I've read many different books that have influenced me in many different ways, but there are a few books that have really meant a lot to me.
The Chronicles of Narnia series is a major book series for me. This was the first series I read all by myself as a child, and I read each book over and over again. The series really helped me learn to love to read, and they helped me bring out my imagination even further. I think that it's also exciting to see how these books are currently being adapted into a series of movies as well, so it's fun to look at the books and then see how different the movies are compared to what I would have imagined.
The Da Vinci Code is another major book in my life. I had hit a moment in my life where I didn't really want to read anymore, and then I picked up this book. It completely blew me away, and kept me up way too late on many nights. I also find it fascinating when an idea and belief is challenged, but in a harmless way. I remember when it came out so many people were outraged, but I really felt that that is what helps make something so much better.
Nature Girl, even though it may not seem like a very influential book, was very helpful for me because it was a good book to use as an example of a book that lets you completely forget about the world around you. Sometimes I know I forget to read just for fun, or I can't find a good book that will make me laugh out extremely loud, and this book gave me a lot of hope. I hadn't had as much fun getting lost in a book as much as I have with this one.
Tuesday, April 26, 2011
Monday, April 18, 2011
How Media Impacts Us
When I think of all the ways media impacts us, especially in children, I always think of the television. Television shows sometimes blur the line of reality versus the imagination, especially when it comes to reality TV. I believe that we often forget that, although the word "reality" is associated to a show, many times it is scripted just like all other TV shows.
One of the articles I distinctly remember was how a 7 year old boy in Dallas accidentally killed his 3 year old brother using moves he had viewed on professional wrestling TV.
The article is located here: http://users.rcn.com/mgfree/tv/DallasWrestler.htm
The 7 year old did not know that most of the moves he saw on TV was practiced previously, with special provision by experts who knew how to make it look real and intense. Because of this lack of knowledge, the boy thought that, like all the other wrestlers, nothing too serious would be an outcome. Because of this lack of knowledge, his brother lost his life, and he lost a brother. When this all happened in 1999, there was a major controversy over weather or not the Wrestling networks should be blamed.
Personally, I do not believe that it is the Wrestling network's fault, but more of the parents for letting their 7 year-old watch such violent acts, and by not informing him of the realities of wrestling, especially because they decided it was a good idea to let their child watch it. This does not mean, however, that I do not think the networks should put a disclaimer, making sure all precautions are taken to avoid such a tragic accident.
The media will always be blamed for anything that happens, but it really is up to us to allow the outcome to be what it is.
One of the articles I distinctly remember was how a 7 year old boy in Dallas accidentally killed his 3 year old brother using moves he had viewed on professional wrestling TV.
The article is located here: http://users.rcn.com/mgfree/tv/DallasWrestler.htm
The 7 year old did not know that most of the moves he saw on TV was practiced previously, with special provision by experts who knew how to make it look real and intense. Because of this lack of knowledge, the boy thought that, like all the other wrestlers, nothing too serious would be an outcome. Because of this lack of knowledge, his brother lost his life, and he lost a brother. When this all happened in 1999, there was a major controversy over weather or not the Wrestling networks should be blamed.
Personally, I do not believe that it is the Wrestling network's fault, but more of the parents for letting their 7 year-old watch such violent acts, and by not informing him of the realities of wrestling, especially because they decided it was a good idea to let their child watch it. This does not mean, however, that I do not think the networks should put a disclaimer, making sure all precautions are taken to avoid such a tragic accident.
The media will always be blamed for anything that happens, but it really is up to us to allow the outcome to be what it is.
Wednesday, April 6, 2011
Media Autobiography
Like every person, I share a love-hate relationship with media. This is my relationship with each of these different types of medias:
Books: My relationship with books has probably been my longest media related relationship. As a child, my mother would read to me every night, which helped me create a love for stories and ideas that incite the imagination. Unfortunately, I don't always have the most time to read as many books as I would like to, but when I do get the opportunity I do try to read a good book or two.
Newspapers: My relationship with Newspapers has been pretty scattered. I went through a period in High School where I would read newspapers for more than just the comics, however, I no longer read newspapers at all. I will go online to read an article from a newspaper source, but I do not read printed news anymore.
Magazines: Magazines for me are something that I absolutely love. I love that the articles are short, simple, and sweet. I also love how much imagery are in many magazines, because I am a very visual person, I can stare at pictures for hours. I often times will catch myself staring at pictures more than reading the articles that accompany them, too.
Movies: Movies are probably the one media that I have the strongest relationship with. My original major was actualy film for scriptwriting, and I have taken numerous film classes over the past 3 years. I think that movies are one of the strongest media outlets for sharing an idea or information, because I strongly believe that through imagery our ideas on things can change drastically.
Recordings: Recordings, or music, is probably my second best media related relationship. I listen to music when I do just about everything. I do school work, researching random things, hang out with people, drive, etc with music playing in the background. I actually hope to one day direct music videos as my career, and I actively will follow the newest music and music videos.
Radio: My relationship with radio is fairly on-and-off. I will listen to it every once in awhile, but I usually have my iPod plugged into my car's dashboard playing what I want to listen to. Sometimes, I will listen to the ratio just for fun, but usually it's just turned off.
Television: Television is another relationship that's fairly on and off. I will sometimes watch it, but I usually do not. If I do watch it though, it needs to be recorded because I hate commercials, so I need to watch it after it has already aired so I can skip through them.
The Internet: I think that the Internet is the most important media aspect that we have today. Without it we cannot do most of what we do, cannot have most of what we have, and don't find out all the information that we find out. Every other media aspect can in some way be incorporated to the Internet, so I think that it's probably one of the biggest things in most of our lives. I know for me personally, I am always online. I find out most of my information through the Internet, and I discover new music, music videos, movies, and sometimes tv shows through it. I also use the Internet to read up on products before I buy anything so that I can read other people's views on it.
Books: My relationship with books has probably been my longest media related relationship. As a child, my mother would read to me every night, which helped me create a love for stories and ideas that incite the imagination. Unfortunately, I don't always have the most time to read as many books as I would like to, but when I do get the opportunity I do try to read a good book or two.
Newspapers: My relationship with Newspapers has been pretty scattered. I went through a period in High School where I would read newspapers for more than just the comics, however, I no longer read newspapers at all. I will go online to read an article from a newspaper source, but I do not read printed news anymore.
Magazines: Magazines for me are something that I absolutely love. I love that the articles are short, simple, and sweet. I also love how much imagery are in many magazines, because I am a very visual person, I can stare at pictures for hours. I often times will catch myself staring at pictures more than reading the articles that accompany them, too.
Movies: Movies are probably the one media that I have the strongest relationship with. My original major was actualy film for scriptwriting, and I have taken numerous film classes over the past 3 years. I think that movies are one of the strongest media outlets for sharing an idea or information, because I strongly believe that through imagery our ideas on things can change drastically.
Recordings: Recordings, or music, is probably my second best media related relationship. I listen to music when I do just about everything. I do school work, researching random things, hang out with people, drive, etc with music playing in the background. I actually hope to one day direct music videos as my career, and I actively will follow the newest music and music videos.
Radio: My relationship with radio is fairly on-and-off. I will listen to it every once in awhile, but I usually have my iPod plugged into my car's dashboard playing what I want to listen to. Sometimes, I will listen to the ratio just for fun, but usually it's just turned off.
Television: Television is another relationship that's fairly on and off. I will sometimes watch it, but I usually do not. If I do watch it though, it needs to be recorded because I hate commercials, so I need to watch it after it has already aired so I can skip through them.
The Internet: I think that the Internet is the most important media aspect that we have today. Without it we cannot do most of what we do, cannot have most of what we have, and don't find out all the information that we find out. Every other media aspect can in some way be incorporated to the Internet, so I think that it's probably one of the biggest things in most of our lives. I know for me personally, I am always online. I find out most of my information through the Internet, and I discover new music, music videos, movies, and sometimes tv shows through it. I also use the Internet to read up on products before I buy anything so that I can read other people's views on it.
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