Reach Out and Elect Someone

I couldn't agree more with Postman's view points on his article, Reach Out and Elect Someone. Today, politics had become like television commercials to get peoples attention. In my telecommunication class, we learned about "copy cat" programming. This is when television shows are similar and not varied due to the risk of audience loss. I believe that consumers have very little control concerning the media therefore, when it comes time for politics commercials they are made to appeal to the audience. An important factor is image. One must have a good image of themselves, you would never see a candidate making a speech in sweatpants and a sweatshirt. Ones image says a lot about themselves. Most people that watch are inclined to see the candidates and know more personal information about them then actually hear their thoughts. Like Postman said, "We are not permitted to know who's best at Governor or Senator, but whose image is best in touching and soothing the deep reaches of our discontent.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a9WB_PXjTBo - Watch quick commercial and then read blog!

This political commercial flashes attention to the audience for a plethora of reasons that Postman described in his article. This commercial was for Claire McCaskill when she was running for United States Senate. I believe that this got hold of the audiences attention. Having Michael J. Fox (a celebrity) speaking, i would assume that he would get peoples attention and for them to listen to what he has to say. This is getting the viewers to focus on the celebrity and then at the end of the ad it quickly says Claire McCaskill, this creates a compelling image for the interest of the viewers. It gets the viewers to remember Claire McCaskill by having Michael J. Fox with Parkinson's disease being the celebrity representing her. In this case, the commercial would be represting the "copy cat" method by having a celebrity basically advertising for McCaskill. This gives the viewers the ad of self intrest by knowing that McCaskill is looking to help find cures for stem cell research. Also, this ad talks about how Jim Talent, who is also running for senator is against this. Even in commercials for candidates, the people are depicted in certain ways. Michael J. Fox is clean looking and attractive, while seems to know about stem cell research.
I agree with Postman and his view on Image and how politics resemble television commercials by having the same goals to focus the view in with a slogan or symbol.

Peek-a-Boo World

The article Peek-a-Boo World, by Neil Postman brings up a plethora of viewpoints on technologies effect on society. Although, it was a huge technological advancement, he believes that the telegraph had a large negative impact. He said, He said, “The telegraph made a three-prolonged attack on typography’s definition of discourse, introducing on a large scale of irrelevance, impotence and incoherence. Instead of worrying about the information we receive it was more important how much information and how far it came. This is why so much information became so irrelevant to ones life; because there was a lot of information but had no individual impact. The telegraph would give us information that would be spoken about but then easily and unintentionally forgotten. It processed a lot of useless information that didn’t a connection to ones life.
I believe that Postman talking about the telegraph exemplifies today’s impact of technology on society. He clarifying the idea that the telegraph disrupted communication. Everyday people are exposed to useless information that has no effect on their daily lives. Our use of media is merely just another way to escape from reality and into the technological world. Postman then goes to talk about media and electronics like film, radio and television. People become so drawn to these advancements that get so caught up and forgot about living their own lives. I believe Postman’s viewpoints on technology. I think that people get too caught up in advancements. After reading his two articles, I concluded that in today’s society technology and the media block out us from reality.
Postman's articles and viewpoints directly correlates with the novel, A Brave New World. Science and technology play a large role in this novel by being a threat to society. Social stability and control were maintained by technology, which is what society today is going through. In the novel and todays society, religion is being taken over by technology. People become so averted to reality and look towards technology to maintain their lives.


After reading his article, I thought to myself where is the fine line of technology between adults and children? It clearly affects us differently, how so? I found this article in the news and I think its very interesting because it talks about internet (technology) and how each age groups view it very differently.
http://www.cnn.com/2008/TECH/ptech/01/23/technological.turfwar.ap/index.html

Testing

Just testing to see if this works =)