Journal 3 - Digital Nation

The video Digital Nation provided me with much to think about.  Trying to pick just one topic out of so many poses quite a challenge.  I have to say that I do feel that digital technology is very necessary in our world, but I am concerned about the video games and our young children.  I am a single mother of a 6 year old boy.  He has ADHD and when not medicated, it is difficult for him to focus on anything, unless it is something that captures his attention completely.  Video games seem to do just that, medicated or not. However, I have to limit the time that he spends on the computer or on his DS.  Luckily for me, he is still at the age that he likes younger children games and activities, as is on Disney Jr or Nick Jr.  I do not buy video games about killing people or that contain adult language.  I believe that children will learn about inappropriate things eventually and I would prefer for my child to be a child for as long as possible. 
Computers are wonderful teaching tools when handled correctly.  I loved the part of the video that talked about teaching "internet manners" to the children.  Personally, I think that there should be a class required to be taken anytime someone purchases a digital device for the first time. I have personally experienced several situations where a relative has posted something on Facebook that would be deemed "inappropriate" and when it was commented on by other family members, the emotions flared up and feelings where hurt to the point of causing one family member to stop speaking to another family member for over a year.  The entire problem could of and should have been handled face to face to avoid the hurt feelings.  One of the biggest problems with posting comments online or thru emails or texts is that there is no emotion in the message.  What one person may be sending as a joke could be misinterpreted as hurtful comments. 

Reality Television

Janet Dodd

ENC 1102

February 5, 2013    

Journal 2 – Reality Television

 

     Reality television is a practical joke that has been played on the country.  Producers have taken the fact that people are unable to look away from drama and the unknown and have turned it into a monster money making business.  Someone dreams up an idea, submits it to a television producer, a deal is carefully and legally agreed upon, cameraman invade the lives of the shows participants for however long it is deemed necessary to get the “meat” of the show, lastly, the editing room takes over and produces a show consisting of what the producer deems television worthy.  Humans have this innate need to know what other people are doing, even though it has nothing whatsoever to do with their own lives.  For example, we have a term for “nosey bodies” that drive past a car accident and just absolutely have to see what is going on or what happened.  These people are called “rubberneckers.”  A charming term awarded due to the fact that these people keep moving forward, however their necks will stretch as far as possible in an attempt to find out the “scoop.”

     There is a reality show about almost anything that you can possibly imagine and some things that you would rather not.  Personally, I don’t watch much television; however I try to stay away from these types of programs.  They are not as real as they are publicized to be.  Hanging out at a friend’s house one afternoon, I had the great pleasure of viewing a marathon of a show called, “Amish Mafia.”  As you can imagine, it is about the Amish community in Pennsylvania and the group of individuals who “protect” the community.  I will admit it, I got hooked!  I got home and just had to find out when the seasonal finale was going to be aired so that I could watch it or record it for later viewing.  Turns out, the editing of the show, convinced the viewer to believe that something very bad would be occurring in every episode, however nothing ever happened.  Yes, there was mutiny in the ranks, infiltration of a competitor from another Amish community in Ohio to take over the business, and a love interest; all the components necessary to grab the viewer’s attention.  When I stopped and analyzed the show, I realized that I felt dumber for watching this show.  I started viewing the channel guide in an attempt to find something worthwhile to watch, but found things like, Moonshiners, Duck Dynasty, Toddlers and Tiaras, and best of all Hoarders.  I wonder if I call a TV producer and offer to allow cameras to film the drama of my family relationships, going to school and working fulltime and being a single mother to an ADHD six year old, if it would be another hit.  I could call it “Life.”

Janet Dodd

ENC 1102

January 22, 2013

 

Shock Factor

 

     French artist Marcel Duchamp said, “Unless a picture shocks, it is nothing.”  A number of the photographs at the gallery opening were shocking to view. Some pictures were in poor taste, made women appear to be victims, and were difficult to view. To the average person, photography is just pointing a camera and clicking to capture a specific moment in time or emotion, but to a photographer it is an expression of an experience or feeling of themselves. While viewing the photographs, feelings of fear, anger, and dismay erupted along with an uneasy emotional reaction. It was difficult to see exactly what some of the photographers were trying to express, however it is difficult to imagine it could be anything more than evil. Despite the wide variety of definite opinions about a few of the photographs, overall, it was an enjoyable experience.

 

     Fear, anger and sadness are just a few of the troubling emotions triggered by the photograph labeled “Not Such A Big Man Now” by Susan Tassin.  The picture has an apparently angry woman, holding a very large handgun and pointing it at the photographer, whom we are to assume, is the object of her anger. It can be concluded that, the woman if from a lower income family by the trailer in the background and the number of “trashy” items in the area around her.   Was the artist attempting to express the stereotypical, “trailer park trash” girl? Guns elicit a variety of responses from different people.  In light of recent media events, guns are viewed as dangerous and too easily obtainable.  The country is still grieving for the families in Newtown, Connecticut where just over a month ago, so many young children and teachers were violently killed at Sandy Hook Elementary school. A young man killed his mother, and then opened fire on the people at the school. There was also the tragic shooting in Aurora, Colorado.  A lone gunman set off tear gas in the building and the shot into the audience of the movie theater killing 12 people and injuring 58 others. At a time that the country is calling for changes in gun laws and begging for protection, this picture is in poor taste.  Many people say, “guns don’t kill people, people kill people,” but it is much easier for a gun toting person to kill, than an empty-handed person. The answer is unclear, however a change is necessary.

 

     “The Road is Hell” by Susan Tassin.  What can be said about this photograph?  This photograph definitely had the “shock” factor.  Disturbing on so many levels, this picture shows a woman with her hands bound behind her back, wearing very little clothes and apparently left for dead on a dirt road. We can only assume that she must have been assaulted in some way, then tied up and left. We all know that these types of things happen, however to snap a photo, put it on the wall and call it art is tasteless and vulgar, if nothing else.  Is the photograph depicting a personal experience? Is this the artist’s way of dealing with the incident?  Could this have happened to someone that the artist knows? Was it just something that just popped in the head of the photographer one day leaving her to say, “I have an idea for a photo”? We shall never know the answer to these questions, however, the artist did succeed in making viewers contemplate and wonder, why? 

 

     One of the most moving images in cinematography was the young girl in the red coat in the black and white film Schindler’s List.  In the movie, the audience is drawn to the little girl even though she is in a crowd of over a hundred other fleeing people.  The photograph called “Cowboy” by Jessica Roman uses the same technique.  The black and white photo is of a young boy sitting on a wood fence, covering his face with his cowboy hat; however his plaid shirt is in color.  While viewing the photograph, the attention is focused not on the background or the boy himself, who appears to be trying to hide away from the viewer, on the bright colors of the boy’s shirt.  This photo effectively captured the shyness or playfulness of the boy.  Although the picture had no ribbons awarded to it, it was, without a doubt, one of the better photos.

 

     In Marcel Duchamp correct? Is a picture really nothing unless it shocks the viewer?  I believe that a photograph should not only be an expression, but it should also be appealing to view. “Cowboy” by Jessica Roman draws the viewer’s attention and elicits a positive feeling.  Art is very ambiguous; however, I don’t feel that all pictures are indeed art. If the audience is so appalled by what they are viewing and decide to voice their opinion and thoughts against the work to others to dissuade them from viewing the work, what good is it to have taken the photograph in the first place?  Sometimes, a shocking photo is just that, a shocking photo.

Journal 1

I have to say, I don’t remember much about ENC 1101.  I started college in the fall after high school graduation in 1986 with all intensions of going and finishing my AA degree within two years.  Unfortunately, life got in the way.  I got my very first job and learned the wonders of making money.  This was a new concept for me, so needless to say, it took me over.  School became secondary and eventually was put on hold.  I have taken classes here and there over the past twenty-four years as I was uncertain of what exactly I wanted to do as a career.  I recently had an epiphany and decided what I really wanted to do.  Now, I am working towards that career goal.

I took ENC 1101 in 1998.  The only thing that I can remember is writing several short essays and reviewing punctuation and grammar rules, but mostly writing essays.  There is one essay in particular that I can really remember.  We came into class and there were two essays topics written on the chalkboard.  The one that I chose to write about was, “Should Teenagers Have to Wait until Age 18 to Get Their Drivers License?”  I personally believe that teenagers should have to wait until age 18 to get the permanent drivers license.  Currently, teenagers are eligible to get their license at the age of 16.  Their parents are still responsible for their actions.  They are not legally eligible to sign a contract, which essentially that is what a permanent driver’s license is.  In general, they are not mature enough to handle that amount of responsibility.

I have been working in a business environment for over twenty-four years.  My jobs have required me to write letters to clients, inter-office memorandums, and reports. I feel that this experience has made my writing skills maybe slightly better than average in regards to format only.  I feel that my biggest weakness is that I tend to write like I speak.  This is not good in a business environment.  It is also difficult for me to utilize bigger more sophisticated words.  I would like for my writings to sound more educated.