Wednesday, December 3, 2008
Reality Show
My favorite reality show is The Hills. What made me watch it is the drama and seeing how the rich live their lives, there is not a dull moment on the show and I continue to watch it every week because of that reason and because as I watch every episode, I want to see what happens next, who ends up with who. I would love to have the money aspect they have, going out and buying whatever I want. However I would not want the drama in my life, I do fine without it.
Chapter 50 Summary
In this chapter, Representation adn Difference by Stuart Hall, he explained that how society makes sense of what is happening in the world is through differences. Hall goes on to divide these into 4 main catagories and theories on how we differ things:
1. Linguistics- The essential of knowing what difference is is to know the opposite of it, ex: dark and light
2. Language- We know what differences are because we can put them to a dialogue.
3. Anthropological- Cultures giving different items a meaning.
4. Psychoanalytic- The "other" is to our identity as a subject and our sexual identity
1. Linguistics- The essential of knowing what difference is is to know the opposite of it, ex: dark and light
2. Language- We know what differences are because we can put them to a dialogue.
3. Anthropological- Cultures giving different items a meaning.
4. Psychoanalytic- The "other" is to our identity as a subject and our sexual identity
Chapter 49 Summary
This chapter, The Society of Spectacle, by Guy Debord, was about illusions and sacredness and that our society is bombarded with a mass amount of images and representation. These have become such a dominate part in our lives that we are forgetting about our own personal experiences.
Thursday, November 20, 2008
Favorite Song Lyrics
Love Story
by Taylor Swift
We were both young when I first saw you.
I close my eyes and the flashback starts:
I'm standing there on a balcony in summer air.
See the lights, see the party, the ball gowns.
See you make your way through the crowd
and say hello;
Little did I know
That you were Romeo; you were throwing pebbles,
And my daddy said, "Stay away from Juliet."
And I was crying on the staircase,
begging you, 'Please, don't go.'"
And I said,
"Romeo, take me somewhere we can be alone.
I'll be waiting; all there's left to do is run.
You'll be the prince and I'll be the princess
It's a love story - baby just say 'Yes.'"
So I sneak out to the garden to see you.
We keep quiet 'cause we're dead if they knew.
So close your eyes; escape this town for a little while.
'Cause you were Romeo, I was a scarlet letter,
And my daddy said "Stay away from Juliet,"
But you were everything to me; I was begging you, 'Please, don't go,'"
And I said,
"Romeo, take me somewhere we can be alone.
I'll be waiting; all there's left to do is run.
You'll be the prince and I'll be the princess
It's a love story - baby just say 'Yes.'
Romeo save me - they're tryin' to tell me how to feel;
This love is difficult, but it's so real.
Don't be afraid; we'll make it out of this mess.
It's a love story - baby just say "Yes.'"
Oh.
I got tired of waiting,
Wondering if you were ever comin' around.
My faith in you was fading
When I met you on the outskirts of town,
And I said,
"Romeo save me - I've been feeling so alone.
I keep waiting for you but you never come.
Is this in my head? I don't know what to think-"
He knelt to the ground and pulled out a ring and said,
"Marry me, Juliet - you'll never have to be alone.
I love you and that's all I really know.
I talked to your dad - go pick out a white dress;
It's a love story - baby just say 'Yes.'"
Oh, oh.
We were both young when I first saw you...
by Taylor Swift
We were both young when I first saw you.
I close my eyes and the flashback starts:
I'm standing there on a balcony in summer air.
See the lights, see the party, the ball gowns.
See you make your way through the crowd
and say hello;
Little did I know
That you were Romeo; you were throwing pebbles,
And my daddy said, "Stay away from Juliet."
And I was crying on the staircase,
begging you, 'Please, don't go.'"
And I said,
"Romeo, take me somewhere we can be alone.
I'll be waiting; all there's left to do is run.
You'll be the prince and I'll be the princess
It's a love story - baby just say 'Yes.'"
So I sneak out to the garden to see you.
We keep quiet 'cause we're dead if they knew.
So close your eyes; escape this town for a little while.
'Cause you were Romeo, I was a scarlet letter,
And my daddy said "Stay away from Juliet,"
But you were everything to me; I was begging you, 'Please, don't go,'"
And I said,
"Romeo, take me somewhere we can be alone.
I'll be waiting; all there's left to do is run.
You'll be the prince and I'll be the princess
It's a love story - baby just say 'Yes.'
Romeo save me - they're tryin' to tell me how to feel;
This love is difficult, but it's so real.
Don't be afraid; we'll make it out of this mess.
It's a love story - baby just say "Yes.'"
Oh.
I got tired of waiting,
Wondering if you were ever comin' around.
My faith in you was fading
When I met you on the outskirts of town,
And I said,
"Romeo save me - I've been feeling so alone.
I keep waiting for you but you never come.
Is this in my head? I don't know what to think-"
He knelt to the ground and pulled out a ring and said,
"Marry me, Juliet - you'll never have to be alone.
I love you and that's all I really know.
I talked to your dad - go pick out a white dress;
It's a love story - baby just say 'Yes.'"
Oh, oh.
We were both young when I first saw you...
Chapter 42 a& 43
Chapter 42 Summary:
Chapter 42, The Power of Rock Music by Simon Frith, is about that people focus on the words of rock music when we must understand it as a form of music. People look at the words and analyze the song from that. But in actuality the impact of rock music is in the the music itself. There are two important parts in the music, sounds and music. And overall rock music is made "in order to have emotional, social, physical, commercial results" and not just music for the sake of it. We listen to music for the emotional aspect of it.
Key Terms:
-Rock Music: A primitive form of music that is made of sound and music
-Words: The lyrical aspect of rock music
-Lyrical Analysis: Analyzing the words and lyrics of the music for the meaning
-Prelinguistic Devices: The sounds and rhythms of the music
Chapter 43
In chapter 43, Artistic Texts by Yuri Lotman, Lotman explained why art is considered as text and that art is a complicated matter. Art contains messages and we as a society see everything as art, nothing is bad art because each hold a message. The message is interpreted in different ways depending on the person and since it is complicated we take a small message the first time and go back to uncover more.
Key Terms:
-Art: Art is a text because it contains a message for the viewers
Chapter 42, The Power of Rock Music by Simon Frith, is about that people focus on the words of rock music when we must understand it as a form of music. People look at the words and analyze the song from that. But in actuality the impact of rock music is in the the music itself. There are two important parts in the music, sounds and music. And overall rock music is made "in order to have emotional, social, physical, commercial results" and not just music for the sake of it. We listen to music for the emotional aspect of it.
Key Terms:
-Rock Music: A primitive form of music that is made of sound and music
-Words: The lyrical aspect of rock music
-Lyrical Analysis: Analyzing the words and lyrics of the music for the meaning
-Prelinguistic Devices: The sounds and rhythms of the music
Chapter 43
In chapter 43, Artistic Texts by Yuri Lotman, Lotman explained why art is considered as text and that art is a complicated matter. Art contains messages and we as a society see everything as art, nothing is bad art because each hold a message. The message is interpreted in different ways depending on the person and since it is complicated we take a small message the first time and go back to uncover more.
Key Terms:
-Art: Art is a text because it contains a message for the viewers
Wednesday, November 19, 2008
Chapter 32 Overview and Key Terms
In chapter 32, The Postmodern Eye by Jack Solomon, he states that as a result
of the postmodern style the narrative as we know it is no more. Post modern is
the age of instant communicatin, as Solomon says, for example tv, radio and
cinema. There are no narrative and it essentaily is just a series as "skits".
Solomon says that as a result of this the narrative has lost its power and
that life is now "decentered" because the narrative is no more. He goes as far
as saying "life is nothing more than a decentered, narrativeless course of
waiting for death" basically saying that now our life has no more meaning, not
like what it once was.
Key Words.
-Postmodernism: instant communication for example tv and radio
-Postmodern Eye: viewing the world through the tv lense or movie lense
-narrative: creating meaning to meaningless and makes sense of things that do
not make sense
-decentered: losing the narrative no longer revolving around it, which was what
we centered ourselves around before postmodernism.
of the postmodern style the narrative as we know it is no more. Post modern is
the age of instant communicatin, as Solomon says, for example tv, radio and
cinema. There are no narrative and it essentaily is just a series as "skits".
Solomon says that as a result of this the narrative has lost its power and
that life is now "decentered" because the narrative is no more. He goes as far
as saying "life is nothing more than a decentered, narrativeless course of
waiting for death" basically saying that now our life has no more meaning, not
like what it once was.
Key Words.
-Postmodernism: instant communication for example tv and radio
-Postmodern Eye: viewing the world through the tv lense or movie lense
-narrative: creating meaning to meaningless and makes sense of things that do
not make sense
-decentered: losing the narrative no longer revolving around it, which was what
we centered ourselves around before postmodernism.
Chapter 31 Postmodern or Modern
Chapter 31
Picture 1- Postmodernism because of the mix of high culture and pop culture
Picture 2- Modernism because it is abstract expressionism and it is "serious"
art
Picture 3- Modernism because there is a unified style, there is an overall
narrative and it is harmonious.
Picture 4- Postmodernism because of the fragmented style and local narratives
in the painting.
Picture 5- Postmodernism because it is pop art and it a "punk" feel to it.
Picture 1- Postmodernism because of the mix of high culture and pop culture
Picture 2- Modernism because it is abstract expressionism and it is "serious"
art
Picture 3- Modernism because there is a unified style, there is an overall
narrative and it is harmonious.
Picture 4- Postmodernism because of the fragmented style and local narratives
in the painting.
Picture 5- Postmodernism because it is pop art and it a "punk" feel to it.
Monday, November 17, 2008
Chapter 45 & 46
Summary of chapter 45:
In chapter 45, Humor and Communication by William F. Fry Jr, Fry looked at what humor is and how we find humor funny. Fry said that humor is seen as a play, and this will give the audience the signal that the humor is not "real" but "unreal" for the funny aspect of it. There must be punch lines and climax to the joke, there are no rules as to how but there must be one. Fry also talks about the sudden reversals in the jokes. The reversals are there to enforce the punch line and humor. Fry also says that this punch line "carries an implicit metacommunication". Metacommunication is communication about communication. In the reading after this passage Berger shows a chart that shows the techniques of humor. There are 45 of these, some examples are absurdity, parody and puns.
Summary of chapter 46
In chapter 46, On Comedy by Aristotle, he writes on what makes a comedy different from other styles, such as a tragedy. There are 3 differences to these to genres taht are, the medium, the objects and the way of imitation. A comedy, aims at representing the man at his worse while a tragedy uses higher levels in life. A comedy is an immitaion while the tragedy looks at the serious side.
The reading after the passage looked at the theories of Aristotle and his thinking of mimetic theory which is that art is an imitation of life and relating this to televsion today.
In chapter 45, Humor and Communication by William F. Fry Jr, Fry looked at what humor is and how we find humor funny. Fry said that humor is seen as a play, and this will give the audience the signal that the humor is not "real" but "unreal" for the funny aspect of it. There must be punch lines and climax to the joke, there are no rules as to how but there must be one. Fry also talks about the sudden reversals in the jokes. The reversals are there to enforce the punch line and humor. Fry also says that this punch line "carries an implicit metacommunication". Metacommunication is communication about communication. In the reading after this passage Berger shows a chart that shows the techniques of humor. There are 45 of these, some examples are absurdity, parody and puns.
Summary of chapter 46
In chapter 46, On Comedy by Aristotle, he writes on what makes a comedy different from other styles, such as a tragedy. There are 3 differences to these to genres taht are, the medium, the objects and the way of imitation. A comedy, aims at representing the man at his worse while a tragedy uses higher levels in life. A comedy is an immitaion while the tragedy looks at the serious side.
The reading after the passage looked at the theories of Aristotle and his thinking of mimetic theory which is that art is an imitation of life and relating this to televsion today.
Friday, November 14, 2008
Example of a Smart Mob and Media Target Audience Example
An example of a "Smart Mob" is the youth voters of this most recent election. Barack Obama even sent out a message via text message.
A piece of media that targets a certain group is the network MTV, and they target the youth viewers by broadcasting shows and commercials that would appeal to the younger audience as opposed to the older generation.
A piece of media that targets a certain group is the network MTV, and they target the youth viewers by broadcasting shows and commercials that would appeal to the younger audience as opposed to the older generation.
Summary of Chapter 37
In chapter 37, How Crowds Think by Gustave Le Bon, Le Bon looks at what the crowds think about and what provokes it. The figurative imagination of a crowd is very powerful and active. When they think of an image, their mind makes it as life-like as reality. Le Bon states that in history, the images have always been more important than history itself, the images attract their attention or draw them away. The theatrical representation is the best way to show that crowds are visual people.
Summary of Chapter 36
In chapter 36, Smart Mobs by Howard Rheingold, he looked at the phenomenon of "smart mobs" and technology. In 2000, Rheingold, while in Tokyo, noticed that everyone was using their cell phone. However they were not talking with it, they were looking at it. Texting has become rapidly the way of communicating. Rheingold described this group using the word, "smart mobs". "Smart Mob" is a group of people who orgamize themselves for social and political purposes through their common use of cell phones and text messaging. Rheingold believes that even though we are not seeing the implications of this "mob" now, he believes that the future implications will be profound.
Wednesday, November 12, 2008
Chapter 34-35
Important points and Key Words of 34:
Key Words:
Singularistic concept: Message and Receiver in traditional communications theory
Ergodic art: Work that contains the rules for their use.
Key Points
One of the Key points in this chapter is the question, what is the communicational aspect of video games, do the games play the people or do the people play the games? Also, video games would be considered ergodic art because the games come with the rules as to how the game is used.
The player becomes text for the video game.
Key Words and Important Parts for Chapter 35
Key words:
Neil Postman- author is Amusing Ourselves To Death
Aldous Huxley- author of Brave New World
Digital Technologies- TV, Video Games, Internet etc
Key Point
This chapter questioned what society will be like in the future with all these new technologies, could we end up like the societies in the 2 books, Brave New World or Amusing Ourselves To Death. At what point is the moral judgement with the new technologies going to disappear.
Key Words:
Singularistic concept: Message and Receiver in traditional communications theory
Ergodic art: Work that contains the rules for their use.
Key Points
One of the Key points in this chapter is the question, what is the communicational aspect of video games, do the games play the people or do the people play the games? Also, video games would be considered ergodic art because the games come with the rules as to how the game is used.
The player becomes text for the video game.
Key Words and Important Parts for Chapter 35
Key words:
Neil Postman- author is Amusing Ourselves To Death
Aldous Huxley- author of Brave New World
Digital Technologies- TV, Video Games, Internet etc
Key Point
This chapter questioned what society will be like in the future with all these new technologies, could we end up like the societies in the 2 books, Brave New World or Amusing Ourselves To Death. At what point is the moral judgement with the new technologies going to disappear.
Monday, November 10, 2008
TV show exercise for Chapters 40-41
My favorite TV show is ER, although I was unable to watch it and respond because it airs on Thursdays and this assignment was given on Friday. But I am attracted to it because of the high dramatics and the realism of the show, the events could actually happen. I am not fully aware if this show greatly affects my life however a few years ago the show made me want to become an ER doctor until I realized that I get very nausous when it comes to medical stuff and blood and the insides of the body. The dream of becoming a doctor is better left to just watching it on TV and actually doing it, I'm sure no one would want me to work on their body like that if I faint.
Chapter 41 Summary
In Chapter 41, Television is A Dramatic Medium by Martin Esslin, he discuss the amount of TV the average American watches and why we are attracted to the television over movies and plays in theaters. Esslin says that the average man watches over 21 hours a week and a woman will watch over 25 hours of television in one week. We as a society are more attracted to the television because it is more intimate then other communication media. The theater and movies are shown in a public area away from the audience. Television on the other hand is intimate with the viewer, people sometime watches it by themselves and the actors are right by the viewer. Also the intimate dramatics of the TV shows goes with the narration principle that was discussed in chapter 40.
Chapter 40 Summary
In Chapter 40, Narratives in The Media by Michel de Certeau, he discusses how the media is mostly all in narratives and from the moment we get up to the moment we go to bed we are constantly bombarded with different narratives. All of these narratives influence how we live our lives, we are use these as a model to how we live our own life and the ideas we had. An example given in the after read was the study of women who watch soap operas. These women believed that these soap operas offer an insight on how to deal with relationships and as an escape. Certeau goes on to say that our society has become a "recited society" and there are three parts to it. The first is STORIES, which is the medias use of advertising and the narrative stories in them. The second is CITATIONS of the stories. And the third is RECITATION of the stories, which is the retelling of the stories. Without even being consciously aware, these stories and parts of the narratives has influenced dramatically the way that we live and think.
Defining Words I Did Not Know:
-Simulacra as defined by dictionary.com:
1. a slight, unreal, or superficial likeness or semblance.
2. an effigy, image, or representation: a simulacrum of Aphrodite.
-Ex Cathedra as defined by dictionary.com:
Descriptive term for an official pronouncement from the pope. Ex cathedra is Latin for “from the chair.” Roman Catholics believe that the pope speaks infallibly when speaking ex cathedra on questions of faith or morals, such as when Pope Pius XII declared in 1950 that Mary, the mother of Jesus, was physically taken up to heaven after her death.
Defining Words I Did Not Know:
-Simulacra as defined by dictionary.com:
1. a slight, unreal, or superficial likeness or semblance.
2. an effigy, image, or representation: a simulacrum of Aphrodite.
-Ex Cathedra as defined by dictionary.com:
Descriptive term for an official pronouncement from the pope. Ex cathedra is Latin for “from the chair.” Roman Catholics believe that the pope speaks infallibly when speaking ex cathedra on questions of faith or morals, such as when Pope Pius XII declared in 1950 that Mary, the mother of Jesus, was physically taken up to heaven after her death.
Friday, November 7, 2008
3 Favorite TV Shows and why
1: The Hills- I like this show because of the drama (even though it may not be completely real) it is entertaining and it shows people who are better off and how their daily lives are and the struggles they face. The purpose of this show is purely for entertainment
2: ER- The real drama of the show is what attracts me to it, the trama is practically real and it pulls at your heartstrings. The purpose of this show is also for entertainment.
3: Nip/Tuck- I enjoy this show also for the dramatic aspect and it plays into how superficial our society is with the plastic surgery industry. The over the top drama is what makes people watch. The purpose of this show is also entertainment
2: ER- The real drama of the show is what attracts me to it, the trama is practically real and it pulls at your heartstrings. The purpose of this show is also for entertainment.
3: Nip/Tuck- I enjoy this show also for the dramatic aspect and it plays into how superficial our society is with the plastic surgery industry. The over the top drama is what makes people watch. The purpose of this show is also entertainment
24 Hours
Thursday:
Sleep: 12:00am-5:30am, 11:00pm (went to bed)
Commitments:
Work- 6:30am-9:00am
Group work for class- 9:50-11:00
E-board Meeting For Draft- 12:00-12:30
Class: 1:15-4:15
Leisure time:
Watch tv, hang out with friends- 4:15-6:00pm
See a show- 8:00-9:00pm
Homework: 6:00-8:00pm
Sleep: 12:00am-5:30am, 11:00pm (went to bed)
Commitments:
Work- 6:30am-9:00am
Group work for class- 9:50-11:00
E-board Meeting For Draft- 12:00-12:30
Class: 1:15-4:15
Leisure time:
Watch tv, hang out with friends- 4:15-6:00pm
See a show- 8:00-9:00pm
Homework: 6:00-8:00pm
Wednesday, November 5, 2008
Summary of Chapter 33 and relating it
Chapter 33:
This chapter is about how we believe that we control our minds and our unconscious. In acutally the media controls our mind without our knowledge. The media influences our everyday thoughts. The chapter went on to say that our minds our industrialized social products.
Related to other topics:
Frued and the unconsious
How there is no idividual in a society.
This chapter is about how we believe that we control our minds and our unconscious. In acutally the media controls our mind without our knowledge. The media influences our everyday thoughts. The chapter went on to say that our minds our industrialized social products.
Related to other topics:
Frued and the unconsious
How there is no idividual in a society.
Chapter 30
3 examples of Hot Media:
-An Inconvienant Truth (Films)
-Pictures of the Iraq War (Photographs)
-United States or Europe (First World Country)
3 Examples of Cold Media:
-Haiti (Third World Country)
-SpongeBob Squarepants (Cartoon)
-Telemarketers (Telephone)
-An Inconvienant Truth (Films)
-Pictures of the Iraq War (Photographs)
-United States or Europe (First World Country)
3 Examples of Cold Media:
-Haiti (Third World Country)
-SpongeBob Squarepants (Cartoon)
-Telemarketers (Telephone)
Friday, October 31, 2008
Summary of Chapter 28
Ian Watt goes into how the book, Robinson Crusoe, is full of myths that reflect values in our culture, it does it with each of the stories, Faust, Don Juan and Don Quixote. Watt explains that Faust is the myth of the single-minded pursuit of knowledge, Don Juan is the myth of the single-minded pursuit of women and Don Quixote is the myth of the single-minded pursuit of "chivalric ideal". The myths in Crusoe's writings was done by the public and relating what they read to their own thinking anf ideals.
Summary of Chapter 27
Roland Barthes looks at the mythology in the French daily life. Barthes says that there myths in language, and in our pop culture as well. They all have signs and have meanings to them.
Wednesday, October 29, 2008
Chapters 25 & 26
Ch. 25 Summary:
This chapter looks at womens role in advertising and how unrealistic that role is. In ads women are protrayed by the standard of the perfect woman that society has deemed as. This "perfect" woman is young, no imperfections, attractive, has sex appeal and is slender. This woman, as Cortese says, is not human and is just a hollow form of one. This plays into how women feel about themselves, they look at these ads and feel that this is how they need to look, even though the people in the ad are airbrushed and not reality.
Key words:
Provocateur: an ideal image that provokes a reaction
"packaged woman": the ideal woman who is an unreal protrayal of a person
Ch. 26 Summary:
Wolfgang Haug, in chapter 26, looks at the power of advertising. Advertisers see the public as commodities, finding ways to suduce us into their product. They try to pressure us into believing that we need their product in order to solve out problems, they are our solution. Haug also suggests that advertising claims to help the public out in their work like and sexuality. The public is an object to these advertisers.
Key Words:
Commodity- an article of trade or commerce or something of use, advantage, or value
This chapter looks at womens role in advertising and how unrealistic that role is. In ads women are protrayed by the standard of the perfect woman that society has deemed as. This "perfect" woman is young, no imperfections, attractive, has sex appeal and is slender. This woman, as Cortese says, is not human and is just a hollow form of one. This plays into how women feel about themselves, they look at these ads and feel that this is how they need to look, even though the people in the ad are airbrushed and not reality.
Key words:
Provocateur: an ideal image that provokes a reaction
"packaged woman": the ideal woman who is an unreal protrayal of a person
Ch. 26 Summary:
Wolfgang Haug, in chapter 26, looks at the power of advertising. Advertisers see the public as commodities, finding ways to suduce us into their product. They try to pressure us into believing that we need their product in order to solve out problems, they are our solution. Haug also suggests that advertising claims to help the public out in their work like and sexuality. The public is an object to these advertisers.
Key Words:
Commodity- an article of trade or commerce or something of use, advantage, or value
Monday, October 27, 2008
Summary of Chapters 21, 23 & 24
Chapter 21
Symbolism and Religion, by Johan Huizinga, looks at the different forms of symbolism in religion and why they are used during the fourteenth and fifteenth centuries. Many symbols or objects hold a deeper meaning then what the literal object is. Many people believe that they can be connected to the higher power through these objects. Huizinga argues that objects, such as religious ones, reveal the “character” of an age better then philosophy. In the end, there are hidden messages and symbolic meaning in almost every object.
Chapter 23
The House As A Symbol of Feminity, by Milton R. Sapirstein, claims that houses are symbolic to women. Women, like a house, have larger bodies and hold many mysteries and secrets like the saying "if walls could talk". Women are insecure and fear impluses that would expose themselves, their inner self. This, Sapirstein says, relates to how a woman decorates her house. How they decorate matches their inner self and as a result many women are afraid or hire someone to do it for them.
Chapter 24
Miss America's Mythic Significance, by Harvey Cox, looks at the hidden symbols behind the Miss America and other pagents like it. According to Cox, the girls symbolize a sexual figure who appears virgin-like and personifies the material aspects of society. She also represents the celebration of "the girl" in society and is an icon in the consumer culture in America because they use her to sell products
Symbolism and Religion, by Johan Huizinga, looks at the different forms of symbolism in religion and why they are used during the fourteenth and fifteenth centuries. Many symbols or objects hold a deeper meaning then what the literal object is. Many people believe that they can be connected to the higher power through these objects. Huizinga argues that objects, such as religious ones, reveal the “character” of an age better then philosophy. In the end, there are hidden messages and symbolic meaning in almost every object.
Chapter 23
The House As A Symbol of Feminity, by Milton R. Sapirstein, claims that houses are symbolic to women. Women, like a house, have larger bodies and hold many mysteries and secrets like the saying "if walls could talk". Women are insecure and fear impluses that would expose themselves, their inner self. This, Sapirstein says, relates to how a woman decorates her house. How they decorate matches their inner self and as a result many women are afraid or hire someone to do it for them.
Chapter 24
Miss America's Mythic Significance, by Harvey Cox, looks at the hidden symbols behind the Miss America and other pagents like it. According to Cox, the girls symbolize a sexual figure who appears virgin-like and personifies the material aspects of society. She also represents the celebration of "the girl" in society and is an icon in the consumer culture in America because they use her to sell products
Monday, October 20, 2008
Chapter 22 Summary and Key Terms
Summary
Chapter 22, by Carl G Jung, is an overview about symbols, why we use them and what symbols mean. A symbol, as defined in this chapter, is a term, name or picture that could be familiar to us and there is a specific meaning to it. The literal term means a token and is from the Greek language. It is also implies something that is unknown to us. For example, religious symbols are used to explain and visualize ideas that are hard to comprehend but are of great importance. People also form dreams subconsciously in the form of dreams.
In the after-reading of this chapter, Charles Sanders Peirce argues that there are three different ways that signs communicate. There is an Icon, and uses the resemblance method of communication that we know through seeing it, and example of this would be a picture. The second is an Index which uses a casual way of communicating and we process this sign by figuring it out ourselves, an example of this would be if we see smoke we know that it means that there is a fire. The third and final one is a Symbol, this uses the convention way of communicating and we process this through learning it, an example of this would be the flag.
Overall, symbols do not just have meaning on their own, society gives the meaning for each symbol and how we learn this is unconscious and we "absorb them in a subliminal manner".
Key Terms:
Symbol- name, picture, a term that is familiar and has a specific meaning to it and is also used in explanation (ex:Religious symbols)
3 kinds of signs:
ICON
Resemblance
ex: Picture
Can See
INDEX
Casual Connection
ex: Smoke=Fire
Figure Out
SYMBOL
Convention
ex: Flag
Learn
Chapter 22, by Carl G Jung, is an overview about symbols, why we use them and what symbols mean. A symbol, as defined in this chapter, is a term, name or picture that could be familiar to us and there is a specific meaning to it. The literal term means a token and is from the Greek language. It is also implies something that is unknown to us. For example, religious symbols are used to explain and visualize ideas that are hard to comprehend but are of great importance. People also form dreams subconsciously in the form of dreams.
In the after-reading of this chapter, Charles Sanders Peirce argues that there are three different ways that signs communicate. There is an Icon, and uses the resemblance method of communication that we know through seeing it, and example of this would be a picture. The second is an Index which uses a casual way of communicating and we process this sign by figuring it out ourselves, an example of this would be if we see smoke we know that it means that there is a fire. The third and final one is a Symbol, this uses the convention way of communicating and we process this through learning it, an example of this would be the flag.
Overall, symbols do not just have meaning on their own, society gives the meaning for each symbol and how we learn this is unconscious and we "absorb them in a subliminal manner".
Key Terms:
Symbol- name, picture, a term that is familiar and has a specific meaning to it and is also used in explanation (ex:Religious symbols)
3 kinds of signs:
ICON
Resemblance
ex: Picture
Can See
INDEX
Casual Connection
ex: Smoke=Fire
Figure Out
SYMBOL
Convention
ex: Flag
Learn
Wednesday, October 15, 2008
Chapter 17
Summary:
This chapter, by bell hooks, is about the media and how they now show more people of different races and ethnicities. People are drawn to this because of people's facination with people of a different race and as a result we find out more about ourselves, by looking at the opposite.
Questions:
1. Why does bell hooks assert that blondes don't have more fun anymore? do you agree?
She relates this to the media in that it is broading their horizons as to what is out there and no longer just the "white view" and no longer based on the assumption of "blondes have more fun". I agree with hooks, throught the past 30 years, television and the media have become more diversified and accepting of different people of different races.
2. What does she mean by "otherness"? What role does it play in contemporary society?
The "otherness" is people of different races that the media once would not use. There will always be "others" in society but people are more accepting
3. What does she mean by "commodifying the otherness"?
By acknowledging and finding ecjoyment out of different ethnicities
4.What does she mean by ethnicity is now a "spice"?
What she means is that people of different ethnicities are living up the television and media when it was once dull.
5.
This chapter, by bell hooks, is about the media and how they now show more people of different races and ethnicities. People are drawn to this because of people's facination with people of a different race and as a result we find out more about ourselves, by looking at the opposite.
Questions:
1. Why does bell hooks assert that blondes don't have more fun anymore? do you agree?
She relates this to the media in that it is broading their horizons as to what is out there and no longer just the "white view" and no longer based on the assumption of "blondes have more fun". I agree with hooks, throught the past 30 years, television and the media have become more diversified and accepting of different people of different races.
2. What does she mean by "otherness"? What role does it play in contemporary society?
The "otherness" is people of different races that the media once would not use. There will always be "others" in society but people are more accepting
3. What does she mean by "commodifying the otherness"?
By acknowledging and finding ecjoyment out of different ethnicities
4.What does she mean by ethnicity is now a "spice"?
What she means is that people of different ethnicities are living up the television and media when it was once dull.
5.
Chapter 16
Summmary:
This chapter looked at the way that black people speak. Roger Abrahams writes how they speak in a verbal combat in the community, there is rhyme and also cliches. Abrahams writes that this is regression, which is a way of reverting back to your childhood.
Questions:
1. In what ways does Abraham's essay agree with Tannen's?
They are in common with the verbal combat in a way. Tannen writes that boys will communicate in a way that presents their dominance, like a verbal combat.
2. How do black people from Camingerly use rhymes for social situations and entertainment.
They use it to form rap music.
3. What does it mean to say that this rhyming behavior is regressive?
They are not speaking in a way , what society thinks is intellectual for an adult.
4.How might this rhyming behavior be manifested or utilized now in the mass media.
They can use this to draw people in, its gets their attention. If an ad uses rap music, more people can understand it and it shows that companies are "hip" with the new generation.
5. Can you find any other examples of verbal dueling behavior in American society?
The cattiness of girl teenagers.
This chapter looked at the way that black people speak. Roger Abrahams writes how they speak in a verbal combat in the community, there is rhyme and also cliches. Abrahams writes that this is regression, which is a way of reverting back to your childhood.
Questions:
1. In what ways does Abraham's essay agree with Tannen's?
They are in common with the verbal combat in a way. Tannen writes that boys will communicate in a way that presents their dominance, like a verbal combat.
2. How do black people from Camingerly use rhymes for social situations and entertainment.
They use it to form rap music.
3. What does it mean to say that this rhyming behavior is regressive?
They are not speaking in a way , what society thinks is intellectual for an adult.
4.How might this rhyming behavior be manifested or utilized now in the mass media.
They can use this to draw people in, its gets their attention. If an ad uses rap music, more people can understand it and it shows that companies are "hip" with the new generation.
5. Can you find any other examples of verbal dueling behavior in American society?
The cattiness of girl teenagers.
Wednesday, October 8, 2008
Chapter 15 Summary, Questions 1-4 and My Own Questions
Summary:
Chapter 15 looked at the different ways that men and women communicate. Specifically, Deborah Tannen posed the question why women who go to an all-girl school do better in life than girls who have attended a co-ed school. She first established that girls and boys use language differently. A girl will find a best friend (another girl) and sit and talk about everything with while boys are activity oriented and as a result stick together in large groups. There are different statuses in boys groups, and as a result boys learn to assert themselves by showing knowledge and strengh. In a class students compete with their fellow students to be the "smartest", boys are able to adapt to this easier and assert themselves in the classroom setting better than the girls. The girls however, thrive in small groups where they fell comfortable to assert their thoughts.
Questions:
1. Have the media changed the conversational styles of men and women? Justify your answer.
Yes it has, and Charles Winick's theory of "desexualization" supports this. The roles of men and women change in the media and shows women being assertive and in control. This influences the people who see this on tv, women learn that they can be assertive in a large group. Winick's theory discusses that women are becoming for masculine and men are becoming more feminine.
2. What did Tannen find when she studied the conversational styles of boys and girls?
Tannen found that girls conversational style based on a small group setting. A girl will find a best girlfriend whom she does everything with and will tell all her secrets to. While boys on the other hand thrive in an activity setting. As a result their groups will be larger in size. Boys learn to assert themselves and show their strengths and knowledge because in that group there is hierarchy.
3. Charles Winick, a sociologist, has suggested that there is a "desexualization" going on in America, that men are getting weaker and women stronger. Do you think he is right? If so, why?
I do believe that Winick is right. Women have learned to be strong independent people, going against what the norm of women is. Men, in turn, are becoming weaker because they do not know how to react to a strong women.
4. What implications does Tannen's research have for education in general, and teaching in particular.
Her research will benefit the education field, because the information can be used to help both boys and girls be productive in school. It will also help the teacher understand why girls tend to be more quiet then boys.
Question of My Own:
If a girl has more friends who are boys, will she take on the boys communication style?
Chapter 15 looked at the different ways that men and women communicate. Specifically, Deborah Tannen posed the question why women who go to an all-girl school do better in life than girls who have attended a co-ed school. She first established that girls and boys use language differently. A girl will find a best friend (another girl) and sit and talk about everything with while boys are activity oriented and as a result stick together in large groups. There are different statuses in boys groups, and as a result boys learn to assert themselves by showing knowledge and strengh. In a class students compete with their fellow students to be the "smartest", boys are able to adapt to this easier and assert themselves in the classroom setting better than the girls. The girls however, thrive in small groups where they fell comfortable to assert their thoughts.
Questions:
1. Have the media changed the conversational styles of men and women? Justify your answer.
Yes it has, and Charles Winick's theory of "desexualization" supports this. The roles of men and women change in the media and shows women being assertive and in control. This influences the people who see this on tv, women learn that they can be assertive in a large group. Winick's theory discusses that women are becoming for masculine and men are becoming more feminine.
2. What did Tannen find when she studied the conversational styles of boys and girls?
Tannen found that girls conversational style based on a small group setting. A girl will find a best girlfriend whom she does everything with and will tell all her secrets to. While boys on the other hand thrive in an activity setting. As a result their groups will be larger in size. Boys learn to assert themselves and show their strengths and knowledge because in that group there is hierarchy.
3. Charles Winick, a sociologist, has suggested that there is a "desexualization" going on in America, that men are getting weaker and women stronger. Do you think he is right? If so, why?
I do believe that Winick is right. Women have learned to be strong independent people, going against what the norm of women is. Men, in turn, are becoming weaker because they do not know how to react to a strong women.
4. What implications does Tannen's research have for education in general, and teaching in particular.
Her research will benefit the education field, because the information can be used to help both boys and girls be productive in school. It will also help the teacher understand why girls tend to be more quiet then boys.
Question of My Own:
If a girl has more friends who are boys, will she take on the boys communication style?
Sunday, October 5, 2008
Chapter 12-14, Words I Did Not Understand
Chapter 13
-Rejoinder: to annswer, to reply, respond
-Rhetoric: To use language effectively (there were many definitions for this word but I went with the one that made the most sense with the context that the "rhetoric" was used in.
-Rejoinder: to annswer, to reply, respond
-Rhetoric: To use language effectively (there were many definitions for this word but I went with the one that made the most sense with the context that the "rhetoric" was used in.
Questions of My Own
Would people ignore a certain message if they did not like the medium it was in? Even if it was a message they happen to agree with.
Could intertextuality ever be considered to be a form of plagiarism?
Could intertextuality ever be considered to be a form of plagiarism?
Chapter 14, Questions 1-6
1. Discuss Labov's six rules and give examples from a conversation you've had.
-Abstract: overview of story (example: writing a summary of the chapter that
I read.
-Orientation: telling "who" "what" "where" "when" "why" of the story (example:
When I was told a story that happened over the weekend, the person
explained who was there, where it was, when it happened, and what
had happened)
-Complicating action: the sequences of events (example: When telling a story
I always start from the beginning of it and tell it in
the order that happened)
-Evaluation: importance and meaning of events (example: the emphasis that people
put on different words let the listener know that it is important
and the listener should remember it)
-Resolution: how the story ended (example: when reading a book, how I feel about
it always depends on if the ending is good and satisfying)
-Coda: returning the story to present time. (example: I was told a story about
a drunken night and at the end the person brought it back to how the
drunk person was feeling at the present time)
2. Can the order of events in a conversation be changed without affecting the meaning? explain.
If the order of events is changed it may complicate how the listener is understanding it. If the outcome remains the same then the message will stay the same but if the story's order is told out of sequence then the listener may not fully get the message.
3. How can a film or television story be considered a "glorified" conversation?
Because these are conversations that others create specifially for us to hear.
4. Does dialogue in films and other media narratives follow Labov's rules? Justify your answer.
I think they follow most of the rules. For example, it would be hard to fulfill the "coda" rule because if a film is being viewed 10 or 20 years after it is made, returning the film to that present time would be impossible. It would relate it back to the present time in which it was made. Other then that I believe that they follow the rules. The abstract would be the previews that air before it is released. Or on the case of the film it gives a brief overview.
5. Narratives are one way we make sense of the world. How does this work?
Narratives gives us a window into others' world and lives. Today we are able to see what is happening half way around the world because of TV or books. This makes it easier for us to understand the world as a whole and not just our part of the world.
6. What implications does the importance of narratives have for the mass media?
It is important because it tells how to reach out to mass amounts of people, how to get your message across in the easiest fashion.
-Abstract: overview of story (example: writing a summary of the chapter that
I read.
-Orientation: telling "who" "what" "where" "when" "why" of the story (example:
When I was told a story that happened over the weekend, the person
explained who was there, where it was, when it happened, and what
had happened)
-Complicating action: the sequences of events (example: When telling a story
I always start from the beginning of it and tell it in
the order that happened)
-Evaluation: importance and meaning of events (example: the emphasis that people
put on different words let the listener know that it is important
and the listener should remember it)
-Resolution: how the story ended (example: when reading a book, how I feel about
it always depends on if the ending is good and satisfying)
-Coda: returning the story to present time. (example: I was told a story about
a drunken night and at the end the person brought it back to how the
drunk person was feeling at the present time)
2. Can the order of events in a conversation be changed without affecting the meaning? explain.
If the order of events is changed it may complicate how the listener is understanding it. If the outcome remains the same then the message will stay the same but if the story's order is told out of sequence then the listener may not fully get the message.
3. How can a film or television story be considered a "glorified" conversation?
Because these are conversations that others create specifially for us to hear.
4. Does dialogue in films and other media narratives follow Labov's rules? Justify your answer.
I think they follow most of the rules. For example, it would be hard to fulfill the "coda" rule because if a film is being viewed 10 or 20 years after it is made, returning the film to that present time would be impossible. It would relate it back to the present time in which it was made. Other then that I believe that they follow the rules. The abstract would be the previews that air before it is released. Or on the case of the film it gives a brief overview.
5. Narratives are one way we make sense of the world. How does this work?
Narratives gives us a window into others' world and lives. Today we are able to see what is happening half way around the world because of TV or books. This makes it easier for us to understand the world as a whole and not just our part of the world.
6. What implications does the importance of narratives have for the mass media?
It is important because it tells how to reach out to mass amounts of people, how to get your message across in the easiest fashion.
Chapter 13, Questions 1-7
1. Why does Bakhtin assert that "the word is born in a dialogue"
Dialogue is where we use words, we respond to different messages using words. If a new word is "born" this would be where that happens.
2. How does he define "dialogic"? Define "dialogism".
Dialogic is the way a word forms a concept of its own. Dialogism is that when we are talking to people, we must anticipate what the other is saying and our response, and our communication takes into account the cultural beliefs and norms of that time.
3. How does he explain the way we understand linguistic utterance?
The way we understand utterances is through the background of language and other utterances that have the same theme.
4. Define "intertextuality". Give some examples of it from films, TV and music.
Intertextuality is present time texts are influenced from previous text, and it can be a conscious decision or unconscious one.
Film: "Rumor Has It" is influenced from "The Graduate"
Alfred Hitchcock has influenced the ways that suspense movies are
made and different camera movements and angles
TV: Comedy principles of early comedies ( I Love Lucy, MASH etc) influence
today's comedies on TV
Music: The parts of music (refrain, bridge etc) were influenced from the music
made hundreds of years ago.
Elements of the Hip Hop music influence many artists today
5. Can a work ever not be intertextual? Defend your answer.
No, a work is always intertextual. We are constantly influenced by what is around and what we learn. We are exposed to many different things, past and present. Unconsciously we are influenced by that.
6. Communication must take cultural norms into account. How does that affect media?
This affects the way the media puts out a message. They want to catch the attention of as many people as possible therefore they will go with what is current, not what was the norm ten years ago.
7. Is there a difference between conversation and dialogue? Explain your answer.
I think there is a difference in conversation and dialogue. When two people are having a dialogue, there is a story being told, someone is telling it and someone is listening to the message. A conversation is more casual, there may not be a story or a message involved, it may be a short passing of words.
Dialogue is where we use words, we respond to different messages using words. If a new word is "born" this would be where that happens.
2. How does he define "dialogic"? Define "dialogism".
Dialogic is the way a word forms a concept of its own. Dialogism is that when we are talking to people, we must anticipate what the other is saying and our response, and our communication takes into account the cultural beliefs and norms of that time.
3. How does he explain the way we understand linguistic utterance?
The way we understand utterances is through the background of language and other utterances that have the same theme.
4. Define "intertextuality". Give some examples of it from films, TV and music.
Intertextuality is present time texts are influenced from previous text, and it can be a conscious decision or unconscious one.
Film: "Rumor Has It" is influenced from "The Graduate"
Alfred Hitchcock has influenced the ways that suspense movies are
made and different camera movements and angles
TV: Comedy principles of early comedies ( I Love Lucy, MASH etc) influence
today's comedies on TV
Music: The parts of music (refrain, bridge etc) were influenced from the music
made hundreds of years ago.
Elements of the Hip Hop music influence many artists today
5. Can a work ever not be intertextual? Defend your answer.
No, a work is always intertextual. We are constantly influenced by what is around and what we learn. We are exposed to many different things, past and present. Unconsciously we are influenced by that.
6. Communication must take cultural norms into account. How does that affect media?
This affects the way the media puts out a message. They want to catch the attention of as many people as possible therefore they will go with what is current, not what was the norm ten years ago.
7. Is there a difference between conversation and dialogue? Explain your answer.
I think there is a difference in conversation and dialogue. When two people are having a dialogue, there is a story being told, someone is telling it and someone is listening to the message. A conversation is more casual, there may not be a story or a message involved, it may be a short passing of words.
Chapter 12, Questions 1-5
1. What are the four "coordinates" involving works of art for Abrams?
-Work
-Artist
-Universe
-Audience
2. How does Abram define these coordinates?
-Work: the piece itself
-Artist: the person who creates the work
-Universe: the surroundings of the artist that influence
-Audience: the people viewing the message of the work
3. Abrams says most theories concentrate on only one coordinate. Why is this so?
They only concentrate on one coordinate to create a specific theory otherwise if they incorporate everything the theory would be long and vague. Concentrating on one will create a specfic and detailed view.
4. What changes does the Berger model make to the Abrams model?
He uses the word "America" instead of "universe" because universe is a broad term to use and "America" specfies what society. He also added "Medium" which talks about what way the message is being put across.
5. What did McLuhan mean when he said "the medium is the message"
The way the message is being put across is more important then the message. The way it is put out will deteremine who sees it and who wants to see it. It does not matter what the message is, if people do not want to see it or not drawn to see it, the message will never get across
-Work
-Artist
-Universe
-Audience
2. How does Abram define these coordinates?
-Work: the piece itself
-Artist: the person who creates the work
-Universe: the surroundings of the artist that influence
-Audience: the people viewing the message of the work
3. Abrams says most theories concentrate on only one coordinate. Why is this so?
They only concentrate on one coordinate to create a specific theory otherwise if they incorporate everything the theory would be long and vague. Concentrating on one will create a specfic and detailed view.
4. What changes does the Berger model make to the Abrams model?
He uses the word "America" instead of "universe" because universe is a broad term to use and "America" specfies what society. He also added "Medium" which talks about what way the message is being put across.
5. What did McLuhan mean when he said "the medium is the message"
The way the message is being put across is more important then the message. The way it is put out will deteremine who sees it and who wants to see it. It does not matter what the message is, if people do not want to see it or not drawn to see it, the message will never get across
Summaries of Chapters 12, 13 &14
Chapter 12
This chapter, by M. H. Abrams, looked at a model of communication Abrams made and evaluated each part. There are 4 parts to this model, artist, work, audience and the universe. Abrams also says that even though there are 4 seperate parts, many only consentrate on one part. The artist creates the "work", which is what the piece itself is. The audience is what the work is geared to, the people who will be the viewers, the listeners or recieving the message. The universe is what surrounds the artist, emotions, ideas, events, material objects etc.
Arthur Asa Berger evaluated this passage and was influenced by Abrams to create his own model of communication. His model had five parts instead of four, art, artist, medium, audience and America. The meanings of each are similar to Abrams. Art is the work or text that contains the message. The artist creates the art. The audience recieves the message from the piece of art. America is the society where the message is created from and medium is how the art is made, books, television, film etc. Berger then went on in showing that his model and Abrams' model is very similar to Lasswell formula. All three can be broken down to the basic "who" "what" "how" "what effect" "why".
Chapter 13
This chapter, written by Michael Holquist, focuses on dialogue. He says that word is produced in a dialogue interaction where there are responses. We learn what words mean through conversations and responsive understanding.
In the response after Holquist's passage, Berger looks at Mikhail Bakhtin and breaks down what Bakhtin's theory of dialogism means and the two parts of it. When we are engageing with a dialogue with another person, we have to anticipate what will be said and how we will respond to it and also when we are communicating we must also use the cultural norms and beliefs.
Bakhtin also developed the theory of "intertextuality" meaning that the texts that are produced now are strongly influenced by the texts produced before them, but this is most likely an unconscious decision.
Chapter 14
Chapter 14, by Catherine Kohler Riessman, parts of narrative are looked at and specifically the theories of Labov and Waletzsky. They believed that stories have a chronicle sequence. If the sequence is changed, the story is changed. A narrative always has indicators of when the story begins and ends and also always answers a question. A story can also be changed by deciding where exactly to finish a story. In a narrative there are six basic elements that include, abstract, orientation, complicating action, evaluation, resolution and coda. Abstract is an overview of the story. Orientation is telling the "who" "what" "where" "when" "why" of the story. A complicating action is the sequences of events in the story. An evaluation is the meaning and importance of each event in the story. A resolution is the ending and a coda is returning the story to present time at the end.
These elements are essential when story telling but not all conversations are of a story, some are of current events. The six elements can even be found when we are not telling a narrative story, the elements (in any conversation) give the listener a way of following what you are saying.
This chapter, by M. H. Abrams, looked at a model of communication Abrams made and evaluated each part. There are 4 parts to this model, artist, work, audience and the universe. Abrams also says that even though there are 4 seperate parts, many only consentrate on one part. The artist creates the "work", which is what the piece itself is. The audience is what the work is geared to, the people who will be the viewers, the listeners or recieving the message. The universe is what surrounds the artist, emotions, ideas, events, material objects etc.
Arthur Asa Berger evaluated this passage and was influenced by Abrams to create his own model of communication. His model had five parts instead of four, art, artist, medium, audience and America. The meanings of each are similar to Abrams. Art is the work or text that contains the message. The artist creates the art. The audience recieves the message from the piece of art. America is the society where the message is created from and medium is how the art is made, books, television, film etc. Berger then went on in showing that his model and Abrams' model is very similar to Lasswell formula. All three can be broken down to the basic "who" "what" "how" "what effect" "why".
Chapter 13
This chapter, written by Michael Holquist, focuses on dialogue. He says that word is produced in a dialogue interaction where there are responses. We learn what words mean through conversations and responsive understanding.
In the response after Holquist's passage, Berger looks at Mikhail Bakhtin and breaks down what Bakhtin's theory of dialogism means and the two parts of it. When we are engageing with a dialogue with another person, we have to anticipate what will be said and how we will respond to it and also when we are communicating we must also use the cultural norms and beliefs.
Bakhtin also developed the theory of "intertextuality" meaning that the texts that are produced now are strongly influenced by the texts produced before them, but this is most likely an unconscious decision.
Chapter 14
Chapter 14, by Catherine Kohler Riessman, parts of narrative are looked at and specifically the theories of Labov and Waletzsky. They believed that stories have a chronicle sequence. If the sequence is changed, the story is changed. A narrative always has indicators of when the story begins and ends and also always answers a question. A story can also be changed by deciding where exactly to finish a story. In a narrative there are six basic elements that include, abstract, orientation, complicating action, evaluation, resolution and coda. Abstract is an overview of the story. Orientation is telling the "who" "what" "where" "when" "why" of the story. A complicating action is the sequences of events in the story. An evaluation is the meaning and importance of each event in the story. A resolution is the ending and a coda is returning the story to present time at the end.
These elements are essential when story telling but not all conversations are of a story, some are of current events. The six elements can even be found when we are not telling a narrative story, the elements (in any conversation) give the listener a way of following what you are saying.
Sunday, September 28, 2008
Chapter 11, Questions 1-4
1. What is a formula? Is it different from a model? If so, how?
A formula is a statement expressing a fundamental truth or principle and a model is an abstract representation of processes that occur in the world, they have value and their limitations. A formula is different from a model in that the formula is a concrete truth that contains all the necessary ideas and a model simplifies things and does not contain all the facts like a formula does.
2. What is the Lasswell formula? How does it relate to Jakobson's model?
The Lasswell formula is:
Who?
Says what?
In which channel?
To whom?
With what effect?
This formula relates to Jakobson's model, Jakobson asks the same ideas but in other words:
(Jakobson's model is on the left)
An addresser or sender of a message: WHO is saying the message
The message or content: WHAT the person's message is saying.
The medium or contact: IN WHICH CHANNEL the person is saying the message
The addressee or receiver of the message: TO WHOM the person is saying the message to
The functions of the message: WITH WHAT EFFECT the person is saying the message.
3. Some communications scholars have attacked it. Why did they do so?
Many scholars have attacked Lasswell's formula because the formula makes the assumption that communications is always based on influencing receivers and having certain desired effects. Many different scholars believe that there can be communication that is not just based on persuading. There is phatic communication, for example, that is used to express emotion and not persuade.
4. Define "phatic" communication and give some examples of it.
Phatic communication is when people communicate their emotions rather than information. One example could be the sounds people make when they are eating something that they really enjoy, they make "mmm" sounds to express the emotion that they feel towards that food. Another example is the sounds people make on a rollarcoaster, they scream to show their excitement or fear. They do not use their scream intentionally for persuasion purposes.
A formula is a statement expressing a fundamental truth or principle and a model is an abstract representation of processes that occur in the world, they have value and their limitations. A formula is different from a model in that the formula is a concrete truth that contains all the necessary ideas and a model simplifies things and does not contain all the facts like a formula does.
2. What is the Lasswell formula? How does it relate to Jakobson's model?
The Lasswell formula is:
Who?
Says what?
In which channel?
To whom?
With what effect?
This formula relates to Jakobson's model, Jakobson asks the same ideas but in other words:
(Jakobson's model is on the left)
An addresser or sender of a message: WHO is saying the message
The message or content: WHAT the person's message is saying.
The medium or contact: IN WHICH CHANNEL the person is saying the message
The addressee or receiver of the message: TO WHOM the person is saying the message to
The functions of the message: WITH WHAT EFFECT the person is saying the message.
3. Some communications scholars have attacked it. Why did they do so?
Many scholars have attacked Lasswell's formula because the formula makes the assumption that communications is always based on influencing receivers and having certain desired effects. Many different scholars believe that there can be communication that is not just based on persuading. There is phatic communication, for example, that is used to express emotion and not persuade.
4. Define "phatic" communication and give some examples of it.
Phatic communication is when people communicate their emotions rather than information. One example could be the sounds people make when they are eating something that they really enjoy, they make "mmm" sounds to express the emotion that they feel towards that food. Another example is the sounds people make on a rollarcoaster, they scream to show their excitement or fear. They do not use their scream intentionally for persuasion purposes.
Chapter 10, Questions 1-4
1. List and define Jakobson's six constitutive factors involved in verbal communication.
Addresser: The person that sends the message
Message: The content that is sent by the addresser
Addressee: Receiver of message
Context: The circumstances in which the message is given
Contact: Channel in which message is sent
Code: The language that is understood by the addresser and the addressee
2. Define and explain the difference between "emotive" and "referential" functions.
The emotive function is how the addresser is expressing the message, the expressions they use and the emotions attached. This means how the addresser is telling the message, the way it is told, the body language, facial expressions, anything that expresses the message further than just the words
The referential function is how the message is being referred, "denotative" or "cognitive". The addressee must take that into account when listening to the message that the addresser is saying.
3. Scholes says there is a difference between a message and a meaning. Explain.
There is a difference between the message and the meaning because the person receiving the message might interpret the meaning differently then what the addresser intended the message to be.
4. How do the different codes people have cause problems for the mass media?
What Scholes states, the difference between a message and a meaning, comes into play here. The codes of the receivers are probably different then the codes of the senders. The people that handle the media need to take this into account, and the receivers do not realize that they are receiving the message differently then what was intended. The advertisers must find a way to make their message easy to receive for people of many codes
Addresser: The person that sends the message
Message: The content that is sent by the addresser
Addressee: Receiver of message
Context: The circumstances in which the message is given
Contact: Channel in which message is sent
Code: The language that is understood by the addresser and the addressee
2. Define and explain the difference between "emotive" and "referential" functions.
The emotive function is how the addresser is expressing the message, the expressions they use and the emotions attached. This means how the addresser is telling the message, the way it is told, the body language, facial expressions, anything that expresses the message further than just the words
The referential function is how the message is being referred, "denotative" or "cognitive". The addressee must take that into account when listening to the message that the addresser is saying.
3. Scholes says there is a difference between a message and a meaning. Explain.
There is a difference between the message and the meaning because the person receiving the message might interpret the meaning differently then what the addresser intended the message to be.
4. How do the different codes people have cause problems for the mass media?
What Scholes states, the difference between a message and a meaning, comes into play here. The codes of the receivers are probably different then the codes of the senders. The people that handle the media need to take this into account, and the receivers do not realize that they are receiving the message differently then what was intended. The advertisers must find a way to make their message easy to receive for people of many codes
Friday, September 26, 2008
Chapter 8, Questions 1-6
1. How did E. B. Tyler define culture.
He defined culture as "a complex whole which includes knowledge, belief, art, morals, laws, custom, and any other capabilites and habits acquired by man as a member of society"
2. What changes would you make to this definition? How do you define culture?
I agree with Tyler's definition, it is very close to mine, his just is worded better. I define it as a society's beliefs, traditions, and art that are carried through the years.
3. If the unconscious imposes form on content, how do we know this?
It is how we explain how things happen that we don't know. It is a way of explaining the unexplained, in my opinion.
4. Why does Levi-Strauss argue that the forms imposed by the mind are universal?
Because Levi-Strauss believes that all the forms are fundamentally the same for everyone, through all time.
5. How can these forms be the same for all minds, ancient and modern, primitive and civilized?
Because he believes it is an unconscious structure that is underneath the customs adn culture that continues throughtout the years.
6. How can collective phenomena be unconscious? What aspects of life are covered by this notion?
Collective phenomena can be unconscious, when using that to describe culture, the advancement of culture throughout time is unconscious. In the book, it describes collective phenomena in culture and language.
He defined culture as "a complex whole which includes knowledge, belief, art, morals, laws, custom, and any other capabilites and habits acquired by man as a member of society"
2. What changes would you make to this definition? How do you define culture?
I agree with Tyler's definition, it is very close to mine, his just is worded better. I define it as a society's beliefs, traditions, and art that are carried through the years.
3. If the unconscious imposes form on content, how do we know this?
It is how we explain how things happen that we don't know. It is a way of explaining the unexplained, in my opinion.
4. Why does Levi-Strauss argue that the forms imposed by the mind are universal?
Because Levi-Strauss believes that all the forms are fundamentally the same for everyone, through all time.
5. How can these forms be the same for all minds, ancient and modern, primitive and civilized?
Because he believes it is an unconscious structure that is underneath the customs adn culture that continues throughtout the years.
6. How can collective phenomena be unconscious? What aspects of life are covered by this notion?
Collective phenomena can be unconscious, when using that to describe culture, the advancement of culture throughout time is unconscious. In the book, it describes collective phenomena in culture and language.
Chapter 7, Questions 1-6
1. What does it mean to say "the mind works through form"?
What this means is that everything we see is seen through a structure form, which is an unconscious action.
2. Claude Levi-Strauss believes the way the mind works hasn't changed over history. What do you think?
I think that the minds have changed over time and that the way they work can change as well. Over time, humans have evolved and I believe that the mind would evolve as well.
3. What is the role of paired opposites in the ideas of Levi-Strauss?
Levi-Strauss states that myths and language have no meaning when they are by themsleves, this is like the idea of opposites because you can not have a word without the opposite. We think in terms of opposites, without the word "dark" we would not know what "light" means.
4. Why do "seperate units" have no meaning in language?
Because we use context or knowing the place in the sentence to define a word and seperately there would be no meaning.
5. It is the way that myths are assembled that is crucial, Douglas asserts. Why?
Because the way it is assembled is vital when figuring out what something means.
6. Define structualism and explain its significance.
Structualism "analyzes phenomena in terms of their basic unit and the way these units are assembled". Which means it simplifies language to just the word, which is the basic unit, and looks at how the words are assembled and used to show the meaning.
What this means is that everything we see is seen through a structure form, which is an unconscious action.
2. Claude Levi-Strauss believes the way the mind works hasn't changed over history. What do you think?
I think that the minds have changed over time and that the way they work can change as well. Over time, humans have evolved and I believe that the mind would evolve as well.
3. What is the role of paired opposites in the ideas of Levi-Strauss?
Levi-Strauss states that myths and language have no meaning when they are by themsleves, this is like the idea of opposites because you can not have a word without the opposite. We think in terms of opposites, without the word "dark" we would not know what "light" means.
4. Why do "seperate units" have no meaning in language?
Because we use context or knowing the place in the sentence to define a word and seperately there would be no meaning.
5. It is the way that myths are assembled that is crucial, Douglas asserts. Why?
Because the way it is assembled is vital when figuring out what something means.
6. Define structualism and explain its significance.
Structualism "analyzes phenomena in terms of their basic unit and the way these units are assembled". Which means it simplifies language to just the word, which is the basic unit, and looks at how the words are assembled and used to show the meaning.
Wednesday, September 24, 2008
Chapter 6, Questions 1-7
1. How do restriced and elaborated codes affect people lives?
Whatever code that a person uses has an effect on their children. It effects how they develop and how they look at their future and the possiblities that they have.
2. What are the basic characteristics of restricted and elaborated codes?
Elaborated codes- have complez grammer, varied vocabulary, complex sentence structure, high level conceptualization, logical, meaning elaborated verbally and it is used in the middle class
Restricted codes- simple grammer, uniform vocab, simple sentence structure,low level of conceptualization, emotional, context shapes the meaning and is used for working class people
3. What positive attributes are connected to each code?
Restricted coded people have a simplistic perspective on life and "with a kind of present-mindedness that precludes long-range thinking"
4. How do language codes shape future behavior?
The codes shape how a person looks at the future and how they feel about it and how they socialize with other people. The code that you grow up with will most likely socialize with people of the same code.
5. Does this coding notion help explain the "culture of poverty"
Yes it does help explain. If the social workers that deal with it are speaking another language code, how could they fully understand and fully help with the issue at hand.
6. Which code did you parents speak when you grew up?
I think my mom spoke the elaborated code. She was more logic then emotion, her vocabulary was well developed and varied. She was also the middle class in society.
7. Do you think the mass media have affected the codes people learn.
I think that it could affect how people learn because we are surrounded by it everyday and we are constantly watching tv or reading a magazine.
Whatever code that a person uses has an effect on their children. It effects how they develop and how they look at their future and the possiblities that they have.
2. What are the basic characteristics of restricted and elaborated codes?
Elaborated codes- have complez grammer, varied vocabulary, complex sentence structure, high level conceptualization, logical, meaning elaborated verbally and it is used in the middle class
Restricted codes- simple grammer, uniform vocab, simple sentence structure,low level of conceptualization, emotional, context shapes the meaning and is used for working class people
3. What positive attributes are connected to each code?
Restricted coded people have a simplistic perspective on life and "with a kind of present-mindedness that precludes long-range thinking"
4. How do language codes shape future behavior?
The codes shape how a person looks at the future and how they feel about it and how they socialize with other people. The code that you grow up with will most likely socialize with people of the same code.
5. Does this coding notion help explain the "culture of poverty"
Yes it does help explain. If the social workers that deal with it are speaking another language code, how could they fully understand and fully help with the issue at hand.
6. Which code did you parents speak when you grew up?
I think my mom spoke the elaborated code. She was more logic then emotion, her vocabulary was well developed and varied. She was also the middle class in society.
7. Do you think the mass media have affected the codes people learn.
I think that it could affect how people learn because we are surrounded by it everyday and we are constantly watching tv or reading a magazine.
Chapter 5, Questions 1-6
1. What does Culler mean when he says "society is the primary reality"?
Culler discusses that there is the "social reality" meaning that this is the reality of humans interacting with other humans and the behavior that goes on during the interaction and these must be interpreted.
2. How can society "precede" the individuals? Is this the chicken and egg arguement?
Culler argues that there can not be individuals with society, first there society and individuals need this in order to live. We as society only know about the idea of individual because that is what we are taught, we are not born with the need to be individuals. I think that this is like the chicken and egg argument, because it is argueing what came first. Were there individuals first and then society; did the chicken come first and then the egg?
3. Why isn't society the result of individual behavior?
Because in society, there is a common behavior in the group, therefore society can never be the result of individual behavior because if everyone was an individual then ther could never be a society.
4. What is the underlying basis of the science of semiotics for Culler?
The underlying basis is the importance of a society. Society is necessary in order to understand what the different signs mean.
5. Is it correct to say that the single individual doesn't think? Explain why or why not.
Going from the readings, this statement would be true. In the after readings, when discussing the possibilities of an individual states "Thus, the idea of the 'self-made' man or woman, completely independent of society, is an illusion (that is, false notion) that we learn from the only place we learn it, from society". So people may think they are individuals but society taught them this, they did not think this on their own.
6. Why is the notion of the "self-made man/woman" an illusion? What does de Tocqueville say?
It is an illusion because we are taught the idea of individual from society, there is no "self-made" individual without the help from society. De Tocqueville stated "Individualism proceeds the erroneous judgement more then from depraved feelings; it originates as much in deficiencies of mind as in perversity of heart"
I think he is saying that individualism is not an illusion.
Culler discusses that there is the "social reality" meaning that this is the reality of humans interacting with other humans and the behavior that goes on during the interaction and these must be interpreted.
2. How can society "precede" the individuals? Is this the chicken and egg arguement?
Culler argues that there can not be individuals with society, first there society and individuals need this in order to live. We as society only know about the idea of individual because that is what we are taught, we are not born with the need to be individuals. I think that this is like the chicken and egg argument, because it is argueing what came first. Were there individuals first and then society; did the chicken come first and then the egg?
3. Why isn't society the result of individual behavior?
Because in society, there is a common behavior in the group, therefore society can never be the result of individual behavior because if everyone was an individual then ther could never be a society.
4. What is the underlying basis of the science of semiotics for Culler?
The underlying basis is the importance of a society. Society is necessary in order to understand what the different signs mean.
5. Is it correct to say that the single individual doesn't think? Explain why or why not.
Going from the readings, this statement would be true. In the after readings, when discussing the possibilities of an individual states "Thus, the idea of the 'self-made' man or woman, completely independent of society, is an illusion (that is, false notion) that we learn from the only place we learn it, from society". So people may think they are individuals but society taught them this, they did not think this on their own.
6. Why is the notion of the "self-made man/woman" an illusion? What does de Tocqueville say?
It is an illusion because we are taught the idea of individual from society, there is no "self-made" individual without the help from society. De Tocqueville stated "Individualism proceeds the erroneous judgement more then from depraved feelings; it originates as much in deficiencies of mind as in perversity of heart"
I think he is saying that individualism is not an illusion.
Wednesday, September 17, 2008
Chapter 2, Questions 1-6
1. How does Saussure define a sign?
Saussure defines a sign by the concept/idea and a "sound-image". Meaning, when you look at a sign, a street sign for example, you get the mental image of what the sign is telling you through an image.
2. What is the relationship that exists between a signifier and a signified?
Saussure uses the words "signifier" and "signified" to replace the words "concept" and "sound-image". These two indicate the opposition hat seperates them and from everything else. This is based on convention, the meaning that society gives it, can be changed.
3. Explain Saussure's statement that "concepts are purely differential".
I think that he means that concepts are unlike any other concepts and are defined by what they are not like, and they are not alike to other concepts.
4. What does Saussure mean when he says "in language there are only differences"
Throughout this whole reading Saussure is constantly relating everything back to "different" and "differences". I think that he is saying language is different for basically the same reasons for the others. I've tried looking for where he is saying this exact quote but since I can not find it I have to figure it out on my own. There are different concepts and ideas in language, there are different ways we use the language and there are different languages all together.
5. What is the difference between language, speech and parole?
Language- Language is a social institution, we use it to communicate.
Speech- Speech is both a social institution and an individual institution
Parole- Parole is speaking is is purely an individual institution
6. Is what you are wearing today language, speech or parole? explain your choice.
My outfit right now is parole. I'm in the library after a long day of classes and I changed into my comfortable sweatpants and I'm not dressing to impress other people, I am dressing so I can be comfortable while doing homework.
Saussure defines a sign by the concept/idea and a "sound-image". Meaning, when you look at a sign, a street sign for example, you get the mental image of what the sign is telling you through an image.
2. What is the relationship that exists between a signifier and a signified?
Saussure uses the words "signifier" and "signified" to replace the words "concept" and "sound-image". These two indicate the opposition hat seperates them and from everything else. This is based on convention, the meaning that society gives it, can be changed.
3. Explain Saussure's statement that "concepts are purely differential".
I think that he means that concepts are unlike any other concepts and are defined by what they are not like, and they are not alike to other concepts.
4. What does Saussure mean when he says "in language there are only differences"
Throughout this whole reading Saussure is constantly relating everything back to "different" and "differences". I think that he is saying language is different for basically the same reasons for the others. I've tried looking for where he is saying this exact quote but since I can not find it I have to figure it out on my own. There are different concepts and ideas in language, there are different ways we use the language and there are different languages all together.
5. What is the difference between language, speech and parole?
Language- Language is a social institution, we use it to communicate.
Speech- Speech is both a social institution and an individual institution
Parole- Parole is speaking is is purely an individual institution
6. Is what you are wearing today language, speech or parole? explain your choice.
My outfit right now is parole. I'm in the library after a long day of classes and I changed into my comfortable sweatpants and I'm not dressing to impress other people, I am dressing so I can be comfortable while doing homework.
Chapter 9, Questions 1-6
1. Define the following terms: metaphor, simile, metonymy, synecdoche.
Metaphor: based on analogy and similarity, when we speak of somthing in terms of another
Simile: Also an analogy, used to compare one thing to another
Metonymy: based on association, associating one thing to another, where one concept implies somthing else.
Synecdoche: Also an association, you use a word to represent something else.
2. Defend or attack the notion that our conceptual system is fundamentally metaphoric.
I agree with this notion, unknowingly we use metaphors everyday. We use it when we are communicating with people and when we think about something. It is an unconscious thing that everyone does.
3. Give some examples of how metaphor may affect everyday behavior.
When a man is thinking about a women that he desires, he might think in metaphors about her, or to her when he is writing her a love note.
4. What is a concept? How do concepts affect our behaviors?
Concepts are ideas and they could affect the way we think about something or someone, therefore affects our behavior towards it.
5. How can a sanke be both a metaphoric and metonymic?
A snake is often a metaphor for a penis and is also metonymic to the Garden of Eden.
6. Discuss the implications of specific metaphors. Find ones that are intersting.
We have to be aware of different metaphors because they could mean something important to our lives, and for communicating. For example the metaphor, the lawyer grilled the witness on the stand, implies that the lawyer is very tough and hard and will ask tough questions. Another example is, boiling mad, this implies that this person is extremely mad, not just a little but very very mad.
Metaphor: based on analogy and similarity, when we speak of somthing in terms of another
Simile: Also an analogy, used to compare one thing to another
Metonymy: based on association, associating one thing to another, where one concept implies somthing else.
Synecdoche: Also an association, you use a word to represent something else.
2. Defend or attack the notion that our conceptual system is fundamentally metaphoric.
I agree with this notion, unknowingly we use metaphors everyday. We use it when we are communicating with people and when we think about something. It is an unconscious thing that everyone does.
3. Give some examples of how metaphor may affect everyday behavior.
When a man is thinking about a women that he desires, he might think in metaphors about her, or to her when he is writing her a love note.
4. What is a concept? How do concepts affect our behaviors?
Concepts are ideas and they could affect the way we think about something or someone, therefore affects our behavior towards it.
5. How can a sanke be both a metaphoric and metonymic?
A snake is often a metaphor for a penis and is also metonymic to the Garden of Eden.
6. Discuss the implications of specific metaphors. Find ones that are intersting.
We have to be aware of different metaphors because they could mean something important to our lives, and for communicating. For example the metaphor, the lawyer grilled the witness on the stand, implies that the lawyer is very tough and hard and will ask tough questions. Another example is, boiling mad, this implies that this person is extremely mad, not just a little but very very mad.
Chapter 4, Questions 1-7
1. Why does Freud asserth that "no" doesn't exist in dreams?
The word "no" does not exist in dreams because Freud argues that dreams "reduce two opposites to a unity or to represent them as one thing". There can not be "no" in dreams because it will just do the opposite. For example, often there are dreams where a person is flying. Your mind will never say "no" to flying, it will do the opposite and let you fly.
2. How can a word have two meanings that are the opposite of one another?
Because we always associate the opposite with that word. In the book, it uses the example of dark and light. There can not be one without the other and we know that it is not dark when it is light, so we think the opposite of what that word means.
3. Freud says "conceptions arise through comparisons". Is that what Saussure argued?
Saussure argued something similiar saying, "in language there are only differences"
4. Do you think the iceberg model does justice to Freud's theories on the unconscious?
I do see how that model makes sense. About 90% of the iceberg is underwater and "in the dark" and in relating it to the unconscious we can visualize exactly how much of that is in our minds that we do not use. And this large chunck shapes what we do and our behaviors. So in visualizing all that I think the iceberg model works. But I don't know if it does justice because when I think of icebergs I think of melting and when associating that to my mind, it makes me think that my mind will eventually melt away.
5. What is meant by "reaction formation"?
Like in dreams, we dream opposites, the same goes for emotions. The reaction formation is a defense mechanism is when we express an emotion by feeling the opposite feeling. The example given in the book deals with "love" and "hate".
Which is where I think that is where they got the saying, "love/hate relationships", you feel one thing and show the other.
6. Are most people in the United States dominated by their ids or superegos? Defend your answer.
I think that most people are dominated by their ids. The id represents desire and lust. People by nature are very lustful, they see somthing they want and they go after it without thinking at first the consequence of their actions. Another example could be that many people desire to be successful and go up the work chain, so they use that, and it sometimes takes over how they think.
7. When is a cigar only a cigar?
When people do not see it as a sexual reference and see it as somthing that people smoke from. It is a cigar when you think it is and is not when you do not.
The word "no" does not exist in dreams because Freud argues that dreams "reduce two opposites to a unity or to represent them as one thing". There can not be "no" in dreams because it will just do the opposite. For example, often there are dreams where a person is flying. Your mind will never say "no" to flying, it will do the opposite and let you fly.
2. How can a word have two meanings that are the opposite of one another?
Because we always associate the opposite with that word. In the book, it uses the example of dark and light. There can not be one without the other and we know that it is not dark when it is light, so we think the opposite of what that word means.
3. Freud says "conceptions arise through comparisons". Is that what Saussure argued?
Saussure argued something similiar saying, "in language there are only differences"
4. Do you think the iceberg model does justice to Freud's theories on the unconscious?
I do see how that model makes sense. About 90% of the iceberg is underwater and "in the dark" and in relating it to the unconscious we can visualize exactly how much of that is in our minds that we do not use. And this large chunck shapes what we do and our behaviors. So in visualizing all that I think the iceberg model works. But I don't know if it does justice because when I think of icebergs I think of melting and when associating that to my mind, it makes me think that my mind will eventually melt away.
5. What is meant by "reaction formation"?
Like in dreams, we dream opposites, the same goes for emotions. The reaction formation is a defense mechanism is when we express an emotion by feeling the opposite feeling. The example given in the book deals with "love" and "hate".
Which is where I think that is where they got the saying, "love/hate relationships", you feel one thing and show the other.
6. Are most people in the United States dominated by their ids or superegos? Defend your answer.
I think that most people are dominated by their ids. The id represents desire and lust. People by nature are very lustful, they see somthing they want and they go after it without thinking at first the consequence of their actions. Another example could be that many people desire to be successful and go up the work chain, so they use that, and it sometimes takes over how they think.
7. When is a cigar only a cigar?
When people do not see it as a sexual reference and see it as somthing that people smoke from. It is a cigar when you think it is and is not when you do not.
Monday, September 15, 2008
Words
One word that has played an important role in history is the word, revolutionary. Throughout history there is constant change and revolution to new ideas, movements or government, for example the Revolutionary War, revolutions in culture (the modern art movement).
One word that has played an important role in my life is the word, acceptance. I've had to learn how to accept different and extreme changes in my life and also the smaller acceptances that may not drastically change my life but something that I need to accept happened or will happen.
Two words that the meaning has changed over time are the words, hoe and tight. Hoe used to mean a gardening tool, however today, the word is more associated to women who are slutty or "easy". The word tight used to refer to things that would be bound closely together and now people use that word to describe their relationship with another person, they would say that they are "tight" with their close friends.
One word that has played an important role in my life is the word, acceptance. I've had to learn how to accept different and extreme changes in my life and also the smaller acceptances that may not drastically change my life but something that I need to accept happened or will happen.
Two words that the meaning has changed over time are the words, hoe and tight. Hoe used to mean a gardening tool, however today, the word is more associated to women who are slutty or "easy". The word tight used to refer to things that would be bound closely together and now people use that word to describe their relationship with another person, they would say that they are "tight" with their close friends.
Chapter 3, Questions 1-5
1. Would it be better to celebrate "unbirthdays" rather than birthdays? If so, why? If not, why?
It would be better to celebrate birthdays because if "unbirthdays" could be celebrated 364 days of the year then after a while it will get old and boring.
2. Was Humpty Dumpty correct when he asserted that words mean whatever he wants them to mean?
I think that Humpty Dumpty is partially right because words can take on other meanings but there should also be core words where the meaning never changes, otherwise if all words can mean whatever each individual wants then it would be hard keeping track of what each word means.
3.What is the difference between connotation and denotation?
Connotations are words that are associtated with words that have a primary meaning and denotation is the direct meaning of a word.
4. Are the dictionary makers "masters" of what words mean? Defend your answer.
In a way they are because when we want to know what a word means, we look it up in the dictionary and stand by what the dictionary says is a meaning for a word.
5. If words could mean whatever we wanted them to mean, could we communicate with others?
It would be extrememly hard to communicate with others if the words meant what we wanted them to mean because your definition for one word could be completely different then someone elses. It would also make it harder to translate words from one language to another because on top of being in a different language there would be different meanings to each word.
It would be better to celebrate birthdays because if "unbirthdays" could be celebrated 364 days of the year then after a while it will get old and boring.
2. Was Humpty Dumpty correct when he asserted that words mean whatever he wants them to mean?
I think that Humpty Dumpty is partially right because words can take on other meanings but there should also be core words where the meaning never changes, otherwise if all words can mean whatever each individual wants then it would be hard keeping track of what each word means.
3.What is the difference between connotation and denotation?
Connotations are words that are associtated with words that have a primary meaning and denotation is the direct meaning of a word.
4. Are the dictionary makers "masters" of what words mean? Defend your answer.
In a way they are because when we want to know what a word means, we look it up in the dictionary and stand by what the dictionary says is a meaning for a word.
5. If words could mean whatever we wanted them to mean, could we communicate with others?
It would be extrememly hard to communicate with others if the words meant what we wanted them to mean because your definition for one word could be completely different then someone elses. It would also make it harder to translate words from one language to another because on top of being in a different language there would be different meanings to each word.
Sunday, September 14, 2008
Chapter One, Questions 1-5
1. What does it mean to say that language is a "game"?
Language is game because, like a game, language has rules and a fixed number of pieces.
2. If language is a game, does that mean that conversation, based on language, is a game?
Yes, for the obvious reason that we used language in conversation, but also because when we talk we use the rules that we learn.
3. What other definitions of language does Farb offer?
He points out the importance of language to culture and society because language plays a key role in communication.
4. Defend the assertion that speech is the basis of "all the other hallmarks of our community".
From speech alone we get other important parts of a community. For example,sciences, customs, arts and law, to name a few. Speech is a way for us to communicate and we use speech to communicate laws and customs/beliefs to others and carry it from generation to generation.
5. What are the attributes of a game? What implication does language being a game have?
The implications of language being a game implies that there are rules to follow, there is structure. It also implies that there are "winners" and "losers", people that know how to use the language to their advantage and those that do not. The attributes to the game include 21 consonants, 9 vowels, 4 semivowels, 4 stresses, 4 pitches, 1 juncture and 3 terminal contours.
Language is game because, like a game, language has rules and a fixed number of pieces.
2. If language is a game, does that mean that conversation, based on language, is a game?
Yes, for the obvious reason that we used language in conversation, but also because when we talk we use the rules that we learn.
3. What other definitions of language does Farb offer?
He points out the importance of language to culture and society because language plays a key role in communication.
4. Defend the assertion that speech is the basis of "all the other hallmarks of our community".
From speech alone we get other important parts of a community. For example,sciences, customs, arts and law, to name a few. Speech is a way for us to communicate and we use speech to communicate laws and customs/beliefs to others and carry it from generation to generation.
5. What are the attributes of a game? What implication does language being a game have?
The implications of language being a game implies that there are rules to follow, there is structure. It also implies that there are "winners" and "losers", people that know how to use the language to their advantage and those that do not. The attributes to the game include 21 consonants, 9 vowels, 4 semivowels, 4 stresses, 4 pitches, 1 juncture and 3 terminal contours.
Wednesday, September 10, 2008
Page 55, Questions 1-6
1. What does the author say about the differences between the ways mean and women use their bodies?
According to the author, Ruth P. Rubinstein, men use their bodies in a straight forward manner, they use it to manipulate, to show their strengths. Women have learned to use their bodies to show that they are delicate, soft and precious.
2. What is a gender script? How do these gender scripts function?
The gender script shows and identifies what expectations people have socially and appropriate behavior as it relates to sex/gender. The function is used to create two social categories, men and women.
3. What did Flugel say about clothes and sexuality? Do you agree? Justify your answer?
Flugel states that women use their fashion to make men want them for sex and that they can can be sexual and men's clothes are used to make women want them sexually. This is essential for the survival of the species because it makes sure that women and men get sexually excited with each other. I do not fully agree with this but I do see how it makes sense. We wear what we wear to look good to others, most of the time. And that is the basis of what Flugel is saying, we want to be attractive to the other sex, we want to be wanted. However I do not think that the survival of the human race depends on this, I'm sure men will want to have sex with women and vise versa no matter what we wear.
4. What did Laver say about the social spheres of men and women and dress? Do you agree? Explain.
Laver argues that there is a "hierarchy principle" to what men wear. What they wear puts them in a class system. On the other hand, women wear what we wear to make men want them sexually and therefore puts women in a status below men. I do not agree with what Laver argues. It is absurd to think that women are below men because of what we wear and is insulting to believe that all we want is to be wanted by men.
5. How is fashion "collective behavior"?
Fashion is a collective behavior because it is something that society as a whole follows and looks at. Trends become trends for that reason
6. What is the irony of fashion?
Even if you do not want to follow fashion or stand out, you are forced to, otherwise you stand out because you are not following the fashion trends of that time.
According to the author, Ruth P. Rubinstein, men use their bodies in a straight forward manner, they use it to manipulate, to show their strengths. Women have learned to use their bodies to show that they are delicate, soft and precious.
2. What is a gender script? How do these gender scripts function?
The gender script shows and identifies what expectations people have socially and appropriate behavior as it relates to sex/gender. The function is used to create two social categories, men and women.
3. What did Flugel say about clothes and sexuality? Do you agree? Justify your answer?
Flugel states that women use their fashion to make men want them for sex and that they can can be sexual and men's clothes are used to make women want them sexually. This is essential for the survival of the species because it makes sure that women and men get sexually excited with each other. I do not fully agree with this but I do see how it makes sense. We wear what we wear to look good to others, most of the time. And that is the basis of what Flugel is saying, we want to be attractive to the other sex, we want to be wanted. However I do not think that the survival of the human race depends on this, I'm sure men will want to have sex with women and vise versa no matter what we wear.
4. What did Laver say about the social spheres of men and women and dress? Do you agree? Explain.
Laver argues that there is a "hierarchy principle" to what men wear. What they wear puts them in a class system. On the other hand, women wear what we wear to make men want them sexually and therefore puts women in a status below men. I do not agree with what Laver argues. It is absurd to think that women are below men because of what we wear and is insulting to believe that all we want is to be wanted by men.
5. How is fashion "collective behavior"?
Fashion is a collective behavior because it is something that society as a whole follows and looks at. Trends become trends for that reason
6. What is the irony of fashion?
Even if you do not want to follow fashion or stand out, you are forced to, otherwise you stand out because you are not following the fashion trends of that time.
Saturday, September 6, 2008
Page 53, Questions 1-7
1. List and discuss the areas of facial exressions give information about.
The five areas where facial expressions give information about are, affective state, cognitive state, temperment and personality, truthfulness and psychopathology. The first one, affective state, shows a persons emotions such as anger, happiness and fear. Cognitice state facial expression show if a person is concentrating and listening or if they are bored. The third area, temperment and personality, is the social area that reveals hostility or shyness or sociability. Truthfulness, is self explainitory, it reveals if what the person is saying or doing is the truth or if it is false. The fifth and final area, psychopathology shows diagnostic information to severe disorders such as depression or schizophrenia and also the treatment to these disorders.
2. How do poker players deal with the problem of facial expression giving away informaion?
They wear sunglasses to hide their eyes.
3. Research what has been found about which muscles express which emotion in the face.
According to the website, www.members.aol.com/attic21/anatomy/muscles1.htm, The facial nerve (cranial nerve VII) controls the muscles used for expression. The different muscles that are involved with this are zygomaticus, corrugator, frontalis, buccinator, orbicularis, depessor labii inferioris, risorius and orbicularis oris.
4. Why do we feel emotions when we are watching performers pretend to feel things in texts?
We as the viewers are reading the faces and the messages sent by the actors. We feel the intended message by their body language, facial expressions, clothes, their use of the language. That is why if the the performer is bad and we can not read the intended message, we do not feel that emotion.
5. Do you think any facial expressions are universal? If so, which ones? Justify your position.
I believe that there are some facial expressions that are universal. For example, the expressions of happiness, sadness, anger and fear are universal. I have not traveled to another country to see this first hand but when I am watching news coverage of other countries, I can see their face expressions and when there is a joyous event I can see the happiness on their face. Or if there was a tragedy, I can see the saddness in their face.
6. Any facial expressions gender specific? If so, which ones? Explain your answer.
No, I do not think that certain facial expressions are gender specific, because that would mean that there are certain feelings that ONLY men feel or ONLY women feel and that is not true.
7. If we can automate reading facial expressions, do you think that will be good or bad?
I think that it would be a very good thing. It could be used in many areas, including the justice system and at times of war. They could read if a suspect is guilty or lying about something, it would save time and energy not to spend hours interviewing them. During war, they could find out where enemy weapons are. It could even be used in everyday life, people could use it to find good honest people to be around.
The five areas where facial expressions give information about are, affective state, cognitive state, temperment and personality, truthfulness and psychopathology. The first one, affective state, shows a persons emotions such as anger, happiness and fear. Cognitice state facial expression show if a person is concentrating and listening or if they are bored. The third area, temperment and personality, is the social area that reveals hostility or shyness or sociability. Truthfulness, is self explainitory, it reveals if what the person is saying or doing is the truth or if it is false. The fifth and final area, psychopathology shows diagnostic information to severe disorders such as depression or schizophrenia and also the treatment to these disorders.
2. How do poker players deal with the problem of facial expression giving away informaion?
They wear sunglasses to hide their eyes.
3. Research what has been found about which muscles express which emotion in the face.
According to the website, www.members.aol.com/attic21/anatomy/muscles1.htm, The facial nerve (cranial nerve VII) controls the muscles used for expression. The different muscles that are involved with this are zygomaticus, corrugator, frontalis, buccinator, orbicularis, depessor labii inferioris, risorius and orbicularis oris.
4. Why do we feel emotions when we are watching performers pretend to feel things in texts?
We as the viewers are reading the faces and the messages sent by the actors. We feel the intended message by their body language, facial expressions, clothes, their use of the language. That is why if the the performer is bad and we can not read the intended message, we do not feel that emotion.
5. Do you think any facial expressions are universal? If so, which ones? Justify your position.
I believe that there are some facial expressions that are universal. For example, the expressions of happiness, sadness, anger and fear are universal. I have not traveled to another country to see this first hand but when I am watching news coverage of other countries, I can see their face expressions and when there is a joyous event I can see the happiness on their face. Or if there was a tragedy, I can see the saddness in their face.
6. Any facial expressions gender specific? If so, which ones? Explain your answer.
No, I do not think that certain facial expressions are gender specific, because that would mean that there are certain feelings that ONLY men feel or ONLY women feel and that is not true.
7. If we can automate reading facial expressions, do you think that will be good or bad?
I think that it would be a very good thing. It could be used in many areas, including the justice system and at times of war. They could read if a suspect is guilty or lying about something, it would save time and energy not to spend hours interviewing them. During war, they could find out where enemy weapons are. It could even be used in everyday life, people could use it to find good honest people to be around.
Page 50, Questions 1-5
1. Define "nonverbal" communication. How does it differ from verbal communication?
Nonverbal communication is our facial expressions, our movements (body and hand movements), our posture and gestures.
2. What are the three dimensions of human behavior that are expressed nonverbally?
The three dimensions of human behavior that are expressed nonverbally are, like-dislike, potency or status, and responsiveness.
3. Can you think of other dimensions that might be expressed nonverbally?
Another dimension could be our interest in another thing or in someone. Our body language shows if we are truely interested.
4. Why do we trust body language and facial expressions more than verbal messages?
We trust body language and facial expressions more because it reveals the truth. If our nonverbal signs contradict what we are saying verbally then people lose trust in the things we say verbally.
5. Why do we react in certain ways to visual stimuli?
We react certain ways because it either, attracts our interest or it is one of those "built-in tendencies" to react in a certain way.
Nonverbal communication is our facial expressions, our movements (body and hand movements), our posture and gestures.
2. What are the three dimensions of human behavior that are expressed nonverbally?
The three dimensions of human behavior that are expressed nonverbally are, like-dislike, potency or status, and responsiveness.
3. Can you think of other dimensions that might be expressed nonverbally?
Another dimension could be our interest in another thing or in someone. Our body language shows if we are truely interested.
4. Why do we trust body language and facial expressions more than verbal messages?
We trust body language and facial expressions more because it reveals the truth. If our nonverbal signs contradict what we are saying verbally then people lose trust in the things we say verbally.
5. Why do we react in certain ways to visual stimuli?
We react certain ways because it either, attracts our interest or it is one of those "built-in tendencies" to react in a certain way.
Friday, September 5, 2008
To Be Verbal or Non-Verbal, That Is The Question
I think that non-verbal is more important then verbal. In my mind, non-verbal displays a person's true feelings, people can say something and feel the opposite. If we were relying on just verbal communication, you would never know if what they are saying is the truth or a lie. However, there can be some negatives to non-verbal communication, we can confuse a message that they are saying non-verbally as a different message. For example, a person could be shy and quiet, and people may confuse that as snobby or that they are not interested in other people.
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