Social Uses/Implicants of Technology and Media [My Cell Phone Destroys My Life]

“Hello Moto”.

How I remember hearing those words chimed through an upbeat rhythm for the first time, Christmas 2006. And then it began. From that day forward, my cell phone, whether it was the silver Motorola I started with, or the pink and stylish Sony Ericsson I have today, has never left my side.

I never did think I needed a cell before I met one of my now ex-boyfriends, Jon. The idea of phoning me on my house line was revolting to him, and pretty soon, I started to feel embarrassment at the fact I didn’t own a cell. So I begged and pleaded with my parents until the glorious day came.

The result? You would think a few phone bills rigging up over $200 would teach me a lesson, but no. Month after month, plan change after plan change, I find myself in debt to Rogers Wireless.

But why do I insist on continuing my rampage of endless phone calls and text messages? To keep in touch with long distance friends, let family know about my life, and speak for endless hours on end with my current boyfriend, Kevin.

Maybe it’s that last one that does it…

Which makes me think about a theory. Perhaps in this day’s dating world, we cannot manage to thrive in relationships without the use of the cell phone. The majority of people in relationships always want to stay connected and what better way than to pick up a phone and dial a cell number, increasing the chances of your loved one answering. Even a text message lets me feel more connected to Kevin than just going the whole day without speaking.

Then again, before the invention of cell phones, or phones in general, people managed to date and get married just fine. In fact, the divorce rate was MUCH lower before the invention of cell phones. The romance was much more authentic! Love letters, proclamations of undying affections, and the longing makes love seem much more unique. 

Thinking about it, I'd much rather receive a love sonnet then a computerized message stating "C u soon. Lv you!<3"

Maybe I'm just old fashioned.

Theory/Praxis [Media Ideology]

Ideology is a set of rules, beliefs, or aims that are used in many different contexts and cultures. In Mass Communications, we discussed the ideologies the media has and how they mediate them towards the audience it's aiming at. There's the ideologies that all women should be a size 6 or less to have a beautiful body, or the ideology of owning designer clothing to fit in. The media holds very superficial ideologies that they want to mold us into believing and following, basically, we belong to a subconscious cult.

How does this media ideology affect me? To be honest, for the longest time, I hated my body. I went day after day wishing I could be like the girls I saw in magazines and on television, hoping I could get thin enough to one day be on television. Wanting to be a t.v journalist growing up or an actress and seeing my role models look the way they did, I felt like I couldn't succeed. I truly wanted to give up.

But after maturing and buckling down in school and doing research on my potential careers, I realized that those who follow these media ideologies cannot be considered truly media savvy. It's only when you can look at the information and aims presented before you and choose to create your own that you can start your own ideologies for yourself.

And that's what I'm doing. BBC... watch out!

Decoding/Deconstructing Advertising [One Taste and You'll Get it]]

Ever since watching "The World's Funniest Commercials 2006", I fell in absolute love with this hilarious Dr. Pepper advertisement. It portrays a young man going through different tasks of embarrassment, all in the name of pleasing his girlfriend. From tampon shopping, to taking yoga classes, to holding her little pink purse as she tries on clothing, this man would "do anything for love". Except give her a sip of his Dr. Pepper in the closing scene; that's where he draws the line. No folks, he just won't do that. So he does as any man would do when things are unforgivable; he runs.

Even though I adore this commercial, it is a prime example of what Ian Reilly was trying to show us about advertising in one of our earlier classes. Companies (Dr. Pepper in this case) use many different advertising techniques that we as an audience are blind to unless we are taught to see exactly what we're watching and absorbing. Implementing gender roles to create wit and humour is a major tactic advertisers will use, as we have seemed to have numbed ourselves as a society to the insult of it.

In the Dr. Pepper commercial for example, a man going into a store to purchase a box of tampons is played up to be such a burden and embarrassment, when really, where is the logic in that? Obviously, the clerk will know they're not for him; if anything, it'll be assumed it's for a girlfriend/wife. This only means he'll be letting others know of his commitment and dedication to a woman. Oh! Right, I forgot. That would mean he was "whipped". Yet another play on masculinity advertisers use as humour in this commercial. 

Then there's his little pink purse issue. Clearly, taking a purse and holding it is NOT a big deal, correct? Apparently not. Add in the pale pink shade and the awkward hand position and voila! The audience is rolling in their seats. What if the purse had been blue? Would it have been as funny? Had it been a shoulder strapped purse, would the affect have been the same? These are all questions advertisers ask before coming out with this finished product.

Not that I'm trying to bash my Meatloaf-inspired, all-time favourite commercial here. I'm just someone who is learning the In's and Out's of the media world and is practising it. This doesn't mean I can't still watch and laugh with my new-found analytical thoughts being kept in mind.

If you wanna check out "I would do anything for love"- Dr. Pepper, go to http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tjWcbz00Wm4 .