beautifultactic

According to The Pirate’s Dilemma, consumers today crave reality. Today magazines snap celebrities warts, nip slips, and all, and “reality TV thrives on half-truths stranger than fiction. We take comfort in how weird everybody else is.” (Mason, PG 175) I think being able to learn about the lives of celebrities that are portrayed as fake, makes them seem more real to us. For example, the hit TV series Jersey Shore is one of today’s most iconic shows in reality TV. Despite fake breasts, fake tans, and fake personalities shown for the love of the fans, this show still holds its title as “reality”. The irony here is that watching shows based on celebrity’s real lives is supposed to give us comfort in the sense that they’re not so different from us, when really they portray themselves as materialistic stereotypes. The idea that this is a “real” form of TV is unbelievable to me because the elements of it seem so staged and made up for the satisfaction of the audience. But why do we as an audience want this? We want to see drama in our television, and excitement. The idea that it’s celebrities, adds to the excitement because their lives seem much more interesting to us than ours so. This stems from the “glamorous” lifestyle we see them live, such as success with money, fame and publicity. We are approached by so many make-believe situations in our world today that it’s getting harder to believe what we see and hear. (Mason, 175) I am personally not a fan of this phenomenon because I don’t think that getting drunk all the time and getting into fights is a successful lifestyle, but it is what the fans enjoy about it. It gives the show a type of edge, and there is always something amusing to look forward to in their lives; it’s never boring. The show includes many details that magazines put out, but in live action; therefore those details draw the audience and prove the stories in tabloids to be real and not exaggerated. Knowing the “weird” part of a celebrity’s life shows that it’s never “dull”. This can satisfy those whose lives are in fact dull, and they seek thrill in keeping up with other peoples.  

Reflecting on our in class assignment about whether I consider myself more a reader or writer, my answer has changed a bit. I chose the in between section because I don’t necessarily prefer one to the other. I believe most of my writing stems from things I have read, but at the same time I enjoy picking up writing skills from life experiences or things I see and hear on a daily basis. It made me think of why I write the way I write, and it makes sense that it’s from years of schooling and people telling me how to write. I also used to enjoy reading more than I do now. I keep blaming school as the reason I don’t have time to read anymore, but really I would rather be doing something more active. I’ve seen a change in my writing since attending University, and it’s definitely lacking something. It’s possible that reading could have been inspiring my writing, and since I don’t take enough time to enjoy a book or two nowadays, my writing isn’t at it’s best. I find myself lacking creativity and perhaps need to seek some in a good story, rather than from real life. Sometimes books used to be a good escape for me in this sense. I think it’s a good idea to find out what you enjoy reading and why you enjoy it, because you can learn a lot about yourself. The words I speak with and use in my writing, are because I’ve read them at one time, and you don’t think how much of an impact words can have on you when you’re absorbing them. This is because when we read we are reading towards something; the end of the story. I don’t take time to analyze what I’m reading and what it means to me because I’m always trying to get to the point.

A classification system. It can be a very good thing, because it connects people through bookmarking and individual interest. The tags are shared and sometimes refined with millions of people, which brings a new meaning to ‘information’. The problem with this is that it’s the individual person that makes the tags; therefore the information can be flawed and inaccurate. Some people believe that this is still good for the person submitting them, regardless of the quality of the info. I personally think they’re a good contribution to bookmarking and sharing thoughts because that’s how we learn what is right and wrong. It also allows our own thoughts to grow, and learn more about our feelings or opinions on things.

I recently signed up for a Delicious account and a Pintrest account, and to be honest I don’t understand either of them quite yet. I will give myself some time to figure them out eventually, but for now I’m not really interested. I think there are too many new websites to keep up with, and they seem to be connected in one way or another. The more that are created, the more I am losing interest in the web. I feel pressure to keep up to date with new online fads, and if I don’t have an account with all of them soon, I will be missing out. The web is constantly evolving which is a good thing, but I am finding myself wanting to read more books or being outside enjoying the changing of the seasons. I think it’s just too overwhelming, and I may have a fear of being “too connected”… but is there such thing? I don’t believe being connected to as many people as possible is bad, but there’s a limit in which you have to realize you’re at. I currently have a Facebook, Tumblr, Twitter and Linked In account, and that’s already sucking me in too far. I immediately check every one, when I log onto my computer. I feel the need to be in the know if and when one small detail changes. It’s about social acceptance, and that’s a good feeling to have. It’s like walking into a room full of a bunch of people, wanting to know what they’re talking about, then when you find out you’re like “oh”. I’m not as intrigued anymore as I was when Facebook came out, because that was the first big network. I will continue to use the networks I have at this time, and will probably end up joining more as time goes on… but for now, all of this networking and blogging is making me want to do more productive things.

I’ll be outside with a book if you’re looking for me.

Alright, so The Hunger Games came out this week and scored about $155.million at the box office on it’s opening weekend.. but it didn’t beat Twilight. I personally haven’t read either series but i’ve seen the Twilight movies. I think it’s original and it’s one of those bad movies that I love to hate. I thought the first one was ridiculous, and the second one hideously unentertaining, but the third one and Breaking Dawn Part 1 I found impressing. I love the special affects and I feel like there’s more action now, which I enjoy. I’m sure The Hunger Games are probably popular for more intellectual readers because it has an intense plot line and more in depth action, whereas Twilight has vampires in love and shirtless tanned guys. Things sure have been different since Harry Potter ended. There’s no more magical themed anything, it’s all “Team Edward” and “Team Jacob”. There’s definitely pressure now to follow at least one new fad. It’s advertised everywhere you go, and everyone you know is either talking about how stupid it is, or how obsessed they are with it. It’s hard to feel like you’re part of an “in crowd” when you’re not keeping up with one of these overrated series. It seems like all of my friends follow one or the other, or for some… both. I think the way things are going, something will pop up again shortly, and just like any new fad, people will jump on it. It’s a feeling of acceptance, and i’m sure people like having something new to add to their interests, just like people like having something to believe in. 

After hearing about George Clooney’s arrest, I have more respect for him. I liked him as an actor, and thought he was a bit of a player, but that’s all I really new of him. I really admire the fact that he wanted to get arrested to raise awareness, and make a point. Well, point taken. So many of the same celebrities are advocating or protesting an issue, such as Bono or Angelina Jolie and Brad Pitt… but when George did it I think everyone kind of went, “oh”. It definitely caught my attention because it’s a new celebrity taking action and using his time to educate us. I really felt motivated to look into the subject further, and actually ended up spreading it by word of mouth and Facebook. I didn’t expect it from Clooney, which is why I was so intrigued. I love being surprised by people; you never know what they’re capable of. Using your fame for a good cause really makes me less judgmental towards celebrities. The once “Sexiest Man Alive” is now protesting humanitarian aid.. now that’s hott. 

It’s crazy how much the media affects a person’s view on fashion and what they should wear. We are constantly surrounded by magazines and advertisements, about what’s “in style”, and how people should be putting outfits together. A billboard above your head can really affect your decision while shopping. It provides awareness of what’s out there, but too many people are listening to advertisements telling them what they should and should not wear. Moving from a small town, Kingston, to Toronto, has definitely had an impact on my fashion picks. I feel more creative in a bigger city because there’s more culture. You’re also more likely to blend in, in a bigger city rather than stand out in a small one; therefore I’m less afraid to try something new or be creative with my wardrobe. I’ve noticed myself being less worried about being judged on the clothes I wear since being here. I still see many advertisements or watch Fashion Television to keep up to date with trends, but it’s more for my own knowledge and for potential conversation between friends. I see more risks being taken in this city, and it makes me feel more comfortable around people who are comfortable with themselves.  

Something important to me in my life today is taking pictures and making memories of each thing that I do. It’s become an obsession of mine to carry my camera around and make sure I document as many things in my life as possible. It’s become a joke between teens today to say something like “oh that’s going to end up on Facebook.” or, “you better put those on Facebook!” As if the world is going to end if all your Facebook friends (half of which you probably don’t know) don’t have pictures of them self up right away. If there’s a party, the next day someone is probably more concerned of what pictures are on their profile than what substances they’re throwing up from the night before.

A picture on someone’s Facebook today can be defined as who they are. With teenagers not communicating as much in person, it allows them to judge someone through their FB profile. Your “profile pic” is the most important one on your page. It says a lot about you. People will view your page and wonder why you chose the photo you did, to represent your entire profile. There’s a lot of pressure to choose which photo best represents you, and who are other people to judge? I try not to don’t judge someone by the images they are tagged in, because they may only represent one specific event in their life. However, if a person has continuous photos of the same type of activity, it’s probably safe to assume that’s the kind of person they are because of the consistency.

It can also show how popular a person is amongst their FB friends, due to how many people “like” the photo. I don’t consider myself very photogenic; therefore the more “likes” I get on a photo, the better it makes me feel about myself. We’re basically asking for people’s approval when we add our images to FB, and are prepared to receive their opinions, or “comments”. Photography is something I have grown to love, but Facebook has kind of ruined it for me. I’m afraid of being judged for what photos I choose to share, and am competing with other’s on a daily basis. Some of my FB friends have really attractive photos of themselves, and there’s pressure on me to have the same. When I am posing for photos with my friends, it’s very safe to assume I will be “tagged” in them sooner or later, so I know in my head I must pose in a way that I know looks good to me. I don’t want to have bad photos of myself online, because I know people will probably be looking at them and judging. Facebook has made me care more of what people think, and has discouraged me from posting photos I like, but look bad in.

I often think what life would be like if we weren’t able to share photos of our self and our experiences. No one would be judged as much, and it would be harder to gossip about one another. I have definitely spoken with people in my life about mutual friends and their most recent “sleezy” photo. As I previously mentioned, posting our photos gives others permission to criticize them.  It’s interesting to find out what’s going on in people’s lives, but is this really the kind of sharing we want? It can be dangerous for potential employers to see what pictures you have, or even family members who may get the wrong impression on what you’re doing with your life. It’s easy to post a photo of you having fun, but some people go way too far with embarrassing drunkenness, drug use, and showing too much skin. If it weren’t for the option to “untag” yourself in a photo, it would be an invasion of privacy on Facebook’s part, but for the people who post their own photos it’s just a way of seeking attention. It’s crazy how much information you can get from a person’s profile, but you’re still not getting to know them for whom they are. People would rather see a photo and think it says all they need to know about that person. This is a great example for how technology is damaging communication between people. All that Facebook is today is a popularity contest between teens. A single photograph can reflect on your personality, and the relationships you make.

So from now on, post professionally… you never know who’s looking.