1.14.2009

Blogging Virgin

Like many others in this class, I’m getting my blogging cherry popped as I type these letters. It’s not that I’m totally against blogging. I actually feel like it’s a great platform that was designed for people like me who love to write and better express themselves through the written word. But yet, I resisted. I’m not married, nor is my life super exciting as a college student in Orem. Plus, I assumed it would end up being one of those passing fads that would fade through time like pogs and Crystal Pepsi. Most of all, I didn’t want to become a blogger unless I actually had something substantial to say. I highly doubt the masses are clamoring to find out how I spent my weekend. Hopefully this class will force me to think and express myself on important trends and goings on in our society.

I am constantly amazed at the power that the media hold. Media can make heroes and villains, determine an outcome of a political election and provide endless hours of entertainment (Bad Girls Club). Media can sway people to buy, sell, diet, eat, work, play; there’s nothing media can’t do.

I came across this article a few months back. It’s amazing how many people get their news from shows like Saturday Night Live or The Daily Show. I can’t fault those who do. I get plenty of news from these hilarious shows that you don’t hear on normal newscasts. But I’m not stupid enough to take these shows too seriously. SNL portrayed John McCain as a curmudgeonly, old dinosaur and Hillary Clinton as a bitch. Were these descriptions accurate? A little. Were they blown out of proportion? Of course! That’s what made them funny. But people who take these shows as anything more than poking fun at politics are extremely irresponsible. It’s important to keep informed by other media. If people look to The Daily Show or The Colbert Report as their only source of information, they are going to see a distorted view of the real issues.

Like I said, I watch these shows as much as the next person. And I love them! But people, especially college students, need to make more of an effort to seek out information from reliable news sources like CNN and not always from ridiculous fake “news” sources like Fox News (zing!).

11 comments:

  1. Cystal Pepsi was off the hook...we need that back. Great points about the media and the power it holds over our society. It's interesting to think of the things that are newsworthy these days, and where we get our news.

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  2. I've never watched Saturday Night Live or The Daily Showched. I rally want to watch those shows. I like your Blod posting! I hope I can better job like you!!

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  3. Dude, spot on! The Daily Show and the Colbert Report may have some value as a news source, but they are entertainment. And Fox news is an abomination to real news, but you can't forget that the other side happens to have a large outlet of CNBC. Although i would say that Fox is by far worse.

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  4. The main thing to remember about SNL and Colbert Report...they are comedians!!! To be honest I don't think they are trying to promote some kind of huge revolution...they just want ratings. Plus is takes effort to seek out "real" news...and who has time for effort these days? ;) Also, I loved pogs.

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  5. Word Tyson!
    The media does have an amazing power over almost everyone. It's kind of scary when you think about it. The only defense we have is to isolate ourselves as much as we can, that is if you don't want to feel the effects. I think shows like SNL help to make it not so bad.

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  6. Tyson,
    I feel you on all of that. It's funny to me that people get info from SNL or The Colbert Report. But honestly with all the negativity in the world today, why not get info in a funny way that makes light of serious political and social issues. I say amen to those people for even trying to get info.
    But really who watches the evening news? College kids I would guess generally don't watch the evening news on ABC because its freaking boring. Why not get info in an entertaining form.
    But for real I am just happy people are involved politically and socially, as long as people care about the state of the country and can recognize areas that need improvement, more power to them.

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  7. I find it interesting that some people take the colbert report and daily show so seriously. It is just an amusing way to inform or make fun of what is going on in our society. Satire is one of the only ways that some people are able to get a message through to the masses.

    Even if it isnt the best way to do it at times at least those masses are getting part of the message.

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  8. Depending on who's reporting, sometimes it's hard to tell the difference between the 5 O'Clock news and SNL. The other sad part is that parodies at times are more truthful than the news, because regargless of their extreme nature, the old saying rings true..."there's a little truth to every joke."

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  9. I agree that SNL and other news parodies do serve a purpose in keeping the public informed as well as being entertaining. But like we discussed in class on Friday, people have a responsibility to seek out news from several different sources and then decide for themselves what's true.

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  10. This was great. Last semester we did a couple of days talking about "fake news". I'm glad you're willing to give this blogging thing a try. I keep trying to tell people it's not just for sharing pictures and funny stories about your kids, that it can be a great way to communicate about ideas, but around here that's generally the way they function. (Have you read seriously so blessed? That's what I think most people think blogging is). Anyway, great ideas coming out here.

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  11. Yeah, I have no idea how to use this blog, but I agree what what someone said up top. Media is so amazing. I thought I knew just about everything, but I was very wrong. Think ahead ten years from now, are things going to be way more intense? Im thinking they probably will be. Its so exciting how much we are learing about technology everyday!

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