Personal Reflection on Media Culture - Week 11

This is the last week for the blog assignment in Media Culture.
Our lecturer came in and announced to us the final topic for the blog assignment.

Of Culture and Technology

Culture is something that has existed since the earliest civilization, and it is different depending on many important factors. When it comes to factors, many would automatically assume that they are society and era. That may be true, but there is one important factor in culture that is always overlooked. And that is technology itself!

In a strange way, culture and technology affect each other without many of us noticing. Here's some of the questions asked about this.

1. What kind of culture influences through technology can you see from today’s world?

Obviously, instant text messaging such as SMS is one of the technologies that carry cultural influences. Through this technology, the culture of constant communication is embedded into the society that uses it. This way of constant communication allowed more people to be connected to each other without having to face each other, and it is a lot easier as well as cheap. Indirectly, this caused people to carry mobile phones around with them for most of the time (for convenience), which makes it another culture for modern society.

2. Is there a possibility to reshape the (new) culture today via new technology, How?

There is a possibility for a new culture to reshape through a new technology. Any new culture in the world are somehow indirectly dependent to technology.
For example, in ancient Egyptians rely on the technology of carving as part of education culture of that time. This was due to the absence of proper writing (or recording) methods other than using chisels to carve informations onto a slate of hard clay. Education culture during this time was limited only to nobles and rich people back then because of the technology back then. This proved that technology can shape culture.
Therefore, if a new technology, such as an improved and advanced computer-like mobile phone, the current modern culture would reshape accordingly to adapt to the functions brought by the new technology. The society might would not even realize that a change in culture had happened.

Personal Reflection on Media Culture - Week 10

A video was shown to the students as a part of the weekly blog assignments. We were to understand the contents of the video before writing our critical reflections regarding the relations between the information in the video with the theory of 'media imperialism'.

Media Imperialism

In the first class of Medial Culture for this week, a video entitled "The Power of Nightmares - Part 3: The Shadows in the Cave" was shown. It is a BBC documentary film directed by Adam Curtis. From what was shown in the film, the theory of 'media imperialism' was widely used.

1. 'Media Imperialism' is basically the theory for that by controlling the media industries, a country can control the flow of information as well as spreading biased and inaccurate news. An example of this theory shown in the video is when the US prosecuters paid witnesses to give unproven testimonies, all in order to prosecute Osama bin Laden.
   
2. Other than just the manipulation of information for the purpose of prosecution or accusation, 'media imperialism' is also shown in UK Prime Minister Tony Blair's action. He released statements about threats of terrorism through the mass media, gaining the support of the public. This has increased the strength of his authority.
   

Personal Reflection on Media Culture - Week 9

As for this week, there were nothing much other than some new theories about media based on Marshall McLuhan's studies. And there's also the announcement of a deadline for a recently given assignment.

Tetrad of Media

The 9th week is here, along with a new topic of the week.

Tetrad of Media

Tetrad of Media is a summary made by Marshall McLuhan about 'the effects of medium to a society' in the form of a diagram, as shown below. This diagram became widely used to study about various types of media. Lets take instant messaging services (SMS) as a medium example.

1. First of all, this medium serves as an extension of communications between individuals and it has vastly improved due to increasing demands for its convenience. Because it can transfer messages back and forth quickly, the usage of letters to send messages is becoming lesser and lesser since instant messaging can save lots of time.
   
2. Through instant messaging, it is easier for people to engage in conversations and this encourages the sense of conversation as well as the sense of socializing (although not through the face-to-face method). Yet still, this medium can also backfire upon the society if the medium is over extended. Even though instant messaging can connect people using electronic media, individuals will turn more seclusive due to the absence of the need to meet other individuals face-to-face.
   

Personal Reflection on Media Culture - Week 8

The class today is the first after the mid-term break ended. Sadly enough, most of the students present had to wait for almost half an hour before the lecturer came in, announcing that today's class was canceled. Luckily enough, the attendances will be taken along during the other class. I was surprised that we (FCM students) received another assignment suddenly. Well, that's all I got for this week then.