Post Entry #6 12/10/12

From pages 109 to 163 the most important aspect of White Noise is the black billowing cloud. Only known as Nyodene D., the symptoms of the chemical are contanstly being reworked and changed as to keep up with the present conditions. With a variety of side effects and an unpredictable weather behavior, the cloud is a toxic disaster with unknown capabilities. The choice for the author to include this portion of the book is to symbolize how fear is so easily accessed in the human mind.

One important instance is shown while the family is driving to the evacuation area and Steffie tells everyone “I saw all this before”.  Immediately Jack begins to question the legitimacy of her statement because he was aware déjà vu was no longer an up-to-date symptom of Nyodene D. “But what if she hadn’t heard the radio, didn’t know what déjà vu was? What if she was developing real symptoms by natural means? Maybe the scientists were right in the first place, with their original announcements, before they revised upward” (126). Although Jack is aware that leading scientists have said déjà vu is no longer a symptom of Nyodene D., he begins to become immensely fearful for his daughters health. It is very probably Steffie is faking her experience or even did experience a natural déjà vu, but even her simple statement sends Jack into a state of worry.

Another significant piece of evidence is Jack’s Nyodene D. contamination testing. Quickly being enlightened on the how deadly the toxin is, Jacks fear begins to show through in his conversation with the SIMUVAC employee. “If I was a rat I wouldn’t want to be anywhere within a two hundred mile radius of the airborne event.” “What if you were a human?”…… “I wouldn’t worry about what I can’t see or feel,” …… “But you said we have a situation” (141). Jack is fully aware that the chemical is in his body, but if it will kill him, no one is sure. Even though the employee told him to not worry, Jack had become fearful for what the coming months and years will bring. Later, Jack also states he wants his academic gown and dark glasses, which help communicate how insecure and small he is feeling. The gown and glasses give Jack a sense of power and he feels he needs these to balance out his fear.

The theme of fear and the resultants of it are a common theme within chapter 21 of White Noise. Looking at it with a post-modern lens would lead me to the conclusion that people are constantly overwhelmed with fear and it’s very easy for society demonstrate it. Whether it’s in a natural disaster or frightening experience, a person’s fear is much more readily available. With the constant threat of war, violence, disease and much, a person should have more to be fearful about.

Post Entry #5 11/27/12

Throughout the book, White Noise, a major recurring setting is the grocery store. A place to find nourishment through the advertisement overdosed store becomes a central location in this post-modern text. The significance of the super market is that it gives us insight on what exactly "White Noise" is to the author. Whether through the background presence of the people or the sheer amount of advertising, the super market helps the author communicate a key underlining message.

Murray is the first to show the white noise, or white sight, by opening up an idea for Jack. Murray’s flavorless, tasteless packaging gives Jack some realization of how the food advertisement affects him. "It seemed to me that Babette and I, in the mass and variety of our purchases.... in the sense of replenishment we felt, the sense of well-being, the security and contentment these products brought to some snug home in our souls." (20) By never being exposed to another choice before Murray's groceries, Jack now took into account how his groceries made him feel. The advertising constantly being linked into his food, and although sub-consciously processed, were not understood until now. Possibly advertisements had moved to a more sub-conscious appeal, where the observer does not even realize the own advertisement is affecting themselves.

The next supermarket trip shows the readers that the white noise is really there, and has been. Jack, although accompanied by Murray, comes to a conclusion that what around him is unable to be comprehended by people. "The toneless systems, the jangle and skid of carts, the loudspeaker and coffee-making machines, the cries of children. And over it all, or under it all, a dull and unlocatable roar, as of some form of swarming life just outside the range of human apprehension." (36) There are these electronic sounds, and screeches, and people talking, and children crying but no individual sounds were recognized. Not until Jack took into account the surrounding around him. Once he removed himself from his personal life bubble, the white noise around him is separated into the all the parts that make up its whole.

There are noises and then there is white noise. The only difference is that white noise is all of the noises complied together to make something that is only understood as a whole. In our society and in this text, people do not want to, or care, to listen to the makings of the white noise. Things are only truly understood once the white noise is replaced with the pieces that it is made up of. That's my problem with this book. Maybe it should be looked at in pieces instead of as a whole. I wonder if that's what the author wants.

 

Post Entry #4 10/3/12

            Growing up in a electronically based culture, I’ve realized that there is always a good side and a bad side for the use of technology. Computers and iPads have provided a faster and more efficient way to research and learn then going to the library. On the other side is the distraction that these technologies bring with; Games, social media, and non-personal interaction. I have always been a supported of modern technology, but it needs to be used responsibly as well. People should be able to play Monopoly with their friends and family along with destroying monsters in World of Warcraft online. Texting a friend about their day and maintaining a deep personal conversation should be able to be used interchangibly as well. That is how I try to keep the balance between technology and ‘Old ways.’

            I am very aware of the progress technology is making (which include microchipping your child for tracking purposes), and although I have an open mind to it, the technology portrayed in Feed frightens me. After the whole situation with the old man at the club, they lose their feeds and Titus begins to miss is immensely. “But the braggest thing about the feed, the thing that made it really big, is that it knows everything you want and hope for, sometimes before you even know what those things are.” (48) This statement is what put me over the edge about this “feed” technology. I definitely am not able to agree with this “brag” idea. Just the thought of having a tiny computer inside of my head makes me cringe, but when they also add that it knows what you want and hope for it makes me fearful. If this is what our future is going to come to, I will be apart of the resistance. People may call me a “luddite” but that would be better then having my own mind hacked. 

Shoutout to my Singapore and Netherlands page viewers

kanye

Post Entry #3 9/25/12

            

            In this ad for an Arizona based fixed gear bicycle company there are a few key parts in this ad. The bike and the rider are centered in this picture with the logo off the side. Cleary the advertiser wants you to get a good look at the bike and the trick that the rider is doing right now called a “bar-spin.” Another thing I noticed is that the rider looks pretty “bad ass” to put it in the simplest terms. He has tattoos, a chain for his wallet, Nike high tops and black skinny jeans. All in all though the advertisement is very simple.

            The speaker is a company, trying to introduce a new line of products and they want you to buy it. The perspective included within the photo is towards those that enjoy riding fixed gear bicycles as “freestyle,” opposed to those that like to just ride to ride. The literal message is that they have a new type of bike, but the hidden message is “this is how bad ass” you can be if you have it.”

            This ad is kind of tricky as to how it appeals to you, but I would say pathos because of people’s emotional response to riding a bike and how much fun it can be and how awesome it is. They don’t show anything logical about it and there really is no credibility shown either.

            This ad made for Apple regarding the iPhone 5 is very simple but gets it’s point across. Showing a picture of the new device, you can see what it looks like, but the writing on it also gives you a little helpful insight on what’s new about it.

Again the speaker is a company, trying to introduce a new product in their line up and they want you to want it. It’s new and sleek and very cool. This ad somewhat appeals to the geeks of the world. Everybody can like that it’s taller and thinner, but only a few people in the world are able to appreciate it’s “Antenna at the top and bottom of handset with glass cutout RF Windows” and it’s “Unibody construction.” So I think that the literal message of this ad is to show you the actual design improvements so you should buy it and there isn’t really a hidden message.

This ad easily appears to my logos but it shows you the logic behind why you should buy it. There is some credibility behind it because it's Apple a major company, and although they made it, I feel like they have some credibility behind their products. Although, there is no passion or emotional response that I have when I see this ad.

                                                                                                                                              

  

Of the two ads, I find the State Bicycle ad more effective, because although it only has pathos supporting the ad, it makes me feel like I could have so much more fun with a bike, than a phone. Don’t get me wrong I sure would love an iPhone 5 but the reasons that they give me, don’t really appeal to me. So in the end both ads did persuade me to buy their product but the bike ad has a little bit more persuasion. 

Post Entry #2 9/13/12

         When I think of happiness, the things that come to mind are...... puppies, sunshine, brownies, good food, money, having the car for the night, going to party's and not doing homework, but I am most happy when I am with my friends. It's probably because we are always up to some sorts of shenanigans or tom foolery, like having a cardboard cut out of Justin Bieber order for us at Mickey D's. If I were to rate my happiness on a scale of 1-10 it would be a 8.5. That's pretty good. It might actually better than that if there was some sort of way to find out. In my personal opinion, I think that having a national happiness index would be a great idea for the U.S. I mean, what's the point in living if you aren't living a happy life? It might be somewhat difficult to graph "happiness" but I'm sure someone could figure it out. The easiest way to measure it would most likely be by the public taking a survey that asked them how happy they were in a variety of categories from economically, religiously and just how many hours of fun do you have in a day. If we could figure out how to do this, I feel the government would be willing to work with it, because a happy nation is a prosperous nation.
         After we read the story "I've Been Called A Luddite", I was a little surprised with what I was reading. The narrator of the story was seriously unhappy with technology. What's so wrong with it?  People use it everyday, it's fun, useful and entertaining. How could it not make you happy? But then there are the "Luddites." They think that it only causes trouble and destroys jobs that used to be done before modern technology. That is true. It might cause trouble and destroy some jobs, but it also helps to fix problems and it does create new jobs. 50 years ago, books may have been typed by typist's but now we have programmers. In society which will contribute more, a typist that is unnecessary or a programmer that is designing the next program for a car you don't have to drive! It may seem like the world would be better off without technology, but without, that story wouldn't have even been seen by me, if not even typed! If technology doesn't make someone happy they shouldn't use it, but that doesn't mean the rest of us shouldn't be able to use it.
                  

xoxo Gossip Boy

Post Entry #1 9/7/12

         My name is Luke Elmo Anderson. I was born during a heavy snowstorm of 1996 and blogging is my life. I don't how I would live if blogging didn't exist and that ties quite nicely into my next subject of discussion.
         My personal experience with technology and media is very love-love. I'm not sure how I would be able to function without it. Media is how I learn about everything that is happening outside of school (and occasionally inside) and technology is how I access it. Life might be pointless without it (no really though).
          From the commercial clips that we watched regarding the Dove Self-Esteem Campaign and the GreenPeace video, I learned that whatever we do has an effect on others. Whether it's the beauty industry destroying what is already "beautiful", or just buying lotion destroys forests and wildlife areas. I think that all three videos were very influential and provocative, but the GreenPeace one was easily a bigger issue in my own mind. I was surprised with what Dove was showing us, but it  seemed somewhat over-exxagerated and unrealistic. I'm not a girl, so I might not have the right to say this but...... self-esteem < environment.