Rachel's topic concerned the portrayal of mentally ill individuals, in particular the portrayal of schizophrenia. It was particularly interesting to know that the portrayal of mental illness has changed throughout time. Which makes sense, it will fit the ideas of the current time it is produced in. What concerns me is how much of an impact these images truly shape our perceptions. As Rachel explained, a large percentage of our time is spent watching television. While in an educational setting it would be more likely to have an accurate portrayal, film and media often exaggerate and entirely get a portrayal wrong. This is crucial for stigmatized/oppressed communities who already face this within society. These wrong portrayals only intensify this fact.
Katie Ann's topic was particularly interesting to me because I had heard the claim that E-Harmony would not let gay and lesbian identified people use their dating service because the research had only been done on straight couples. I had always known the website to not be queer friendly in any manner, so it was very shocking to hear they had developed another site. I wondered why Eharmony developed this new website- was it for an additional source of profit? For example, in my environmental sociology course we talk about producers "green washing" a particular product. I'm wondering if here this company tried to appeal to gay and lesbian people for a better profit. I find this humorous after being noted as a homophobic company. I had yet to hear of Compatible Partners and I'm curious if there is a backlash against the site because of it being owned by eHarmony. Katie Ann noted the differences between eHarmony and Compatible Partners regarding marriage, religion, and children. We can see from this that many offline "real world" depictions translate to online websites.
David's topic concerned high commercial dating websites have essentially turned queer bodies into pornography. This was particularly interesting after Katie Ann's presentation because we can begin to analyze what type of market exists for queer dating websites. Popular websites for gay men to connect and date essentially make the experience into a sexual encounter. Even in the personal information sexual encounters are made apparent by asking the user about penis size. Weekly submissions are used to create pornography. Gay men are over sexualized and their experiences are essentially turned into pornography.
Kelsey's topic concerned cyber bullying as a relatively new area gaining attention from schools and parents. The concept of bullying has shifted out of the advances in technology, making bullying less distinguishable. Many parents who do not have the same skills in technology are isolated from their children and unaware that bullying is occurring. While schools can intervene to a certain extent with use of their own technology, children who use phones are always plugged in to social life. In my opinion, a step toward helping this situation is for parents to become more involved in how much technology their children consume. Children truly don't need to have high tech phones or be plugged into the internet at all times. When I addressed the issue of the digital divide I advocated for children to learn how to use a computer in age appropriate phases. Children do need to learn about technology but in a productive manner. Being constantly tied into social networks is a frightening concept for me because I didn't have a cell phone until late high school. Middle school especially is a time where children are overly concerned about others and I do see harm in being constantly accessible through phones and technology.
Leah's topic concerned the media portrayal of women in the military. The military generally is associated with extreme masculinity. Leah discussed how the military may use tactics to appeal to women which include not being in combat situations, less risky occupations. How should the media portray women in the media? In my opinion the media does not often note the reality of many women in the media, which includes sexual assault and harassment. A large number of women are assaulted and harassed within their own military group. Leah noted that women aren't allowed to be feminine and I've heard another side to this as well. A woman visited UNH a couple of years ago to speak out against Don't Ask, Don't Tell and also discussed her experience as a woman in the military. She was more masculine but pressured to appear feminine. I'm unsure of the current media portrayal of women or if there is much of a conversation concerning these important issues.
Kenlyne's topic concerned cyber cheating and how the internet has change the way in which we think about infidelity. There are blurred lines of trust relating to this topic as I mentioned in my previous blog post. Where everything can be hidden or deleted it seems our relationship must be strong to make it through possible doubts. As Kenlyne noted, the internet has also altered the way we can deal with situations of infidelity. In the past some may have confronted this person face to face, but what do you do when the other person lives so far away? This topic is a great example of how technology is reshaping the way we interact online and perceive trust in our relationships.
Dani's topic concerned the concept of community in relation to online websites such as YouTube. Dani noted that the internet has been used as an example for and against bettering community. However, she also noted that the definition of community through technology, not necessarily for better or worse. Vlogging communities offer the possibility of connecting with others both online and offline, as many are initially connecting online and then later meeting offline. I think it would be interesting to discuss how the definition of community has shifted throughout time and that this is another step.
Friday, December 10, 2010
Friday, December 3, 2010
Presentations 11/30/10
Here's some feedback on the presentations from our last class...
Jayne's discussion of cyber cheating through Facebook was a thought provoking topic. It inspired me to take the topic further and question the lines of jealousy and privacy within a relationship. Some of the questions that crossed my mind are: as technology becomes a main source of communication and social networking, do we in turn become dissociated from our personal connections? Where does the trust lie in our relationships when we need to worry about who our partner is texting and communicating with through technology. In another light, how much freedom and trust do we need to leave with our partner? The lines of privacy become blurred within the internet and social networking sites such as Facebook as is. Technology does not necessarily encourage one's partner to cheat but does make it simple. Our partner can be so discreet with deleted texts and personal passwords so that we may never know who they are connecting with. This is yet another area where technology and socialization become blurred because the face of cheating has changed through discreetness.
Niquesha's discussion surrounding homophobia being linked to Black communities through the church was complex. This brought to my mind the discussion after Still Black where a statement was made that homophobia is mostly present in Black religious communities. However, as David noted, we must consider why only Black religious communities are depicted as homophobic. As mentioned in class there are numerous faiths which are known for being extremely homophobic yet these are rarely mentioned. For this topic I believe that establishing who benefits from creating Black communities as homophobic is very important to addressing the overall topic. What purpose does it serve that White religious communities that are homophobic aren't judged as a whole while Black religious communities are? As Courtney said, "the Black community can be whatever you'd like them to be." Could this be just another distraction so that homophobia appears more acceptable and/or less of an issue within particular religious communities? While keeping this important side of the issue in mind I believe we can then begin to examine the representation of queerness within Black communities and the role religion does play in this, not because we can truthfully say "black communities are more homophobic and religious" but we can recognize the forces contributing to this stereotype and what the reality looks like.
Danielle's topic regarding women in video games was also extremely interesting due to how mainstream "gaming" has become. While some can acknowledge that media such as pornography desensitizes consumers to violence and objectification, the argument that "it's only a game" is prevalent. When we only regard these images, games, and videos on the surface level it entirely ignores the psychology behind our consumption. Video games do not exist in a vacuum, they exist within a culture that promotes rape, dehumanizes women, and encourages violence against women. Our consumption of these video games and depictions of women is not mindless, our brains register and respond. When we normalize the concept of women as not "real" characters but sexual objects or "bitches we can fuck and kill" that is stored within our mindset. These concepts do not appear in video games out of creativity nor do they appear in the attitude and actions of others out of thin air. This topic is incredibly interesting because it's reckless to ignore the messages we receive through mass media.
Rebecca's topic on the power we invest in doctors brought to my mind how medicine and health have become a business. This idea is not only related to doctor visits but health insurance and prescription medicine. Our country spends an incredible amount of money on products that are meant to alter our image or make us healthier. However, how much faith do we put in the word of a doctor since health care has become commercialized? Are we cared for by our doctors or simply another dollar sign? Technology has played an essential role in the divide between health professionals and the average person as information has been made accessible at all times on the internet. I would also consider what role the digital divide has in relation to this topic. I specifically wonder if those who do not have access to a vast amount of information are less likely to object to a doctor's wishes. Is it technology or the concept of being a dollar sign that has many individuals questioning the accuracy of health professionals?
Dana's topic on pregnant women using the internet for advice relating to health care brought to questions to my mind that were similar to those in relation to Rebecca's topic. I think it is important to consider why there is so much mistrust in the medical community that many turn to the internet. Also, is the information we are receiving quality? Or are we looking to find websites that confirm our personal opinions? This topic was presented in the manner that having the ability to retrieve information through the internet is empowering to women who do not have to rely on health professionals. While I do view this as empowering because women can connect with one another and do research on their own, I'm always skeptical of idealizing the internet. For this topic I'd also be interested in what role the digital divide plays, if any.
Emily's topic addressed how racism and homophobia that appears online in social networking and dating websites. As discussed in class, the creation of the internet was thought to be groundbreaking because of anonymity. One would have no race, class, gender, or orientation while interacting with others on the internet. As I've mentioned in regard to video games, technology does not exist in a vacuum outside of culture. We clearly see instances of racism, sexism, and heterosexism on the internet that reflect our "real world" back to us. For this topic I think it would be interesting to analyze the disconnect between our conception of the internet and the real world. There seems to be a strong divide where people feel they have a life on the internet and then a "real" life. Perhaps this is why many are so skeptical to believe that these real life "isms" hold a place on the web?
Jayne's discussion of cyber cheating through Facebook was a thought provoking topic. It inspired me to take the topic further and question the lines of jealousy and privacy within a relationship. Some of the questions that crossed my mind are: as technology becomes a main source of communication and social networking, do we in turn become dissociated from our personal connections? Where does the trust lie in our relationships when we need to worry about who our partner is texting and communicating with through technology. In another light, how much freedom and trust do we need to leave with our partner? The lines of privacy become blurred within the internet and social networking sites such as Facebook as is. Technology does not necessarily encourage one's partner to cheat but does make it simple. Our partner can be so discreet with deleted texts and personal passwords so that we may never know who they are connecting with. This is yet another area where technology and socialization become blurred because the face of cheating has changed through discreetness.
Niquesha's discussion surrounding homophobia being linked to Black communities through the church was complex. This brought to my mind the discussion after Still Black where a statement was made that homophobia is mostly present in Black religious communities. However, as David noted, we must consider why only Black religious communities are depicted as homophobic. As mentioned in class there are numerous faiths which are known for being extremely homophobic yet these are rarely mentioned. For this topic I believe that establishing who benefits from creating Black communities as homophobic is very important to addressing the overall topic. What purpose does it serve that White religious communities that are homophobic aren't judged as a whole while Black religious communities are? As Courtney said, "the Black community can be whatever you'd like them to be." Could this be just another distraction so that homophobia appears more acceptable and/or less of an issue within particular religious communities? While keeping this important side of the issue in mind I believe we can then begin to examine the representation of queerness within Black communities and the role religion does play in this, not because we can truthfully say "black communities are more homophobic and religious" but we can recognize the forces contributing to this stereotype and what the reality looks like.
Danielle's topic regarding women in video games was also extremely interesting due to how mainstream "gaming" has become. While some can acknowledge that media such as pornography desensitizes consumers to violence and objectification, the argument that "it's only a game" is prevalent. When we only regard these images, games, and videos on the surface level it entirely ignores the psychology behind our consumption. Video games do not exist in a vacuum, they exist within a culture that promotes rape, dehumanizes women, and encourages violence against women. Our consumption of these video games and depictions of women is not mindless, our brains register and respond. When we normalize the concept of women as not "real" characters but sexual objects or "bitches we can fuck and kill" that is stored within our mindset. These concepts do not appear in video games out of creativity nor do they appear in the attitude and actions of others out of thin air. This topic is incredibly interesting because it's reckless to ignore the messages we receive through mass media.
Rebecca's topic on the power we invest in doctors brought to my mind how medicine and health have become a business. This idea is not only related to doctor visits but health insurance and prescription medicine. Our country spends an incredible amount of money on products that are meant to alter our image or make us healthier. However, how much faith do we put in the word of a doctor since health care has become commercialized? Are we cared for by our doctors or simply another dollar sign? Technology has played an essential role in the divide between health professionals and the average person as information has been made accessible at all times on the internet. I would also consider what role the digital divide has in relation to this topic. I specifically wonder if those who do not have access to a vast amount of information are less likely to object to a doctor's wishes. Is it technology or the concept of being a dollar sign that has many individuals questioning the accuracy of health professionals?
Dana's topic on pregnant women using the internet for advice relating to health care brought to questions to my mind that were similar to those in relation to Rebecca's topic. I think it is important to consider why there is so much mistrust in the medical community that many turn to the internet. Also, is the information we are receiving quality? Or are we looking to find websites that confirm our personal opinions? This topic was presented in the manner that having the ability to retrieve information through the internet is empowering to women who do not have to rely on health professionals. While I do view this as empowering because women can connect with one another and do research on their own, I'm always skeptical of idealizing the internet. For this topic I'd also be interested in what role the digital divide plays, if any.
Emily's topic addressed how racism and homophobia that appears online in social networking and dating websites. As discussed in class, the creation of the internet was thought to be groundbreaking because of anonymity. One would have no race, class, gender, or orientation while interacting with others on the internet. As I've mentioned in regard to video games, technology does not exist in a vacuum outside of culture. We clearly see instances of racism, sexism, and heterosexism on the internet that reflect our "real world" back to us. For this topic I think it would be interesting to analyze the disconnect between our conception of the internet and the real world. There seems to be a strong divide where people feel they have a life on the internet and then a "real" life. Perhaps this is why many are so skeptical to believe that these real life "isms" hold a place on the web?
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