Material Metaphors is a text which I dislike although I could not tell you why in particular. Despite not caring for this text there are a few points worth mentioning. With that in mind, lets get to metaphors.
Accordingly, "metaphor has been defined as verbal figure. Derived from a root meaning being across, it denotes the transfer of sense associated with one word to another" (Hayles, p. 23).
In light of Permutation City this text was written thus reading this article in entirity is requisite to grasp the article.
Otherwise, there following paragraph is cited because it basically wraps up the reading - for me at least.
"We are not generally accustomed to think of a book as a material metaphor, but in fact it is an aritfact whose physical properites and historical usages structure our interactions with it in ways obvious and subtle. In addition to defining the page as a unit of reading, and binding pages sequentially to indicated an order of reading, are less obvious conventions such as the opacity of paper, a physical property that defines the page as having two sides whose relationship is linear and sequential rather than interpenetrating and simultaneous. To change the physical form of the artifact is not merely to change the act of reading (although that too has consequences the importance of which we are only beginning to recongize ) but profoundly to transform the metaphoric network structuring teh relation of word to world" (Hayles, p. 23).
Changing lanes . . . Technotexts is the following article in this physical metaphor, sequentially. Technotexts is a term unfamiliar to me and I'd imagine that I'm not the only one. With that said technotexts are "literary works that strengthen, foreground, and thematize the connections between themselves as material artifacts and imaginative realm of verbal/semiotic signifiers they instantiate open a window on the larger connections that unite literature as a verbal art to its material forms" (Hayles, p. 25).
This article also defines what a writing machine is - in reference to the title. A writing machine "names the inscription technologies that produced literary texts, including printing presses, computers, and other devices. "Writing machines" is also what technotexts do when they bring into view the machinery that gives their verbal constructions physical reality" (Hayles, p. 26).
Multiple reading paths, chunked text, linking mechanism, html, vrml, directh, second-generation electronic literature, cybertext, and ergodic are key terms discussed in this text yet to define them would ruin the fun of reading this work. The citations above highlight what I found to be important in these texts. Neither of these texts interest me thus I found it difficult to write about this article besides in highlighting concepts worth being familiar with.
Monday, February 21, 2011
Sunday, February 20, 2011
Media Literacy & Media Specific Analysis
Multiple Media Literacies by Joshua Meyrowitz brings up a relevant question in his article: What is media literacy? Relevant this is because in discussion of media literacy and media specific analysis I was unable to answer this question. Secondly, Meyrowitz asks "what is media?" and posits that everyone certainly knows . . . which is not the case.
According to Meyrowitz media is "the most common conception of media is that they are conduits that hold and send messages" (Meyrowitz, 1998, p. 424) i.e. movies, radio, television, computers, etcetera. Thereafter, Meyrowitz clarifies what media literacy infers; "basic media literacy involves being able to access and analyze messages in a variety of media. Content literacry takes many forms. These include being able to decode and follow the intended manifest message; exploring intended and unitended latent messages; being aware of different content genres; being aware of cultural, institutional, and comercial forces that tend to lead to certain types of messages being constructed while others are avoided; and understanding that different individuals and groups tend to "read" the sam "texts" differently" (Meyrowitz, 1998, p. 426).
Another topic which Meyorwitz is media grammar literacy. On this note, media grammer literacy meant nothing to me initially but is a concept -now that I'm familiar- which I can employ to have a more profound read into media - in film for example. Basically, someone who is aware of media grammar and able to read it is "more likely taht other viewers to observe how nonfiction sequences (e.g., new and documentaries) are carefully crafted to look as fi tehy are not crafted, but simply real - what Gay Tuchman (1978) calls the creation of an "anra of representation" (Meyorwitz, 1998, p. 430).
In understanding media grammar I learned that is important to be aware of what these techniques are -the techniques that being literate in media grammar make apparent. For example, "low angle shots (camera below subject) are often used to suggest power and authority, though extreme low angles can be used to mock someone's sens eof self-importance. Level shots are typicall used to suggest someone is a 'peer' by journalist on themselves. High-angle shots (camera above subjet) are typically used to suggest that someone is small or weak.
The last concept I wanted to address is Medium Literacy - once again another topic with which I was unfamiliar. In a few words, medium literacy means that "each medium is a type of setting or enviroment that has relatively fixed characterisitcs that influence communication in a particular manner- regardless of the choice of content elements and regardless of the particular manipulation of produciton variables" (Meyorwitz, 1998, p. 433).
In application medium analysis concentrates upon the "unique communicaiton setting" which makes it different from other media and "face-to-face interaction" (Meyorwitz, 1998). Key to understanding or being literate in medium is being familar with what some medium are. The following is a list of different medium:
type of sensory info: visual, oral, etc
for of info within each sense: pictures vs. written word, click vs. voices
degree of definition/resolution/fidelity: radio voice is closer to a live voice than a tv closeup is to a live face
undirectional vs bidirectionality: radio vs telephone
Anyhow, the list continues on but that is a sample of extensive factors which I thought are important to conceptualizing medium. There are many more useful concepts addressed within this articule which facilitate a familiarization with media literacies and I listed a few which I found interesting. This article was useful in that it provides clear definitions and good examples for someone like myself who does not have any background with the notion of media or media literacy.
According to Meyrowitz media is "the most common conception of media is that they are conduits that hold and send messages" (Meyrowitz, 1998, p. 424) i.e. movies, radio, television, computers, etcetera. Thereafter, Meyrowitz clarifies what media literacy infers; "basic media literacy involves being able to access and analyze messages in a variety of media. Content literacry takes many forms. These include being able to decode and follow the intended manifest message; exploring intended and unitended latent messages; being aware of different content genres; being aware of cultural, institutional, and comercial forces that tend to lead to certain types of messages being constructed while others are avoided; and understanding that different individuals and groups tend to "read" the sam "texts" differently" (Meyrowitz, 1998, p. 426).
Another topic which Meyorwitz is media grammar literacy. On this note, media grammer literacy meant nothing to me initially but is a concept -now that I'm familiar- which I can employ to have a more profound read into media - in film for example. Basically, someone who is aware of media grammar and able to read it is "more likely taht other viewers to observe how nonfiction sequences (e.g., new and documentaries) are carefully crafted to look as fi tehy are not crafted, but simply real - what Gay Tuchman (1978) calls the creation of an "anra of representation" (Meyorwitz, 1998, p. 430).
In understanding media grammar I learned that is important to be aware of what these techniques are -the techniques that being literate in media grammar make apparent. For example, "low angle shots (camera below subject) are often used to suggest power and authority, though extreme low angles can be used to mock someone's sens eof self-importance. Level shots are typicall used to suggest someone is a 'peer' by journalist on themselves. High-angle shots (camera above subjet) are typically used to suggest that someone is small or weak.
The last concept I wanted to address is Medium Literacy - once again another topic with which I was unfamiliar. In a few words, medium literacy means that "each medium is a type of setting or enviroment that has relatively fixed characterisitcs that influence communication in a particular manner- regardless of the choice of content elements and regardless of the particular manipulation of produciton variables" (Meyorwitz, 1998, p. 433).
In application medium analysis concentrates upon the "unique communicaiton setting" which makes it different from other media and "face-to-face interaction" (Meyorwitz, 1998). Key to understanding or being literate in medium is being familar with what some medium are. The following is a list of different medium:
type of sensory info: visual, oral, etc
for of info within each sense: pictures vs. written word, click vs. voices
degree of definition/resolution/fidelity: radio voice is closer to a live voice than a tv closeup is to a live face
undirectional vs bidirectionality: radio vs telephone
Anyhow, the list continues on but that is a sample of extensive factors which I thought are important to conceptualizing medium. There are many more useful concepts addressed within this articule which facilitate a familiarization with media literacies and I listed a few which I found interesting. This article was useful in that it provides clear definitions and good examples for someone like myself who does not have any background with the notion of media or media literacy.
Thursday, February 3, 2011
Hawai'i Five-O
Hawai'i Five-O certainily has changed from past (1968) to present and it has changed for the better in multiple ways.
http://www.cbs.com/primetime/hawaii_five_0/video/?pid=yd2VQcySlUGzhzeKkiJtEaVeFPbSoZce
Take notice how they are surfing with leashes in contrast to the 68 episode.
First, the quality of digitial media is so much better that the two pictures are not comparable - thanks technology. As well, one of the biggest differences I took notice to while being bored to death are how the two pictures -Hawai'i Five-O in 68 in contrast to the current show- are composed.
In the original show the scenes are comparatively drawn out and to do not switch screens at the rate the current show seems to thus seeming too long and boring. The current such has come leaps and bounds in it's ability to captivate and hold the audience - once again, thanks technology.
I found it interesting to consider how the show is framed and the rapid transitions in the present day Hawai'i Five-O and I imagine that the tendency for the show to switch screens/scenes more rapidly is simply a reflection of our cultural norms. In the reading I recall context refering to a "keyboard culture" where everything is available through our fingertips thus we expect immediate results and this is reflected in how the current -constant action . . . something is always happening- show whereas the show reflects cultural norms of "snail mail" in 1968.
Differently, in considering materiality I was uncertain from what platform to analyze the pilot episode. Was it the physical medium of the text to be reviewed? On that note, I fail to deliver anything insightful but look forward to discussion of our next text in regard to this notion. Maybe I'll be able to come up with something.
Otherwise, while struggling to keep my eyes open I was able to make some observations I thought to be interesting which were cultural norms reflected from the time. One of the behaviors I had a laugh about was the smoking of pipe tobacco -twice- inside as well as cigarettes.
The landscape looked quite different as well. In a birds eye view of Waikiki fewer hotels existed and it looked realtively undeveloped.
The following is a list of things which I took notice to in this episode that contrast contemporary norms: surfing with out leashes, bee hive hair style for women, no safety belts in cars, rotary telephones, high waisted pants in both men and women, wing back chairs, a viewing glass was used in autospy, and a man was shown upclose with untrimmed nose hairs - that would never make it on film today.
Lastly, I did want to comment on the political nature of how the Hawai'ians were depicted in the pilot episode. Apart from not being at the center of the show when a Hawai'ian character was shown they were depicted in secondary roles. What comes to mind when I say this is that there is a scene where everyone is in an office and when the guy who appears local and has a pidgin accent speaks he simultaneously eats a sandwich. I'm hesitant to derive too much meaning from this scene but it seems to perpetuate an unfair stereotype of Hawai'ians. In the scene the man is a bit overweight and eating while talking with a pidgin accent . . . that does him little justice.
Also, having a woman as a crime fighter is a bit of a difference - the implications are endless.
http://www.cbs.com/primetime/hawaii_five_0/video/?pid=yd2VQcySlUGzhzeKkiJtEaVeFPbSoZce
Take notice how they are surfing with leashes in contrast to the 68 episode.
First, the quality of digitial media is so much better that the two pictures are not comparable - thanks technology. As well, one of the biggest differences I took notice to while being bored to death are how the two pictures -Hawai'i Five-O in 68 in contrast to the current show- are composed.
In the original show the scenes are comparatively drawn out and to do not switch screens at the rate the current show seems to thus seeming too long and boring. The current such has come leaps and bounds in it's ability to captivate and hold the audience - once again, thanks technology.
I found it interesting to consider how the show is framed and the rapid transitions in the present day Hawai'i Five-O and I imagine that the tendency for the show to switch screens/scenes more rapidly is simply a reflection of our cultural norms. In the reading I recall context refering to a "keyboard culture" where everything is available through our fingertips thus we expect immediate results and this is reflected in how the current -constant action . . . something is always happening- show whereas the show reflects cultural norms of "snail mail" in 1968.
Differently, in considering materiality I was uncertain from what platform to analyze the pilot episode. Was it the physical medium of the text to be reviewed? On that note, I fail to deliver anything insightful but look forward to discussion of our next text in regard to this notion. Maybe I'll be able to come up with something.
Otherwise, while struggling to keep my eyes open I was able to make some observations I thought to be interesting which were cultural norms reflected from the time. One of the behaviors I had a laugh about was the smoking of pipe tobacco -twice- inside as well as cigarettes.
The landscape looked quite different as well. In a birds eye view of Waikiki fewer hotels existed and it looked realtively undeveloped.
The following is a list of things which I took notice to in this episode that contrast contemporary norms: surfing with out leashes, bee hive hair style for women, no safety belts in cars, rotary telephones, high waisted pants in both men and women, wing back chairs, a viewing glass was used in autospy, and a man was shown upclose with untrimmed nose hairs - that would never make it on film today.
Lastly, I did want to comment on the political nature of how the Hawai'ians were depicted in the pilot episode. Apart from not being at the center of the show when a Hawai'ian character was shown they were depicted in secondary roles. What comes to mind when I say this is that there is a scene where everyone is in an office and when the guy who appears local and has a pidgin accent speaks he simultaneously eats a sandwich. I'm hesitant to derive too much meaning from this scene but it seems to perpetuate an unfair stereotype of Hawai'ians. In the scene the man is a bit overweight and eating while talking with a pidgin accent . . . that does him little justice.
Also, having a woman as a crime fighter is a bit of a difference - the implications are endless.
Personal Introduction
Aloha everyone! My name is Patrick Dane Carson - I go by Dane - and I'm unfamiliar with blogging so here goes something . . .
Anyhow, a bit about me . . . I'm 26 years old, from Santa Cruz, CA and this is my second semester in the MA-COM program at Hawai'i Pacific University and I have enjoyed it thus far; my first semester went very well, hopefully my second follow suit.
In terms of academia I have no training in media criticism thus my interest in the course. I imaginet that such a discipline is inherently flexible. I chose HPU for the international qualities represented by the student body and faculty because in studying communications my interests are intercultural and I'm hopeful I can angle this course to align with my interests.
I began my undergrad at HPU in 2002 and later finished it in 2009 at HPU so I am quite familiar with the school thus my reasoning to return for Masters. In the meanwhile I attended UH Manoa, UCSC, Cabrillo College, La Uni Nacional de C.R and found that HPU was my favorite institution.
Outside of school I gernerally find myself in my bed or in the ocean.
Anyhow, a bit about me . . . I'm 26 years old, from Santa Cruz, CA and this is my second semester in the MA-COM program at Hawai'i Pacific University and I have enjoyed it thus far; my first semester went very well, hopefully my second follow suit.
In terms of academia I have no training in media criticism thus my interest in the course. I imaginet that such a discipline is inherently flexible. I chose HPU for the international qualities represented by the student body and faculty because in studying communications my interests are intercultural and I'm hopeful I can angle this course to align with my interests.
I began my undergrad at HPU in 2002 and later finished it in 2009 at HPU so I am quite familiar with the school thus my reasoning to return for Masters. In the meanwhile I attended UH Manoa, UCSC, Cabrillo College, La Uni Nacional de C.R and found that HPU was my favorite institution.
Outside of school I gernerally find myself in my bed or in the ocean.
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