"At Least SNL Will Be Really Funny"

Although it seems like all the buzz about the election has died down a lot over the past few weeks, I still thought it would be interesting to look at how the media has chosen to react to this event. The day after the election, when we all came back to work or school feeling disappointed in our country, my friend said to me, "At least SNL will be really funny." Overtime since November 8th, her statement has proven to be true, and I've seen it all over social media as well.

Personally, I get a lot of entertainment out of other people making fun of the United States' president-elect, because he always gives us the perfect opportunities. Saturday Night Live has had some funny episodes, and sites like Twitter and Instagram are home to funny photos and videos that have gone viral in regards to Donald Trump's victory. Many have taken the social media buzz as an opportunity to voice their opinions, but I think when people use it as an opportunity for comedy or jokes about the future president is even better.

Take Joe Biden and Barack Obama as an example. A few weeks ago, my friend tweeted: "the obama and biden memes about trump coming to the white house are HILARIOUS one of the only good things to come out of this catastrophe," and I must agree, for they are pretty great.

This is just one example of one of the most appropriate ones I could find, but I think that it's interesting to see how everyone on social media websites are reacting to the election. If this is their response, I say it was very appropriate; these are great, and we might as well find some positivity in a terrible situation.

*Pretends to Look into Camera Like I'm on The Office*

Over the summer, I started watching NBC's beloved TV series, The Office. Instantly, I fell in love with all the characters, the film style, and the kind of comedy presented in the show. Something that NBC's television series is pretty well known for is their camera angle/recording style, and their use of many people's favorite film feature--zoom.

Throughout the series, all of the characters onscreen are aware they are being filmed, and of where the cameras are, and tend to look into them a lot. For example, after Dwight does something crazy, or Creed will make a random, nonsensical comment, a character will often look straight into the camera as a reaction, and the lens will focus on them and zoom in, to get the full effect of the look from the character. Not only does this clearly emphasize and convey the characters' feelings on the situation, but it's also really funny to watch, and just adds even more humor to an already hilarious show.

Jim Halpert gif

(An example of a character looking into the camera as described)

Santa's Coming!!!!! and so are Savings!!!!

As everyone knows, the holidays are coming, and I think I can speak for everyone as I say, it's certainly the most wonderful time of the year, just like the song says! I know that I am so ready to spend time with my friends and family, exchange gifts with everyone, and get wrapped up in blankets and watch holiday movies while drinking hot chocolate during break--the typical winter traditions. With the holiday spirit in mind, this week, with my media blog, I decided to use it as an opportunity to look at the ways in which the media portrays the holiday season.

To me, Christmas is all the things I mentioned above, especially being with the people you love, but it doesn't seem like that's how the media sees it. When the holiday season approaches, advertisers, in specific, use it as a way to get people to buy their products more than ever. Right around the time of Thanksgiving is when companies start releasing commercials that have to do with savings on things you know your friends or family members may want to get as gifts. This may sound cheesy or obvious, but to a lot of people, Christmas or other holidays is about being with all of your loved ones on a special day, but the media portrays the holidays as merely: presents, deals, and amazing deals on presents! Although this is great for gift buyers on a budget, it would be nice to see something in the media about the holidays besides saving money.

The Persuaders

Nowadays, everywhere you look, you see some sort of advertisement around you. Turn on the TV; a commercial is often the first thing you see. Look out the window of your car on the freeway; a giant ad for who know's what is always being projected on billboards everywhere. Surf the web to research for a paper; customized online ads will pop up, specifically directed at you and your interests. This is how powerful the media and advertisers have become in our lives.

As shown to us by Douglass Rushkoff in Frontline's The Persuaders, advertisers have certain tactics that they use on consumers to convince them to buy their products, and it works. Persuaders focus on giving people an identity with advertisements, satisfying their needs, telling customers what they want to hear, choosing the appropriate words to best sell an issue, and most of all, to induce people to persuade themselves. Advertisers appeal to your emotions and values, because that's what will convince you the most, and unfortunately it does. The techniques used by persuaders are successful because of how much they make consumers believe that their product will fulfill their needs or desires.

(Douglas Rushkoff, The Persuaders. "What advertising has always wanted to do is not simply to suffuse the atmosphere but to become the atmosphere.")

In some ways, the way the media and technology in general is used and has developed over time is incredible, and really helps civilization advance, but as things like advertisements start to become all that we see and somehow take control of our emotions and thoughts, the media may not be exactly what it should be. I typically don't sit down on the couch and watch TV a lot, so I don't see quite as much advertising or as many commercials as others may, but ads are all over the place, and it's crazy, and somewhat sad, to see just how much they can affect people's feelings and decisions. 

Teenagers Are Bad!!!

A trend I've noticed a lot lately in the media is, for lack of a better term, bashing on teenagers. Don't get me wrong, I'm sure plenty of the things that are said about teenagers are entirely true, but it sort of seems like our age group is the perfect target for the media, because we always seem to be mentioned on social media, shows/movies, and especially in commercials. Of course, I realize that, as a teenager (I am almost ashamed to call myself that sometimes), I am constantly making stupid mistakes, or saying meaningless nonsense without thinking, but I find it interesting that this kind of thing is what's projected to the public through the media.

For example, just the other day during Thanksgiving break, my mom, my brother, and I were packing up our suitcases to go home as the TV was on, playing pointless commercials in the background. One commercial that came on was advertising for some kind of skin care product and the commercial's voiceover was a woman saying something like, "Teenagers are always breaking out because they're lazy, and can't stick to a basic routine." Right after she heard that, my mom proceeded to groan and exclaim "True!" Obviously, this is only one example of how teenagers are portrayed by the media (as lazy), but I've noticed a similar pattern within many other advertisements as well.

What really interests me is the fact that commercials are directing their ads away from teenagers, because typically, parents aren't the ones sitting around watching TV all day, that usually happens to be kids. Although, in the example, I used, my mom was the one who commented on the advertisement, in reference to her own experience with me, her teenage daughter, which demonstrates the kind of reaction the advertisers were probably hoping for–for a parent to see it, relate to it, and possibly buy their product. Unfortunately in attempt to sell their product, advertisers often focus their negative attention on the "laziest" people they know–teenagers.

Are They All Just a Bunch of "Gazillionaires?"

The latest news of the United States' president-elect Donald Trump, is his appointed Cabinet, and the specifics on the people he chose. There are a lot of articles flying around the web, in newspapers, on television, etc. and they all seem to be primarily focused on one thing: Trump's entire cabinet consists of some of America's wealthiest people, just like Mr. Trump himself. In all of these stories, I've noticed something that they all have in common: none of them seem to make him or his choices look good, which is interesting to me, because I'd expect to see a lot of controversy on the subject, especially in the media. I certainly agree with this tone being conveyed through all of these articles, but it just surprised me to see this because unfortunately, there are many supporters of Donald Trump, who I would've guessed would have something to say on the matter. Interestingly enough though, this is the kind of voice that the media has chosen to express in their writing–as the majority of people who read stories like these also have this outlook, and can relate and identify with the voice/tone being expressed. Reading these articles made me realize how interesting it is to see what kinds of stories and perspectives the media will and won't broadcast to the public, in attempt to appeal to the masses.

In the first article I came across, it seemed pretty unbiased and educational–merely trying to get the information out in the open, for it was basically just an overview of who Trump has chosen. Then, I scrolled back to the top of the page, and reread the first few lines: "President-elect Donald Trump is building out his Cabinet with allies, old friends, and even some former rivals." Reading it again, for what may be the fourth or fifth time, it doesn't seem all that negative, but I feel like they may be adding a little bit of character to a news report just full of Trump's Cabinet picks with the phrase: "allies, old friends, and even some former rivals." It may not have much of a meaning to some, but I feel like that word choice doesn't really put Mr. Trump in the best position. 

NBC News: Donald Trump's Cabinet Picks

On the other hand, POLITICO's article was pretty biased, I'd say, including many subtle implications of Donald Trump's hypocrisy and unfairness by providing readers with a few hypocritical quotes from Mr. Trump as well as his extremely diverse (sense the sarcasm?) appointees along with all of their astonishingly high net worths.

POLITICO: Donald Trump's Team of Gazillionaires

As more news on Donald Trump's dreaded, soon-to-be presidency is disclosed, it will be interesting to see how the media projects the information.

The "Me" in "Media"

Many will argue what a profoundly meaningful impact media has had on their lives, which in some ways, may very well be true, but with pros, come cons, and I think that media definitely has its share. For most, the media is a way of education, interacting with others, or merely for entertainment–whether it be from watching videos on YouTube, streaming movies or TV shows on Netflix, or playing games through online gaming sites. To a certain extent, this is great–seeing the ways in which modern-day civilization has developed and advanced in the ways of technology and the disclosure of information using technology–but I know that many quickly become addicted. People become addicted to their devices, because they can't look away from what's happening on their timeline with their friends, family, celebrities they look up to, or anything about the world around them. I know that this has become our reality, because I am constantly struggling with the need to check my phone or computer all the time to see what new things are happening around me for some reason, even if I don't actually care. Almost all of us battle with ourselves just to refrain from our addiction to the media. We've become so involved in this, that we choose to ignore the real world, and focus on the virtual one that's represented on our tiny phone screens, through Instagram, Snapchat, Twitter, etc.

(Ironically, I might never have found this photo to use if I hadn't scrolled through my homepage on Instagram earlier today!)

I know that even being preoccupied with other, more important tasks or activities, doesn't stop our urge to open that text, or check to see if our favorite sports team is winning, because as I write this with my phone sitting next to me, buzzing from Snapchats or whatever else, it's surprisingly hard to resist the desire to pick it up for just a second to check, rather than ignoring it and moving on, like we know we should.

Of course, the media is certainly not all bad or addictive; there are many ways in which it's extremely helpful. Personally, I know I can use it as a way to express myself, whether it be through pictures or words, and I'm sure that many others use it for that as well. The media also provides us with new information about the world or people around us, through the newspaper, local/world news TV shows, or articles online, which is what I use at least once every week when I write up my current events for Mr. Wong's class. I think in these ways, the media is a vital tool in the lives of many, but as people get carried away, we eventually become addicted to the more meaningless things we see in the media, no matter how much we want to deny it.