The Origins of Pop Culture

To me, television is one factor that defines a person's cultural capital. Especially among our generation, television catch phrases and pop culture memories create a catalyst for conversation. They also create a world of generalizations and stereotypes that can negatively affect one's outlook on things. This week, I chose television as my media artifact because I now realize how much of an effect it has had on my life. During my entire freshman year at Babson, I did not have a television. Although it was strange at first, I got used to it after about 2 weeks, and found myself without any serious withdrawal symptoms. The only thing that felt strange was not being able to watch the evening news. In that sense, I felt disconnected from what was happening outside the bubble that is Babson. Now that I do have a tv in my room, I often find myself watching mindless reality television, which has more of an effect on me than I care to think about. Although all of this content enriches my cultural capital, it also creates a narrow minded viewpoint of the world. After reading "The Power of Popular Television: The Case of Cosby" by Justin Lewis, I realize how much you can analyze from a sitcom or reality show. He asks an interesting question, "Have things changed at all in the last 30 years, in the forms of media representation which characterise images of black people and ethnic identities in popular culture?" After reading this question, it made me think of the images that I see on a daily basis on VH1 reality shows. Unfortunately, a lot of black culture that people are exposed to is on television. Most of the images are of rappers and athletes, and African American intellectuals are not very prominent in media settings. This has shaped my culture and way of thinking because I do not want to fit into those stereotypes. One show that comes to mind is The Boondocks, an animated series about a black family on Cartoon Network(Adult Swim). Although the show is very funny, a lot of the subjects on the show deal with racism and negative stereotypes about African Americans. I feel that if more positive images of African Americans were displayed on television, then more young kids would aspire to be like those intellectuals. Until the media changes its portrayal of minorities in a satirical or negative light, the cycle of stereotypical behavior will not end.

An ad for the boondocks, in which the main characters have their mugshots taken. 

Media Artifact: Facebook

Although it seems cliche that I chose facebook as my artifact, it has had a significant cultural impact on my life. The social media site that connects more than a half a billion people worldwide is truly a media juggernaut. There are several reasons why facebook is important in my life. For one, it has allowed me to keep in touch with my family in the Caribbean. Since my family is so far away, it is easy to loose touch with them. Social networking sites are the catalyst for conversation among people across the globe. They also provide you with information about people that is sometimes forgotten or looked over. There have been countless times where the only way I will remember my cousins' birthdays are if I see it on facebook. I can even figure out what to get someone for their birthday from their interests on their facebook profile. Although some might argue that social networking is a less personal approach to interacting with one another, I disagree. It has brought us together in ways that we could have never imagined and has created a global community. 

McLuhan would say that facebook is a cool medium, simply because it provides a stimulating device through which we can interact. It delves into the subconscious and makes users think about exactly what they are posting and reading on the site. The chat feature of facebook provides live interaction as opposed to the static interaction of wall posts and comments. That's what's so great about facebook; it is alive. It is a living, breathing creature that mesmerizes anyone who uses it. Social media has had a significant impact on the way that I identify with my culture and stay in touch with my relatives, and I am grateful for it.

A New Definition of Media

A New Definition of Media

The word media can be interpreted and analyzed in a number of ways. In a traditional sense, and according to Webster’s dictionary, it is “a medium of cultivation, conveyance, or expression”. However, many believe that the true definition is relative to each individual, and is more holistic in approach. Personally, I believe that media is a means by which we receive and analyze information through the five senses. In this way, media is not confined to the traditional examples of radio, television, film, etc. Media can now be a term applied to a multitude of different ideas, both abstract and tangible; to describe how we use our senses to interpret what is happening in the world around us. Traditionally, media only involved invoking two of the five senses (sight and sound) in the interpretation of the messages that are disseminated every day. I believe that my proposed definition is a sound one because it shows that media can invoke the use of all of the five senses. This breaks away from the conventional view that only mass media accounts for the ideas described in its definition. With my proposed definition, media takes on the role of a vessel through which our five senses are stimulated.

            By observing the development of technology and the improvements in the way we transmit information, we can see that media has evolved. With this evolution of concept comes an evolution in the way we define media. Currently, the touch screen interface has come to the forefront of technology and is ubiquitous in society. The ability to touch a device and have it respond creates a human-like sense of interaction. The act of touching a screen is an extension of one’s body to the device and allows for a different dimension of control. McLuhan says, “With the arrival of electric technology, man extended, or set outside himself, a live model of the central nervous system itself” (43). By this, he means that the technology that we use to disseminate media is essentially a projection of our nervous system. Every type of media is associated with one of the senses, and works in conjunction with our physiology. A sense that people don’t often associate with interpreting media is smell, which believe it or not, has been used to convey an atmosphere. Smell-o-vision has been used in movie theaters, and although it has been slow to catch on in the consumer world, it is an effective tool to deliver a message. No longer are we confined to sight and sound; now our olfactory senses can now be stimulated as well. With a combination of multiple senses, the way that we absorb the media around us is totally altered. McLuhan states, “Physiologically, man in the use of technology (or his variously extended body) is perceptually modified by it and in turn finds ever new ways of modifying his technology” (46). We are naturally inclined to develop newer technology to stimulate our senses to the fullest.

The sense of taste has not been fully explored through a media lens simply because food has never been considered a form of media. However, if we say that media is a means of carrying a message, then food fits the criteria. Certain foods evoke emotions and can transmit a message from the person who prepared the food to the people who consume it. For example, sending someone chocolate or strawberries shows that you are thinking about them; or having your mother cook your favorite meal shows that she cares about you. Since food can evoke emotions and convey feelings from one human being to another, I believe it can be considered a form of media. This last sense encompasses the last aspect of my definition of media.

In conclusion, media is relative to the consumer and people prefer different types of media over others. However, one thing is consistent, and that is the fact that media has a huge impact on our lives. Although we may define it differently, it undoubtedly challenges us to think of new ways to engage our five senses.