Week 4: News and You

How often do you read the paper or watch the news on TV? How important is it for you to keep up with current events?

I don’t often get to read the newspaper or follow the news on TV. The main reason would be the unavailability of these two media at the university campus where I stay at 5 days a week. And when I am at home for the weekends, at the most I would probably browse through the papers until an interesting headline catches my eye. When my younger sister was smaller, the TV was always set to play the news during dinnertime, and I would let the voice of the newscaster wash over me as I eat (our TV is set close by to the dining table). However, at her current age of 10, she has the say over what is shown on TV as we eat (and most of the time it would be set to cartoons—marathon runs of Spongebob anyone?)

The other reason is that for most of the time, I am not really interested in keeping up-to-date with news, especially since most of what I’ve seen involve politics, mindless entertainment, war, scandals, politics, and more politics. The “debate” (though it honestly strikes to me as kids’ tug-of-war) in politics irks me terribly as I am not the type to be very politically moved. If it does not affect me directly, I am more of the type to roll with the punches rather than debate my views on an issue. The US Presidential Election? My reaction most of the time would be just to shrug nonchalantly.

I understand that the outcome of politics may very well change my lifestyle. However, I refuse to sit and give hours of my week to pay attention to various sides arguing about who is right and who is blackmailing and slandering the society. I am not interested in the fluff in between, what I am interested in is the conclusion. Barack Obama won the election? That’s good to know, but no, I don’t need the details of the catfight, thanks. As long as he doesn’t aim a bomb to my country, I’m neutral with anything really.

The only type of news that I try to be updated on when possible are pieces about health, murder, robberies or any other violent acts. Facts published on the news about these issues very rarely have a reason to be fabricated or written biasedly. I find it (in a morbid sort of way) interesting to read an article explaining the murder of a shopkeeper, for example. I would want to know the details, such as when or why it took place, and what was the murderer thinking as he took a life (as opposed to listening to sugared twisted words of politicians. Not to say that all of them do so, but with so many opposing "facts" of who said what, I'd rather just not listen at all).

Nowadays my news source tend to be whatever online articles I come across. I find myself often going to Yahoo! to browse through the newsfeed roll they have, though most of them are still either mindless entertainment/scandals (oh my god, they divorced! Yeah, I really don’t care) and politicians. My friends are a good source of news as well, as they are able to filter out unnecessary drama relating to a particular issue and just tell me the important parts.

Week 3: Theatre

What is Theatre? And how does it communicate messages to the audience?

 

[ 1 ] Theatre    [ image source ]

Theatre is a collaborative form of fine art that uses live performers to present the experience of a real or imagined event before a live audience in a specific place. The performers may communicate this experience to the audience through combinations of gesture, speech, song, music or dance. The specific place of the performance is also named by the word "theatre" as derived from the Ancient Greek θέατρον (théatron, “a place for viewing”) and θεάομαι (theáomai, “to see", "to watch", "to observe”). 

Beginning the 18^th century, due to accompaniment by technological innovations, the expansion to include ordinary people, and the introduction of serious critical review, theatre began to see some changes. Dominated by a genius actor David Garrick, who was also a manager and a playwright, a more natural form of speaking and acting that mimicked life were emphasized. It is from this that realism and naturalism movements were born. The audience were also pushed back to behind the proscenium (the area of a theatre surrounding the stage opening, where the arch acts as a picture frame through which the action can be seen).

The origins of theatre were vastly different from today’s modern theatre. Theatre first emerged from myths, rituals, and ceremonies. The desired results that arise from certain actions performed by a group or leaders of a group led to the early societies to believe that they were related. The repetition of these actions in order to gain the desired results set the ground for theatre.

Mythologist Joseph Campbell claims that rituals are mainly concerned with pleasure, power, and duty, and are accompanied by myths. These myths are then spread by the tradition of storytelling, and like all subjects told as stories, the myths are then developed and enhanced beyond the original rites. They evolve to gain more entertainment and aesthetics values. Now performed for their own sake, the original actions now rapidly move towards becoming theatre.

[ 2 ] Chinese Drama    [ image source ]

The exact year of the origin of the Chinese drama is unknown. It has been developed by assimilation, by the patronage of succeeding emperors and the corresponding conversion of the Chinese people. Their theatre communicates messages by accompanying religious worship with music and dances. Music has already existed in China by B.C.5400. The ceremonial dances were mainly to celebrate, and to portray civil and military accomplishments. These dances (which describe the occupation of the society of the time; e.g. harvesting, war, etc.) show various sensations such as working, joy, content, fatigue, etc. 

During the rule of emperor Hsuan Tsung (or Ming Huang), a school was established by him in the gardens of his palace. This was where young men and women were taught the arts of dancing and music. Many actors of this age associate themselves with this school, calling themselves members of the College of the Pear Orchard.

[ 3 ] Hindu Drama    [ image source ]

The Indian theatre has 2 unique variations of origins. The first is the mythical origin, where Indra the thunderer (part of the divine races that occupied the earth), approached the throne of the Godhead and, delegated by the other gods, asked that their eyes and ears be feasted on a dramatic spectacle, a merry play for their enjoyment. The Veda of the Theatre sprang into existence, the quintessence of the drama drawn out of the four Vedas; dance from Rig, song from the Sama, mimicry from Yajur, and passion from Atharva. Vishwakarma the celestial architect built a stage in Indra’s heaven, whilst the sage Bharata was appointed as theatrical manager and conductor of the heavenly performances.

The second origin of the Indian theatre, based on reality, is from the ancient custom of reciting national poetry at both social and religious gatherings. The words bharata and magadha meant “minstrel” or “actor”. According to Bana, a famous novelist from the age of the Arabian Phrophet, claims that the Hindu epics were read aloud in places of worship. So excellent were these public recitals that royalty often attended. Musical accompaniment and dramatic gestures enhanced the success of these recitals. These recitals, accompanied by music and gestures, are the theatrical way the Indians communicate their messages.

References:

[1] MSUIIT.edu ; Wikipedia ; TheatreDesigner

[2] Chinese Theatre History

[3] Indian Theatre History

 

Week 2: 4 Social Groups and Their Preferred Media

[ 1 ] Kids + Video games   [ image source ]    

Plenty of kids nowadays have started to become addicted to video games. One of the reasons is perhaps because video games have become much easier to obtain than in the previous generation. Previously, you would have to have a specific platform (e.g. Playstation; home console, Gameboy; portable console) in order to play certain games. However, with the advance in technology, there is less of a platform-barrier, due to how games can now be multi-platform (e.g. PSX2; game simulator that allows Playstation games to be played on PC) and can also be found easily online (e.g. free flash games on various websites).

[ 2 ] Young adults + Mobile devices   [ image source ]

Mobile devices have become almost like a default accessory to a young adult’s lifestyle. Whether it is a regular phone, a smartphone, a tablet, or a gaming device, it is relatively hard to find someone without any of these on their person at any time. With the booming popularity of social media, it has helped bring upon the advent of smartphones that alert users of any messages from their social feeds. Perhaps it is due to the need to occupy their time in boredom, or perhaps they feel the need to always be somehow connected to people wherever they are.

[ 3 ] Office workers + E-mail   [ image source ]

Based on recent articles in the last 6 months, office workers seem to prefer the usage of e-mail rather than phone calls when dealing with work. E-mailing someone presents a rather professional and neutral outlook to clients. You are able to choose and compose your words at your own pace, never risking the stumble and stutter that come with feeling nervous. However, on that same line of thought, it also takes out the personal feel of human interaction, and may promote higher occurrences of introversion in society.

[ 4 ] Elderly + Television   [ image source ]

It may not sound very surprising that the elderly of this day and age watch more television than any other age groups. John Logie Baird's first demonstration of televised moving images was in 1926, thus the current elderly grew up alongside the growth of television. Other factors that possibly contribute to this is having more free time due to retirement, thus seeking entertainment and companionship.

 

References:

[ 1 ] AboutOurKids
[ 2 ] ibtimes
[ 3 ] TechRadar ; Independent.co.uk

[ 4 ] Encyclopedia.jrank ; Mashable ; Wikipedia

Week 2: Media Forms

Media according to its literal definition:

me•di•a (pronounced mee-dee-uh) noun

1. a plural of medium

         >> medium: 

                 1. a middle state or condition; mean.
                 2. something intermediate in nature or degree.
                 3. the element that is the natural habitat of an organism.
                 4. surrounding objects, conditions, or influences; environment.

2. (usually used with a plural verb) the means of communication, as radio and television, newspapers, and magazines, that reach or influence people widely.

3. Anatomy: the middle layer of an artery or lymphatic vessel.

4. Entomology: a longitudinal vein in the middle portion of the wing of an insect.

Thus in short, media can be taken as the plural version of something that is in the middle as well as being surrounding objects/influences/environment. Thus, being in the middle would refer to the fact that media is used as a tool to communicate between 2 sides.

Currently there are many, many types of media as it exists in a wide range of forms. The most basic classification of media forms (i.e. their state of existence) would be:

• physical media: this form of media involves other senses besides that of sight and sound, e.g. sense of touch heightens the experience of sculpture/carpentry

• electronic/digital media: this form of media is limited to the sense of sight and sound

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