Tuesday, May 31, 2011

All Freshmen Should Take This Class


Taking TCF155 with Dr. Raimist has been intellectually stimulating, challenging to me personally and provided a basis of study on which I will build in the future. Before taking the class, I was a user of social media both casually and professionally. In this class, I discovered how little I understood about the dark side of all media and the internet’s developing social media communities.  While 98% of college students use Facebook, the percentage who understand how it can be provided without cost is significantly smaller. Not only are the backsides of the Google, Facebook, Yahoo and YouTube tremendously busy tracking our every click online, but smart phones, ipads and digital cameras also feed information back into their developer’s databases.

The exercise of keeping a media diet was enlightening. It was no surprise to me to learn that I was less plugged-in than the younger students in my class, but it was interesting to see exactly how tuned into media I was and how little time I spent in face-to-face conversations with those around me, most especially at work. I value receiving information and in a timely manner, but become disgusted when I hear stories like the one relayed by Gabrielle Giffords’ husband where NPR reported that Mrs. Giffords had died as a result of the gunshot wound she received. Obviously her husband and two children grieved terribly before learning that she had NOT passed. The rush to be first to report often tempts media to report inaccurately. This story has stuck in my mind and reminds me to follow a story longer to be certain that what was originally reported is confirmed by other sources.

Catfish offered a glimpse of what online identity is and how it can easily be dishonestly created to serve a variety of purposes. Whether one believes that this was an elaborate hoax or a true representation of an actual story, it certainly could have taken place just as presented given the powerful platforms available to anyone with internet access.

Copyright Criminals drilled home the point that contemporary artists are master thieves. Exactly how serious their crimes are and what punishment should be levied remains undetermined. When watching the movie and studying the subject I was sympathetic to the original artists, but as I began to prepare my final video for this class found myself to be a remix ripper. When I attempted to upload my video to YouTube, I was immediately flagged for copyrighted content – ironic, isn’t it?

Bling Bling rings in my head to this day. What an amazingly impactful short video! I have read some about the diamond trade in South Africa and watched a movie and documentary on it, but nothing hit me harder than this haunting compilation of image, poem and melody. It causes me pause when I stand gazing at engagement rings, dreaming of the day I will wear one of those gleaming beacons which signifies, in America, my value for all to world see.

TCF 155: Personal Screens: Media and Identity in the Age of YOUtube, ME Media, and MYspace exposed its students to basic, intermediate and advanced concepts. When spending time with young people, who practically live on the internet, I am still aghast at how little they consider their eternal digital footprint. In this social media obsessed age, it would be wise for all freshmen to take this class, even those who think themselves tech natives.

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