Media and Manipulation FOA reflection

Link to my FOA plan and google slideshow

In my second FOA, I presented on how Osama bin Laden is portrayed through the media and how this impacted on American media viewers.

The research process was very interesting and fulfilling as I have been fascinated with the cult of Osama for a while and the conspiracies that surrounded his death. Being a history student also allowed me to make make historical and political connections which further develop a bigger picture of the situations Osama had been involved in. Lastly, as a keen, everyday lurker of the cyberspace, I felt that this research would also help be become a more conscious viewer of the media that surrounds me.

Upon starting on our topic of media and manipulation, I was instantly drawn to "Reel Bad Arabs" which enlightened me about the stereotypes placed on middle-eastern people. Having read "A Thousand Splendid Suns", I have been curious about the so-called "Arab World" and have also been inspired by other sources such as the movie, "My Name is Khan."

The world today is at a state of perpetual political unrest and it is hard to not realise just how involved we are in those turbulent tides as it is impossible to escape it when you are living it. Being in Malaysia right now, the national politics alongside the neighbouring politics of Thailand, the ongoing bloodshed in Israel and Palestine - it is everywhere, everyday and I honestly feel guilty for not knowing more and I feel that I'mg growing more desensitised to such matters.

Thus, with this research, I realize the importance of knowing such politics and a need to be more proactive into reading analytically as my research has been a revelation of knowledge that has simply been ignored.

Since the announcement of Osama's death in 9/11, I had always pondered on the legitimacy but had never dived into further research. The research process has opened a sense of curiosity towards the stark manipulation in everyday media as I had only just realise the subtle tactics of media manipulation and the dire consequences of it.

We are growing more accustomed to these media to the point where being brainwashed is easier and more effective than ever before. The best way to describe the generation of today are simply carcasses that hear but not listen, and see without thinking. Media is affecting the old and the young, and it is important to know that we are being targeted for such manipulation for reasons such as profit, support and many more. Hence, we have to harness an analytical lens towards the media around us and take charge of our knowledge by being smarter viewers as opposed to taking in the media at first glance.

It may seem tiring to be at look for these signs of manipulation constantly, but with practice, I hope that it will benefit us and prepare us for the limitless world of media today.

Political Correctness Reflection

Checking Ideas:

1. Where did PC language come from?

Political Correctness language originated from American Liberals who initially used the term literally, as in to be in alignment with political thought. 

However, it is now used to describe the act of 'adjusting'  language, ideas, policies, or behaviour in order to  minimize offence towards minority groups.

1. Why might it be seen as a good thing?

Based on the Sapir-Whorf Hypothesis, I agree in relation to its theory,  that words are important tools in giving meaning to abstract concepts, which further allow us to understand the world around us better as language affects the way we think and act.

In the argument for pro-pc language, I believe it helps us to further develop a wider knowledge of ethics as we live in a diverse society and the need to be adaptable is important in fostering intercultural understanding.

For example, the term "black" is a general term that can be applied or restricted in a spectrum of ways but PC language promotes an educated discretion amongst people as different societies uphold different ethical values.

1. Why might it be seen as a bad thing?

There are MANY arguments and conspiracies that denotes PC language and this may not appear strange as the main argument against it is that PC language brings upon connotations.

Connotations, or better known in a social setting as stereotypes, are what that is causing a stir among people as it could be misinterpreted as pejoratives on certain social customs and breaches cultural ethics.

Political Correctness language can also be argued as restricting, through how it implies a certain level of language in certain situations. This can be seen as a form of censorship which limits the freedom of speech.

1. What are your thoughts on the need for PC language to exist?

We cannot deny that we are ever present in a social society and system and would therefore need to adhere to societal rules and regulations as this allow order to be in place and promotes an intellectual and social progress. PC language today serves as not a restriction, but as an intellectual sensibility in today's ever-changing social society.

Media reflections

Inquiry questions for the unit:  - Whose values, attitudes and beliefs are reflected in media texts and why?  - Does the media create or reflect social perceptions?  - How can we detect bias/manipulation in media texts?  - In what ways can we use this knowledge to become more informed media consumers?

In media texts, the values, attitudes and beliefs represent the general opinion of most people of the community however these opinions would largely reflect on popular opinion to better relate to the general population.

Media is largely influence by sensationalism as the only way media is spread is when there are people using it. This however, leads to a reflection of the most popular opinions as the general opinion=general consensus=stable wave of viewers= stable income (?). What we have to see that media is also largely used in the interest of business hence popular opinions are reflected to garner attention and to keep viewers hooked.

Detecting bias and manipulation heavily depend on the media literacy of an individual. If we compare an individual who is only exposed to one type of media, he might be susceptible to bias in other medias or even fail to notice the bias in the only form of media they know as they could not see it from a different point of view. Hence, I believe by being exposed to a variety of media, we could compare and contrast opinions based on what is communicated through it.

Being informed media consumers require us to have a skill for analysis as we any form of media is open to certain levels of subjectivity hence we cannot take the messages communicated through the media at first glance. Being exposed to a spectrum of media resources also allow bigger space for interpretation and perspectives which allows us to analyse a matter inductively.

Discussion reflection

The flashcard prompts from today's discussions were really good.

In today's discussions, I highlighted areas of improvement for myself and in groups. I believe that we need to improve on allocating time for thought or better known as "fillers" to allow a slight breather from an idea to another. Asking for evidence or disagreeing is also another pointer to better improve discussion as it sparks productiveness amongst group members into digging deeper into the text.

However, some members simply would not put in the same amount of effort equally like others hence it would be our responsibility to help the learner by giving them space to voice out their opinions, allow them to follow up on ideas brought to the table or simply to give them a turn to contribute to the circle.

I also really enjoyed the prompts used for today's discussions as they further helped us explore other contexts of the novel that we had not thought of before and urges us to remember points from the novel which we may have overlooked before.