What She Wore

“She appeared to be one of those kind of little chicks between — could be any age up to 25. She did not look like a 13-year-old scared little thing.”

That was what actress, Anjelica Huston said in the defence of her friend, director Roman Polanski, who was convicted in 1977 for raping a 13 year old girl in Los Angeles. That was only one of the many excuses given since Polanski was declared a fugitive when he escaped from the States after his conviction.

The victim had repeatedly said no to his sexual advances, but like many people of power, he ignored her wishes. Even now, his work continues to be celebrated. His 2002 film, the Pianist, has won numerous BAFTA's and Oscar's. In 2009, several Hollywood elites such as Steven Speilberg and Woody Allen have petitioned for his release from a Swiss jail.

So, what does it say for mass media when directors like Polanski remain as a Hollywood power player?

Victim blaming plays a massive role in normalizing rape culture, and the stereotypical portrayal of women in the media is worsening the situation.

Most advertisements, tv shows, movies, and books desensitize and stimulate the audience towards the sexual objectification of women.

• A Dolce & Gabbana ad campaign glamorizing gang rape.

• Edward Cullen, hero of the Twilight series, is extremely possessive towards his love interest, Bella Swan. Some examples include entering her room without her permission, and disabling her car to prevent her from meeting her friends. It doesn't help either that the author romanticizes these actions instead of cautioning against them.

• Popular korean drama "Boys over Flowers" has the rich and handsome lead ordering his classmates to sexually harass and bully the heroine. Logically of course, they wind up as a couple by the end of the series.

• American Psycho's Patrick Bateman and his friends discuss their definition of a "hardbody":

• GQ's cover story on 'Glee.'

As the media continues to cultivate these shallow perceptions of women, public service announcement ads  such as the one posted above are crucial to counter those misogynistic ideals.

 There's even a documentary discussing the impact of these issues. In 2011, Miss Representation premiered at the Sundance Film Festival. Directed by Jennifer Siebel Newsom,it aims to spread awareness of the under-representation of women in media.

"Can You Resist the Temptation?"

Man, this game was so FRUSTRATING.

Just like Adam and Eve, I have failed to overcome the temptations of this evil, evil game. Produced by Hasbro, we, the peons of Media Appreciation were unsuspectingly lured into playing it.

The rules were simple, announced the overseer.

Each individual would be given a set of cards. The cards were embedded a certain word that would need to be described for the others to guess.

Does it sound simple? Don't worry, it's not.

Say the word given is "tuxedo", you must, under no circumstances utter the other words listed under "tuxedo". Those words are:

• wear
• black tie
• formal
• bow tie

Do you see the predicament, now?

Only a few prevailed while the others faltered. Some of the fallen accidentally uttered the answer, automatically eliciting the annoying buzzer. Some were too nervous to even begin, and some just started swearing (yours truly).

It was difficult at first. Numerous factors had to be taken care of at the same time.

• You need to beat the hour glass. 
• You had to restrain yourself from blurting your description, as the first word is often a taboo. 
• You must be fast in processing the taboos, and immediately improvise a different description.  
• You shouldn't let yourself be distracted by the piercing buzzer.
• You mustn't attempt to speak louder than your guessers when they're guessing. Accept the fact that they'll continue shouting even if you've stated that their answers are wrong.

After the initial attempt, I observed my classmates turns. The ones who were successful were calm, as they silently took in the taboos. As they started explaining, I noticed their eyes weren't trained towards the guessers. Instead, they were focused on the card. If a card took more than a minute, it would instantly be switched to another one.

The thought process is self-explanatory. Process means a series of actions or steps taken to achieve an end. It must be efficiently applied in order to win Taboo. When we see the given word, it triggers an explosion of ideas in our brain. The thought process helps to arrange those ideas into a logical interpretation.

By frequently playing Taboo, it trains your thought process to be quick, organized, and expressive. Therefore, you'll actually be able to present your thoughts in a concise, understandable, and short manner.

Comédie Noire

Black humour
Noun: the juxtaposition of morbid and farcical elements (in writing or drama) to give a disturbing effect.

Delicatessen
Noun: a store selling cold cuts, cheeses, a variety of salads, etc.

Film-makers Jean-Pierre Jeunet and Marc Caro successfully combined both of those two elements to create the artistic masterpiece, Delicatessen, their first feature film in 1991.

 A saccharine sweet love story, multiple comedic suicide attempts, and most importantly, the practice of cannibalism in a post-apocalyptic society are just among the few sub-plots of this whimsically sinister film.

Jean-Claude Dreyfus (Clapet)

Louison is a former clown who arrives at the delicatessen in response to a job vacancy. The butcher of the delicatessen, Clapet, is also the landlord of the apartment above. Louison would fill in the position of handyman for a few months. Initially, his presence was greeted with indifference by the other tenants, but eventually his kindness wins them over. The most interested was the butcher's timid daughter, Julie. Their story is a beautiful flower blooming among the ashes of a collapsed community. However, Julie knows that in order for Louison to love her, she must let him go.




Jean-Claude Dreyfus's performance as the heartless Clapet was quite impressive. He evoked empathy as a father, who in his own misguided methods tries to protect his daughter's innocence.

Marie-Laure Dognac (Julie) and Dominique Pinon (Louison)

Jeunet and Caro are experienced artistic directors, so it is expected for the film to be a visual feast .Each scene is illuminated with a specific colour scheme. The outdoors are tinted with a hazy feel, emphasising the barren wasteland of a fallen society. Jeunet remarked that the reason he put Marie-Laure Dognac (the actress playing Julie) in green during her date with Louison, was because it contrasted with the orange tones of her apartment. The same technique would be applied in Jeunet's subsequent critical success, Amelie.

The plot could be confusing at times if you're not paying attention, but I don't think that's possible. Even if the cinematography isn't enchanting enough, certain scenes will definitely do the job.

  

Social Media Depression

In our previous Media Appreciation lesson, we were required to write about one of the branches belonging to the Limited Effects Theory. Therefore, I have chosen a theory that resonates a bit about my personality. 

Currently, there are seven branches that make up the Limited Effects Theory. One of them is called the Uses and Gratification Approach. This theory comprises of four categories:

• cognition
• diversion
• social utility
• withdrawal

My post for today will be about the fourth category, withdrawal.

Like many teens, I grew up as a socially awkward kid. Self-esteem was also a bit of an issue. I detested going out, especially in crowded areas. My palms would get sweaty, and it was as if everyone was staring at me. Even small talk was absolute torture. I would replay past conversations and agonize over my words when in reality, I hadn't said anything wrong.  

My demeanour didn't exactly scream "confident", either. My eyes were constantly directed towards the ground so much, that I could recognize a person through their footwear. I would also purposely rearrange my bangs in front of my face. Luckily, nobody mistook me as a 'pontianak', but they probably thought I didn't know of this great new invention called a 'comb'.

To sum it up, I voluntarily isolated myself from most social activities.

 But of course, when you're alone, you get bored. To relieve myself of said boredom, I turned to books and the Internet. Both were methods of experiencing the world without actually having to live in it. To a teenage self-defeatist, that sounded like a wonderful alternative. 

My experience wasn't specifically about Facebook. It was about the Internet as a whole. The Internet could answer all of my questions, make me laugh, and provide interesting insights that I couldn't have thought of myself. Why did I need any real-life friends? The Internet would always be there for me as long as my parents didn't forget to pay the telephone bill.

I withdrew myself from society. A barrier was erected between me and the rest of my community. 

However, psychological experts have stressed that social media isn't the cause of depression, but it does worsen the mental disorder.

I don't believe I suffer from adolescent depression, but I do believe other teenagers are. According to a paper published by the Department of Psychology of Northern Illinois University, there are at least 1 in every 8 adolescents that are diagnosed with the disorder. 

Based on a research by helpguide.org, one of the symptoms are feelings of worthlessness and guilt. Therefore, they place extreme importance on other people's opinions. What they think of themselves is secondary, the judgement of society is the priority.

Hurtful comments will inflict damage on their self-perception. Cyber bullying would definitely demolish their confidence. This dysfunction of the media perpetuates a vicious cycle. 

The more I withdraw, the more isolated I become.

The more isolated I become, the more awkward I'll be.

The more awkward I am, the more frustrated I'll feel.

The more frustrated I feel, the more I withdraw.

Related links:      

http://www.thedailybeast.com/newsweek/2012/07/08/is-the-internet-making-us-crazy-what-the-new-research-says.html

http://hyperboleandahalf.blogspot.com/2011/10/adventures-in-depression.html

The Great Gatsby

Author: F. Scott Fitzgerald

Publisher: Scribner

Page Count: 218

In the first chapter, we are introduced to Nick Carraway, the “honest” narrator. He is visiting his cousin, Daisy, and her aristocratic husband, Tom Buchanan. An island away, lives his neighbour, Jay Gatsby, a millionaire famous for his weekly parties. Upon gaining Gatsby’s friendship, Nick ends up as an observer in the bubble of the rich and blameless.

For Gatsby to win over Daisy, he didn’t have to be rich, he had to be born rich. Self-made millionaires like him built their fortune through the illegal sale, or manufacture of alcohol. The Prohibition Act enforced in 1920, banned the substance to improve public morality. It created a social distinction where the “new money” millionaires were regarded with contempt by the “old money” elites.

Publishers were reluctant to accept Fitzgerald’s manuscript. Considered morally offensive, reception for the novel was underwhelming. Author, H.L Mencken saw the story as “no more than a glorified anecdote” while playwright, Laurence Stallings “did not think for one moment, in reading this book that ‘here is a great novel’.” Fitzgerald’s response proved prophetic for the ever evolving critical success of his classic. “An author ought to write for the youth of his own generation and the critics of the next.”         

 Modern literary critics think of the Great Gatsby as one of the 'Great American Novels'. It means that the novel is the most accurate embodiment of the American zeitgeist during the time of its writing. 

Fitzgerald's greatest work is an important reminder of America's past. He expressed a cynical sentiment of the values that would come to define the concept of the American Dream. He views the "dream" as an illusion, a utopian ideal that never existed in the first place. It is an opinion that is still resonating loudly among the present society.

The Emergence of Mr. Brightside

In the spring of 2004, a little known indie band called The Killers dominated British airwaves. Their debut single, Mr. Brightside, propelled them to the top of the UK charts. Labeled as the "best british band from America", they achieved mainstream success in the US also, but it wasn't anywhere near the popularity they attained in the UK.

Mr. Brightside, lead single of the Killers debut album, Hot Fuss was a tribute to the sounds of Depeche Mode, the Cure, and Duran Duran. They were apart of the retro reinvention of rock music, a genre commonly classified as post-punk revival.


Popular bands of the 70s and 80s had a profound influence on modern bands such as Franz Ferdinand, Yeah Yeah Yeahs, and the Strokes. Post-punk revival was defined as a sub-culture of alternative rock which derived inspiration from the post-punk and New Wave movement of the late 1970s. It is popularly characterized by a DIY vibe, repetitive guitar chords, and synthesizers. However, the genre is too broad to categorize only a certain sound.

These are the influences,

And these are the influenced,

But it wasn't just the music that mattered. Image also played a very important role.

During their early days, bands like the Killers and Franz Ferdinand subsisted on a diet of fitted jeans, "guyliner" (just plain ol' eyeliner, really), coiffed hair, and skinny ties. Bands like the Strokes and the Black Keys were a little bit different. Their clothing style was a fusion of Nirvana and the Sex Pistols. Therefore,

Grunge + Punk = Homeless Hipsters 

The Killers, 2005

Post-punk revival started as an indie movement. In 2003, it emerged among the mainstream and was extremely well-received. These bands started winning major music awards such as the Grammy's, the VMA's, and the Billboard Music Awards. You would see them everywhere: on Saturday Night Live, on talk shows, in Apple commercials, and in music and fashion magazines.

They coincidentally became the poster child for the rebellion against the polished pop music of the early 2000s. Britney Spears and her ex-Mouseketeers were considered "manufactured" and "robotic", while indie bands such as Interpol and the Arctic Monkeys were regarded as "authentic" and "exciting".

The Strokes, 2003

Teenagers and young adults alike were in a flurry to be the first to discover the "Next Big Thing", a title given to the Arctic Monkeys who were discovered via the Internet. The indie-er the band, the cooler you looked. Even the way you dressed was a social commentary of your musical tastes, ergo band t-shirts sold like hot cakes, and concert wrist bands were proudly displayed. These items were proof that you were actually fans of the band. Therefore, you were a fan of "real" music.

Post-punk revival became the new "cool".  

But just like the trends of squiggly bracelets, and men's fedoras, the popularity of post-punk revival declined in 2007. Most of the bands mentioned above either disbanded or are on hiatus. Only a few like the Killers and Franz Ferdinand are still going strong, but their post-punk revival roots aren't as obvious now when compared to their debuts.

However, it seems that it is making a comeback again since 2011. Fortunately, bands such as the Black Keys and Foster the People are continuing to develop this eccentric, jangly, but ultimately catchy brand of music.

"Oh What a Tangled Web We Weave"

How credible is the news?

Shattered Glass is a film based on the true story of former journalist, Stephen Glass. He was a rising star of an influential American publication, called The New Republic (TNR). It was discovered that he fabricated most, if not all of his articles. The film details the downfall of his career.

Our Intro to Media lecturer, Miss Zihan, showed us the film last Thursday. We had been learning about news writing earlier, so this was to be an example of bad journalism. What interested me the most was Hayden Christensen's portrayal of Glass.

After 10 or so minutes, I found Glass to be, for lack of a better word, creepy. Before watching, we were only given a brief synopsis. I assumed that Glass would be a slick, convincing Neal Caffrey-like character, since he did manage to dupe an entire publication for years.

 The film starts with Glass addressing a roomful of students at his old high school. His former teacher proudly gushes about his achievements while the students stare in admiration. As he recounts his experience with TNR, the viewers are shown flashbacks of the investigation.

This is where it started to confuse me. The flashbacks showed him getting fired by his editor, but why was he still introduced as a star reporter at his old school?

It was finally revealed that the classroom scene was a figment of his imagination. In the aftermath of the scandal, he was actually in a meeting with his lawyer, and his former editors. The final scene was of him dealing with the legal ramifications of his actions.

Even till the end of the film, Glass still hasn't stopped lying. His pathological symptoms makes me wonder if the flashbacks were also seen from his point of view.

Yes, he was caught in the end, but he was portrayed as an emotionally fragile and awkward young man. Some viewers that seek to sympathize with his character may justify his actions by pointing out the parental pressure he was facing.

But I disagree. He didn't fabricate one article, he fabricated DOZENS. He could've voluntarily resigned before getting caught. In fact, if he was good enough to pass off believable fiction, why didn't he work for the literary section of the New Yorker? Amusingly enough, Glass has written a fictional novel after the TNR scandal.

What's the story about? A young journalist who fabricates his articles for the advancement of his career.