Wednesday, June 8, 2016

Sexualization of females in video games

This topic is one that I explored for my final web project. I started out by watching many of Anita Sarkeesian's videos. She has plenty to say on the portrayal of women in video games and I encourage you to check out her videos on YouTube as well as her page called Feminist Frequency.

In this particular video, she explores the fashion and clothes of women characters, This is n issue I touch on in my project. Female characters are constantly portrayed in extremely revealing clothing that is all too tight in all the right places. It just makes you wonder why game makers decide to accentuate every aspect of the female body in these games. Especially since they are designed with unrealistic bodies and proportions.

I just do not understand the necessity to sexualize and exaggerate women in these video games. It just makes society's ideals of women even more unrealistic.

Sunday, May 22, 2016

Social Interaction in Danger...

Many of my friends are coming home from being away at school so I have been trying to spend time with them. While hanging out I noticed how much each one of us was on our phones and I immediately got upset. I love my friends and spending time with them, so why do we each feel the need to be on our phones while interacting/being with each other. I mean, wouldn't we rather talk to the person in front of us instead of worrying about what is transpiring on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, etc.?
Media has completely taken over our lives. I just hope I can wean off of it in order to enjoy the people I am with and the places I am in. Just my random thought for the day....

Monday, May 16, 2016

The Next Big Thing for Virtual Reality

I was very intrigued when I came across this article on Forbes about the company Magic Leap. This company has spent the past two years and a lot of other people's money creating a new type of virtual reality technology. No more will people have to put on some chunky hideous goggles in order to experience some cool ass visions. Magic Leap has created a technology that attempts to integrate virtual sights and sounds into the real-life spaces and moments we occupy using a "semitransparent set of lenses photonic lightfield chip that lets users see distance-adjusted apparitions merrily inhabit the ‘real’ world around them".

The next big thing is here, however it is still not available to the public!


Don't Just Stand By

Cyber bullying is a huge issue in today's society that I believe has become a bigger problem as the age of the internet progresses. Many people have become victims to internet bullying and harassment and it makes me wonder, why do people just watch it happen instead of intervening?

I feel as though the individuals who just allow things to unravel on the screen are just as guilty as the individuals engaging in the act of bullying. Put yourself in the victim's position....... wouldn't you want someone to speak up on your behalf or have a good Samaritan fight for you when you can't even fathom what is happening to you?

I have faith that the internet has created a space for people to stand up to bullying. However, I do not believe enough people use their voice to express the wrongness of the activities that go on over the internet.

It is time to speak up, bystanders.

Monday, May 2, 2016

Are Commercials Dead?


Thanks to the evolution of television technology, viewers have been able to avoid commercials whenever they want. This change in television consumption has changed the way companies advertise to viewers. More and more we see ad and brand placements by companies in our favorite TV shows and movies in order to get around the fact that people are not watching their ads.
This brings me to an interesting topic I read about on Forbes website. SNL (Saturday Night Live) reported that they will be cutting back on commercials by 30%, but that does not mean NBC will be losing money from its advertisement revenue. The popular comedy show has decided to introduce sponsored content during their running time. If you like SNL you have seen their commercial spoofs making fun of certain companies and now they will add skits starring the comedians which will be product/brand sponsored.




Is SNL onto a new type of marketing technique? Or are they just trying to get rid of the annoying commercials for their viewers?

Monday, April 18, 2016

Social Media: The Age of Documenting Instead of Experiencing

I read an interesting article from The Huffington Post that got me thinking. Every single day I witness people with their phones glued to their hands. I myself am guilty of relying too heavily on my cellular device. 



But, what is the problem here?

People have stopped living life, enjoying moments, and just observing their surroundings. Instead, they have started to document any and everything they do and see.

How many times have you gone to a concert and noticed that majority of the audience have their cell phone out video taping or taking pictures? Maybe you have not noticed because you are one of those people. Very often, everywhere I go, I witness people taking pictures to document moments or to prove that they are doing something interesting and fun yet they are not truly experiencing these moments and making memories.

I wish phones and social media did not have such a hold on my life. I want to remember the feelings associated with my memories, not just remember the pictures. Maybe it is time to put the phone down and actually interact with people.

Just food for thought...

Sunday, April 17, 2016

Privacy vs Socialization

I can just hear my mother's voice in my head right now...."You better not post that to Facebook" ..... "Don't share that on social media" ...... Yes, I know mother, is always my response.

Growing up, we were all told to never put anything on the Internet that we would not want everyone to see. However, in today's society people are not as concerned with what they post and/or upload because they believe privacy settings will only allow their "friends" to see everything. I truly believe this gives people a false sense of security. There are so many ways around privacy settings and it only takes one friend to "share" something in order for it to be out there for the entire world to see.

I understand that the point of social media is to constantly stay connected and share what's inside your mind, but there are many things that should not be publicly shared. Especially since potential employers, schools, etc. can easily access profiles.

As Lori Andrews states in her book I Know Who You Are and I Saw What You Did: Social Networks and the Death of Privacy, she believes there should be a Social Network Constitution to protect our rights online. I understand where she is coming from and what her concerns are, but I somewhat disagree. I do believe that there are things people post that should not be a criteria for judgment upon potential employment. However, I also think it is the responsibility of the individual to filter what gets put on their own social media pages. Especially when the individual knows potential employers could be looking.

Just remember, nothing you ever do is truly private...... big brother (or someone else) is always watching.......

Monday, April 11, 2016

Google Changed the Game of Information Consumption

"Googleplex" (Company Headquarters)
The company known as the most used search engine in the world has become, dare I say, a necessity for the information hungry. Think about it; how many times a day do you use Google to look up information? I, myself, am guilty of looking up the most random things on an hourly basis. I see something or think of something and end up entering words into that little text box on the screen in front of me.

I am able to do this because Google has cataloged an immense amount of information, websites, pictures, videos, etc., all into one place. They have done it in order to make it easier for curious people like myself. Very rarely do people crack open a good old book while doing research. Why? They have the information at their fingertips.

The internet, social media, and the search engine giant Google, have immensely changed the way individuals consume information. People have become impatient, lazy, information seekers, and I very much believe Google has played a ginormous role in this transition. However, if Google was not the company to do it, somebody else would have been.

Monday, April 4, 2016

What is with this whole blogging thing?

Blogging, it seems, has grown into a ginormous outlet for people from all walks of life to share and interact with each other from the comfort of their own home. I never quite understood the reasoning behind expressing your thoughts online, so in order to better understand the world of blogging, I read an article about Trine-Maria Kristensen. She is a Danish blogger, as well as founder and head of marketing for a market research group. She was interviewed about her life as a blogger as well as her thoughts and opinions on this ever growing web based world. 

I may not be Danish, and therefore cannot understand Trine-Maria's blog posts without a translator, but I was very intrigued to read about her thoughts and opinions on blogging. She appealed to me because I feel as though I can connect with her in numerous ways. I am a major in marketing so I can connect with what she likes to blog about. Also, I have the same passion as her to travel around Italy experiencing the culture and food.

Based off her interview, Trine-Maria seems like the type of person I would really enjoy reading posts from. She mentions that she likes to write about things that irritate her which makes me believe she never holds back. That is definitely something I can appreciate. She likes to spark interest in her readers and welcomes intelligent feedback from her followers.


I truly enjoyed her outlook on the blogging world and how she contributes to it. This interview also makes you realize that you don’t have to have a background in journalism or some sort of writing in order to be a blogger. Simply write about things you are passionate about; you’d be surprised who will listen.

Wednesday, March 30, 2016

Welcome to the inside of my mind

Hello world wide web, this is my first post
Stay tuned for my thoughts and opinions...