Post 5 - Module 5 Blog Post Recap - "Confronting Class In The Classroom"

bell hooks' book, an excerpt of which was read before, and then discussed in class today

This week in Media Cultures, we discussed bell hooks’ paper Confronting Class In The Classroom. The paper talked about how class is rarely confronted in the classroom, and how in many ways the current (as of 1994) classroom climate was restrictive towards people who aren’t from a common background i.e middle-upper class white people. It also talked about how class isn’t just related to income, but also to other factors, including values, social norms, biases and many other things. I personally found this very interesting to read. It certainly reinforced something I’ve always felt awkward about, which was talking about social issues facing minorities. As a white male, how would I know if I’m addressing their issues correctly? The article talks about that, saying how even teachers who were payed to talk about their issues simply weren’t getting the facts right about the experiences of minorities. I also found it very interesting how the “typical” college class were rendered uncomfortable by people from hooks’ background being loud in the classroom, seeing it as rude. I found this interesting because that would be my exact reaction if someone was being loud and disruptive in class, except of course, as the article makes clear, they aren’t being disruptive, they’re simply voicing their opinion in the way everyone around them always has. Reading that has me made me think about why I feel that way and think that way about loud people. I’ll certainly try to be more aware of why I’m feeling the way I feel in situations like that, because it seems very important.

Post 4 - Module 4 Recap Blog Post

The poster to Get Out, one of two films watched and discussed in class today.

This week we touched on “new voices” in Hollywood, namely Greta Gerwig with her film Lady Bird, and Jordan Peele with his film Get Out. I thought this was an interesting conversation to have because it’s such a timely conversation; both these films have come out in the past couple of years, and this talk of outsider Hollywood is a new phenomenon. I liked how the class also touched on how these two not only directed their films, but also wrote them. I thought that was an important thing to touch on, because, by writing and directing, you’re ensuring your whole vision is up there on screen; you didn’t misunderstand a writer’s script, and a director didn’t misunderstand your script, what you wanted is up there on screen, which is especially important when talking about people who are outside “normal” Hollywood, like Peele and Gerwig are.

One thing I think working in their favour is that, not only are Gerwig and Peele outsiders, making films Hollywood doesn’t usually make, but they also make good films. Get Out isn’t just a good allegory for racism, it’s also a really good film overall, both in terms of scaring the audience and in terms of filmmaking skill. The same goes for Lady Bird, which, from the snippet we saw in class, looks very funny and very, for lack of a better word, good. Watching the clips in class really makes me want watch both movies in full, because they just seem that good.

Post 3 - Module 3 Recap Blog Post

Poster for The Hunger Games, a portion of which was watched in class today

This week in Media Cultures, the lesson revolved around the ruling class, and how they affect the media we consume. It was an interesting conversation to have, because I feel like everyone thinks that the ruling class controls the media, but no one really talks about that much. Personally, I think it’s something that should be talked about, because it’s so easy for humans to internalize ideas without thinking about what those ideas mean (for example, the ruling class are superior, and we shouldn’t question them). I also liked how Marxism was brought into the discussion, and felt it contributed greatly, what with talking about the Proletariat and the Bourgeoise. On that subject, I thought that the 2 classes concept still applies today; it’s just that the Proletariat class is so vast now, we have split it into lower and middle class. They’re both Proletariat, just different stages of Proletariat. At least, that was what I thought on the subject.

After we watched part of The Hunger Games, which I haven’t seen since it came out. It was very fitting timing wise, since I’d just finished reading the first book, and I thought it tied into the class content well. Movie wise, I thought the movie seemed pretty good, I’d like to re watch the whole thing, but I’d forgotten just how bad the shaky cam can be! It worked in some scenes, like when Prim’s name is called, but it was used everywhere, and it was somewhat distracting.

Post 2 - Module 2 Recap Blog Post

Poster for Godfather part 2, discussed in readings done in class today.

This week in Media Cultures class, we discussed a few different topics, all related around identity, and what can affect that identity. We started with a pretty simple idea: write what you know. This makes a lot of sense, since if it’s something you know, you’re more likely to do a good job. This would be especially important when writing, for example, a novel or screenplay. Next, we discussed the idea of Positionality; “The notion that personal values, views and locations how one understands the world”. This was an idea I’d thought of before; it is nice to have a term for it now, instead of it just existing as a vague concept. We then talked about how this position can influence our opinions without us even realizing it, which makes a lot of sense. That’s the basis of internalized racism, or homophobia; it’s just been so internalized that you don’t think about it. Following this discussion, we turned to how the media can influence our ideologies, or force their own ideologies on us, which I think is such an interesting idea. The subsequent readings and discussions were also interesting, not just to discuss this important topic, but also to see how each classmate brought their own take to the issue. I also enjoyed just how detailed the reading got; it’s discussion about Godfather Part 2, and how it so much subtext working below the surface, was fascinating, and it really makes me want to go re-watch that movie.

Post 1 - Module 1 Recap Blog Post

My groups Exquisite Corpse "story"

     Today, I had my first Writing and Media Cultures class. It was fine, as far as first classes go, if not better than average. Making name tags was a first in class, I don't think I've done that since back in Elementary school. We also went around and introduced each other by name and favourite movie or TV show. I stressed out because I couldn’t pick a favourite (because I have too many favourites), so I went with what I usually go with, which is Jaws, because I love that movie. I was also considering going with Mad Men or Seinfeld for a TV show, because both of those are quite good, but I prefer movies, and especially Jaws, over both shows.
     This icebreaker was followed by getting some papers (including this very assignment), and discussing the syllabus; class expectations, projects, things along those lines. Now that I know what to expect, it seems like the class will be rather fun; the projects seem interesting, and the course material is enough to keep me interested even if I somehow end up hating the class, which I doubt.
     The final new thing we did was an Exquisite Corpse writing activity, which was interesting. Nearly all the finished products (mine included) had at least one quite morbid chunk, from a parking lot full of bodies, to a Shrek addiction, to mango’s killing 80% of the population. It definitely was an interesting end to the first class.