Untrained eye

tes t 1. Hegenomy refers to more of a political dominance but while digging I found a clip that is titled The end of Western Artistic Hegenomy. It is a independent montage of art outside of the traditional art we are use to seeing today. A art that is not done through the hiearchy of television or radio or the internet but a type of art that we as westerners have forgotten is just as beautiful. Art to the untrained eye. art that looks beautiful no matter what society you put yourself in. http://oddtag.com/2008/10/20/the-end-of-western-artistic-hegemony/

Marshall McLuhan makes appearance in Woody Allen film "Annie Hall"

This is a clip from the 1977 Woody Allen film Annie Hall. The irony of this scene is that while Allen is standing in line waiting to gain entrance to a movie, the gentlemen behind him is "pontificating" to his girlfriend about Marshall McLuhan's media theories. Allen, clearly agitated, stops the film and brings in Mr McLuhan who then tells the guy that he knows nothing about his work! Great stuff!

stuart Hall Hegemonic Encoding

Stuart Hall’s description of hegemonic encoding is very much alive to today and is a strong influence in the media that we consume on a daily basis. This video reveals and observes the dominant neoconservative agenda to inject the fear of “terrorism” into our society by way of hegemonic encoding.

How to Read Donald Duck

The article "How to Read Donald Duck" brought to my attention what I past off as a kid. the ducks had no descendants. Everyone is a either a nephew, aunt, or uncle. Its as if they have always existed. I was surprised to watch Duck Tales again and find that everyone was in fact a uncle, nephew, or aunt. Another socializing agent the article brought to my attention, were the gender specific personalities to the characters. Daisy is seen as a nag and always needs to be taken care of , while Donald pretty much kind of an tough guise. I can't agree that these negative images can only harm children who watch this and imitate the social order and behavior , because children don’t look into covert meanings of images until much later in life. If we educate our children about these factors and give them understanding to why they do the thing they do. We will have given them a brighter future.

The Whites of their Eyes

The excerpt from The Whites of their Eyes discusses how media is the main source of ideological production and I agree that it has a very large role in how people view themselves, each other and the world. If one is not innately the type of person to question things: Life, people, theories or ideologies, one will be very susceptible to believing anything and everything that is presented to him or her. The greatest perspective that one can have is a perspective that one has developed for one's self. Yes, we are all influenced by mostly everything that occurs in our lives but it is very crucial that we determine how we truly feel about issues. You have to view media very critically because many viewers believe that they are merely being entertained or informed but there is ALWAYS a message being relayed. This clip very clearly demonstrates that racism and prejudice is still very much alive and prevalent in the twenty-first century. This clip is of Fox News which is known for perpetuating racist ideology and is blatantly biased and racially charged. I also find it very interesting how they incorporate African-Americans in an attempt to validate their biased and overtly racist agenda and programming. Most media outlets are owned by white males, and until other races are in a positon to produce the images of themselves that they want to see we will continue to be depicted how those who are in those positons of power choose to show us.

Steven Johnson

Steven Johnson argued how television had not dumbed down audiences, as most media outlets would tell you, but made them smarter as they are now trained to follow complex story arcs and made to remember more details than before.

He coined it the "Sleeper Curve." He said the true test of the "Sleeper Curve" is not the effect it had on the higher-quality shows but on junk.

I chose a clip from a show called "Xavier: Renegade Angel". A show I considered dreck for one reason: the poor quality of its animation. But once I paid attention, i noticed its clever wordplay and its biting satire. Due to the speed it delivers both, it requires strict attention and multiple viewings to gather it all. So this is a new entity for the "sleeper Curve"; quality wrapped in junk.

- Alan Lira

How to read Donald Duck

Duck Tales



It's funny to think that one of my favorite cartoons growing up was Duck Tales and yet I never really questioned about where "mom" and "dad" were for Huey, Louie, Dewey, and Wendy. Uncle Scrooge was just their caretaker in my eyes and I didn't question much else. But the female and male roles were something I did happen to take notice of as a kid. Despite the fact that Daisy was seen as this "domineering woman", Wendy is rather helpless and cries a lot. Whereas her brothers are always going on adventures and trying to save the world of all the "bad" guys. The author's point was to take the reader and place them into seeing these types of roles how they played out for children's ideas for what "girls" are supposively like and what "boys" should be like.

How to Read Donald Duck

It's interesting and startling to realize that the article "How to Read Donald Duck" that the majority of the characters have no descendants. Everyone is a either a nephew, aunt, or uncle. I've never noticed it until after I read the article which prompted me to go and find episodes of the cartoons in order to verify the claim. I was surprised to watch it and find that everyone was in fact a uncle, nephew, or aunt. Even more disturbing is the sterotypical images it portrays when giving gender specific personalities to the characters. Daisy is seen as bossy and trying to ruin Donalds fun, while Donald is himself a bully. I can't help but agree with the authors that these negative images can only harm children who watch this and imitate the social order and behavior.

The Medium is the Message

Beyond Good & Evil: Children, Media & Violent Times



Last week we discussed in class how children are supposively affected by the media. This video on YouTube talks about how media affects children by causing them to be more violent. Whether you agree or disagree with that idea, this video had some interesting facts on the things children have said and why media has had an impact on their perception of the world.

Watching TV Makes You Smarter

There are a lot more programs that have become more complicated and complex, but on the other hand, television has also dumbed itself down with the popularity of reality shows. Most of the characters act out to ensure being remembered and while doing so set bad examples. This article touches on the effects reality shows have.

http://www.thedaonline.com/mobile/opinion/reality-television-encourages-bad-behavior-among-viewers-1.947649

How to read Donald Duck

In the article, Uncle, Buy me a contraceptive, "The world of Disney is a nineteenth century orphanage." It is interesting to see how this is explained. In spite of their global traveling, and their crazy and feverish mobility the characters remain trapped within, and doomed to return to the same power structure. The elasticity of physical space conceals the true rigidity of the relationships within which the characters are imprisoned.