What Is Reading, Really?

In today's world, we are constantly on the internet searching for movie times, updating our social networks, and (occasionally) checking our email. As we spend countless hours plowing through search engines online, are we losing our ability to critically analyze information? Are books the only way to read? Is it possible to read online and gather just as much information as if you were reading a book? In his article, "Literacy Debate- Online, R U Really Reading?" Motoko Rich contemplates all of these questions. His conclusion may not be yours, though. Do you think that reading from a screen is just as valuable as reading from a book? Let's dive right in and take a look. (I hope you appreciated my rhyming right there.)

The world today is vastly different than it was twenty or even just ten years ago. Almost everywhere you  turn there is some sort of reference to the internet. Even hotels and restaurants are offering Wi-Fi internet for those of us who are on the go! Convenience is the reason for this, but it takes away from a simpler time of musty books and libraries. What happened to musty books and comfy chairs? The Google Generation, my generation, has turned to the internet for answers. The question is: Have we lost something that the internet can never replace?

I can honestly say that I miss the days of curling up with a good book and just losing track of time. There used to be a time when I would read two or three books a week; the librarians knew me by name. There's just something about reading a good book that relaxes you. When you're reading a book, you don't have to worry about the stress of the world. You can take a break and really engross yourself in the story. A book can be your home. Something happened, though. Things changed. The world got too fast. I no longer have time to sit down and read a book. Rather, I spend hours on the internet, using my time to acquire a different kind of knowledge- digital knowledge.

Though reading is a grand past-time of mine, I can still enjoy participating in digital learning. Digital learning is an entirely different experience from reading a book. When reading a book, your eyes tend to wander off the page, you might get bored and restless, you might even fall asleep. If you're learning digitally; however, your mind is constantly moving. With digital learning, you are involved. Rather than reading what an author has written, you have a choice in what will be written next. You are the author of your fate in digital learning. You are the author. You are in control. That's the appeal to digital learning. Rather than taking a backseat in the event, you are at the driver's seat making each and every decision as to where you would like to go.

Reading is a very effective tool for learning; that is not to be debated. What is to be debated; however, is if literal textbook reading is the only way to read. The answer is an emphatic no. With today's technology growing as fast as it is, we should be taking these new innovations and utilizing them. Rather than remaining focused on the past, why not choose to advance our minds into the future? Don't dwell on what's already happened; anticipate what will come next.

We Is Who We Is

This video, though seemingly random and odd in nature, demonstrates the meaning of the lyrics throughout the piece. Though it is goofy and fun, the point of the song is that we are who we are, and we don't care what other people have to say about that. No matter what, we will hold true to ourselves and our personalities. Through our silly dancing and strange filming clips, we wanted to show the audience that we will always be who we are, and we are totally ok with that.

What You See Is What You Get... Maybe

Is a movie ever just a movie? Can we truly consume entertainment simply for the pleasure of its content, or is there always an underlying meaning whether we notice it or not? What happens when we are constantly being given messages beneath the surface, if we even choose to pay close enough attention? Reality can be a scary place if you actually think about it. The world of media is incessantly trying to think of new and improved ways to produce media that will appeal to the consumers. You may be able to run, but you will never be able to hide from media.

One topic we discussed this past week in COM103 was the realization of certain angles or styles that are used in media, specifically in cinematography. The director of the film, television show, or documentary makes thousand of stylistic choices that help to decide how the viewers will interpret the piece. Lighting, camera angles, and even background music are all essential to the viewing experience. Without each of these elements, the piece will fall flat, and the story will be lost.

A show that is particular popular in my age and gender demographic is Pretty Little Liars. In this murder mystery show (though it is oh so cute and teen-loved, as well), four best friends suffer the loss of their "leader," Alison, under very peculiar circumstances. Evidence points towards homicide, but even after the body is found, the police cannot seem to nail down a viable suspect. During this time, the four girls begin to receive frightening text messages from someone who calls him/herself "A." Throughout the show, these four friends search to find out the truth of just what happened to their best friend on that unforgettable night.

In the picture above, we see a one of the texts that the girls receive from "A." This scene is shot particularly well because it allows the viewer to not only see the reaction of the reader (the friends' faces are shown before this frame), but it also shows the viewer the message itself. This angle truly puts you in the shoes of the girl receiving the text, because it is angled as if you were reading it yourself. The story is really brought to life simply by the angle of the camera.

A more obvious effect used during the show is the use of background music to intensify a scene. Because the show is typically classified as a murder mystery, it is probable that you expected a lot of dramatic or even frightening sequences to take place-- You're absolutely correct in this assumption. There are many "jump" scenes in Pretty Little Liars, and almost each of these is characterized by climatic background music. The slow, eery music only adds to the sense of fear that is already building as the viewers watch the scene play out.

Pretty Little Liars has a genre; it has a theme; it has a story. Each different camera angle, every note of background music; it's all chosen to help fully encompass the feeling of the show. It is the director's job to fully engage the viewer. By the end of the first episode, viewers should be totally hooked and longing to see more. This ability to draw you in and engross you in the characters and the plot is what directors pride themselves on. It is their decisions that make us care. Without them, the stories that we all care so much about would be lost.

Advertising: How Do You Consume?

Advertisement is everywhere we go. It is estimated that the average American consumer is exposed to 1,500 advertising messages per day (Silverblatt, 177). This means that in just your every day, average activities, you come across 1,500 different advertising campaigns. Each of these campaigns is specific to a target demographic and they are specifically crafted to cater to a specific age group, gender, or even race. Advertisement is one of the most prevalent topics in all of current media.



In this commercial, we are presented with a character. This character is used to represent mayhem, specifically mayhem that affects your car. This advertising campaign is useful on many levels because it is not only humorous, but it is informative. While is it very amusing to see a grown man acting like a teenage girl, it is also very educational in that it presents you with a very real-life problem regarding cut-rate insurance. Allstate does a good job of both making the consumers laugh with their commercial as well as promoting their insurance agency.

(Food) For Thought

This morning in Sunday School, we were blessed with the opportunity to have a panel of five mormon missionaries and one mormon “regional judge” come and have an open Q&A with our the senior class. Let me start off by commending them for their openness and bravery in coming to a “hostile” crowd of Baptist high school students. Their kindness should not go unstated, because it was truly an act of courage to walk into that auditorium knowing that they were going to face an intense amount of controversy and discordance. So, to these five elders and one regional judge, thank you. Thank you for your time, and thank you for your tolerance.

That said, I have never been so strongly in spiritual disagreement with one group of people in my entire life. I have discussed debated various doctrinal standpoints with many different denominations, I’ve talked about Jesus and my beliefs with friends who say they just wish we could all have “one big religion,” but I have never been so rattled by a single spiritual discussion. With other denominations, I can take comfort in the fact that I believe that they are saved and simply have a different view about baptism, etc. Even with lost friends, I realize that all I can do is pray for them and leave the rest to God. With mormons, my heart is broken. These people genuinely believe that they are going to heaven. Every ounce of their body, soul, and mind is working towards achieving the ultimate status in the mormon faith- the celestial heaven. Apart from works, the mormon faith is empty.

At one time during the Q&A, I read Proverbs 30:5-6, which says, “Every word of God is flawless; he is a shield to those who take refuge in him. Do not add to his words, or he will rebuke you and prove you a liar.” When I pointed out that the Book of Mormon is an addition to the Bible, the regional judge (basically, the “top dog”) intervened to answer that I myself did not know how the Bible was written in a chronological sense, and therefore could not say that Revelation was even the last book of the Bible. This irked me more than I can say, and I quickly rebutted saying that the Bible is inspired by God and was constructed and compiled by his disciplines whom he sovereignly chose. Somehow he managed to avoid answering my question.

Just a quick tid-bit about the mormon faith: mormons believe that their founder, Joseph Smith, received a divine vision from God, along with encrypted “holy” messages on several golden plates. Yes, you read that right. Mormons believe that God spoke to Joseph Smith by writing on dinner dishes. Personally, I find that absolutely ridiculous. Matthew 24:24 says, “For false Christs and prophets will appear and perform great signs and miracles to deceive even the elect- if that were possible.” Somehow, the regional judge again managed to divert my question. Later while discussing the same topic, Jacob King came to my defense and read Galatians 1:8, which says, “But even if we or an angel from heaven should preach a gospel other than the one we preached to you, let him be eternally condemned!” I don’t think it could be said more clearly that that.

The thing about mormonism is it is so close to Christianity in so many ways that non-believers can be very easily deceived. Both religions claim to believe in grace, both read and (claim to) believe the Bible, and both have very faithful believers. Apart from religion, mormons are some of the nicest people you will ever meet. There’s a reason that mormonism is one of the fastest growing faiths in the world- they’re great people! They’re kind, they’re honest, they’re loving; they’re everything you could want in a neighbor and more! What they lack is doctrine.

As a Christian, I believe in the unfailing grace of my Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. Without Him, I am nothing. My works, my efforts; they amount to nothing when compared to His surpassing greatness! Isaiah 64:4a says, “All of us have become like one who is unclean, and all our righteous acts are like filthy rags.” Filthy rags are the best I have to offer Jesus. Jesus who is perfect. Jesus who is all things good and holy. Jesus, my Savior. All I can give Him are my disgusting, polluted, putrid rags! And yet in his surpassing kindness, He forgave me! Despite the fact that I literally have nothing to offer Him in return, He loved me. He took me in. He made me His child. 1 Corinthians 15:9 says, “But by grace of God I am what I am, and his grace to me was not without effect. No, I worked harder than all of them- yet not I, but the grace of God was with me.” 

No matter how hard I work, I will always fall short. No matter how many times I pray, I will always sin. No matter how often I read the Bible, I will never be perfect. Nothing can take my humanity away from me. But get this: God made me human! He created me in His likeness as a human, and He has a special and divine plan for my life! What could be greater than that?! He knows the past, the present, and the future. He is totally in control, and I could not be any happier with that. I have confidence that the world is in good hands. I leave you with 1 Corinthians 16:13-14, which says, “Be on your guard; stand firm in the faith; be men of courage; be strong. Do everything in love.” 

Journal(ism)

Journalism is defined as, "The collection and editing of news for presentation through the media." The ablitiy to compile and present factual material in an appealing and informative way; that is journalism. Without gathering the information in an efficient way, the system would fall apart. It is also essential that the news be presented in a way that is not only visually but auditorially stimiulating. You need your readers to want to read what you have to say! If your audience isn't interested in what you're writing, you are in trouble. How many journalists would use the picture to the right as their headliner? None, because the picture itself would discourage the audience from even attempting to read whatever the journalist had wrote. All of a sudden, the picture has caused a complete lack of interest, and the journalist's writing has gone to waste.

Journalism is just as much about pictures as it is words. Though typically someone is going to think of writing when they hear the word "journalism," the pictures are absolutely crucial to getting his or her message across. The visuals help to reel your readers in and get them really focused on what you're trying to say. They also can really help to capture the message you're trying to convey. Through pictures, you can communicate so much more effectively than through words alone.

Journalism is media. Media is journalism. You cannot have one without the other.

Alternative Thinking

After our discussion in COM 103 on Monday, my views of movie media drastically changed. I was really brought to realize just how much effort and intentional design goes into creating a film. Angles. Lighting. Weather. Every seemingly minuscule detail is actually used to convey a very specific, purposeful message to the viewers. By using certain angles and filming techniques, the director is able to subconsciously plant an idea in your head. You are only seeing what they want you to see. 

So then the question becomes, what do they want you to see? Well, I recently went and saw "The Roommate" with a couple of friends. While watching this film, I became acutely aware of how important each and every angle is. In one scene in particular, the assumed crazy roommate is supposedly lurking in the bathroom, while another girl is in the shower. Rather than just filming the girl in the shower, or the girl who is sneaking around the bathroom, the camera pans from several angles across the bathroom. This technique brings a lot of added suspense to the scene. 

Lighting is also a very important element when making a film. Darker lighting could suggest an underlying evil, sadness, or even death; whereas brighter lighting could point to hope, joy, or ultimate freedom or salvation. When I was watching "The Roommate," I noticed that darker lighting was especially used in scenes of deception or evil. Whenever the (crazy) roommate was causing trouble, the lighting was dark as if to suggest the mischief.

One more scene that particularly caught my attention in this film was the library scene. The angles as well as the lighting in this scene were both very instrumental in creating a very specific vibe. As the roommate is stalking her roommate's boyfriend, the camera shifts back and forth between his face and hers. This creates a massive amount of suspense because you absolutely cannot wait to see if Stephen (the boyfriend) will notice her staring at him! Not only that, but the lighting is very dull and creepy, which only adds to the mood.

As you can see, there are many different ways to shape what viewers are truly seeing when they watch a movie. Through camera angles, lighting, and various other techniques, directors are virtually able to control exactly what the viewers perceive. It no longer becomes a matter of what you're seeing, it becomes a matter of why.