Response to Journal 9

I can't say that I fall for every single marketing campaign, but if there is a new product that I find interesting, I will probably go out and buy it, assuming that I have a coupon. This, I guess I can say, comes from my mother who, having lived in Communist Cuba, believes that if she wants something, there is no need to wait for it. Also, because so many new products are available, she has taught me that someone has to give the product a try, it may actually work. I don't have a particular product that I buy based on marketing, but most of my focus is on hygiene products and food because there is always a new product to help dental strength, or ways to make cooking easier. I do think that marketing plays a great role in my purchasing decisions, most of my purchases are based on ads.

Web 2.0

I do agree that the nature of writing, power and knowledge is changing as technology is increasingly democratized. The technology seems to be developing faster than we can keep track of. As soon as the majority of people get used to a new development, it is then revamped and made better. We are growing with the technology. It is changing the way the world operates. Fifty years ago no one would have considered the possibility of their entire life online. Now most people can not operate without a computer. College would be almost impossible now without a computer because most assignments are online. There are even classes taken strictly online with no personal contact, the idea of a teacher is just that, an idea. As technology continues to increase the average person gains more control. With everything now online, it is difficult to prove the validity of everything you see but the convenience of it makes it worth it. With websites like youtube and wikipedia where anyone and everyone could be the "authors" there is a new equality. Now that the web is affordable and available to the majority of the nation, there is nothing stopping us from moving full speed ahead and becoming a predominantly electronic nation where everything is done with computers.

Journal 2

“Look I told you I can’t do it until next thursday,” said some guy on the phone. What I get from this is that something needs to be done next thursday. Since he was a student it could either be his final rent payment or something for a job or internship that he may have. Also, it could be something he needs to do for a friend or his girlfriend. Regardless, he seemed to have stated that he can’t do it until later before because he was obviously frustrated at being asked again, and he stated that he had already proclaimed that he couldn’t do whatever it is until next thursday. I listened to this on the way from one class to another, walking across Landis Green. If I had to guess what this guy was talking about then I would say that it is something for a job or an internship.

I have to say, out of all of the assignments we've had this semester, the web portfolio has to be my favorite. Whether this is because the medium suits me (I am a bit more of a techie than the average person, and I'm never without my laptop) or simply because it gave me a chance to display my work in a creative fashion, it's been fun and I actually feel proud of the (almost) finished product. I think the hardest part so far has been figuring out how to keep the pages strung together. A website is almost like a book in the sense that you wouldn't read a page in a book about cats, turn the page and suddenly be reading President Obama's biography. All of my work this semester has had an underlying theme, but the papers and journals are all still pretty different. I needed to figure out how to make everything look like it belongs on this website, and not like just some random paper I decided to upload. I think I've managed to do this well enough though, and I look forward to developing this website further as I continue to progress through college and produce work worth displaying.

The end

The digital portfolio has been alot more fun than I thought it would be. I am having alot of fun with the design that I have picked, It fits my style perfectly. By being able to make the web page anyway I want to and adding pictures I feel that it makes the project more personal. I have come up with alot of ideas for things to add to my webpage, but it has been difficult executing those ideas.
I am naturally not a technology savvy person and since the website I am using to create my website is virtually new it makes it even more difficulf. I have come up with creative ideas to link parts of my paper to the website but I cannot fiigure out how to do it. This process have been much different than writting a paper because it does not follow the strict format of introduction, conclusion, transitions and such. I feel like I can be more free in how I write and I also feel that I can write less :).

the end of the world as we know it...

Overall I think that my website is going well, I have mainly focused on the site itself and it's organization and not on the reconstruction of the papers. I plan to add video to at least one of my papers, because I believe that will make it easier for an audience to understand what I am trying to say. When I found out about this project I was excited to do it because I think this is much more interesting and useful than simply writing another paper.

The problems I've had so far have mainly had to do with the limited capabilities of the software, I've used Flash in a lot more detail before so I know what its capabilities are, and it's difficult to some things on the website.

I think the process for this project is different than that of a normal paper because this is much more about re-imagining something that you've already worked on, instead of creating something from scratch. You also have access to a lot more media options in this project, so that makes you take another look at what you're trying to say and how you're going about saying it.

LAST ONE!

When I first found out we were going to have to do this digital portfolio i was both angry, and scared at how difficult it was going to be. Luckily it turned out to be a lot easier and a lot more fun. The websites are super easy to use and are actually quite interesting with all the different things you can do. I like this different approach to a final paper especially when writing isn't my forte. The only difficult part is putting all together to flow well. Since its something so different, it's a lot hard to use all the tools effectively. Also the writing process is a hundred times more visual than if just writing on a piece of paper, you can do hundreds of different things that you could never do on a word document. The dimensions you can play with on a portfolio versus a paper are numerous, the technology at our hands is far greater leading us to be able to do far more.

The Last Journal!!

This digital portfolio experience is quite interesting to me. I have never done something like this before and I think it is pretty cool. Overall, I think everything is going well, but I'm not exactly sure on how my writing is supposed to be different for the web because I don't really read online journals or blogs. My extent of writing on the internet is Facebook. I do think that the digital portfolio is quite different than writing a regular paper because it is more visual. The layout has to be aesthetically pleasing and everything must make visual sense and also keep the reader interested. This is by far, however, my most favorite assignment this semester for this course.

Tis the End.

I am not gonna lie when I say that at first I was skeptical about this Digital Portfolio.  I say this because I had heard rumors that it was quite a bitch to make in the past.  But these thoughts have since changed pretty dramatically seeing as the whole process of making it is pretty much smooth sailing.  FOr the most part everything is going well, it is very easy to place a link where I want it to be and make the appearance very appealing at the same time.  The program overall is very user friendly, after all there is not any code involved.  Something that bother me is that it can be a little sluggish at times and often seems hard to find what I am looking for specifically, but overall it is not so bad.  The entire process of making the portfolio is not very different than what i have already done.  Pretty much the only real difference is now I am taking what I have written already and pretty much making it "look" more interesting.  Bringing out words or phrases to really stress what I am getting at for each paper.  I think this is a good idea because it helps bring out the beauty of our papers and writing styles.

hard to believe this is the last blog of the semester.  damn.

Last Journal of the Year

The digital portfolio has been a lot of fun for me. I enjoy using wix.com to create my website however I want to. Compared to writing the papers, I don't find it much different besides the webpage design. I still have to revise and edit my two papers just like I had to with all of my drafts throughout the year. However, I get to add a little flare and some effects that only a website can offer to a paper such as video, a picture gallery, or music. So far, my portfolio is looking great. I have created all of my pages for my site and chose the layout that I want. I just need to finish revising my two papers and write my reflection for it to be finished, as well as some finishing touches. I really enjoyed this project and think that web design is going to be a very useful skill in the future.

Final Journal

For me the digital portfolio project is by far the easiest assignment we have been given all semester. I created a wix website for my ENC1101 class last semester so I am very familiar with how to use the website. Being familiar with the website has really helped me express myself and spend more time on making it how I want it to be as opposed to spending my time learning how to navigate around the website. For the most part everything is going well except I don't really know where to start with revising my papers. My composing project is much different than if I were writing a "regular" paper because the focus is on making it more visually appealing. Also I don't have to focus as much on length and the criteria for the paper. I think this is because on a website people want to be drawn into reading the paper and since you can do a lot more with a digital paper than a printed paper the reader expects more. The one problem I am having with making my paper more digitally appealing is that there are limited fonts on wix and when you place a picture into scrolling text it doesn't stay where you place it in the text, it stays in the same place as you scroll down.

Composing My Digital Portfolio

My digital portfolio is actually going really well because I'm used to creating websites and having to format different texts and pictures to coalesce with an online interface.

My composing process for my digital portfolio is not much different from how I would be writing a regular paper because my digital portfolio so far has just been integrating links and pictures into my essays' text. It's like this because website generally have more interactive and visual features like links and pictures.

The End is Nigh...

The digital portfolio is more difficult than expected which is weird for me since I’ve taken two years of a web design classes. I think the problem lies in finding an appropriate theme that shows creativity and my personality which relates to the papers I have written this semester. I suppose it may because the site is about me and my writing, and not some distant idea that is impersonal which is what I did in the past. Other than that my muse seems to have forsaken me, since I have like an inspirational block. I guess it could be from stress with finals around the corner and personal issues, but I’ll need to get into the “zone” to finish this thing adequately. In creating a website it’s much more different than writing a regular paper obviously because it’s more like a living piece of artwork, instead of static words. There is a lot … like a ton more to think about in making a web-page because of the in-depth modifications it allows in comparison to written papers that are strictly bound visually to the page.

Last Journal

Putting it together is going pretty well. The only problem I have had has been placing a text box on one page and it carrying over to all of the other pages. I still can’t figure out why it does that, although it only does it sometimes. Other than that I haven’t had any big problems. Although I will take a trip to the digital studio so I can figure out how to hyperlink words to links in my paper paragraphs.

The composing process in this is only different in that I am able to post the links to my internet sources as opposed to citing them MLA stile. Also, I have the ability to put nice little videos that fit in really well with my papers. The reasoning behind all of this is that everything is digital and I therefore have the ability to do this. Also, I’m not (at least to my understanding) required to cite things in MLA format on my portfolio.

Digital Portfolio

This is the first time that I've actually had to create a digital portfolio for any class I've taken and it's definitely going well. I've had some problems with the site freezing every once in a while and also some problems getting files to post. Some of the problems are stemming from the site not wanting to cooperate with me, while some of the other problems I'm having are coming from just not having worked with the site for a long time. I think that my composing practice is a bit different than if I were writing a regular paper because I go back to thinking of the site as a piece of artwork rather than just being a paper that's going to be read. I think of the different details and how the background image fits to compliment the subject matter that I'm presenting and whether or not the text box I created is readable. I think that I do this because I was so used to working with photographs and empty space in the art classes that I took in high school and I have a feeling it will allow my portfolio to have some variety and thought behind why it looks the way it does.

Last Journal!!

Creating my digital portfolio is going well. It wasn't too hard to figure out how the software worked after clicking around on it for awhile. It's been fun playing with all the different options and I like how I can incorporate more personality easier. With all the different choices of page layouts, fonts, buttons, pictures, videos, you can really give the audience an idea of who you are. I've done almost everything except for revise the papers for the Web. I think this will be a little different than writing a "regular paper" because I'll want to find the most vital parts so that it doesn't seem so long and boring that no one is interested in reading it. Also, more so than a regular paper, I will be able to emphasize certain things with different colors or font sizes and add pictures or videos that relate to my topics.

Last Journal

The digital portfolio is something completely new for me. The designing of the page is going well, now that I have played around with all of my options. It is fun for me to be creative and show my personality through design and pictures, rather than just writing. Creating the site is easier than I had imagined. The difficult part of this project is revising my papers for the web. I find it hard enough to write papers just for teachers to read and it makes it even harder when I know they will be on the web for all to see. I am also having trouble deciding how to post my work. I want it to be easy for viewers to read, but not boring. Overall I like this final project because it allows me to see all the work I have put into this class throughout the semester and I hope it is apparent when looking at my digital portfolio.

Last journal of the year

Putting all of the information together is going well. I am able to put a little more personality in it as I am able to put links, pictures, and videos in. The portfolio is pretty much done other than the papers. Having to go back over the papers again is not going too well. It is not that it is difficult, it is just that I feel like I have looked over these papers so many times. That is the reason for why I did most of the other things first. The composing process is almost exactly the same except that you can add video and links. This allows for the reading process to be much more interactive than is the case with a regular paper. As you are still writing, it is not very different. The multimedia capabilities just make it a little more interesting to work with. The writing is still the most important part, so that is still the main focus. This is why the composition process is almost identical.

Journal 12: The Last One!

Consider your experience creating your digital portfolio. What’s going well? What’s not going so well, and why? Is your composing process different than if you were writing a “regular” paper? How? Why do you think that is?

Due: Tuesday, April 20

Tech and this World

(Okay, for some reason, it saved this as a draft? Sorry for the lateness, I don't know what's up with Blogger.)

When you really think about how technology has changed our lives, it seems like an overwhelming positive--It has brought us together with other cultures, opened up literature and music to us in a simpler medium, and has offered us entertainment and connectability. What could possibly be wrong with such a brilliant step forward in human history? This generation, my generation, is the technological generation--We have grown up with the internet as an option, with cell phones, with everything becoming increasingly convenient. But when is it too much? Often, I try to imagine my life without these conveniences. I wonder how much more I could have accomplished in life without constant distraction from these devices. Has the spread of information disrupted our ability to think for ourselves? When we have a question, we don't attempt to find the answer ourselves--We type it into Google and go. It's the default, for anything we want to know. Has technology spread our ideas in such a way that there are no 'new' ideas anymore? Is everything on the internet clouding our minds? I will admit, the lack of originality within the past few years--In books, film, and music--Has crossed my mind as a large problem. All songs sound the same, all books have similar plots (vampires, anyone?), and all films are sequels, it seems. How can originality be born in such a world, where ideas are too plentiful for everyones eyes? Remixes are clever, but to me, they aren't 'new'. Rehashing things doesn't make them a brand new thought, only something that seems new to the untrained eye. I believe the world needs to 'get back to its roots', and find something new worth creating.

Technology

With ever expanding technology our methods and mediums for self expression are also expanding. The internet is a source of infinite possibilities and is just as dangerous too. Anything you place on the internet is capable of being read by anyone anywhere, and once it has been posted simply removing it doesn't make it disappear forever. Take this blog for instance: as soon as I post it there will probably be at least fifty copies of it made somewhere, possible in just as many different places. It will all be public domain too, all you need is the know how and a computer with the internet and you could probably access this blog even if I chose to delete it. This is the information age and data is all that matters, just a little piece and anyone can know everything.

Technology

I do agree with Jenkins that technology is changing the way people are writing and using power. More pieces of writing are focusing on being very informal, some attempt to capture real life and real emotions for greater personal understanding. I do also agree that knowledge is changing. There is certainly an increase in the interest in media programs in college, which does tend to cause students to be more academically involved in the social field of media and less involved in the archaic ways of learning by working side-by-side with professors and working with others. Those involved in media do have to have communication skills, but they tend to be less formal. I do think, however, that with an increase in media, we, as a society, are benefitted because we are more aware of what is going on in the world and we are able to access more forms of research sources due to advancements in technology.

Media Idolized.

Jenkins' piece speaks a very real truth to me.  I believe that with the technology gaining more power, the ability of the people involved in it gain power in their academics.  This is far more than just reading articles that would otherwise have taken years to find, but as Jenkins said, we are now able to combine our thoughts and beliefs through media.  Things are definitely changing and for the most part it is for the better.  Where originally things never met each other in other "disciplines" now we are able to view the thoughts of others quicker and more precise so that everything works for the better of EVERYONE.  Think about it, if we are all melding our thoughts together than everything we do is done with everyone in mind, and therefore things are being done to help others.  Media is bringing about a change in how the the world fixes its problems.  by technology getting stronger the world is getting stronger and smarter in everything it does through media.  THere are set backs where it creates a new sense of competition to become the next best thing, but if we take everything as a collaboration rather than a solo mission, then perhaps technology can neutralize competition between individuals.

the web

It's hard to argue that the web isn't an extraordinarily good thing for our society. It enables us to have literally everything anyone could know at the tips of our fingertips. We can find out anything about anything and its truly a marvelous thing. However, what the internet can not and will never give us, is experience. The internet, although great, takes away critical thinking and learning through experience. Instead of having to wonder if this will happen if i do that, i can simply just look it up on the internet. On a more positive note, sights like facebook, youtube, and flickr are changing the internet every day. These sites not only provide us with tons of information, but they also let us teach them and mold them into smarter better, faster technologies.

Changes in technology

In response to Jenkins' piece I do believe that the nature of writing, power and knowledge is changing. Just like Jenkins metions in his paper technology, specificly the internet, provides users with a number of experts on one topic, therefore users are not forced to listen to one expert they have a chocie. The power to choose who is right is put into the users hands; and the users also have the power to become that person whom others take advise from.
When someone is writing on the internet they do not have to worry about writing in a proper way, for fear of their paper being criticized are deemed non creditiable, because different user appericiate and appeal to different types of writing. Technology has moved us away from the writing we were taugh in english class. In adition to this, technology has made knowledge more accessable; you no longer have to be of a certain class to recieve a certain level of knowledge.

matrix of knowledge

I definitely agree that knowledge as we know it is changing. One of the main things that historians look for when analyzing a society, is the development of language and writing. One of the 7 wonders of the ancient world was the Library at Alexandria, that so much knowledge was available in one place was something simply unheard of. We are now lightyears past that level, Google provides access to more information than a thousand of Alexander's libraries. One thing that Alexander didn't achieve, was the public expansion of the library. He was limited by physical space, only so much could be contained inside the walls of a building. We have access to an infinite resource, ever changing and expanding. Web 2.0 is basically describing the change from simple media that could've been found by Alexander, to media that crosses many dimensions.

As in the fabled "Matrix," media is changing, expanding, and coming alive. Even now we're seeing the advances in technology: the beginnings of AI, 3d television, and a whole new realm of media. Everybody knows the saying "knowledge is power" and we all see how knowledge is changing. This can be easily seen in China and North Korea, where the government is trying to censor the internet, because they fear its power.

Web 2.0

A recent Intel commercial shows how computers have evolved since their invention. progressing from pong, to desktops, to wireless laptops, to e-mail, and finally to an Intel Processing Chip that learns on its own and becomes more powerful by itself. This new processor is much like the "Web 2.0" that Jenkins mentions in his article.

"Web 2.0" includes sites such as YouTube, Wikipedia, Flickr, and Facebook: all of which depend on consumers to grow and expand. With each additional video on YouTube, entry in Wikipedia, and user on Facebook, the knowledge base of the internet expands. Anyone can add information to these sites which can be viewed by anyone. The internet is an extremely valuable tool for acquiring knowledge. Everything you want to know is found on the web. Universities now have podcasts or videos of their lectures and classes online and books can be found and read online also. The idea of YouNiversities, a conglomeration of academia students blogging, discussing, and debating over any idea or theory, is a wonderful idea. However, I cannot see this actually happening. Yes, the internet is a unique way to network and find information, but I still believe their is a special power in personal meetings and face-to-face discussions. Real life debates require us to think on our feet and make split-second decisions while the internet allows us to look up the answer before we make our argument. In a way, it is slowly eroding our own sense of thought. I have no need to think about what the answer to a question is if I can google it. We cannot let the internet erode our thought process, but we must use it as a tool for communication of thoughts and ideas.

Technology and Writing

I think that with the new changes in technology the way that people have to present knowledge and writing has to change as well. This new generation that created web 2.0 is a group that seems to have a short attention span coming from an ability in life to get information almost immediately. I think that the way that things are presented to people have to change to garner the attention of their intended audience. Videos on youtube are a perfect example of gathering the attention of the audience they’re intending these videos for just by the titles. People of today’s world don’t want to get their information from a library when they can go right to the internet and get something from Wikipedia in a couple of seconds. With information on the web it makes it easier for people to get what they need without having to travel far, which is exactly what people are looking for.

Evolution of Technology

I think that as technology is increasingly democratized, the nature of writing, power and knowledge is rapidly and significantly changing. Look how far technology has come! If you're not up to date on the newest computers, programs, cell phones, ipods, etc., you better get on it because people will think you're weird. In today's society, it seems that everything is now done through technology. No longer do people write letters or hand write schoolwork. Everything is done online which within itself has even changed greatly. Now, anyone has access to editing a web page or creating one for the whole world to see. The power that the people have has increased and therefore, knowledge increases because it's so fast and easy to find information, however there is also more unreliable sources out there. The nature of writing has greatly changed because now it doesn't really matter if you have good handwriting or not, microsoft word will do it for you. Because technology is now so advanced, the value of libraries, books, letters, etc. has greatly decreased. The Web is taking over!

I agree that the nature of writing, power, and knowledge is changing as technology is increasingly democratized. It seems no matter what the major or field that you may specialize in you need knowledge of other fields to be successful. The more we have developed technology the more things have changed the way we do things whether within our classes or everyday life. For most teachers now students are expected to submit papers online and to also be checked by safe assign. In the past papers were checked for plagiarism by teachers or TAs actually going to the websites. As technology has developed the lines that were drawn between fields and subjects have slowly begun to fade because more information is readily available and more information coincides. The democratization of writing has led to everyone being able to contribute. As the internet and computers have become increasingly easier to use the more people have contributed. There are now hundreds of ways to get your word or opinion on the internet whether using a blog, Facebook, or Wikipedia. The internet has helped to break down the obstacles of circulating knowledge so that it is available to all.

Today's Technology

I think that Professor Jenkins had some good ideas on how to make places of higher learning better prepare students for the job force of today. Because of technology, today as we know it changes with technology. And as technology changes, we must also change our ways to live in the newer society. Therefore, I thin that the traditional, one-dimensional view of a profession is too outdated to be effective in the modern world. For a field of study to become more "comparative" will most likely benefit the students, and make them more beneficial. But I think that if the idea of a "YouNiversity" were to be taken quite literally, it would be utter chaos. Students can't learn every single aspect of today's world, it would be impossible.

Writing in today's media has significantly changed from what it used to be. What I'm doing right now isn't something people has always done, but it exists now because of technology. Now, absolutely anybody can be the author of something, and have the potential of millions to read their work. That also shifts the power of the media, because organized media isn't the only people who can break the news to a wide array of people. For example, I can see a video online way before anybody on the news can report about it. Knowledge has also expanded and changed from technology. Now people don't have to rely tracking down somebody specific to answer their question, they can ask a whole lot of people, and chances are that they will get the right answer, in a shorter amount of time.

Technology, the fourth "R"

I strongly believe that technology is doing a great deal to revolutionize writing, knowledge, and power, and will essentially lead us through a new, artificially induced period of natural selection. Just look at academia as a single significant example of technology's impact on society. When we were in kindergarten, computers were just making their way into the classrooms, and students may get computer time once or twice a week. It was a nice addition, but didn't change much. Now, if a child isn't fluently using a computer to type papers, take tests, and interact with the learning material, we believe their school is underprivileged or behind the times. The very nature of learning changes when you bring the internet into the equation. Today, the average person has millions upon millions of sources of information available to them through the internet. It puts that magical public library of yesterday to shame, and now educators must put more emphasis on how to filter this information, parse it and understand what's valid and what isn't, and less emphasis on simply being able to memorize what you read. We are approaching an era where it really becomes possible to know--or at least access--virtually everything there is to know, and we must adapt our traditional notions of education. Memorizing facts that are relevant to a subject, i.e. historical figures, scientific laws, mathematical formulas, etc takes a back seat to skills and strategies of meta-analysis and critical thinking necessary to functioning in a world where information, accurate or inaccurate, is freely available. I think that this will create a sort of natural selection process within our society. There will come a time when a doctor can easily find the diagnosis for a mysterious ailment simply by typing symptom information into an iPhone app and analyzing the output the program gives him. There will come a time when this is not only faster and more efficient than relying on human memory or sifting through textbooks, it is a more valued skill by far within this and other fields. Individuals who are afraid of technology, or who are reluctant to give up old ways and learn these new skills will ultimately be left in the dust in school, on the job, ad in may aspects of daily life (i.e. reading the news, watching TV, finding a recipe, reading the phone book, getting directions, etc.). It's time to move forward and embrace technology.

Digitally Evolving

To be blunt of course the nature of writing, power, and knowledge is going to change with respect to technology changing, in this case specifically it becoming more open to the average person. I just doing think it’s a huge wave of revelation and the nature of writing, power, etc. are going to be turned upside down.
The power won't change since it exists inherently with financial backing that belongs to large corporations. A large number of users or “supporters” of a blog or site isn’t going to truly grant you “power” because on the internet many of them are just shadows, in that they won’t go out of their way to do something in real life for the cause. For example, how many times have you donated to your favorite site or blog?
As for writing it’s going to change to fit the new medium, as seen with instant messaging there is a degeneration of following writing standards. Though most people will stick to the honored system of writing, which is so deeply ingrained into everyone almost as much as religion, because there is only one right way to do something and of course change is bad for those stuck in the past.
One can’t really say that “knowledge” is changing since it is simply a shift in medium. I mean that is a change of how it is presented but not the core information being transferred. Unless the prompt was referring to a “modern university”, I think the modernization of a university is hard to accomplish due yet again to strict standards of the past. Besides the idea that “The modern university should work not by defining fields of study but by removing obstacles so that knowledge can circulate and be reconfigured in new ways” seems way too philosophical with no actual merit to it. Since I believe fields of study are defined to focus on singular areas so that one can fully understand a part of in essence a full database of knowledge. From the quote in Jenkins’ piece it seems as though he is suggesting learning everything at once which sounds good except for being practically impossible. I’m simply perplexed by the idea of a modern university.

Change due to Technology

I agree that the nature of power, writing, and knowledge is changing as technology is increasingly democratized. This is because with the ability to do more with technology, we are able to do things differently. For example, you can look at writing in schools. In the past, it was only acceptable to hand write all of the papers that you turned in to the classes. It was required to have neat handwriting to get your papers graded. But since technology such as computers have become normal in our lives, we are not required to hand write many of the things we had to in the past. This has changed the nature of writing. It does not stop there, the same applies to offices as well. With the ability to do more, things change. This is very prevalent in today's society as technology is changing so rapidly. The change in power can be seen in the ability to write whatever you want online. You are not required to go through all of the steps that you needed to do in the past to make your data available to others. The power is therefore in everyones hand, as they are controling what they are writing or doing online themselves. This power allows us to find more information (knowledge) more easily, but it also makes it easier to find inaccurate information as well.

Technology

I think that technology has always been democratized, but note that it isn’t coercively democratized (meaning that people aren’t forced to use what the majority picks). Think, I don’t have to use google, for I could use Ask Jeeves, but I choose to use google because it is better. Also, I could use MySpace all of the time, but instead I use Facebook.

I happen to agree that this is for the better of education. This is especially true in ever changing fields like computer sciences because the medium of exchange is also ever changing. So what I get from Jenkins’ piece is that (given his hypothesis about YouNiversity is right), then education will need to be increasingly more decentralized, constantly changing, and increasingly “digitized.” Meaning that the syllabus for COPXXXX might be much different this semester than it was last semester. As a reinforcement, I must add again, that I completely agree with Jenkins’ take on education in most areas of academia. Also, everyone shouldn’t be so skeptical of wikipedia. I mean don’t get me wrong, it shouldn’t be taken as the word of omniscience, but it is a useful source.

My Speculations on Web 2.0

The nature or power is certainly changing through the democratization of technology. After all, a change in governing structure implies a change in power; in this case, power to the people. Those who post blogs and organize or participate in "adhocracies" now have a larger share of the power over the media than before, and the nature of this new power is not to keep it to oneself, but to share it with everybody, since that is what a true democracy is.

And with this change in the nature of power over the media, there has also been a change in the nature of writing and knowledge; namely, they have become more diversified than ever. Anyone and everyone (with internet access) is able to contribute to the workings of the new media. Also, since there are no racial or sexual boundaries on the largely anonymous web, people can write about whatever they want to, in any way they want to, no matter who they are in their "real" life, a real life which is becoming more and more integrated with their web life. Because of this new-found fluidity in one's identity, people can be as bold as they want in their writing, and share whatever thoughts or feelings they want to with the world, all under the guise of a string of letters and numbers. For instance, people who would never speak out about their secrets in life do so every single day on the blog PostSecret.

In short, the democratization of technology has lead to a near absolute fluidity of power, knowledge, and writing amongst the people.

Journal 11: Enter the Remix

Respond to Jenkins’ piece. After having researched and written about media, do you agree that the nature of writing, power, and knowledge is changing as technology is increasingly democratized?

Due: Tuesday, April 13

I have the perfect life, and it scares me that something really bad is right around the corner and I wont know how to deal with it.

ya...

I 

THINK 

CHEMISTRY 

IS 

DOWN 

RIGHT 

ATTRACTIVE...

I will para sail, sky dive and bungee jump.

But I am DEADLY afraid of bees.

A life of lies...

i regret not taking part in more social activities in highschool, sure i graduated with a 3.9 unweighted gpa, but i missed out on a lot of the things that make highschool fun.

You know something?

Sometimes I feel like...

...I grew up too fast.

What? Rock music helps me relax. Doesn't have to be KISS though.

Andrew

Even though I'm pretty tall, I'm terrified of heights.

Carley

I love watching dog shows...

but I’m TERRIFIED of dogs.

Supersize me

My biggest fear when moving to college was doing my own laundry. Today the thought of it still frightens me even though I've been doing it once a week since last June.

my deepest darkest secret...

my post secret

I CAN'T BLOW BUBBLE GUM BUBBLES

Journal 10: Tell me a Secret

Create your own PostSecret card. Don’t worry about sharing your deepest, darkest secrets- you can make something up, or share something silly. You don’t have to create a digital masterpiece, or even put your text on top of the graphics. You can just post a visual, and type the accompanying text underneath. Have fun with this, but please try to keep in mind all that we’ve talked about in class. To get you started, here’s mine:


Due: Thursday, April 8

Forceful Marketing

The marketing trend i have fallen for is the "100 calories" snacks. Anytime I go to the store to buy a snack, which I do alot, if I am getting something and I see that they have it in 100 calorie packs, I get the 100 calorie pack. Even thought I know that some of those snacks were always around 100 calories and that they may contain things that are worse for me than calories ( e.g. sorbitol a sweetner which has low calorie but releases gas that expands the stomach) I still get them. It makes me feel as if I am doing good for my health. In addition, to that buying those products gives me the impression that people will view me in a "higher" light.
When they market these 100 calorie snacks they create images on the box that are connected to other health things. For example, a box might have a measuring tape tied in a tight loop signifying a small waste or the snack might be endorsed by an organization, such as 'Steps to a healthier life.' Those are the tactics that force me to by the snacks.

There are many marketing techniques that appeal me with logic. When advertising I am more apt to buy a product if it is appealing to the financial side. When I am shopping, especially because I am a college student, I am always concerned with saving money. I want a product that will give me the most bang for my buck as they say. When products are advertised as being green I think that is great but because I am a poor college student I can't afford to spend the extra money to try and save the planet. There are many different ways to advertise because there are many different types of people. Everyone has different concerns when shopping and they change with the different phases of life. For some green products may make them more appealing, but for others they may be more concerned with the safety of the products they are purchasing for the family. It is up to the company to know who and how they want to appeal in order to make the biggest profit.

Marketing trends

We all fall for marketing trends, one that is very common in today's society and something that most males have fallen for is workout supplements, and pills. They always show a huge individual and say that you too can become like that if you just take these pills for a month. But in reality, they got like that from a lifetime of working out and taking care of themselves. Not from working out 5 times a week 20 minutes a day. The spin the put on these products makes you buy them because if they were to tell you you were barely going to see results, then you wouldn't bother wasting your time. But if they tell you your going to gain 10 pounds of muscle then you may be a lot more inclined to buy them. What they don't tell you is that you will probably only keep 6 of those 10, and wont be as "big" as they say you will get. Nevertheless we all fall for them constantly, and keep buying these products.

What TV made me think.

Commercials that changed my opinion on the things I do annoy me actually.  For the most part I really don't get influenced, by what they say, that is consciously.  When I think of commercials that influence the first ones that came to mind is the newest Old Spice commercials.  The man makes it seem as though he is the standard for the "hot" male figure.  In reality, I don't care, but I have fallen for it in that I have bought Old Spice body wash since watching the commercial because of the scent.  And that is ultimately the focus of that commercial, that I could smell like an attractive person.  Its all a brainwash, they used good looking things (not just people) to make it seem as though smelling good will bring it all.  WHAT A LIE...I haven't gotten shit.  It's all a marketing ploy to make us feel better about the way we are, trick us into thinking that we are as awesome as the commercial portrays users to be, when reality, it is questionable how much anyone recognizes a change in BODYWASH.  Which by the way, the scent only lasts for barely anytime after a good shower.  So, doesn't that mean I have been tricked completely?  Whatever, it worked, they got my money cause the commercial is funny, and desirable.  

Marketing

In the recent years, our world has continued to become more and more advanced in the area of technology. As you watch commercials and read ads, it's as if you're being brainwashed by the companies. They are constantly coming up with new ideas and ways to improve upon what already exists. By them finding new ways to grab your attention and appeal to their audience, it's hard not to fall into the trap and naturally, everyone wants the most up to date product. For example, it seems as if whenever you get a new cell phone, a newer and better one comes out so you feel obligated to upgrade. I just fell for this but so has everyone else which is a part of why I did because everyone in my surroundings has the newest touch screen phone and you don't feel with the times if you don't. By constantly adding new applications and features to phones, companies are able to sell more phones and make bigger profits.

Usually, I don't like to buy products that I see on tv. Instead, I like to go to the store and be able to physically handle the product before purchasing it because it makes it feel "real" and I can see what it's like myself rather than listen to others persuade me to buy something by only listing off it's good features.

Identify a marketing trend, like “greenwashing” food. Have you fallen for it, like Severson? Why or why not? Which products/services do you buy, and why- do you think marketing (or “spin”) plays into any of your purchasing decisions?

Media Influences

One of the biggest marketing trends in todays society deals with alcohol. Beer commercials always associate drinking beer with having a great time with friends, partying, dancing, girls (which attracts guys). These commercials make it seem that drinking beer is a wonderful way to have fun. I know that many people do not realize that this idea is influenced by Bud Light ads, but a majority of people--especially college students--adhere to this notion. The social life a college student pertains a lot to drinking because the media portrays it as a way to have fun. I must admit that I have fallen for this trend several times, as I am sure that a majority of the people in this class have also. However, this trend, as well as others, is not a fact. There are many other ways to have a good time with friends, even in college. Going to Buffalo Wild Wings to watch a basketball game is one of my favorite activities, for example. Even though there are always other ways of having fun, the marketing strategies of alcohol companies have a huge impact on what people buy.

why do we buy?

One of the big market trends in the electronics that I buy is the eco-friendly power saving touch. The idea is that because your computer is efficient it is less harmful to the environment because it takes less energy to accomplish the same thing another computer would. In concept this makes perfect sense, less electricity needed, less "dirty" fuels consumed. What people fail to realize is that some of the processes used to produce eco-friendly technology aren't very ec0-friendly themselves. I don't buy things just because someone tells me that it's a good idea, I buy based on quality, usefulness, and price. Power saving devices are sometimes a smart thing to invest in, they can save you a lot of money, but I don't think you should buy anything just because you're told it helps the environment.

Marketing to Me.

One trend that I have noticed lately is that companies that make body wash and deodorant are making products tailored specifically to men. While this isn't new, they try to discourage other products as girly, and that theirs is the only one that will make you masculine, and therefore attractive. You can see this from people like Axe, Old Spice, and Suave. Personally, I haven't fallen for any of these types of campaigns. If I'm going to buy something like that, I'll do it on a need basis, and choose whichever one I want based on how much I like how it works or smells.

Usually when I buy something, that isn't a video game, it's because I need it. Because of marketing, I will usually look into the big company's product first, but I make my decision to buy based on which ever one I think will work the best for the lowest price.

Marketing Scams

In today's world, we are constantly getting bombarded with advertisements and commercials to buy the latest products. Since the main purpose for all of these companies is to sell their products, every product that we look at has a scheme behind it. The question at the end is whether or not you buy the product for the reason that the companies are telling you. I tend to be very selective when it comes to buying products. Rather than just listening to what others tell me about them, I like to look at it and use it before actually making a decision to buy it. In this sense, I do not fall for products do to what the manufacturer is telling me about it. A good example would be Apple Inc. which have become very successful over the past few years. While they provide great quality products, they need to sell more, and therefore give you reasons for why you should get rid of your old, and still working computer, for one of the newer ones. Although the computer you have is still running well, they manage to grab the customers attention by showing them all of the useless accessories that have been added to it. They get the consumers to believe that these differences will help with their everyday lives, while in reality this is not true. When it comes to computers, I do not buy another one until it is necessary to. Therefore all of the advertising campaigns that are started do not have a very large affect on me.

I've been ...BAMBOOZLED!?!

To be honest I can’t really identify any marketing trend, so I’ll go with the greenwashing example and generalize to any other market trend. I’ve deeply fallen for these apparently schemes by large corporations to deceive me and profit from my naivety when believing in their credibility. I mean if the product is advertising some sort of change be it no trans fat or organic doesn’t that mean that the product in some way shape or form is meeting this criteria they are advertising. I am more than willing to make the decision to buy some more politically correct brand that is parading the fact that they are donating to some charitable cause, since they are? I thought false advertising was illegal and the government was attempting to regulate it in some regard. So I didn’t think there was a reason to doubt the motives of brands, but maybe that’s because it’s food and I’m going to have to eat one thing or another so what does it matter if it wasn’t exactly the right choice? At least I made an attempt in supporting the right thing, besides I'd prefer to indulge my ignorance and believe that goofy character on my organic cheese puffs and taste the sweet satisfaction of good karma mixed with cheesy goodness.

Marketing Trends

I hadn't really given it much thought before now, and this made the task of thinking of marketing trends I've noticed exceedingly difficult. We all know about the "Go Green" movement, and the shameless marketing that took place soon after. Living "Green" went from a practical solution to our environmental problems to being a sort of status symbol. Oh, sure, there are plenty of people who genuinely care about the environment, but then there are those who never once gave recycling or keeping cleaning products out of the water a thought, until going green was the thing to do.

Weight loss and Nutrition are also pretty big trends when it comes to grocery shopping, and two that I'll have to admit I've fallen into before. There have been a few times when, while shopping for myself and my boyfriend, I would pass a display for "100 Calorie Packs" of some of our favorite snack foods, and I would think to myself how guiltless snacking would be if we bought these instead of the regular packages of the same snack. Of course, these are about twice as expensive, and we'd still end up accumulating the same number of calories regardless of how they were packaged. Another trip to Wall-mart, and I found myself listening to one of those video ads in the grocery section telling me how healthy and happy my kids (or rather, my picky boyfriend) would be if I bought them Chef Boyardee ravioli, because it tastes great and contains a full serving of vegetables in every can. I actually still feel like I should buy some the next time I go to Wall-Mart. When this type of media is popping up everywhere you look, and worse yet, half your friends and family are buying what the media suggests, it's difficult not to get caught up in it.

Marketing

“Nutrition” is a recent marketing trend for food. This trend is based upon trying to sell people food because it is nutritious and therefore good for you to eat. So it plays on people’s desire to be healthy.

I would say that I haven’t fallen for it. The thing about it is that it isn’t that I don’t want to be healthy, because I do. For me the thing is that I have always ate “unhealthy” food and still managed to be healthy. Also, most of these nutritious things taste terribly bad to me, especially the “nutritious” candy bars.

Generally I buy whatever taste good to me. So if I happen to be craving a Reeses Cup, as I often do, I get a Reeses Cup. In my case I would say that marketing doesn’t play much of a role in what I buy, as far as food is concerned. This is because I generally buy the food that I’ve always bought. I might try something new if it looks tasty in the picture, which is a form of marketing. So other than the visual part of marketing I don’t feel effected by ads that say “nutritious” or “tasty” because it all depends upon the picture (and maybe what happens to be in it on the ingredients part).

Marketing Trends and YOU!

The most notable marketing trend, a little bit bigger than greenwashing I think, is the weight loss marketing trend. It's rather hard to say whether or not I have fallen for this trend; I have bought and preferenced lower calorie (and inevitably more expensive foods) just for the sake of them being low calorie foods, but I'll more often buy whatever food I want. So, I guess I've fallen for it slightly, but not much and not often. In effect, I do not believe that the weight loss marketing trend has influenced my purchasing decisions to any significant or lasting extent, despite how heavily they are advertised at Americans.

Marketing Trends

I think that one of the biggest marketing trends would have to be the whole baked goods trend for chips. It can definitely go along the same lines as "greenwashing" and the primary reason that I would follow such a trend is because of the fact that the chips that are baked are somewhat healthier than the regular chips. I think another thing has to be that I like the way that the chips are made makes them crispier which makes the chips appeal to me. I think that the marketing spin of the chips being so much healthier than the regular chips was what drew me to them initially but after I already had them and liked them more than the fried chips I continue to buy them.

Always

In my family, my mother always falls for marketing schemes. We're destroying the atmosphere with our lightbulbs, so we need to buy 'green' ones, to save the world. If you buy this pill, you'll lose weight. If you buy this for your kitchen, it'll clean itself--I don't know, something ridiculous. But it seems like my mom always hops on the bandwagon, and I'm the one who has to stop her from spending her money. My father and I are very objective people. We really weigh the pros and cons before we buy something--And we know better than to trust the marketing companies. Though, I'm sure, that even with out thought process, something gets through. How can it not? With ads playing all the time, we can't ignore it completely. Right now, as I'm typing this, the TV is on behind me. Soon, a commercial will come on--And maybe, subconsciously, it will trick me into buying something I don't exactly want. When I flip through magazines, and the naked women pop up, I ignore what the ad is selling--Though, maybe at some point, I buy it anyway. I feel as through ads are overwhelming, and gives us reasons to buy the product. In class, we talked about Dove, and how we would be contributing to a good cause if we buy it. But is that really true? Is that why they want us to shop with them? Of course not. They want us to shop with them, because they are a business. The bottom line is: The marketing companies want us to spend money, and will tell us anything to make us do so.

The Media

This might come as a shock to some people but must of the beliefs and opinions we have as a human race come from the media. Therefore, I do believe that if ads, such as the Dove ads, become consistant and wide spread in the media, over along period of time, then they can change America's perception of physical beauty.
When I look through a popular magazine, such as Glamour or Teen Vogue, the models that I see are skinny, light skinned women with straight hair. The type of clothes that these women wear can not be put into one particular catergory because fashion is so dynamic these days. What these magazine ads are advertising is not always clear; an ad might be selling diamond but all it has is a picture of a completely naked women, which makes no sense but sex always sells. Strickingly, the women that are presented in these magazine ads are the women that most people find attractive. It is a rule amoung a lagre majority of the human race that a women with lighter skin, blue eyes and blonde hair is beautiful above all others.
If things began to change and i began to see more women that resembled myself in ads I would pay more attention to them. But I believe that no matter what kind of women is seen in magazines, she must have some attractive feature becauses ads are meant to sells and they must be appealing to people.

Journal 9: You Spin Me Right 'Round

Identify a marketing trend, like “greenwashing” food. Have you fallen for it, like Severson? Why or why not? Which products/services do you buy, and why- do you think marketing (or “spin”) plays into any of your purchasing decisions?

Due: Tuesday, March 30

Changing the face of Ads

I think that the effort that Dove is putting together to change the thoughts that Americans have about models is definitely a valiant one but I think that it won't change the image of physical beauty in America. People have long been exposed to images of good looking people in an attempt for companies to sell their products and I don't think that idea can be altered by one company, no matter how hard they try. The models that are in magazine ads are good looking and fit and depending on the product they're advertising would depend on how much clothing they're actually wearing. Like for an old spice ad the guy that's advertising the product is in a swimsuit and on a beach. I think that if the ad were to feature people that looked more average then it would lose it's appeal, people wouldn't really notice it right away. One of the reasons why ads use good looking people is because there are people that just flip through magazines and if they want to get their ad looked at they need to have something that will grab the readers attention immediately. I think that the idea of the Dove ads of advertising their product made for women using the women that actually use the product as models is a great idea but I think it may also limit the audience that sees the ad because of the fact that it's not as visually appealing as some of the other ads in the magazine.

Magazine Ads!

I don't think that Dove advertisements could single handedly alter the image of physical beauty in America as it would be hard for any company to do that because for a long time, most have thought of beauty as an in shape woman who appears skinny and perfect. However, advertisements, such as the ones for Dove, have a way of bringing their audiences back to reality because everyone knows no one is perfect and very few woman have the body that represents physical beauty. When I look through my Victoria Secret magazine, I find female models in bikinis whose skin is glowing, their hair is long and beautiful, and their bodies are toned. Every girl wants items from Victoria Secret because they want to look like the woman in the pictures. Personally, I think I would pay more attention to items modeled by people who are similar to me because than I get a better idea of what it would actually look like on me. On the other hand, naturally, items modeled by beautiful women always tend to stand out more and really grab your attention. A person's image is something that seems to matter a lot to every individual and the standards do vary by race, culture, age, and gender. I think that no matter how much someone tries to change the ways of ads and their models in an effort to make people less self conscious of themselves, ads with less than perfect models would not be sold as much because they just can't be as appealing.

Advertisements

I think that advertisements like Dove can alter the image of physical beauty in America to some viewers but not others. To some it may be a reality check, or like a breath of fresh air to not see the typical model but to the rest of viewers they may find the product less appealing because there isn't some beautiful celebrity or model endorsing it. Looking through Cosmopolitan I saw mainly celebrities and models in the ads. They are wearing designer clothes and they appear physically perfect to the viewer of the ad. Most of the products advertised throughout this magazine are perfumes, clothes, and makeup. Personally, in most cases I would rather see someone who looked like me and those familiar to me when selling something because it would feel like it was geared towards me. Then again it would take away the glamour aspect of wanting it, like when seeing a Victoria's Secret model in a magazine every girl thinks I want that because I want to look like her. Aesthetic standards do vary by race, culture, age, and gender due to the fact they may be looking for different things in a product or ad but overall people want to desire what they see in the ad no matter what their background. Dove ads works to appeal to their audience in the sense that they gear their products and image towards everyone, no matter what race, age, culture, etc.

Ads

Ads everywhere are influenced by body type and looks. In Sports Illustrated magazine, a lot of the ads use beautiful models rather than the everyday woman in the Dove ads. The girls in Sports Illustrated magazines are the models who are tan, tall, slender, curvy, and sexy. The Dove ad, however, utilizes the look of a common woman, someone who a vast majority of women can relate to because not every girl looks like a bathing suit model. This strategy works for Dove because it sells soap products. However, it would not work for such things as cologne or axe shampoo and deodorant because it is trying to attract a different audience. The audience for cologne and axe is mainly teenage guys and men in their twenties and early thirties. They would much rather buy a shampoo that causes all girls around you to jump on you than other shampoos. For example, I would pay more attention to a beautiful model with a bathing suit on than the women in the Dove ad. Dove can try and change the image of beauty through their ads but I don't think they can change the image of beauty in ads. Beauty in ads is more of a sex appeal than what some people may consider true beauty of a women. But no ad has the ability to change that view in my opinion.

It depends.

I've looked through one of my favorite gamer magazines, and I noticed a specific trend about the ads about body care.  They often portray a male figure feature after supposedly using the product, lets say axe shampoo, and a female figure seeming to be magnetically attracted to him, often right next to him "fondling" his hair.  Now this would seem no different than any other advertisement, but its the fact that its in a gamer magazine.  They are trying to appeal to the stereotypical hardcore gamer who plays games non stop and showers once every couple days.  The figures seen in the ad are good looking, you know, the man might not have a shirt o and he is probably fit, and the woman is dressed, well, in a very hot way so to say.  These ads seem to try and make the gamer think about him, or her, self in comparison.  These ads dont really appear to vary to different race in any way because anyone can use them.  However when it comes to the Dove ad you notice that pretty much every culture seems to be portrayed, kinda to say blatantly that anyone can be like this.  As for age, ya gamers run a certain younger age group from teens to eh, mid 30's or maybe a little older, and the ads reflect that by using people that look like they are in their twenties.  Finally, if they used someone like me or a friend or family, it would probably not work as well on me, i want to see what i dream of being not what i will actually be like if i use it.  I feel the idea behind ads like this is to make us want to be something else, what's on the page.

Beauty in Ads

Beauty, as the reading assignment said, is in the eyes of the beholder. This is very true, and in the world of advertisment, the goal is to alter the mind of the person that is looking at it. Without being able to change the view of the person looking at it, the company would be unsuccessful at promoting their product and getting it sold. I think that advertisements and movie's in general are able to alter the view of beauty in society. This is because many people in society look up to celebrities, and therefore look at beauty the same way they do. Usually the models I see are very skinny, blond, and look very young. If you pay close attention, the usual flaws seem to be covered up. Usually these women advertise for brands for both men and women. An example would be Axe for a men's product, and Victoria's Secret for the women's product. Depending on what the product is, I may or may not pay more attention to people who look normal. Aesthetic standards do change between race, culture, age and gender, because just as the reading said, beauty is in the eyes of the beholder. And therefore, if the culture is more focused on family, then the beauty would not focus on being overly thin as much. I think that the ads focus on Pathos since it focuses on the emotional aspect of people.

Advertising

Advertising in general has certain techniques that help to sell a product. When looking through most ads in a magazine, whether it be for men or women, the people portrayed are usually the ideal image of beauty. Advertising companies use these people because they believe it will help them sell more of their product. They want people to believe that if they use that product they can be like the person in the ad. All skin care ads use people who don't really need it or use it to show how well it works. But in my opinion an ad works best when it can be proven and that is why proactive ads seem to be more effective than other skin care lines, because it uses celebrities before and after images.
There are many advertising techniques that can be used to lure consumers. In my opinion the dove ad is effective because it goes against the norm. Dove is being realistic in that not all women look like models or actresses. When they say it makes every women beautiful I believe it because of the average women confident in their own skin. Advertising is one one of the main reasons people worry about their image because they are trying to be the perfect person in the ad, which results in people buying the product. It is a vicious circle that makes people worry about their image yet makes the products company very wealthy. If ads used more average people, I am not sure the company would make more money but people would be a lot less self conscience.

Nice try Dove

Being that advertisements are a large portion of the media that individuals are constantly bombarded by so that money can be made by selling a product or service, it is logical that the image of physical beauty could easily be altered through such images. By seeing advertisements everywhere suggesting an ideal body figure, the multitudes of people viewing these images could easily see it as a new standard or at least something they desired to be like. Since the company’s themselves are creating ads that make the consumers interested in their product, they aren’t going to put up some average Joe they are going use some gorgeous model that people want to be like.
Depending on what the targeted market of product is, will change the ad dramatically. In the case of the “Dove ads” trying to relate to “real beauty” it is still parading one’s physical shape though it is toned done by about 20-30 years to back when the ideal body was a bit different. Will it have an affect on the how the general population views the desired body type to be? Not much really, when movies and television are still using casts consisting of beautiful people of today’s standards.
To address the issue that if the individuals in adds were like every day people it wouldn’t change the consumer to buy the particular product in my opinion. Because most people are dissatisfied with who they are and are seeking to better themselves and invoke some sort of change. So basically I doubt enough people are happy enough with themselves to “give up” and accept their fated existence. Though it is obviously an emotional appeal to us that they are accepting who they are and so should we. What I find funny is that if their new ad design fails they will just go back to how the rest of the market is advertising because at the center of it all, its just about money and not about some positive change to society.

きれいな物

This is an ongoing battle for most women. Now, I am anything BUT a womens rights activist--Quite the opposite, really--But the matter is, the women that are depicted in most ads, in magazine and television, are beautiful, glowing, with perfect skin, slender bodies, and features that most "normal" women would kill for. If jewelry is being advertised, they zoom into the product, and how it sticks out against their skin. If they model clothes, they are showing the product as worn on their bodies. They can sell anything like this--Heck, they can sell vacuum cleaners if a beautiful woman is pushing one. I find it irritating, and slightly degrading. Many women can't help but compare themselves to the women in these ads. Now, as far as I go, I do have self-esteem, and always have--Yet, if I catch sight of a Victorias Secret ad, I feel it slipping away. If the advertising companies used more 'average' women, I would be more prone to buying what they are selling, or at least paying more attention. They are attracting men, maybe, but as for women, we need more than a busty woman selling something to really grasp us. I tend to read a lot of Japanese magazines, and while they still have the typical ad, with a beautiful woman, I see much less of these than in the American magazine counterparts. I'm sure aesthetic beauty does differ, at least slightly, from culture to culture--Though, in todays world, in countries that share mostly similar cultures, such as ourselves, Europe, and developed Asia, slender women are the standard in Advertising. In Japanese magazines, I see many more handsome men, or even children selling products--Something that I wish we would focus on, instead of women. The Dove Ad campaign is one of my favorites, and one I wish I'd see more often. The majority of women in this country aren't runway models, but we'd love to feel like we are. That is how this ad makes us feel.

-Carley Watson

Advertising and Social Control

I think it's amazing how much power lies in the hands of advertisers. If it can be said that corporations have financial control of this country, then their respective advertisers have social-psychological control. Advertisements do more, I think, than most people realize to alter the image of beauty in our society, among other things. If you look through any popular magazine, you'll find the pages strewn with images of thin, curvaceous women with hair that could only shine so brightly under hot, carefully placed lighting, and skin that can only be as flawless as it appears under layers of make-up and spray-on tanning. The men on these pages are always buff and unusually well groomed, and everyone tends to exhibit unnatural levels of positive emotion. The same tends to be true for television. You can see it in clothing commercials, make-up commercials, weight-loss program ads, soap and shampoo ads, and even in ads for products that have nothing at all to do with physical appearance, like food or attractions.

Of course, the average person must realize somewhere deep down that these images are by no means true to life, but more towards the surface, there tends to be a desire to be like the people you see, to have beautiful hair and flawless skin, or a buff body, and to be as happy as the people in the pictures or on TV seem to be. The "logic" behind these advertisements is that if people see attractive, "beautiful", happy people using these products, they'll feel good about the product in question and want to use it themselves. there will almost be a subconcious belief somewhere in the mind that using Dove conditioner will give you that unnaturally shiny hair, wearing a Playtex bra will give you that supermodel body you think you need to be as happy as the model on TV seems to be, and that Axe body spray is all a man needs to get a harem of women drooling over him.

In this sense, I think I'm lucky to be blind. I never wear make-up, own very few brand-name clothes, and have never put product in my hair that will glue it in place or make it be the end of the world if it gets wet, and I think a lot of this is because I'm not constantly bombarded with images of how the advertisers believe women need to look to be happy. I do have brand preferences for certain products, and some of these preferences are common, but I think a lot more of my product choices are made based on what the product actually does for me, not what the commercial implies it will do. I used Clean&Clear products all through high school, for example, but I'd never seen a commercial for the product and only learned through hearsay how clean, happy, and pretty the girls in these ads look, supposedly as a result of the product. I just used it because it worked better than alternatives and was in my budget range.