The first video I watched was a video called 'Technology Evolution | 100,000 BC - 2020' by WatchMedia showing various advances in technology and inventions from the very beginning of human existence, all the way up to the modern era. What I found interesting about this video is how quickly humans create and advance already existing technologies. For example in 1827 the first picture ever was taken and less than 100 years later the first television was invented which could broadcast live footage.
The second and third videos that I watched broke down the history of media itself from its invention, all the way up to the modern forms of media. These 2 videos were done by Crashcourse. As far back as ancient Greece philosophers like Plato gave his opinion on people writing things down they need to remember saying “If men learn this, it will implant forgetfulness in their souls; they will cease to exercise memory because they rely on that which is written, calling things to remembrance no longer from within themselves, but by means of external marks. What you have discovered is a recipe not for memory, but for reminder." Plato (c. 429-347 B.C.E). I find this quote very fascinating because in the modern era this still applies for social media where people can post something on the internet and can be found years later and can be used against you out of context.
Another topic I found interesting is how the printing press and in the United States the Penny press had a big influence on the populace of the nation. An example would be when the USS Maine sank in 1898 outside Cuba which was a Spanish colony at the time. When this incident occurred an investigation was going to be carried out to find the reason the Maine sank but 2 days later the press made dramatic headlines suggesting that the Spanish were behind its sinking and showed illustrated images of men sinking with the ship. This caused tensions to rise to the point where war broke out between America and Spain. It is later thought that the probable cause of the sinking was ammunition catching fire onboard by mistake. This shows how powerful the influence of the press was at the time and how they rose tensions between 2 countries in order to get more papers sold.
In the third video types of defensiveness's were discussed including cultural, political and moral. Cultural defensiveness is when certain media doesn't effect people from different cultures. Political defensiveness is when people need to be protected from false beliefs and ideologies. Moral defensiveness is where the effects of sex, violence and consumerism in media are the biggest concern.
An interesting topic brought up is how famous people in media influence their followers. For example if a famous person smokes, maybe their followers will or if a famous person votes for a political party will their followers do the same? Influence by media personalities in my opinion can be most seen in kids as they can be looked up to as role models.
Sources:
- WatchMedia - Technology Evolution | 100,000 BC - 2020 - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IJM3yuIDDPQ
- CrashCourse - History of Media Literacy, Part 1: Crash Course Media Literacy #2 - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oXf0F4GYzWQ&t=95s
- CrashCourse - History of Media Literacy, Part 2: Crash Course Media Literacy #3 - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9iUjvNtgWAs&t=152s
No comments:
Post a Comment