Lippmann discusses the reinforcement and contradiction of stereotypes in Chapter 7 of Public Opinion. If we experience something that supports a stereotype we hold, then that stereotype is reinforced. If we encounter a situation that contradicts a stereotype, two things usually happen; One, we see “the contradiction as an exception […], discredits the witness, finds a flaw somewhere, and manages to forget it” (54). Two, we allow the thought to enter our mind that our own stereotype is flawed. I recently experienced this situation when I began student teaching. I was warned by many people that the school I was going to was rough, the students would be rude and uncontrollable, and I would come home miserable and ready to cry every day. Needless to say, I was terrified on my first day at school. By the end of the first week I had to throw every single stereotype that I had been fed out the window.
“For when a system of stereotypes is well
fixed, our attention is called to those facts
which support it, and diverted from those
which contradict.”
“What is alien will be rejected, what is
different will fall upon unseeing eyes. We
do not see what our eyes are not accustomed
to take into account.”
*Lippmann, Chapter 9 (65)
I chose these quotes because I think they complement each other and stress the idea that we do what we can to hold on to the stereotypes we have. Holding on to certain stereotypes helps us feel comfortable and in-control of our lives. Therefore, we make sure (sometimes unconsciously) we acknowledge situations that reinforce our stereotypes and often turn a blind eye to situations that shake our beliefs. We need to remain conscious and aware of our stereotypes. Contradiction could just bring you a new perspective.
Wednesday, January 31, 2007
Danke, Bertelsmann
My chosen media from the earlier entry is books. I think the main company behind books is Bertelsmann. It’s a privately-owned German company and is the largest publisher of English-language books around the world. Bertelsmann publishes both fiction and nonfiction books, novels for adults and young adults and children’s stories. An interested reader could choose to read a story in hardback or paperback, or electronically or digitally. What if you don’t have time to sit down and get lost in a good book? Why, climb behind the wheel of your automobile and drive on while listening to a book on tape. One well-known publishing company owned by Bertelsmann that I came across was Random House. The United States, Canada, the United Kingdom, and Australia are just a few of the countries in which Random House has companies. More books have won major book awards published under Random House than any other publishing company. The famous Dr. Seuss series, which I love to use to supplement lessons while teaching, and novels by John Grisham are published by Random House.
I would frame Bertelsmann under globalization. I looked up globalization on
www.dictionary.com and found:
“noun: growth to a global or worldwide scale”
(WordNet® 2.1, © 2005 Princeton University).
Bertelsmann is the largest English-language books publisher in the world and has numerous companies based around the world. There are book clubs operated by Bertelsmann in North America and Europe made up of 35 million members. Bertelsmann also publishes magazines, and owns television stations and companies and recording labels. Bertelsmann is operating on a worldwide scale and is trying to break into American television.
I found my information at:
http://www.randomhouse.com/about/history.html
http://www.bertelsmann.com
I would frame Bertelsmann under globalization. I looked up globalization on
www.dictionary.com and found:
“noun: growth to a global or worldwide scale”
(WordNet® 2.1, © 2005 Princeton University).
Bertelsmann is the largest English-language books publisher in the world and has numerous companies based around the world. There are book clubs operated by Bertelsmann in North America and Europe made up of 35 million members. Bertelsmann also publishes magazines, and owns television stations and companies and recording labels. Bertelsmann is operating on a worldwide scale and is trying to break into American television.
I found my information at:
http://www.randomhouse.com/about/history.html
http://www.bertelsmann.com
Saturday, January 27, 2007
Limited Reality
My reality is limited because I do not engage in many types of media. I read the newspaper about once a week and don’t really watch TV. I try to catch up on the news a little by browsing msn.com or cnn.com for updates, but I don’t end up doing that very often. My main source of media is books I read for entertainment. I suppose my perceptions are limited by the books I read and the few bits of information I absorb by browsing the Internet and the newspaper.
If I engaged in more media I’m sure I would be more informed. If I would read the newspaper regularly, as well as informative magazines (Time), and watch the news on television, then I would have more sources of information to formulate my own opinions from. I might also understand other people’s perspectives more thoroughly if I knew which types of media they were gaining their knowledge from and might be better able to connect with them.
Critically analyzing the messages, the medium and the gatekeepers helps to make me more aware of what their motives may be. They can report an event in a certain way to convey a certain message to the viewers. For example, news is reported on the radio and the broadcasters may talk about a horrible incident that has occurred – a bloody riot breaking out somewhere. The descriptions they use could shock and upset a lot of people, but by conveying the message on television, and by showing live footage of the riot, people will most likely be even more shocked and upset because they can actually see the screaming and the fighting and the blood. I think that seeing something horrific hits people harder than hearing about it.
When I read or hear about something in the news I use knowledge from closely-related past issues to form images in my head. When I hear about a place that has been hard-hit by a hurricane, my mind automatically jumps to images I saw on the news of hurricane Katrina. I link prior events to present events to navigate my understanding of stories. Most of the headlines present in these media today are negative and upsetting. It’s refreshing to hear about something good happening in the world, but those stories don’t seem to make the front page or the headlines very often. Therefore, I usually try to let news wash over me.
If I engaged in more media I’m sure I would be more informed. If I would read the newspaper regularly, as well as informative magazines (Time), and watch the news on television, then I would have more sources of information to formulate my own opinions from. I might also understand other people’s perspectives more thoroughly if I knew which types of media they were gaining their knowledge from and might be better able to connect with them.
Critically analyzing the messages, the medium and the gatekeepers helps to make me more aware of what their motives may be. They can report an event in a certain way to convey a certain message to the viewers. For example, news is reported on the radio and the broadcasters may talk about a horrible incident that has occurred – a bloody riot breaking out somewhere. The descriptions they use could shock and upset a lot of people, but by conveying the message on television, and by showing live footage of the riot, people will most likely be even more shocked and upset because they can actually see the screaming and the fighting and the blood. I think that seeing something horrific hits people harder than hearing about it.
When I read or hear about something in the news I use knowledge from closely-related past issues to form images in my head. When I hear about a place that has been hard-hit by a hurricane, my mind automatically jumps to images I saw on the news of hurricane Katrina. I link prior events to present events to navigate my understanding of stories. Most of the headlines present in these media today are negative and upsetting. It’s refreshing to hear about something good happening in the world, but those stories don’t seem to make the front page or the headlines very often. Therefore, I usually try to let news wash over me.
Sunday, January 21, 2007
My Favorite Media
I love books and love reading. Therefore, my favorite media is books. I read when I get tired of doing homework or studying or cleaning. I read a few chapters before I go to bed. I read while I eat breakfast in the morning and I read if I’m ready to go before I have to leave. Reading helps me relax and unwind. It puts my mind in another place. I read most any kind of book; funny, mystery, romance, children’s. If it’s available and near to me, I’ll probably read it.
I never read just one book at a time. Right now I’m reading Memoirs of a Geisha and The Oz Chronicles, Volume 1. It’s not that I get tired of reading one and have to switch to another. I just like to keep myself on my toes and interested in the stories. Sometimes I just need a little time to think about a story, so I switch to another book to reflect. I t might sound bizarre and a little contradictory, but it works for me.
I would be extremely upset if books were taken away from me. I found that out last semester when I was student teaching. When I wasn’t actually at school teaching, I was creating lesson plans, preparing materials, eating or sleeping. I was too tired at the end of the day to pick up a book. I couldn’t take a little break from reality to zone out with a book.
Not reading really bummed me out. I think I could get through most days pretty easily without magazines, television or a computer. Losing the phone would be difficult too, since I use it to keep in touch with family and friends. But books are my number one media.
I never read just one book at a time. Right now I’m reading Memoirs of a Geisha and The Oz Chronicles, Volume 1. It’s not that I get tired of reading one and have to switch to another. I just like to keep myself on my toes and interested in the stories. Sometimes I just need a little time to think about a story, so I switch to another book to reflect. I t might sound bizarre and a little contradictory, but it works for me.
I would be extremely upset if books were taken away from me. I found that out last semester when I was student teaching. When I wasn’t actually at school teaching, I was creating lesson plans, preparing materials, eating or sleeping. I was too tired at the end of the day to pick up a book. I couldn’t take a little break from reality to zone out with a book.
Not reading really bummed me out. I think I could get through most days pretty easily without magazines, television or a computer. Losing the phone would be difficult too, since I use it to keep in touch with family and friends. But books are my number one media.
Media Checklist
1. I use the telephone probably every day. I call my mom and my friend, Lindsay
2. I listened to J. Patrick Lewis, a children's poet, speak in November.
3. Probably every day – Jaycie, Lindsay
4. I use email every day.
5. Over break I bought a Billy Joel CD.
6. I watched Footloose on TV because I like the movie.
7. I have no idea when I last recorded a movie or television program.
8. I saw Night at the Museum over break and I watched the Wizard of Oz DVD.
9. Country – that’s the music I usually listen to.
10. I am currently reading Memoirs of a Geisha and The Oz Chronicles, Volume 1. I heard Memoirs of a Geisha was really good and I like to read, so why not read a book that I’ve heard good things about? As for The Oz Chronicles, I just want to read all of the volumes.
11. January 12, 2007 – USA Today. I’m trying to stay updated on current events, and from that date, you can see I'm not doing a very good job.
12. I haven't bought a magazine for a long time...
13. The last time I wrote a letter was last semester, probably in October.
14. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Billy_Joel – I visited on January 18, 2007 because, honestly, I really want to learn the words to the song “We Didn’t Start the Fire” and figure out the history behind all the events and people listed.
15. Facebook – I really don’t know why. I don’t access it very often. Now I’ve got a blog for the Mass Communications class.
2. I listened to J. Patrick Lewis, a children's poet, speak in November.
3. Probably every day – Jaycie, Lindsay
4. I use email every day.
5. Over break I bought a Billy Joel CD.
6. I watched Footloose on TV because I like the movie.
7. I have no idea when I last recorded a movie or television program.
8. I saw Night at the Museum over break and I watched the Wizard of Oz DVD.
9. Country – that’s the music I usually listen to.
10. I am currently reading Memoirs of a Geisha and The Oz Chronicles, Volume 1. I heard Memoirs of a Geisha was really good and I like to read, so why not read a book that I’ve heard good things about? As for The Oz Chronicles, I just want to read all of the volumes.
11. January 12, 2007 – USA Today. I’m trying to stay updated on current events, and from that date, you can see I'm not doing a very good job.
12. I haven't bought a magazine for a long time...
13. The last time I wrote a letter was last semester, probably in October.
14. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Billy_Joel – I visited on January 18, 2007 because, honestly, I really want to learn the words to the song “We Didn’t Start the Fire” and figure out the history behind all the events and people listed.
15. Facebook – I really don’t know why. I don’t access it very often. Now I’ve got a blog for the Mass Communications class.
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