money when I was 16 but now I know I could handle a classier restaurant and make better tips and meet new people. I've been thinking about where to apply and thought the restaurants in Patriot Place must do quite well. I went by a few different restaurants today to pick up some applications and at 3 out of the 4 places I went to, they told me to go online and apply. Obviously I haven't been living in a cave and realize people apply to jobs online nowadays but now it's becoming rare to have to pick up an application. I don't like this for 2 reasons. 1) I've always hated putting such personal information out of the internet (phone number, social security #, etc.) I don't mind if I get the job and they need that stuff but why do they need it right up front especially if I'm not even a considered applicant. 2) I really dislike the impersonal part of it all. I almost feel hopeless when filling out an application online because I feel like I'll just get lost in the pile of applications. It's so much easier to leave an impression with someone (the manager) in person.

I almost wish that one had a choice. You can either apply online or still apply in person. I think having an option would be best because some people prefer applying online, I just like that personal connection that you can make with a manager when dropping off an application. But while I was driving home, I couldn't stop thinking about how literally EVERYTHING around us is much less personal than it used to be because of technology especially the internet. I hate to say it but I feel it's just making us lazier and lazier. No longer do we go out and pick up an application, no longer do we have to leave our homes to purchase food, clothes, or anything. Anything we want delivered right to our door is done with the click of a mouse. It's almost scary how much technology is incorporated into everything we do.

Advertisements Take Over

We've had commercials for as long as I can remember but advertisements have gone to a whole new level in past years. Thank goodness for DVR because now an hour show can be cut down to a half hour just be fast forwarding through commercials. It is crazy to think for an hour, you are watching half of the actual show and the other half on commercials. Not only has commercials taken over and seem to last forever but you can no longer watch a youtube video without their being an advertisement first. I think it is sad that you can't escape the world of marketing even when you want to watch a minute clip on a broadcasting site.

I understand why we have advertisements but honestly, on youtube? And on the radio? Who listens to the radio for advertisements, people listen to the radio for music, I don't know anyone that searches for advertisements. Honestly, when I see an advertisement before I watch a youtube clip, I am so annoyed that I have to watch it, I am less likely to buy the product. The advertisement company is actually doing more harm than good in that situation. They are also on social networking sites such as Facebook and Twitter, you cannot escape them. I feel like marketing is trying to take over every source of media.

Dangerous effects of cyberbullying

I know we’ve all heard this topic over and over again but it’s really becoming extremely dangerous. We’ve all seen scenerios on TV where a cyberbullying case turned deadly. The issue is young teens feel they can do or say anything on the internet without consequences and they simply cannot visibly “see” the hurt look or tears coming down the victim’s face. A friend of mine who I lost touch with in college is a victim of cyberbullying. There is a college gossip website out there (pretty immature, I know) that targets specific people according to what college they’re in. People at her college started a thread about how “overweight” she was. I put overweight in quotes because this girl was NOT heavy, she was average weight for her height and had an athletic build that girl’s always were jealous of. People simply just started this thread to be mean since there was no type of truth behind it but what they said was vicious and extremely detailed words that could have a huge negative impact on someone. Two years later, this girl has dropped 20 pounds or more and looks very frail and almost sickly. Clearly what these people wrote about her hit her deeply and she felt the need to lose weight. Maybe she was already a little insecure about it and this just took her over the edge. It is crazy to see what WORDS online can do to a person. We have heard so many stories of people being seriously impacted, due to bullying. This behavior needs to be stopped. Instead of children just getting bullied at school (which is bad enough) they now cannot escape it even at home. It is sad that we still don’t have a mandatory anti-bullying class in every school and parents need to be more aware of what their children and teens are doing online.

Reliance on Technology

Has it ever occured to you, how much you rely on technology throughout your day? I was at the airport last week and was thinking about how much I use technology throughout the day. It starts with my alarm clock on my cell phone, then I usually call my boyfriend to say good morning. I then go on my computer to check my email, assignments, and use iTunes to play music while I'm getting ready. Then when I got to the airport, while I was waiting to board, I was playing games on my ipad. Once I got on the plane, I was reading my textbook on my ipad. When we landed, I turned my phone back on to check messages and call my family member who was picking me up. And this is all before 12 PM!! It is absolutely mind boggling to think about how much and how often we use and rely on technology.

I've been trying to be more aware of how much I use my devices and have been trying to cut back on how much I use them. Especially in the summer, yesterday I went to the beach and didn't bring my phone or ipad with me, just spent quality time with my friends. It felt SO good, I kind of liked the idea of being cell phone free especially because it's more of an obsession than a necessity. I am constantly using my phone to check Facebook or Twitter when I'm board instead of doing something productive. This is the first summer I've taken online courses and I am actually really enjoying it. It has given me something to do besides work and go to the beach, I feel more productive while keeping my mind sharp. Aside from having to use my computer for school, I'm trying to be more cautious of using other devices less often.

Tabloids

You see them everywhere. It ceases to amaze me how many people not only buy them but believe everything they see and read. I feel bad for celebrities who have to deal with vicious rumors or have their lifes plastered all over newstands. It is one thing if you want to read the magazines for entertainment but take everything you read with a grain of salt. I cannot tell you how many times my friends will say "Did you see Kim Kardashian cheated on her fiance" or "I can't believe Angelina and Brad separated!" Most of the time, they see these rumors and more often than not, lies, on magazines.

It's important for media sources to realize the hurt these rumors can have on celebrity lives and relationships. I think there should be more restrictions on tabloids, I do not think it is right to plaster people's business, especially fabricated information all over a magazine. I understand they are celebrities, but they are people too and we should respect that they want privacy especially during difficult times. I could not imagine being Sandra Bullock and having my divorce and humiliation surrounding me on television, magazine covers, and on the radio. As for us viewers, we simply cannot buy into what we see. Often times, magazines will have false information on the cover just to SELL it to us and then when we actually read the story, you realize it's twisted all around. For example, my friend brought U.S. Weekly (magazine) to the beach the other day, on the front it said "Kim Kardashian is pregnant." The full inside story just clearly stated the she wanted to have a baby one day and was not pregnant at the moment. The tabloids seem to be getting worse and worse.

Me Generation

It has been said many times that our generation is selfish and we're looking out for one person, ourself. Not to say I don't think their are generous, compassionate, and unselfish people out there but we can definitely see some truth to this through social networking. How many times a day do we look at our notifications on Facebook? How concerned our we with our profile picture, making sure we look our best. How concerned are we with how many friends we have? Extremely concerned. In one of my class discussions last semester, people in the class were saying how often they looked at their Facebook just to see if they had any notifications (wall posts, picture comments, etc). That tells you an awful lot. We are concerned about our image and how we are perceived on the internet to our friends and peers.

Many people are concerned with how many friends they have on both Facebook and Twitter that they will just accept anyone. This is dangerous because we give out so much information through these sites including our hometown, date of birth, what we look like, and where we are (status updates). When we become too involved in our friend count that strangers are able to know everything about us, you know we have crossed the line. This is something we all should remember next time we go on Facebook, which was created to stay in touch with friends and family but has become more about us and less about others.

Brave Behind Technology

One of the things I have noticed with the use of text messaging, emails, instant messaging, or any non-verbal communication, through the Internet or our devices, is that people have a tendency to be particularly brave behind technology. I think we all have done this at one point or another. When I've had to cancel plans or something I feel bad about, I usually send a text message instead of calling the person. It is easier to tell people things or say your true feelings without having face-to-face contact or even hearing their voice. Another example, when my boss texts me and asks if I can go into work early, I usually don't (especially if it's nice outside!) but if she calls me and I hear her voice, I am more likely to say "yes," simply because it is harder to tell someone "no" than it is to write it. I can't believe how many times my friends have told me their boyfriends broke up with them via text message or through instant messaging. It is mind-boggling to think a person can make such a decision without face-to-face contact. I understand why people do it, because it's the easier option but I don't agree with it. This is one of the negative aspects of technology, we lack interpersonal skills.

In essence, we sometimes "hide" behind our cell phones or computers. Take cyber-bullying for instance. People are a lot more likely nowadays to bully online because they can do it anonymously without showing their face or getting in trouble sometimes. This has become a very serious matter in society and people have even taken their lives because they have been bullied so badly online. One of the culprits involved, of course, is social networking. It makes cyber bullying too easy and accessible. People are a lot more likely to publish something horrific about someone on the Internet because they think they won't have to deal with the consequences as opposed to doing it in school and also because it can reach a large amount of people within seconds. This is something we must deal with in our school systems and at home, it's important we don't take technology for granted and use it in a destructive, sometimes fatal way.

Stereotypes in Media

As you watch commercials, tv shows, and films, notice the use gender roles and ethnicity stereotypes. I once did a research proposal on the use of interracial stereotypes in children's commercials, they are one of the most obvious. Most times you will see dominantly white children with one or two AHANA children (African, Hispanic, Asian, Native American). However, they are not only seen in children's television but everywhere in the media. Women are shown as more passive, domesticated while men are portrayed as aggressive, successful, and in power. Women are also being dictated by the media as to what is beautiful and viewed as desirable. Different ethnicities are portrayed in stereotypical ways including Whites and Asians as intelligent and in leadership roles while African Americans are constantly associated with sports, music, and crime. It is sad to see in today's society that we can't break free of these stereotypes. You are more likely to watch a film with only African American actors geared towards African Americans and white actors geared towards white audiences. Next time you watch a commercial, film, and television show, notice the use of steretypes within gender and ethnicity.

The Media Decides

No matter which news station you watch nowadays, whether it is CNN, FOX, or E!, most of the channels are broadcasting the same "news." We have grown to idolize celebrities and become obsessed with their personal lives because the media tells us that's what is important. You used to have to watch E! News to get gossip on celebrities, now there are other celebrity news shows such as TMZ and Extra, but it does not stop there. If you watch "legit" news stations such as FOX or CNN, I'm sure you've seen them plastered with Lindsey Lohan, Britney Spears, Tiger Woods, and Charlie Sheen. Our obsession stems from the media telling us that what Tiger Woods is doing in his personal is far more important than politics, world wars, or social issues and movements. I remember one time in my Communications Foundations class, my professor asked the class how many people heard about another earthquake in Japan, only 2 people. He asked what was going on with Charlie Sheen, why he was all over the news, and the entire class could answer. Anothe issue, positive newsworthy stories of accomplishment and success are scarce while violence, corruption, and celebrities flood the news stations. It is  important that we take everything we hear with a grain of salt. We must face it, the media is trying to make a buck and sometimes will turn things around, manipulate, and lie to do so.

Kinect

Usually new technological advances are bashed in the media because of the negative effect it can have on an individual when used improperly, such as cell phones while driving or little kids not being interactive because of video games. However, video games have come a long way. After the numbers of childhood obesity increased in recent years, software companies decided to come up with interactive games for children. Just this past weekend, I had the chance to play XBOX Kinect which is a number of games that are controller-free and allows you to use your entire body to interact with the console. Not only that but some games provide an instructor to lead you through exercises. The best part about it is you don't have to leave your house and go to the gym to get exercise, instead you can do it right in your living room. Whether you're into sports, dancing, or adventure, there is a game for all different types of interests and activities.

Reality Television

I know most of you reading this probably have your own favorite reality television show(s) and I am guilty of it as well. Reality shows are becoming the new face of television. I remember when the "Real World" and "Survivor," were basically the only reality shows available. Do you remember the days when MTV was actually "MUSIC Television?!" When I turn on that channel now, I am either watching 16 and Pregnant or Teen Mom. (what is up with these teen mom shows anyway? i'll save that for another post) It used to be a channel of music videos and performances but now it's made up of strictly reality shows.

The issue with reality shows is they are simply false advertisement. This is most dangerous for young children or teens watching these shows because they develop a skewed vision of how the world is. They are not "real-life" situations. In fact, most reality television is aiming the camera towards celebrities or people with a lot of money on shows such as Keeping up with the Kardashians, Mobwives, Basketball wives, and Kendra. The majority of the viewers watching these shows cannot compete or even relate to the people on these shows, we tend to idolize these people simply because of what they have. And that's where the evolution of reality television comes into play. When the concept first started, reality television seemed more "real," than it does now. It is almost impossible to think it is not scripted. Some reality stars admit they only joined the show to break into the acting business. It is crazy to think we spend so much of our time watching other people's lives and being so caught up in it that we forget about our own goals and interests.