Media Hegemony: Wait Disney

During this week's lecturer, we are introduced to different media theories.

For this week's blog, i will be focusing on the theory of Media Hegemony and Spiral of Silence, and i will use Wait Disney to elaborate on it.

Firstly, Media hegemony represents the views of the powerful elites who hold economic and political power. As the media monopolises opinions, they drive society in a way that benefits them. Spiral of Silence on the other hand, represents the media working simultaneously with the majority to silence minority beliefs.

I am sure that many of you guys, on first thought, would not associate Walt Disney with the theory of Media hegemony. This is because Walt Disney is being endorse by parents and teachers globally as a childhood story teller, which focuses on themes like wholesome family values, innocence, magic, friendship... Whereas, media hegemony portrays the evil, manipulative power and propaganda of rich and power conglomerates. It is surprising to find out that Walt Disney despite of its perfectly magical and harmless front, is actually backed by a powerful corporate power which is guilty of monopolising the masses opinions.

The critics of Disney view their movies and animations as subtle messages of acceptable social construct of man, women, gender.... It is brainwashing kids at a young age into a certain set of ideas as to how to view society and how to be part of society. Such propaganda is made more powerful because Disney being a transnational conglomerate who owns many different forms of mass media. Thus, they exercise unprecedented control over the messages audiences are exposed to which is often skewed and dominated by corporate interest.

In addition, the media have the tendency to refrain from expressing unpopular and negative ideas of Disney. This is because it is such a large media corporation, whose products are so ubiquitous and has deeply penetrated the its audiences that it will inevitably affect its viewership or reputation. So, the media in a way, worked simultaneously with majority of public opinions and silence off minority beliefs, and this is the spiral of silence theory by Elizabeth Noelle-Neumann.

On the other hand, fans of Disney will strongly disagree with the above issues, and regard it as ridiculous and nonsensical. To them, Disney is purely for entertainment and light-hearted in nature, and there is no need to over analyses and be overtly critical.

I leave you guys with a short video of Disney, and you can decide after watching whether you agree with the critics or fanatics.

Anime..Otaku..

Heylo everyone!! For this week's entry, i have decided to write about what we have learned from lecture this week. Culture is a very intriguing aspect and its diversity and dynamism interest everyone around the world. In short, it symbolizes what we are, and it is the quintessence of our identity. There are two extreme spectrum of culture: Individualism Vs Collectivism. What distinguish individualist culture from collectivist culture lies in the way we deal with the relation between individual interests and communities' interests.

If you guys recall, during one of the lessons, Ms Hui played us a short Japanese video clip on the Otakus. I am sure that many of your first impression is, "What is a Otaku?" Well, i myself have no idea at all!! So I've decided to dedicate today's blog to give clear all the doubts on the collectivist world of Japanese animation and Otaku.

What is Anime? Anime is an English name for the style of art and animation developed by the Japanese. The word "Anime" is just the Japanese word for animation (of any kind), and it is pronounced "Annie-May"(Marc Marshall). Anime, in a simple sense, is Japanese cartoons. In a more complex and true meaning to anime, its Japanese animation that ranges from children shows to more adult themes. There is a sub-culture to this culture. That sub-culture is something called being an Otaku. Otaku is something like being called a nerd, dock, fan,geek. It is a label given to people with obsessive interest in Anime, manga(comic) and video games.

Otaku is extremely negative in meaning as it is used to refer to someone who stays at home all the time and doesn't have a life (no social life, no love life, etc). This basically means the person that is named an Otaku stays in the room and only leaves the room for food or some other necessity. Hence, they are often being associated with negative connotations like asocial, unhygienic, obnoxious, weird. Most would also think of them as living in a unrealistic world of the anime, thus having high tendencies of committing crimes like rape, robbery etc. Being ridiculed and isolated by parents, peers and society, many flock to socialize with others like then themselves in order to gain a sense of belonging, security and identity.


The most famous area where groups of Otaku gather and exchange ideas and information is the Akihabara district in Tokyo, Japan. This is the center of Otaku culture and it is a major shopping area for anime and Otaku goods. To add on to the Otaku experience, "cosplay cafes" with costumed waitresses/maids whom the Otakus adore, will serve customers in squeaky cartoon voices, and cater to every Otaku's needs. Most "maids" will address and treat the Otakus like "masters" by giving them massages, entertaining them with songs and games, all in the effort for them to have a memorable experience and to patronize again. "Maid" cafes has become part and parcel of the lifestyle of an Otaku as it gives them a sense of being cared and concerned for, and temporarily erase the emptiness and loneliness that surrounds them.

There's more than just costumed waitresses to attract Otaku to Akihabara. A variety of businesses cater to a range of Otaku interests. From comic books, anime, and video games, to vintage computers and the bewildering array of electronic components that Akihabara offers. This wide range of merchandise certainly lure the curious Otaku "out of hiding".

All in all, I feel that the Otakus is another culture created by society for people who are rejected and cannot fit into the mainstream; like in the "Hippies" culture in the 70s. These individuals then come together united by a common bond and a common passion. Not all of them had to be friends or close buddies with each other, but they belonged (and remained) to the same community, which enables them finally have a sense of inclusion.

Love is in the air!!!

宮 A Princely Affair

The topic of my discussion today is LOVE!

The post valentine brought about a salmagundi of emotional reflections. We speak of love and affection and the interpersonal relations between the sexes, and of course the similar ones too.

What is Love?
Love is when you start doing things for the other party unconditionally and wholeheartedly.
Love can be expressed in several ways such as buying your partner a gift, a kiss from your other half, spending time with each other etc..

Then it brings about a question: How does one find their way into a relationship and start falling in Love?

According to Knapp's Model, there are 10 stages of relational development- initiating, experimenting, intensifying, integrating, bonding,differentiating, circumscribing,stagnating,avoiding and terminating.
This model describes the progression and development of relationship as a series of stages which everybody will go through regardless of the chronological sequence.

I wish to depict this relationship development of love in the form of my all time favourite love drama 'Goong'.

It is one of the biggest Korean drama serials that took Asia by storm. It depicted a dream come true of a common girl and a crown prince. The serial intertwined several moments of love, jealousy, hate and passionate reconciliations. It also encompassed previous generations' scandals amongst the royalties and conniving politics that changed the fate of many, and consequentially, the innocent ones too.

In all rationale sense, the likelihood of a commoner getting hitched to a royalty is almost impossible. But putting this aside, lets look at how Love and relationship developed.

Firstly, boy meets girl, boy observes and does screening of the girls appearance and her behaviour. He doesn't have good impression of the girl. The girl, similarly does not like the snobby and haughty prince. However, bonded by the decree of royal marriage, they have no choice but to be bonded to one another in the eyes of the public and law and to put up with each other's weird habits.

From there onwards, as they spend more time interacting with one another, they start to disclose information of themselves to the other, start to increase their commitment towards one another and, also start to have more physical contact with one another.

Despite all the lovey dovey signals, both the prince and girl continue to constantly fight because of communication problems and individual differences. This then results in alienation of each and even almost the termination of the relationship.

However, all turns out well for the prince and girl there was a happily ever after ending as we all know sometimes it is the opposite that attracts. The prince realised immortally pure heart of the girl whilst the girl realises that her supposedly almighty husband does have a soft and penetrable side too..

There are ups and downs in all relationship and we all bound to follow a few stages in Knapp's model though not chronologically. Some will have happy endings like the one in the clip but not all turn out well. However, if the differences between a couple cannot be resolved, termination of the relationship might be the last resort.

There is only one happiness in life,to love and be loved.- George Sand -

Red Cliff (1)赤壁





Introduction:

The Battle of the Red Cliff (1), a Chinese epic movie based on the battle that occurred in a place called Red Cliff, and events that took place during the Han Dynasty, prior to the period of the Three Kingdom in ancient China. This is 2 part epic movie with estimated budget of US$80 million, is the most expensive Asian financed film to date.

Setback in the days of corrupt officials and a powerless King, the ambitious and cunning Prime minister Cao Cao is set to capture the whole of China, using it to overthrown the King and gain ultimate power for himself. However, he faced tremendous resistance from 2 rebel groups: group lead by the King's uncle Liu Bei, the Southerners lead by Sun Quan. These two groups saw through the scheming plot of Cao Cao to seize power of the State, put up a very strong fight. First, Cao Cao's army advanced towards South to capture and wiped out Liu Bei's force. Liu Bei and his team of highly skilled and brave generals put up a strong defense and excellent use of war strategy to hold off Cao Cao's troops and allow ample time for the peasants to escape. But they are not able to restrain the out-numbered enemy's troops for long and lost majority of their army and the battle. Being defeated, they sought alliance with the one of the Lords of the South, Sun Quan. Soon, the 2 teams start strategiesing how to win and outnumbered enemy's forces.

The movie is based on the harshness of that era, filled with poverty, starvation, war and death. The bonding of the totally different groups of allies and their display of impressive military strategy, gives the world a real eye opener into ancient Chinese battles and culture.

Communication Analysis:

Firstly, i will like to say that coming from a person who has no prior knowledge of the Romance of the three Kingdoms novel, i find this movie easy to comprehend. You do not need to have prior knowledge to understand what is going on in the film. Kudos to John Woo for another spectacular film!!!!!

The way the fighting scenes were done was epic in a way that I would say it is one of the best Chinese war films I have seen. The movie is filled with war violence, death and slaughter. The director uses motion effects on certain fighting scenes, especially when the parts where cavalry comes in. The scene would slow down, and the sound would be magnified loudly so that one could only hear the stomping of the horses hooves, and see the horses charging slowly with the mounted soldiers brandishing their lances or swords. This effect grabs the audience’s attention and is instrumentally vital to add to the dramatic effect of the battle scenes.

The usage of non-verbal communication in this movie was very well exploited, especially at the start where the movie introduced the villain, CaoCao. Firstly, the music crescendo and started to play foreboding tone, as if to warn that something formidable was about to happen. Next, the scene features from afar the rattling sound of jade pendants and firm footsteps, but the face of the character was not revealed. Then all of a sudden, all the generals, troops and court officials present started to look fearful and immediately knelt down in respect. From these above non verbal ques, i could roughly guess the antagonist is appearing, and that the relationship between this character and the rest of the his subordinates is one that is covered with lots of trepidation.

As with any typical Chinese war film, this show is filled with dramatic and epic war music. The loud banging of the war drums adds to the war beat during the fighting scenes and the music also makes the marching of the troops impressive in typical Chinese style. Not only does the music creates apprehension and excitement for the fighting scenes, it also at certain scene brings out the beauty and the serenity of the surrounding natural environment untainted by bloodshed. This contradiction could only be accentuated by the appropriate use of different styles of music. Overall, i think the music did a great job keeping the tempo of this highly choreographed movie intact and establishes the decorum of the movie.

Overall, I would say that if you are a person who likes military stuff or is into history, this movie is the thing for you. It also gives us a glimpse of Chinese history… that Chinese people were a brave, tough and battle-hardened people that could survive. The movie is a theme of skillful military strategy and how a side with not as many soldiers but are loyal are able to triumph at the end. This goes to show that in order to win a war, it is critical to have a good strategist and loyal generals. However, i feel that it is the best to avoid a war and resolve differences instead of clashing head on in a battle....

'No God' bus ads Banned in Italian Cities

Italian atheists have lost their bid to run "No God" advertisement in Italian cities
after strong opposition from conservation political parties, Reuters January 19, 2009.
However, city buses in London, Washington and Barcelona were successful in running the advertisement on city buses.

This ad brings up the issue of cultural perspective of communication. Why is this ad allowed in some countries and banned in others?

From the social constructionist perspective communication is shaped by the community.
If a particular community and government as a whole gives limited rights to freedom of speech, there will be many codes imposed on what is allowed and restricted to be aired.
Any violation of the code will cause ideas or information to be censored off.

Compare this to a community which embraced the freedom of speech and is very tolerant and allow whatever information to be aired publicly, will have much lesser codes of restriction imposed.

Like in this case, Italians, Americans, English, Spanish, all of which are Christian majority nation. But why is it
the Italians are the only one who banned this ad?

It maybe because Christianity in Italy is more sacred than it is in other nations since, the Vatican is there and the pope lives there. Such an ad will be an outright challenge to the Pope and the whole roman catholic community which the Italian government cannot afford to do so. Political reasons have limited freedom of
speech there.

Thus, it is important to know the culture and tradition of a place you are running your ad.
If not it will be a big waste on advertisng fees and human labour.