Blog #1 12.05.08

Chapter 36: Common Threads in Comm Theories

While reading the Motivation Thread, I really was able to connect with the NEED FOR CONTROL.
It says that “The excessive need for control exhibited by powerful group and organizational leaders is what makes critical theories necessary” in reference to Deetz’ theory. (473)Furthermore, in muted group theory Kramarae discusses how men are muting women through language and its rules.
The reason I feel so connected to this thread has to do with my employer. I don’t feel as though I am being micro-managed, or that someone is trying to control me necessarily. I feel that due to the loss of our branch manager, a lot of the employees have lost their approval limits and authority for transactions. In a bank this is a big deal, especially when it comes to customer issues and their resolutions.
Our District Manager has decided to attempt to micro-manage the branch until we can find a new branch manager. It is obvious to everyone that she doesn’t trust our decision making based on her actions. She has taken away authority and made it mandatory that she be called or email before proceeding with any approval. It is going to be an interesting 2 weeks, or possibly more. I know that patience and communication are key to success in this situation. A positive way to look at this situation is that while the District Manager is in the branch and making so much contact with us, it presents a great opportunity to stand out and be a star. I hope that I can prove that I am self motivated and make good business decisions.

Blog #1 11.14.08

Muted Group Theory:
I first thought: "how interesting." I never considered women in cartoons and what the illustrator was portraying women to to say and do. The results of the research were surprising.
I don't consider women to be a muted group. As we saw with the political elections two women representing both sides of the isle running for President as well as Vice President. I know I shouldn't base my entire view on one arena, but I feel like the politicians represent the majority of the people they represent, whether that be a woman, an African American, or Homosexual... and so on. The people would not elect the individual if they didn't feel that he or she would represent their values, beliefs and opinions.
When Kramarae talked about masculine language, I could totally agree with that. A lot of the language we use today, especially the metaphors used are very masculine. I dont see our language as being balanced between men and women.

Blog #2 11.01.08

McCombs Interview:
I really like the conversation around media and its effects. I worked at a newspaper for a while and it was very interesting how the writers decided on what stories would be printed in the paper.
I would hear them hash out what the target demographic of the newspaper was, and how the story was relevant to one of those particular readers.
I really like the quote that McCombs has that says "Don't tell us what to think, but what to think about." I can really see that in the newspaper media I worked at. There would be an un-bias opinion (most of the time) and facts around the story.
When McCombs started talking about the bias, or lack there of, I was surprised that he felt that the lean was more on the conservative side. But as he said himself, there hasn't been the right research around the bias in the media.

Blog #1 11.01.08

Chapter 28: Agenda Setting Theory
What a great chapter for the times we are in!
I often wonder how a person can even make it into office if the media is not on their side. Like Obama for example with all of the help he is getting in this election. This was a great theory for me to consider because it is based on whether the media effects the people's agendas or the people effect the media's agendas. The quote that stood out for me was on page 363: "people are not automatons waiting to be programmed by the news media."

This made me really take a step back and think about how I felt about Obama and the media's support. I also thought about the props in this election. People want to know what the candidates beliefs and plans are, and they want to know what the props are really about. Should we rely on media or do our own research? I think the majority of research we would be doing would be sources of news media, but if we use our discretion we should be able to find some facts.

Blog #2 10.25.08

Chapter 24: Media Ecology
I really appreciated the analysis of Al Gore's inconvenient truth at the opening of chapter 24. I worked in Media Sales for a few years, and we analysed the movie An Inconvenient Truth and its effects on people.
It is so amazing to me how media can mold an entire generation. When I was growing up, everyone was scared of AIDS. While it is still important to protect yourself as much as possible from contracting AIDS, I don't see the same amount of media hype on it as when I was in elementary school.
Now that this generation is seeing its parents and grandparents stress out about the environment and our effects on it, I wonder how these children growing up might be scared that they wont have a planet to live on if everyone doesn't start doing their part.
In the diagram on page 315, it correlates the dominant sense receptor in humans based on the technological development of the time, I can help but wonder if post electronic age, a cartoon of stress and anxiety will be added to the diagram based on the medias effects on the general public.

Blog #1 10.25.08

Chapter 24: Media Ecology

When reading chapter 24 in "The Age of Literacy..." section, I was really impacted by the final sentence of the section. The statement says:

"When oppressed people learned to read, they became independent thinkers." (316)

I think this is so true. Initially I thought of women and African-Americans. There have been times where these groups could not read or were not allowed to be educated, but when they started to read and have an understanding, they were set free. Not entirely at first, but I truly believe it was a major step in achieving freedom.
It has obviously allowed these two groups, once looked upon as a lesser race or being, whom now make up 50% of our presidential candidates. I cant help but be excited for this election, because either way, the once minority group will be on a major political platform making decisions and representing our country whom finally finds comfort in a non-white male to be the president, and a female to be our vice-president.
These are exciting times, and I am so proud to be a part of them.

Blog #3 10.19.08

I have to be totally honest and say that I had a hard time grasping the concept in chapter 23 based on Narrative Paradigm.
From what I could understand, Fisher is saying that everyone is a storyteller, but how one views the story is the concept of Narrative Paradigm.
I would welcome anyone's comments on this blog just based on my struggle to understand the subject and theory in the chapter.