This video is of a famous graffiti artist named Banksy. His Ethos is rather mysterious because, when he does these things. His face is usually blurred out when he does his works and keeps his real identity hidden. What do you think of Graffiti? Have you ever noticed it just walking down the street? What can be the purpose of this art or how is it perceived? If cave art was acceptable thousands of years ago to document history why does this art form just get taken down or covered up?
I Got a Fever...
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=giAQuLntqXY
This video is a parody of the series The Walking Dead, but instead of bloody zombies, there's bloody zombies... who quote Christopher Walken. How do you think the creators of this video feel about Christopher Walken? Do you think they actually like him, but were just poking fun or not? Imagine if you were to watch the video without sound. How would this change the tone of the video? If you enjoyed the video, notice there are about 98% more likes than dislikes. What about the video do you think people would not like or find funny? If you didn't enjoy the video, explain why.
This video is a parody of the series The Walking Dead, but instead of bloody zombies, there's bloody zombies... who quote Christopher Walken. How do you think the creators of this video feel about Christopher Walken? Do you think they actually like him, but were just poking fun or not? Imagine if you were to watch the video without sound. How would this change the tone of the video? If you enjoyed the video, notice there are about 98% more likes than dislikes. What about the video do you think people would not like or find funny? If you didn't enjoy the video, explain why.
The Vet & The n00b
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zuzaxlddWbk&noredirect=1
The biggest difference between violence in video games and tv / movies is that the violence in a game is controlled by the player. In the player’s mind, he or she is committing the act of violence. In a show or movie, the viewer is not a participant in the violence, they are a spectator. Who is the target audience for this ad? What message does the producer of this commercial want the viewer to get from this commercial? Do you think it is okay for companies to use celebrities or idols to help the influence of such games? Does the real-life situations and action in the commercial make buyers of the game feel more violent themselves?
The biggest difference between violence in video games and tv / movies is that the violence in a game is controlled by the player. In the player’s mind, he or she is committing the act of violence. In a show or movie, the viewer is not a participant in the violence, they are a spectator. Who is the target audience for this ad? What message does the producer of this commercial want the viewer to get from this commercial? Do you think it is okay for companies to use celebrities or idols to help the influence of such games? Does the real-life situations and action in the commercial make buyers of the game feel more violent themselves?
When Beliebers Attack
http://www.eonline.com/news/justin_biebers_alleged_baby_mama_now/273194
I thought it was safe to say that Bieberfever was a thing of the past, but obviously not. A new age of "Beliebers" has begun, and they're showing no mercy. These mega fans seem to be out for blood in this article.
How do you feel about these extreme fans? What do you think about some of the tweets the fans have tweeted? Putting the threats of murder aside, should the entire situation be taken seriously or just as a joke, and why? Should hollywood fear mega fans such as these? Is there two ways to look at the entire situation?
New Halloween Costume: Illegal Alien
http://abclocal.go.com/kabc/video?id=7072299
With Halloween around the corner, costumes are a main topic of dissuasion. In this short news cast, a new costume is discussed - Illegal Alien. How do you feel about this new costume. Do you think that the people in the video have a right to be mad? What about the costume shop owners, should they be looked down upon if they sell this costume? Illegal Aliens have long been a problem in the United States, but do you think that this has taken it too far and become offensive?
With Halloween around the corner, costumes are a main topic of dissuasion. In this short news cast, a new costume is discussed - Illegal Alien. How do you feel about this new costume. Do you think that the people in the video have a right to be mad? What about the costume shop owners, should they be looked down upon if they sell this costume? Illegal Aliens have long been a problem in the United States, but do you think that this has taken it too far and become offensive?
Where the Dirty Hipsters Are
This video is a spoof of the book and movie Where the Wild Things Are. Instead of having the "wild things", though, they have hipsters. After watching the video, what do you think the creator was trying to prove about hipsters? Why did they use Where the Wild Things Are as a comparison? What specifics about the hipsters fit the stereotypes? What is your view on hipsters? Did your opinion change after watching this video?
Does Nickelback Really Rule?
This is a video that is all about Nickelback. After watching it what do you think of the creator of this video? How much of the Nickelback love do you think is real? How do the commenters in the video respond to it? Do you think the way that the creator of the video is trying to convey his message is a good one?
An Unhealthy Obsession with Snooki
America's Obsession with 'Jersey Shore' star Snooki: She's the 2011 version of the pet rock
When Snooki Polizzi from the MTV reality show "Jersey Shore" was paid more to speak at Rutger's University than Nobel-Prize winner Toni Morisson was, writer S.E. Cupp went to investigate just what is up with one of our generation's newest obsessions. Do you think it is fair to say our generation is more entertained by this "Gym, Tan, Laundry" lifestyle than we should be? Is being a fan of the show excusable after considering S.E. Cupp's argument that every generation has a dumb cultural trend? Or is this show on a whole new level of stupidity that reflects poorly upon the fans of this generation? One final thought to consider is what are the implications of this regarding our society's values?
When Snooki Polizzi from the MTV reality show "Jersey Shore" was paid more to speak at Rutger's University than Nobel-Prize winner Toni Morisson was, writer S.E. Cupp went to investigate just what is up with one of our generation's newest obsessions. Do you think it is fair to say our generation is more entertained by this "Gym, Tan, Laundry" lifestyle than we should be? Is being a fan of the show excusable after considering S.E. Cupp's argument that every generation has a dumb cultural trend? Or is this show on a whole new level of stupidity that reflects poorly upon the fans of this generation? One final thought to consider is what are the implications of this regarding our society's values?
"May the 4th be with you"
UK couple weds in a not-so-traditional fashion: the Star Wars way. Light sabres, wookies, and all.
Real-life Twilight
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q77sJT8O56E
The above link is a clip from a Texas news station short focusing on a new kind of high school clique - teen werewolves.
What do you think the transformation from childhood to adulthood has to do with wanting to be a part of such a circle? Typically, what type of high school student do you think would be drawn to the wolve pack and why? How does the way one physically expresses him/herself reflect on society's view of their character?
Happy bloggin'!
This Will Never End - A Song about the Harry Potter Fandom
This is a YouTube video of Harry Potter fans reminiscing over the series. What kind of identity does this give to Harry Potter fans, does it portray them as loyal, or obsessed? Do you think other fandoms have a hard time “saying goodbye” to what they follow? Do you think Harry Potter leave a legacy, such as Star Wars or Batman?
Hottest Topics on the Web Right Now.
This is a screen cap of the top stories from a celebrity gossip website. What kind of identity does this give to people in general? Does this show that people are more concerned with pointless celebrity stories than world conflicts/politics? Do you think this is an accurate representation of what concerns most people?
The Great Meteor of 1998
This screencap is of an actual facebook conversation. What can you determine about the original poster from their status? How much of this is intentional and how much accidental? Looking at the responses, how have the original poster's friends interpreted her identity and how are they engaging with her as a result?
Monster Camp
This documentary trailer discusses a subset of fantasy roleplayers, LARPers (Live Action Role Playing). While short, how does this trailer depict the participants in this hobby? How does it seem to define them? How do the players identify themselves?
Molly's Secret Shame: D&D
This vlog is a discussion about the history and composition of Dungeons & Dragons. The presentation, format, and tone all construct a particluar identity for this player of D&D. How does this work with the preconceptions we've discussed about the hobby? How does it work against them? Consider the speaker herself: what about her alters our perception of the subject matter?
Identity and Fandom
While the terms “nerd” and “geek” do not carry the negative connotations they did a mere decade ago, they are used in contemporary American culture to describe individuals that are enthusiasts in a number of genres from Star Wars to Dungeons & Dragons. Yet, the level of enthusiasm expressed by these individuals is equally found in fans of college football, movies, and extreme sports. Individuals will often even refer to themselves as “movie buffs,” “Trekkies,” or “sports fans,” their hobbies becoming part of their identities. Thus, how fans of various media are depicted and depict themselves reflects how identity is crafted and performed in contemporary America. In this course, we will analyze how primary sources of fandom – such as science fiction, gaming, and sports – construct identity and how the fans of these primary sources support, confound, or reinterpret these portrayals. We will explore topics including but not limited to the following questions: How do primary sources of fandom construct identity? How do the fans of these primary sources perceive, interpret, and reinterpret these depictions? What fandoms are seen as being dominated along gender, social, and economic lines? How does this perception impact possible fans? How do depictions of fans in media represent, misrepresent, or impact those fans?
Subscribe to:
Comments (Atom)