blogorama

So after Tuesday night’s class I now find myself analyzing everything I watch on TV, every website I visit, every ad I pay attention to, which music I’m listening to, etc and trying to analyze why exactly I’m taking part in that particular activity. It’s getting a little ridiculous to be honest with you. But I guess that’s what this class is all about. Being media literate and understanding that alot of the shit out there is just that – shit. I guess what’s really getting to me right now is that why is it considered shit? I admit I watch My Super Sweet 16 and in fact had just watched it right before class. I get just as angry as Paul said he does when he watches it, but I still watch it whenever it’s on. It repulses me, disgusts me, angers me, but yet I am thoroughly entertained by these whiney, spoiled 16 year olds. Why do I find this entertaining? Because it is unlike anything in my life. My life in no way, shape, or form resembles these children’s lives. And when it comes down to it I get the same satisfaction out of watching My Super Sweet 16 that I do from watching Dirty Jobs on the Discovery Channel or Intervention on A&E. I’m getting to peek into a world that is completely foreign to me. And I guess to me, that’s what entertainment is. I don’t want to sit around and watch a show about people going grocery shopping, filling their car with gas, reading textbooks for 3 hours, and staring into the fridge trying to find something for dinner. Cuz that’s my everyday life. The whold idea of media to me, at least as far as tv and movies go, is largely to entertain. Sure sometimes it’s used for educational purposes and I think that’s great. But mostly it’s car chases, fist fights, and crazy drunk sluts.

One comment Paul made really got me thinking afterwards. He used the opera and the ballet and accepted “cultured” forms of entertainment as “superior” alternatives to sitting on the couch and watching TV. But why are they superior? What if I happen to hate opera? Why should me sitting at home watching Dirty Dancing on VHS for the 248395489 time be considered less productive? Frankly I would get far more enjoyment out of watching Patrick Swasy prance around in a tight little tshirt than watch weird Italians belt out songs in languages I don’t understand. I don’t think that makes me any less of a civilized person. I think it all relates back to class relations. Not everyone can afford ballet tickets, but majority of people have cable or peasantvision. TV is much more accessible.

One of the habits I’m really trying to kick right now is my reading of celebrity gossip blogs (ie Perez Hilton). I hate reading it everyday. But yet I love it. I hate that he thinks everyone is gay and draws explicit pictures on photos of people and adores Paris Hilton. But I read his blog about 3 times a day. It’s ridiculous. For a reason I haven’t figured out yet, I enjoy being able to join in conversations about Nicole Richie’s Mexican vacation with Joel Madden or how many times last week Britney Spears didn’t wear underwear. It’s not useful knowledge. It serves me no greater purpose or reward, other than conversations that last less than 2 minutes because there isn’t much to say.

“So Justin dumped Cameron”
“Yea, it’s crazy.”
“Celebs never last in relationships.”
“I know. It’s crazy. I wonder what happened”
“Maybe he got bored.”
“Apparently he’s dating Jessica Biel and/or Scarlett Johannsen now.”
“Weird. That didn’t take long.”
“I know. What a man-whore.”
“So, wanna go rent a movie?”

I miss the days when there were only a few gossip rags and People magazine and that was all we had to report on the lives of celebrities. It wasn’t to long ago when that’s all there was. Less than 7 years, really. Anyways, this post was pretty much a big circle of speculation. As always! Here’s some culture for you all to enjoy:

I’m a little late on my post this week, but it’s been a bit helter skelter for me lately. This semester is for whatever reason, starting out hardcore. I wish I could say it dies down eventually… but it doesn’t. At least I only have 1 final though! woo!

The topic I really would like to address from class is one of the ‘20 reasons to study mass communication’. In particular, the reason that it affects the way we communicate. As I mentioned in my first post my favourite movie is Clueless. I know that sounds lame, but besides it being fantastically entertaining in a completely mindless sort of way, it really defined a generation. The term “whatever” really didn’t start until that movie – at least not on a total North American level. I find it really interesting how much that movie affected the way in which we talk to each other (clearly, I’m a sociology major and have been since birth). I remember watching Clueless when i was 11 or 12 and thinking “ohmigod, who the hell has a cellphone in high school?!?!”. And now everyone does. I got off topic again. Never fails.

I think media is also so important to study is because you really can’t get away from it. It’s embedded in every aspect of everything we do everyday of every year. You can watch tv on your cellphones and have GPS systems in your cars instead a plain old paper map. You can’t go anywhere in a westernized nation without encountering some form of technology and media outlet. It’s everywhere!