Assignment 2-1: Weekly Analysis

Instant Messaging, or IM as it would be known while engaging in Instant Messaging, has become a standard mode of communication today. IM seemed to originally cater to a younger crowd as a means of talking to friends outside of school hours, as it allowed them to talk to as many people at the same time as they could physically handle, which for some people is a ridiculous amount. But, more and more people are using IM in the course of their daily work activities as well. It is faster and easier to send someone an instant message than it is to pick up the phone and talk to them directly. Instant messaging has become a cultural phenomenon and has even led to the creation of its own “language”, a shorthand variation, much like one would use when text messaging on a cell phone.
Unfortunately, this has led to people using this same “language” when writing letters, papers, message board posts, and other forms of written communication which generally makes my eyes bleed when I attempt to decipher said “language.” I have to wonder what effect this dumbing down of the English language will have on young people who have been raised their entire lives using tools like Instant Messaging and text messaging. Will I even be able to understand what they are writing?

Assignment 2-2: Icons

The Beatles are, to this day, still regarded as one of, if not the best, band in the history of pop music. The Beatles had 20 songs hit #1 on the pop charts and there are estimates that they have sold over a billion albums worldwide. Bob Dylan was responsible for making song lyrics a legitimate form of literature. Many of his lyrics could stand on their own as poetry instead of the usual “bubble-gum” pop lyrics of the time. The Velvet Underground was one of the most critically adored rock bands in history, though only two of their 4 albums ever cracked the Billboard charts.

I chose these three icons because, as a musician these three artists have greatly influenced me. I was first exposed to The Beatles as a child because my mom would listen to them quite a bit around the house while she was doing her daily chores. The album I identified with the most was the White Album due to the sing-along quality of songs like ‘Rocky Raccoon’ and ‘The Continuing Story of Bungalow Bill.’

When I first heard Bob Dylan, I realized that song lyrics could have powerful meanings and could use literary devices in order to convey a message more profound than songs like ‘I Want to Hold Your Hand.’ Songs like ‘Masters of War’ and ‘A Hard Rain’s Gonna Fall’ are great examples of Dylan’s use of imagery and metaphor in a way more literary than pop lyrics had been up to that point. Dylan also showed me that a singer doesn’t have to have what would be considered a classically great voice in order to produce great music.

Finally, The Velvet Underground was the group that inspired me to want to learn how to play music. The first time I heard the song ‘Heroin’ with its discordant viola and feedback, the only thing I could think was that I wanted to learn how to do that. Their music was so interesting to me because I had never heard anything quite like it before. The simplistic nature of the songs combined with the avant-garde use of noise and drones had a really powerful effect on me as a listener.

Resources:

http://www.rockhall.com/inductee/the-beatles

http://www.rockhall.com/inductee/bob-dylan

http://www.rockhall.com/inductee/the-velvet-underground

The last 15 years or so have seen the rise of reality television from an occasional Road Rules or Real World episode on MTV to a seven nights a week blitzkrieg on the major television networks. Reality television has become one of the hottest trends in programming and most of the major networks now prefer to develop reality programming over the more traditional scripted sitcoms or dramas. Shows like Survivor, American Idol and Big Brother have consistently been some of the most highly rated television programs in history.

There are several reasons for this shift in focus from more traditional shows to what is known as reality television. One of the main reasons for this may relate to the fact that the cost of developing a reality series is much less than that of a more traditional series. This savings is due to the fact that the networks do not have to pay a team of writers and actors to produce the series. Since all of the “stars” are ordinary people there are no worries about actors or writers guilds and their union contracts.

But, why are these shows so popular with viewers around the world, as this phenomenon is not localized to the American people? Reality television may tap into our basest voyeuristic tendencies. The ability to get a rare glimpse into another person’s life especially that of a celebrity, allows people to see what life is like on the other side of the fence.

Reality television has become a staple form of programming for all of the major networks and most of the cable outlets as well. Their popularity is based on the savings attached to these types of shows from a production standpoint and the public’s fascination with seeing genuine interactions and conflicts between real people. Like it or not (which I don’t) reality television is most likely going to be a part of the television landscape for the foreseeable future.

Assignment 1-2

Popular culture can be defined as anything that our society as a whole can readily identify because of their exposure to it through the media. Everything from musical acts to video games to social networking sites could be considered a part of popular culture. The information age, especially the internet and television, has led to an increase in the public's awareness of these pop culture icons. An understanding of popular culture can be very beneficial in the business world. It can allow a business to "hop on the bandwagon" with a current fad or trend in their marketing campaigns, which if done properly can help increase sales and reach consumers that may have previously been unaware of a company's products and services. My own company bought the rights to use Garfield in our marketing campaigns last year (never mind the fact that Garfield's cultural relevancy ended roughly 25 years ago, which may have something to do with the fact that the marketing campaign didn't fare so well either).

"Kids, you tried your best and you failed miserably. The lesson is: never try" - Homer Simpson

The Simpsons is an example of a pop culture artifact. I think you would find it very difficult to find an American who has not seen an episode of The Simpsons or is at least aware of the show's existence. It is the longest running animated series in history, and is also one of the longest running television programs in the history of the medium. The recent release of a feature length film has also raised awareness of the show. The show uses satire and stereotypes to poke fun at everyday life in America and around the world (a few years ago they actually created quite a stir when they insinuated that Brazil was overrun with monkeys, which the Brazilian government denies...I don't know, I've never been to Brazil.) From the incompetent accident prone safety inspector at the local nuclear power plant (who doesn't even have a high school diploma, and whose response to a blaring danger alarm is to pour water on the control console to short it out) to the corrupt adulterous mayor, who is obviously based on any number of the Kennedy clan, the cast is filled with hilarious caricatures of people we all can relate to in our own lives. The show is also filled with cultural references to other television shows, movies and books. In fact, one could probably get a pretty good education on popular culture just by watching The Simpsons.