Our culture in a nutshell...
Contemporary culture is much different and intertwined today compared to what our grandparents may have experienced. Once, it was a simpler time. There was no iPhone or Twitter to tweet instant messages on jokes you came up with on the fly. Still, they experienced cultural changes due to technology advancements in media. Even for them you can imaging how they adapted to the boom of movies and television drama on their boxed television sets or in movie theaters...
In Erika Prijatelj's (2011) article, Modern Media Phenomenon, today's media culture can be defined as a spectacle, in which a spectacle is distinguished by a mesmerizing performance – with picturesque scenes and extraordinary events that attract attention (Prijatelj, 2011, 109). This phenomenon that shook society greatly influenced the thoughts and actions of an individual, giving way to the new concept of society and culture in whole. Media is our life.
Let's talk about reality TV, shall we?
There was a time when I loved watching reality television shows. Big Brother, Survivor, The Biggest Loser, Whale Wars, Project Runway and Top Model are the few that I used to watch on regular. I honestly tried with the Bachelor and Bachelorette, but I couldn't get into it despite it being extremely popular. With todays media, reality TV sheds light into real life situations, stories, and ideas, presented in a way it is meant to be intimate with the viewers from home. As Prijatelj further goes into detail, "to peep through the keyhole definitely must be thrilling and viewers take a special delight in observing how other people live instead of themselves" (Prijatelj, 2011, 110).
For kicks, here is a video I made in my undergrad study for photography. Video Production was a requirement for my interdisciplinary degree and for this class assignment I had to create a video on an influence that's changed culture. Conveniently, it was to do with reality television. (And I still can't believe I have this.)
First of all, my acting is THE BOMB. It deserves a Razzie Award. (And the reason why I didn't go to acting school in the first place.)
Second, avoid my poor editing skills and poor attempt at a "green" screen at the time. (The studio was booked, so I had to do a makeshift green screen with baby blue bed sheets and cheap lighting set up in my bedroom.)
Third, the video was set up to conceptually comment on the influences of media on society and culture. An example would be reality television, where sometimes situations are manipulated for the purpose of excitement.
In the first season of Whale Wars (2008), in a combat between the Sea Shepherds and whalers, it is shown Shepherds' Captain Paul Watson is allegedly shot by a worker from Japan's "Research" Ship. The scene is set up to show Watson going through his bullet proof clothing and pulling out what looks like a bullet, thus, creating commotion on the ship and people frantically going to Watson's aid. The events of the show were so intense people believed it happened...
However, there has been some teeter-totting on the issue. Japan's Government denies the allegations Sea Shepherd's claim and say there was no foul play; rather, "noise balls" were used - loud explosive deterrent devices to scare away people - after repeated attacks on their whaling ship by Sea Shepherd (McLeod, 2008). Peter Bethune, who used to work with Watson and the Shepherds crew, even claims the apparent shooting could have been a set up. In his interview with The Blaze:
I don't watch as much reality television these days. I can only think of Alaskan Frontier as my most recent viewing. Part of it is because I know television shows are meant to entertain folks; reality television has done the same. It isn't so much of people's stories but what can writers do to up the rankings and views on their networks – all because of us. We've created our culture to be hip and entertaining as we involve mass media to fill the voids in our lives. As Prijatelj notes, this spectacle we have on our culture makes us even question ourselves, that feeling we may get as though we are being watched, opinions heard, like that what is presented on reality television (Prijatelj, 2011, 112).
"SSCS Crew present on that voyage argued strongly to me that the entire episode was faked. I was not on the campaign, so in fact I don’t know if it is in fact true or not. However given what I’ve witnessed in the last year, and my knowledge of the Japanese crew, I would bet $500,000 at odds of 10:1, that the event was staged" (Seidl, 2010).
In short, we are practically consumed by media's influences on culture and society.
Resources:
McLeod, S. (2008, 7 March). Japan Denies Shooting at Sea Shepherd Ship. ABC. Retrieved at http://www.abc.net.au/news/2008-03-07/japan-denies-shooting-at-sea-shepherd-ship/1065896?section=world
Prijatelj, E. (2011). Modern Media Phenomenon. The Person and The Challenges: The Journal of Theology, Education, Canon Law and Social Studies Inspired by Pope John Paul II, vol 1(2), 109-117. DOI: 10.15633/pch.855
Seidel, J. (2010, 6 October). ‘Dishonest’ and ‘Morally Bankrupt’: ‘Whale Wars’ Captain Alleges Lies and Cover-Ups. The Blaze. Retrieved at http://www.theblaze.com/news/2010/10/06/dishonest-and-morally-bankrupt-whale-wars-captain-lashes-out-at-colleagues/
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