"You Are What You Buy"

This video summarizes the previous two post. Enjoy! 

Review: iPod is the New Culture

 

From tape players to CD player to the new improved iPod leaving everyone wanting one. Below is a link showing us how an iPod may be the new evil in consumer's culture. The iPod Touch brings customers the best in entertainment on the go with a thin, sleek design and a number of key multimedia features.

Fighting Over an iPod Left Two Men Dead

 Duped by corporations, marketers, advertisers etc. into being passive consumers. Consumers are manipulated, disempowered and distracted by the producers. People say, "what you buy is who you are" what does this quote mean? 

Consumerism Culture

             Consumption is the selection of goods and services which is purchase, use reuse and or disposal. The concept of consumption is more than the goods it's about the ideas, services and knowledge such as, places, shopping, eating, fashion etc... which can all be consumed. In modern day society, consumerism is built on the concept of freedom which has been engrained into the culture and socialzation processes of western nations and individuals are not free from the limit that a capitalist economic system places on the members of its society.

Review: Imperialism and Colonialism: E. Said

In the movie "Hotel Rwanda" is based on a true story. The conflicts between the Hutu and Tutsi peoples lead them to a civil war. The country soon after was corrupted and bribery was the daily routine. Paul who is the manger of the Hotel is Hutu but his wife Tatiana is Tutsi. George who is the supplier to the hotel who was also the local leader of Interahamwe (anti-Tutsi militia) is an activist who did not approve of Paul and Tatiana’s marriage. 

             As the country starts to get worse due to the political situation, Paul and his family watched their neighbours being thrown from their homes and beaten in the streets where everyone else can observe. When the civil war started a Rwandan Army Officer threatens Paul and his neighbours. Paul would try his very best to carry favour with people of influence. He would bribe them with money, alcohol and jewellery to make sure he keeps his family safe. When the war erupt it was very difficult for Paul to continue to negotiate safety and bring everyone to the hotel. As a manager of the hotel Paul must convince the Hutu soldiers to care for the people who were at the hotel and maintain the appearance of a functioning high-class hotel. The situation becomes more violent with mobs in the streets just ready to kill more people.

Critical Reflection #3 - Organic Intellectuals

             Gramsci discusses two types of intellectuals: organic intellectuals and traditional intellectuals. "Organic intellectuals are particular strata of intellectual that are connected to the dominant social class and acts as both an organizer, of society and its diverse organisms, and as its thinking element, leading the ideas of their class" (Gramsci, 1971). For example Gramsci stated, "Organic intellectuals are often recruited from lower classes and used to maintain the hegemony of the ruling class or they may provide an alternative hegemony" (Gramsci, 12).

Review: Do We Have Internet Privacy?

An issue today is the discussion about internet privacy. Parents of the young generation today are worried about the safety of their children because of the internet. The internet is a system of interconnected computer networks that uses protocol to serve millions of users worldwide. The internet is a network of networks that has millions of links that are linked by electronic and networking technologies. So why are many people afraid that they their internet usages are not private. Well, from what I believe and understand that the network of where you log onto can be detected and found by other users if they are using the same network.

 

Are You A Facebook Stalker?

 In class we discussed why some or most of us have facebook this video lists all the reasons we discussed in class. Facebook allows us to have surveillance on what our friends are doing in their lives. I found this video funny and very true. I'm sure many of us can yes to some of the things or all of the things said in this video.
1) Refresh homepage to see if there are any new notification etc... 
2) Going on your friends page to see their wall to wall 
3) Becoming friends with someone to see more of their informations 
4) Clicking through your friend’s friend pictures just to see all the photo in the album
The list goes on... The other reasons given are on point.  
See if you answered "yes" to all the reasons! Cheers