March 30, 2009

When talking to my peers I started out by asking the hot button question of ‘what do you think about the fee increases’. I found that although the answers varied in severity, the general feeling produced a negative vibe. I inquired about the various emails the chancellor has been sending the student body and people were outraged. “UMass is supposed to generate a sense of pride for not just the students, but for the entire state of Massachusetts” one student said, “I don’t see how they can create that proud feeling state wide if the students are not proud of the school.” As she continued listing reasons as to why UMass has recently taken on the less that dignified position amongst students she mentioned that ‘taking away student organizations and sports teams’ was an ‘unproductive and disloyal way of dealing with the situation’.

Many students whom I have talked to seem confused about the process of the fee increases with regard to what they will be cutting as far as staff, programming and construction for next year. “If you are getting rid of 300 staff members and cutting a number of programs why do you need to raise our fee’s” one of my friends mentioned in conversation. Contrary to that statement I had a conversation with a friend who had a more conservative approach to this situation. She attends Ithaca College in upstate New York and ‘didn’t understand why students at my school were so furious about the $1,500

increase in fees. We have fee increases every year to cover the cost of inflation and no one ever complains’.

What I also found with regard to the fee increase situation, and the overall economic crisis in general was that students did not generally seem to mention the job scarcity issue. In fact many students I talkedto seemed to think that because of this economic crisis and the increase in fees less students would graduate meaning their would be less competition for job placement. On a personal level, I find this sentiment incredibly and unavoidably selfish. If you are lucky enough to afford college, and fortunate enough to graduate than you deserve a good job- but what about the kids who couldn’t afford college but could have been fortunate enough to cure cancer or become a great politician? It seems in our nature to think of ourselves first, our wants second and others last.

Many people argue that the teenage years of a person are the years which they are most impressionable, but for our generation I would like to argue that we are born as inherently impressionable people. When I went though the interview process with most of my friends they started by denying that they were influenced by media, “Cosmo is so bullshit” one friend mentioned. But the further we discussed these media outlets as sources of personality and life she rephrased the sentence to “Cosmo is so bullshit, but don’t get me wrong I love it”. It seems as though my friends, who have all been influenced by the likes of Sut Jhally and other media critics, know that media serves as a poor representation of our generation, but still they play into these depictions a if nothing is wrong.

Could this be from denial, self consciousness perhaps regret. Whatever the case media influences seem to be unavoidable for our generation. One of the most striking things I came across in this interview process was this tendency of being older than your age. “I remember thinking, ‘wow my friends are really young’ and trying to look as old as the people we saw on TV. It seemed as though every episode was a new year and everyone was just getting older and older” said one of my interviewees Grace.

She bought up a very good point- TV shows are portraying their teenage characters using actors who are well above 20, magazines like Seventeen are targeting girls who are 11 and up. As these children continue to grow up at this rapid pace, they are being raped them of any real childhood. Is that fair? I think a great way to show these ‘media perverts’ how detrimental childhood is would be to ask them ‘Would you like your daughter or niece spread on the front page of a #1 magazine in nothing but a blanket?’- because I can assure you Billy Ray Cyrus didn’t, yet that’s where 16 year old [then 15] Mylie Cyrus ended up.

We have made the step of understanding our generations representation in media is unacceptable- but now it is time for us to take action and stop buying into the media that is tearing us down. Think about it- why would you want to buy into a media that represents us poorly, wouldn’t you want to bring the down? We as generation have tremendous power in media because we are their main consumers- if we stop funding them, stop supporting them and top buying into what they have to say, they will be left to their own devices and maybe they will stop exploiting and actually start entertaining.

How I understand the economic crisis. March 30, 2009

When reading the assigned blogs, articles and websites dealing with the issue of the economic rescission and my generation I could not help but be sad. Our country is clearly going through an incredibly hard time, and the ever present economic crisis seems to be hitting everyone. Seeing some of the more direct effects this is having on my personal generation was devastating. I feel as though this can be attributed to a number of things, but I would like to focus the reason that I find most prevalent.

I find that our generation has fallen victim to the overwhelming amount of influences the current media has created. As a generation we have been flooded with new ways and outlets to spend our money- and now we have been given a way to spend the money easily, conveniently, and even if we don’t have it. The incredible powers of the credit card are driving our generation  into a debt ridden group of youth that are controlled by big businesses. The way I see it is that credit card companies feed off of the youth who are coaxed into signing up for one of these plastic demons by the free tee-shirt or the incredible power to purchase. Media influences the youth to partake in purchases, and stores and online shopping networks make it easy and convenient to shop when and where you want to. Finally, the money the youth spend on these purchase get flushed back into the economy- but, when the youth don’t actually have the funds to pay for their purchase they build up debt and hurt the economy.

This is not to say that my generation, the millennials as they are called in some readings,  are the cause of our current economic state, but rather that we have grown up not acknowledging how our consumer behavior has effected the economy. Now we as a generation we are facing the worst of this recession with hiked up school fees, higher loan rates and increased debt.

I think about my life as a consumer in comparison to that of my parents and grandparents. As I grew up my parents frequently reminded me that when they were growing up they did not have half as much stuff as I did. That could be a fault on their part for purchasing such items for me, it could be a fault on my part for desiring such items, or it could be a fault on the part of corporations who created these items.  Whoever the culprit in this situation is, nothing can change our want attitude towards consumerism. This sort of ‘wanting’ comes hand and hand with our ability to instantly purchase through shopping outlets, credit cards and the way we were brought up.

I believe that the only way we can rise above this recession is to rise above and alter our practices as consumers. Whether this means not buying new shoes every season, or not charging your spring break on a credit card- I believe that changing the way we think about our purchasing power we can end the recession and ultimately live a wealthier life.

However, being the objective person I am I took the time to read up on what may not be so negative about this economic crisis. On a personal level I believe that this current economic crisis is a great learning tool for the future. When you think about it, until this crisis occurred we as a generation thought less and less about the economy and the giant impact we have on the market, but now it is essentially unavoidable. I feel as though the current crisis is a continuation of the economic circle. Our parents grew up influenced by our grandparents who survived the great depression. Their consumer behavior, their spending habits, and their understanding of a want versus’ a need were incredibly influenced by the great depression. We as a generation have not had similar influences and our understanding of consumerism has gotten out of control. Now we are faced with a crisis that is by no means as severe as the great depression, but is never the less an economic hardship that we will have to over come. This crisis will undoubtedly change our consumer habits and beliefs and will eventually lead to the reevaluation of our consumer behaviors. I refer to this as the economic circle because I hope and believe that this situation will influence our children as the great depression impacted our parents. These economic hardships offer a learning opportunity and a chance to become more aware of the reasons, repercussions and reactions they create and help society become more prepared for their almost unavoidable arrival. I can already see that this economic crisis is being handled much better than the great depression, and it is hard to believe that if the depression didn’t happen that we would have been a prepared for this crisis.

Additionally, the economy can be a forgiving place. I have just blamed the economic crisis on our generation- but research shows that this recession is in fact not totally negative for people under 35. In an MSN money article journalist Liz Pulliam Weston tries to pull the positives out of this crisis by debating that for people under 35 this is actually a good thing. The price of houses has dropped, and credit is so low that borrowing money is almost impossible. She also argues that because the price of stocks is so low, we should invest our money in them now with the hope of large sales in the future. On a personal level I question the legitimacy of these claims, but give Ms. Weston kudos for the attempted optimism.

To read more about the potential positives of this crisis I suggest you take a brief look at ‘The Student LoanDown’ blog and the following entry on international refuge for the crisis.

This is the real me… manufactured by the media. March 9, 2009

There have been many things that have impacted my life, but for right now I will focus on the media. I breakdown medias impact into three main catagories that are both specific and general in their implications.

Media and my body image

I struggled with body image issues when I was younger and much was to do with the media surrounding my life. I constantly thought that my size was too big, and because I was young and vulnerable there were times when these worries took over any fun I could have in my life. I took a Cosmopoliton magazine from my friend and created this collage just from clippings I found in the issue. I was incredibly disgusted because I found that although they pride themselves on helping women be healthy… they ultimately end up putting them down and making them very self conscious about their bodies. Constantly creating flaws out of natural occurrences, like cellulite. I find that media wants to be portrayed as this place that positively influence the majority, but they end up getting into the minds of readers and making them ever more self conscious. This cycle of putting ourselves down has to end.

Media as an outlet into severe consumerism.

How many magazines do you see on the shelf that are dedicated to fashion, I bet you can’t name them all. Fashion has become a superpower industry that thrives off the consumer culture created by media. Media has become an outlet for showcasing the seasons ‘hottest trends’ and showing how much money you can pay to be fashionable. They showcase celebrity styles which are priced so insanely high that they are out of reach for most consumers. They show a ‘steal this look for cheaper’ version which is still too expensive for most consumers- they put fashion in an incredibly hard to reach place. I find that fashion creates an unrealistic sense of worth in a consumer, making them feel that if they can’t have this weeks hit pair of shoes, they can’t live. For those who choose to deny the fashion world satisfaction they bombard them with mean comments from the fashion police and pulling the plug on creativity in the industry.

Media as an outlet for distraction

Every form of media has the unruly trait of distracting anyone from something they need to do. TV channels have TV programs during the after school hours which cater to the children who need to do homework, they have websites that can distract anyone with a computer away from their job, and even the magazines and newspapers have sections dedicated to nothing but distracting people from their everyday lives. Much of what is causing distraction is the obsession with celebrity life. The problem with this type of distraction is that is creates an unhealthy obsession with gossip and other peoples lives. Many celebrity based reality TV shows make citizens feel like their lives are unsubstantial in comparison. Even if their lives are terrible, like those of MTV’s rehab show, people still love the idea that their lives are taped for the public to watch.  Media also creates a model for how social interactions should take place, from how you interact with your parents (like Meet the Kardasian’s) or how you interact with your husband (MTV’s Newly Wed’s). TV shows like these offer a look into how other people live their lives and pulls everyday people away from their lives. People are aware of how pathetic and sick this practice is, yet still give into it. Why do we let our live be taken over by the lives of others?

So as you may see through these illustrations and talking points media has advanced to the point where it ha started to manufacture life, showing people how they should look, what they should do and talk about how, and how they should act. There are media outlets for every different weird aspect of life, and it is we, the consumers who fund it. How does that make you feel?

Blogging Adventure. March 9, 2009

So this week I went on an adventure through the blogging world to see what I could find and frankly, I was excited. I examined different aspects of what makes a blog effective, looking at the set up of the page, the writing style and the engagement of the audience. This is what I found:

Izzy Neis:

1. Disney + Starwars= Weird
The content was very amusing, it was shorter than other entries I have seen
The Photos were set up in a straight diagonal line and were positioned on the left hand side, I did not find this visually satisfying.

2. Dark Super Heros and Childish Action Figures:
I liked the flow of the entry, it started out as a personal story, but turned into a fun sort of advocacy for the reinvention of old school action figures/super heros.
The photo was placed at the top in the center and helped the reader find the sentence.
There were multiple outside links to other websites which made it easy to read more about a certain topic mentioned.

3.Top brands (Globally):
I read the article before I realized that it was a press release blog so was confused at the set up because it seemed more like a newspaper article that a blog.
This is because when you write for a big newspaper you are writing for a more general audience than when you are blogging.
I thought the quotes were useful.
I did not enjoy reading this as much as I did other blogs I read.

4.Hey! Who stole my Twittles? I mean Skittles!
I enjoyed this blog because at the beginning of the entry the author stated specifically that many people would not agree with him so they should feel free to comment at the bottom of the page- and the comments actually struck up a conversation.
There were a lot of  advertisements on the page which squished all the writing onto one half of the page, this made it hard to keep your eyes always focused on the right half of the page.
The blogger catered to people who were familiar with the situation, and to those who were not by doing a brief background on the page.
I felt like the blogger was on the verge of advocacy because of their blatant display of opinion, but  did also get the impression that the blogger was attempting to raise a topic of discussion.

5.Happy Birthday Dr. Seuss! 10 things you didn’t know about Dr. Seuss and 2 great Seuss themed gifts!
The title of this blog entry definitely pulled me in to read it because it is so noticeable above other titles.
The page itself was not terribly interesting but the topic covered was, as well as the pictures, video and links that were posted.
I felt like the blogger created this entry for the purpose of journaling because they were not advocating for a particular cause and it was not a news story but rather an information filled journal entry.

Outside the (toy) box:

1. Corporate Babysitter
This was a definite cry for attention, a total advocacy blog.
The blogger used her personal dissatisfaction with a subject matter and incorporated outside experiences and it turns out to engage the reader.

2. Reality TV/Kid Nation
The content was incredibly objective. I would have thought that the blogger would have bashed the show completely but they stated a reason for why and why not-this made it easier to relate to.
There was a link to the TV show at the bottom which I utilized.

3. Webkins
This particular entry seemed like it was going to be better than it was because of the title. However, I was sorely disappointed when I found that the blogger did not dive into detail about the subject matter- as had been the case in the last entries.
I again enjoyed the links to other posts and blogs, but wish that the blogger had made more of an effort to go more into depth about the subject matter.

4. Mattel apologizes to China?
This was another large rant by this blogger.
She again used her personal experiences to talk about frustration with the subject matter.
I overall believe that this blogger has made it possible that the correct amount of information is shared because people comment on most of her entries,  and the bottom of the page becomes a place of social interaction and idea sharing.

Personal Blogs:

1.Disney Girls- That’s enough!
This was a long entry that I read, it did however maintain my attention because of the story telling form of writing.
There were sufficient examples for every statement that was made.
The format of the blog was incredibly visually pleasing because it was simple and allowed for main focus to stay on the information.

2.Apple iPhone New York Times article.
This blog, well the entry more specifically, was a brief description of Apples new iPhone ad.
The entry was short and to the point so much so that it left me wanted to look for more information.
Sometimes leaving part of the story or information out makes the reader more engaged in the topic.

3.FMLife
This is a anonymous blog, where anyone can post their stories.
It has become a community thing not just on the internet but in physical life too.
It is a place where people can express stories in their life that have gone terribly wrong, and others can decide whether they deserved it-or if it just sucked.
It is really interesting to read-but I think makes people more likely to engage in self-pity.

4.Girls say what!?
This was a blog about a website, AllyKatz
What I gathered is that it takes the information they receive from the Tween girls who access AllyKAtz and blog about it in this blog for an older generation.
I think this is a surefire example of how you can create who you are on the web, because this women has created the a way to communicate with the Tweens, but then shares the information with their parents.
“I am directly tapped into the tween girl community every day… part of their conversations and a huge part of their world” leaves me a little uneasy because parents should be able to communicate with their tween daughters directly not though a website.

After my adventure into the blogging world I realized that I still have much to learn with this, so hopefully you will see some great advances in my blogging skills in the recent future!

Girls rule, boys rule. February 16, 2009

The gender readings for this class really reopened my eyes up to a whole slew of ethical issues I have with the media. Having studied gender issues and portrayals in media previous to this class I had been aware the misleading perceptions of women (and men!) in media. When it came time to do the cartoons and drawings for the assignment I decided to frame my art around the influences surrounding women’s ideas of themselves.

I have always believed that media creates the image of an unhealthy relationship between men and women. The relationship between men and women has a serious impact on how women feel about themselves. They frequently strive to “be good enough” for men, whether through looks, style or attitude. Women have started to lessen themselves, to become someone who the aren’t, to become fake in order to attract men.

Media has a fixation on ‘thin women’ or ‘skinny women’, but often shun those who are of healthy size. I use the phrase ‘100 calorie women’ as a play on the 100 calorie packs that companies have started to produce and market directly at women. We are taught to ‘crush the temptation’ by indulging in one of the miniscule 100 calorie packs. Teaching women that it is only okay to give into temptation when it comes in a fat free form is denying us our rights as human.

If I want to eat French fries, I will. I don’t need to be on my period to eat chocolate, and someone does not need to break my heart for me to have an excuse to eat Ben and Jerry’s ice cream. Our society has created foods and snacks that are legal for all to eat, but why do we give into these ‘social sins’. We are the owners of our bodies, but we continue to let media reign over our rights as eaters.

Childhood and Consumerhood… what is the difference? February 16, 2009

My life as a consumer has been a long and winding road of purchases that stem directly from my unique hobbies and interests. The time line showcases the flow of influences and habits that helps persuade many of my purchases. Starting from my birth in New York and ending with my last semester where I was studying abroad in London you can see the specific products and life events that shaped my history.

Through the time line you can see that many of my purchases have been more practical than frivolous. I spent more money on bathing suits for swimming than I did on Polly Pocket and other toys of the time. I recount the influence my family has had on my eating habits, stemming from my families move from New York to Boston and my younger brothers diabetes. I bring up 2 big parts of my life, which are my friend group/my school (7-12 grade) and my dedication to my summer camp. Both of these have shaped my consumer habits I a good way. They have helped me find who I am. Doing this timeline allowed me to evaluate my history.

I always thought that I was an uber-consumer, that I was heavily influenced by media, and that my spending habits were obsessive. I have realized though that I am not entirely like that, that I do not fully let media shape my purchases.

Hello blogger world! February 11, 2009

This is my first blog. I am making it for one of my courses this spring. I will be talking about issues with media pertaining mostly to the influence of youth. I hope this interests you.