SAMPLE STUDENT BLOGS
EXAMPLES OF “A” BLOGS (15+ POINTS):
JODO, Blog 10
1. This excerpt (Mass Media) makes clear, if it needed clarifying, that the mass media are pervasive. We may go through a typical day not realizing how much we use and rely on it; it is, as McLuhan said, as if it is an extension of our senses, of our ability to perceive the world around us. Certainly, the new media, particularly the Internet and Web, are the most pervasive yet—their daily use borders on essential for an ever-increasing number of people. Over the past ten years, the Web has had a monumental affect on our daily lives—from how we work and play, to how we perceive the older media, now digitized and globally disseminated at the click of a mouse. The Web is like the ultimate “public sphere,” and McLuhan’s “global village” is now a reality.
2. I had not realized the importance of comedic figures such as Bob Newhart and Bill Cosby in this era (1960s-1970s). Reading of their pop culture impact was enlightening. The Beatles were obviously a huge influence on the sixties counterculture (as my parents can attest 
. I enjoyed the contrast Ashby makes between their clean-cut image and the in-your-face grunginess of The Rolling Stones. I was surprised Ashby didn’t mention the importance the Summer of Love (’67) and Woodstock had in coalescing the hippie ethos, which was reflected in films of the era, from D.A. Pennebaker’s 1968 Monterey Pop (Ashby mentioned the festival, not the film) to Michael Wadleigh’s 1970 documentary Woodstock. Ashby did briefly discuss Woodstock in the 1970′s-focused Chapter 11, but the event itself took place in August, 1969.
Questions:
1. How has the proliferation of mass media affected our perception of reality? Is it possible to live vicariously through mass media? What are the benefits and drawbacks of doing so?
2. Where would we be today if the 1960′s civil rights movement, sexual and feminist revolutions had not occurred when they did? Would they have occurred eventually?
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DYER, Blog 5
1. Having not grown up in America, reading chapter 11 was extremely interesting for me. A lot of the movies, sitcoms, and music artists I was unaware of, but it was interesting to see how the entertainment business was dabbling in a little bit of politics themselves. It’s fascinating to read about how many TV stations and producers were trying to get their own political messages and ideals out to the nation through the demise of a clever script and familiar faces on the TV screen. When you watch some of these sitcoms or movies you rarely sit back to think about the inner message or how it represents the world we live in today, to us it’s just purely an entertainment factor. The Godfather happens to be one of my favorite movies and I think Coppola is a genius for producing such an amazing tale that has appealed to all people through the decades. I’ve seen the movie countless amount of times and it’s never crossed my mind that the whole movie and the role of the Mafia was in fact a metaphor for America. Coppola said “I feel the Mafia is an incredible metaphor for this country. Both are totally capitalistic phenomena and basically have a profit motive” (Ashby 403).
2. The article on Gender Roles, I feel hits the nail on the head! I like that fact that it touched on both male and female gender roles and the scrutiny that comes from not fitting into them. We all know that women have always dealt with gender roles, it’s apparent in today’s society and it was definitely apparent during the 60′s and 70′s. For example, in Chapter 11 Ashby discusses the role of Charlie’s Angels and the reaction it received from both men and women. Naturally men loved the show because it had 3 beautiful women running around and fighting crime. Women however were torn by the values of the show. As Ashby recalls Susan Douglas saying “the program made sex objects of women…” but she also recalled that the episodes often had themes of female empowerment.
Although Sex and the City was predominately about the four main female characters and their lives, the series did touch a lot on the roles of men as well. For example, the main man in Carries life (Mr. Big) was a man portrayed as not being able to commit who seemed to have issues when he was no longer in control. In Miranda’s situation the roles were always changed. She was a female lawyer working in a male firm and she felt in order for her to gain respect she’d have to toughen up and have this more masculine frame. It was evident in every aspect of her life, from the way she dressed to the way she handled her sexual relationships – often being the one telling me male partners that it was just a casual encounter.
Questions:
1. Would have America reacted the same if Mohammed Ali was a white man who had dodged the draft?
2. Why do men freak out if they see their sons playing with dolls as opposed to action figures and big trucks? Does it really make a difference to how he will be a man? How many popular TV shows and blockbusters movies recently reflect the America of today and what is yet to come?
