Critical Thinking Media Blog

12/17/18 Rap music has been a very controversial topic for a long time now. It has both positive and negative impacts that I think must be more seriously looked at. I wonder how it affects the younger generation and how it shapes their views or beliefs. Could people's values be changing due to some of this rather vulgar music? I do admit that I listen to it often just as many people in our generation do. But I wonder how far the affect has gone. I do believe there are benefits to rap music. These are that it is a form of expression and free speech. Many rappers share the struggles, hard times, social issues, or problems in the system in the form of a more accessible and entertaining piece. I think that many pieces have the ability to educate all populations of the social or political issues that are happening now. Rap has the ability to bring together many people and unify them through a song. I am not saying in any way that rap cannot be negative. Although I know many...

12/10/18 We all know the power of social media. The ability to pull in users and not let them go. We as a society have been sucked into a whole other world where our life simply disappears, and all that matters is what we see on a screen. Snapchat, a billion dollar company truly has expert tactics and techniques to pull teens specifically into their world and keep them captive. One tool that snapchat uses, are snapstreaks. "Streaks" are essentially a number beside a name of a person who you snapchat everyday. The number increases every day you snapchat them, and if you don't snapchat the person, then you lose it. Although these streaks really are just a number on a screen, people have become so engulfed in them, thinking they are important, myself included. The point of social media including snapchat should be to talk to people and show them what you are doing or have a more interactive conversation with using your face instead of just texting with no vis...

12/9/18 Do you ever wonder why on Instagram ads of interest to you often pop up? Well, not to scare you, but you are in a way being targeted. All of your information is in the app, your history and interests, everything you do on the app is information for the company. So, those ads that you constantly see are directed to you based off of all of your personal information. Essentially, this is data mining. These ads are specific to you to break through of all the advertisement clutter in hopes to break through to you.  I even researched this topic to see if I am going crazy about these ads that somehow apply to me. I went to the Instagram site and this is what they said, " We want to show you ads from businesses that are interesting and relevant to you, and to do that, we use information about what you do on  Instagram and Facebook (our parent company)  and on third-party sites and apps you use." In a way this is a disclaimer, however does anybody really see...

12/4/18 The current crisis on the border between Mexico and the United States is simply atrocious, and the way that two different sources approach it is dramatically different. I analyzed two sources on opposite sides of the spectrum, Vox which lies on the left, and fox which lies on the right. There was definitely a distinction in the words used by each of the news websites, and these word choices are meant to convince and appeal to the audience. In Vox I found many patterns or categories of words that were repeatedly brought up. For example, words that made the situation more victimized, words that show how people have been assaulted and hurt. They appeal to the peoples sympathy and show the suffering of others. Some words are, "violence, desperation, frustration, force, unrest," and many more. With these words we associate a certain picture of suffering which gets the reader to tap into their more sympathetic feelings and project their emotional connection...

12/2/18 In the near past leading up to our current day events, there is much controversy and debate around the issue of gun control and how to address the problem. This topic constantly circulates around the media and the difference of approaches between the left or right, or two sources is very visible and shows how each piece is meant to affect you or pull you in. The first piece I analyzed was of the Washington Post which is a source that edges more to the left. The first thing I noticed was a non-aggressive attack to the opposition. " Those who oppose reforms say nothing can be done. That's demonstrably wrong."  A thing that I found is that more harsh words were used. "D emonstrably wrong,  notoriously underfunded, massacre, slaughter,  more dangerous ." This blatant harshness and avoidance of doublespeak is to show the reader how serious this issue is. In addition that this is something that has a great effect and must be addressed, and that the ...

11/22/18 Media is a double edged sword in my life. It is both a positive, but more so negative addition to my lifestyle. There are many benefits such as that it is my way of staying informed on both the current national and international news. It also allows me to observe points of view different from my own, I can connect with others, I have the opportunity to potentially gain a broader understanding the world and much more. However, it also can be a very destructive force for me. For example, I do believe that social media is a factor of anxiety and extreme levels of stress at times. From this constant gallery of other's lives I think that what we do or how we look becomes a competition which I become engulfed in. I feel that I must be a contestant in a game which nobody can win, but I become so convinced that I must be the best. That I am lesser and that I must become better. I also think that media offers me the opportunity to gain other perspectives, but I choose to ...