Global Media Flow

Global media flow is the flow of cinema culture that is being produced and traveling globally. Practices of Looking, mentions how sometimes we, as the cinematic audience view some cultural products as maybe "nationally" like Hollywood films, when in reality these have been circulated through global networks. A great example the book uses is the television series Survivor, which originates from Britain and Sweden, they have been franchised across the globe and have been nationalized now all over the world. I think it is definitely safe to say, Hollywood no longer carries the torch on popular film culture. Which I think is absolutely great, because there is only so much you can reenact instead of actually packing up and traveling to other countries to film, which in lots of cases, makes a film so great. Globalization has come a long ways in the past couple decades, that's for sure!

Concepts of Globalization

What is Globalization? Globalization as the book describes, is a set of conditions that have been escalating since the post war period (POL 404). Some of these conditions include increased rate of migration, globalization of capital and financial networks, and rise of international corporations just to name a few. What helps this globalization is the movement of people from place to place all around the world every and any way possible, either as tourists, travelers, workers, legal and illegal immigrants and global citizens. I think every single person has either traveled somewhere different or knows of someone that has traveled somewhere due to either work conditions or vacation get-a-ways. That is the one thing that I find most interesting about America, is that we’re not all just one race. We all come from tons and tons of different ethnic backgrounds and generations from all kind of places, either here for good, or just simply for the change of weather.

Global Brands

What is the first thing that comes to mind when you think of Global Brands? The golden arches that are incorporated as a trademark of Mcdonald's Corporation. Or possibly the iconic black Swoosh representing Nike. These are major global corporations that have expanded rapidly internationally, and can be seen as symbols of global dominance of U.S. capitalism (POL 402). The book makes a really good point in all these brands, it says that since they are so big and most have been franchised out, it makes these brands marketed many different ways and also marketed under the banner of the one company. Although this can be beneficial to the business, it can also have its downfall just like anything else. Not everyone likes the United States, so there has been cases where these companies in other Countries have been protested and raged against, because they thought it symbolized and profited the United States. So these corporate owners really do have to be careful when and where they choose to do business.

Cultural Imperialism

Cultural imperialism refers to how an ideology, a politics, or a way of life is exported into other territories through the export of cultural products (POL 397). Since the start of the television era, t.v. images and messages were a great source of communication because they can reach out in ways the human body cannot as the book describes. Although not all the messages being sent were received as positive from the people, many viewed this form of media intervention as an act of cultural imperialism, rather than making democratic choices available to the people. And we see that still go on today. For example, I work at a bank, and we recently this year had a whole reissue of new credit cards sent out to all members with this new chip technology inside them being able to make it more difficult for cards being able to get compromised. But a lot of people didn't take it as that, they questioned whether its a way the government can now keep track of everyone's spending and what not. So there is always going to be two sides to a story, and it's just how that person perceives what is being said.

I found this image on the internet and thought it was a great example of U.S. imperialism because it represents cultural hegemony and showing that the U.S. is sort of wrapping around the world as if it is showing the perception of global domination.

Global Flow of Visual Culture

The circulation of images has brought a whole new perspective to the world we live in. Before, images would get around through newspapers, television and theaters, and now it is most common to receive by satellite and the web. This new wave of global image flows has increased in circulation with concepts, ideas, politics, and images (Pg. 389). It is just absolutely amazing how much technology has changed in the past 30 years, I don't think anybody could have seen this coming. Not only does this broaden our communication as a whole, but it also allows businesses to send and receive products a lot sooner to keep up with the people's needs. The improvement of technology has been a plus for everyone.

Google 'Fights Piracy'

The entertainment industry has been long criticizing Google for allowing users to download entertainment illegally. So as a solution to this problem, Google has added extra measures so that links pointed to illegal content will fall lower in the results, when being searched. As a reporter said, "The best way to combat piracy is with better and more convenient legitimate services." Which is definitely understandable. I understand how difficult it is for any music artist now-a-days to go 'platinum' because of how many illegal file sharing sites there are on the web. It must be very frustrating to devote all your time and life into doing what you love, and making music and then for someone to go download it all for free. But we got to understand, Google can only do so much, it really comes down to the people and their own decision-making process.

Advertisements

We, as consumers, are confronted with all kinds of different advertisements any and every way we walk, look, or hear in our daily lives. Advertisements present an abstract world, in which they promise more than they can deliver (Pg.265). In a consumer society, we are surrounded by tons of goods, and advertisements for those goods, that are constantly changing to keep up with society. The idea that consumer products will offer self-fulfillment is crucial to marketing and consumption (Pg.269). That is exactly why I don’t like marketing, because companies say what you want to hear, but then put the side effects in very small print at the bottom, which is what you don’t want to hear. Especially when you see something that looks really good to eat and it’s for a very cheap price, and then you go to that place and it’s something very tiny that won’t even fill you up, that is exactly why advertising is dumb. But everyone is in it for the money, so I guess companies got to do whatever they got to do to get customers over there.  

Importance of Categorization

Women, Fire and Dangerous things. All have something in common, right? Wrong. I mean, I'm sure you can find some common boundary between each one of these, but what George Lakoff describes, is that things are categorized together on the basis of what they have in common, with the idea that categories are defined by common properties. (Pg.5) It has come to realization that categorization is far more complex than that. A new theory has emerged, called prototype theory. As Lakoff describes it, When we intentionally perform any kind of action, we are using categories. When we move about the world, we automatically categorize people, animals, physical objects, etc. They aren't categories of things, they are of abstract entities. After reading this article, it changed my whole outlook on my thoughts about categories. The way I experience and imagine categorization, I think of it as far more than just simply items with common characteristics. It is now more of a prototype-based conception in which we categorize.

String of Puppies

This particular issue was discussed in Chapter 5 of POL, in a case of Rogers v. Koons. This copyright issue occurred when a photographer took a picture of a man and women holding a bunch of puppies and used them for postcards and other goods. Then, an American artist, Jeff Koons, sent a copy of that image without the copyright label, to an Italian studio to be produced into a statue. After Rogers tried suing him, the court's ruled in Koons favor saying it was derivative and not transformative. I don't know if I necessarily agree with this topic, because if a photographer is really going to go through all that work to take a photograph and crop, edit and publish it and for someone else to take the credit for that, it's not really fair and I think that is one great example of an image reproduction that takes away from the quality and integrity from one's work.

Image Production

Reproduction is defined as a copy of an original work. (Pg.183) In chapter 5, it talks about the reproduction of images through technological means and the social and cultural changes that accompany those. Although technology itself does not determine social change, it has important and influential effects on society but that they are also themselves the product of their particular societies. (Pg.184) The book uses a great example when it says the U.S. Department of Defense used a computer communication system called ARPANET for military email back in 1971, without knowing within two decades this would be the basis for a network used by civilians, businesses, and governments around the world.

Intellectual Property

What constitutes intellectual property?

Intellectual property refers to creations of the mind such as inventions, literary and artistic works, designs, symbols, and names and images used in commerce. So Lessig talks about a few different things that constitutes these different forms of property. A copyright is one, which is a legal term used to describe the rights that creators have over literary and artistic works. Patents is another, which is an exclusive right that has been granted for an invention. A trademark another, which is a sign used to distinguish the goods or services from one business to another. Although that’s not all that constitutes these, what Lessig mainly discusses is getting the rights to watch, hear or see film, recorded music, radio and cable television. He talks about a “compulsory license” which he calls a “statutory license” is a license whose key terms are set by law. (Pg.57) That is by LAW. He also states that, all across the world, especially in Asia and Eastern Europe, there are businesses that do nothing but take others people’s copyrighted content, copy it, and sell it without permission. (Pg. 62) In my opinion, there is always going to be ways around copyrighted works, or just simply people breaking the law, so the only thing we can do is increase the punishments for plagiarism and hope that it would maybe open some eyes.  

Truth of a Feather

After reading in POL about the meaning of images, and how we see so many different signs and symbols, it really gets you to think on why people do what they do, and if there is really meaning behind it. One great example of this, is how so many people have a tattoo of a feather, in all different shapes and sizes, in all different areas, but do they really know the meaning behind that feather? It’s not something that just falls out of a bird, I can tell you that. It actually has great meaning to Native American Tribes. The feather symbolizes trust, honor, strength, wisdom, power, freedom and many more things according to 'Indians.org.' When a newcomer is acknowledged in a tribe, he receives a feather from all the other men in that tribe, and they are to wear or show off that feather with all the upmost respect. I think this is a great example of an image that not everyone may not know the real meaning behind..

Viewers Make Meanings

In chapter two, it discusses how Images generate meanings through the complex negotiations that make up the social process and practices through which we produce and interpret images. (Pg.49) It talks about how we create these images, like art, photographs, and media text, not as so much for the audience, but more for the viewer. In focusing on the viewer, we are emphasizing the practices through which images and media texts reach out and touch audience members in ways that engender experiences. (Pg.51) Producers are usually the ones to make up that meaning that is intended for the viewer, but as we all know, sometimes they may not always get the right meaning across that was intended. That's where critics come in. It's very interesting though, because we see all kinds of images everyday, every where we look. But do we really analyze these images to get their full meanings out of them? Just take a minute out of your day next time you may be in the mall, or walking in the park, and look at some images and think about what meaning the producers were trying to portray through that image. You may learn something new..

'Internet Piracy'

The next section in Lessig's "Free Culture" online forum, he states that there has been a war against "piracy" and copyright laws. "A person may use the copy by playing it, but he has no right to rob the author of the profit." (Pg.17) And that is exactly true, It is harder for music artists for example, to sell their albums and make profits when there is so much illegal downloading going around now-a-days. But copyright laws cover a vast majority of things, not just music. You see it happen all the time in plagiarism, with kids copying essay stories they find online, people making fake art works or clothes and shoes. We see it happen everyday and the sad part about it is that, "the law's role is less and less to support creativity, and more and more to protect certain industries against competition." (Pg.19)  

The Internet Today

In Lawrence Lessig's article, "Free Culture" he describes the effect upon how culture is made based on the internet. (Pg.7) He has some really good points in the article, stating that the 'internet' was not founded by just one person, and how the law has a good effect on the internet. But the biggest concern is this "war" that has been waged against the technologies of the internet. (Pg.9) "Piracy" and "Property" are the two main concerns, and it is definitely true, because our class right now is doing a 'digital footprint' project, and I think that is a great example of how our property is not 100% protected anymore. So, as Lessig states, we really need to remake the internet, before the internet remakes us..

El Dorado

On Sept. 4th our DTC356 class went down to the art museum and found one piece that greatly interested us and we made up a story on that specific piece. I picked the piece labeled, "El Dorado" because I come from a Texas family background and it's the one that I felt like I can relate to the most. Although all the pieces were amazing, I felt like this piece really stuck out to me the most. I'm sure a person that is just coming on to the piece can make up any story to go with it, but I understood it as the artist was most likely coming from a field worker/owner background, and it was a piece that reminded him of his history. I really liked how well it was done and the story that was untold behind it.

The Value of Images

This particular section ‘The Value of Images’ was just mind blowing to me! I was shocked when reading about how much value some of these paintings brought. In 2006, Jackson Pollock’s 1948 painting titled, No. 5 brought its seller $140 million. (Pg.34) That is just insane! But as stated in POL, Beliefs about a work’s authenticity and uniqueness, contribute to its value. (Pg.34) As well as myths about an artists’ life and work can be great value to their paintings as well, as seen with Van Gogh. So that makes a lot more sense now, because when you go to the mall for some shorts, you’re not always paying for how cool the shorts look, but typically for that brand name that everyone can see. But if it was my money, I would not spend nearly as much on these paintings that some people are willing to fork out!

Blog 2: Pg.9-26

I found the first chapter to be very interesting when it talked about the practice of looking. It starts off by saying a single image can serve a multitude of purposes, appear in a range of settings, and mean different things to each observer (pg. 9). An example is the painting by Rene Magnitte, labeled “This is not a pipe”. He is testing the boundaries between words and things and how it is not a pipe itself; it is in fact a representation of a pipe (pg. 15). I think Magnitte did an amazing job at making the painting produce meanings that are not understood by someone just looking at it. The book points out that we are surrounded by images that experience much more layers of meaning beyond the obvious or their original objectives.

Blog 1: Intro

In practices of looking, the introduction is based solely on, what is visual culture? According to Raymond Williams, visual culture is one of the most complex words in the English language (pg. 2). Defining the term in just one sentence would be almost impossible. Culture, in POL, is defined as a set of processes through which individuals and groups come to make sense of things (pg. 3). Visual culture would then be taking visual media (images, television, internet, etc) and making sense of it. It is not only about seeing what is shown, but how things are shown and what we can’t see (pg. 6). I think this will give me a better outlook on how I perceive things in everyday life.