Today's Communication

The new age of technology has had a large impact on how we communicate. The first developments were letters that were sent many miles to communicate over long distances. This meant that people did not have to be face to face to discuss ideas or to receive messages. The next development was the telephone that revolutionized communication over large distances. This meant that communication between two people was now a quick and easy process. No longer did you have to see the person to be able to hear their voice. In today’s world we have a number of new communication tools such as cell phones, text messaging, internet messaging services and community websites such as Facebook. A more recent trend in my life has been the use of text messaging through my cell phone. No longer do I find myself calling friends, instead I text message them to find out what they are doing. I find this odd because the cell phone was created in order for people to talk through voice communication and not text. It has evolved as a communication tool and today I see more people typing messages on their phones then talking on them. There is defiantly less face to face communication today then there was in the past. Everyone owns a cell phone and if they don’t then they have a computer which they use to communicate with their closest friends. You no longer have to be in the presence of your friends to get the latest news on their lives. This seems very convenient but it means there is less personal interaction. You can talk with close friends for long periods of time over the internet but is this form of communication valid in comparison to true personal interaction. It defiantly is a form of communication between two people but I would not put it on the same level as a true sit down discussion. The emotions and facial expressions that can be seen in real life can only be impersonated on a computer or cell phone. I think the communication technology will continue develop and more convenient forms will be created. It is important to get back to the personal level of communication because that facet of today’s world is quickly disappearing to the age of technology.

Facebook Frenzy

It was late summer of 2006 when I signed up for the relatively new website called Facebook. I knew what I was getting myself into because I had seen other sites such as MySpace. These sites allow you to create a profile page where you put your general information, add friends and send/receive messages. You start out in a network such as London, Ontario where you can view people in the area and find old friends. One significant feature of Facebook that I really enjoyed was the ability to tag other people’s profiles to photos. This means that you can link someone’s profile to there face in your photo album. Facebook seemed like a great idea where I can add old friends and communicate with them for free. Just recently I added my cousins who I had not seen in many years to my profile. I think it is really cool that I can add people from my past and communicate with them. Facebook has a number of benefits but with these benefits comes negatives. One thing I dislike about Facebook is the ability for others to spy or look upon your profile. It is relatively easy for someone to look at your profile and see what you have been up to recently. There is a nice little update feature that displays everything you do on your profile such as messages sent/received, what friends you have added and events you plan on attending. Facebook has put in place an advanced privacy network to prevent others from viewing your profile. Basically if you sign up for Facebook then you are not looking for much privacy in your life. The photo tag feature can also be seen as a bad thing. I have seen a number of examples where people have been tagged doing inappropriate things and later getting caught because it is linked to their profiles for the world to see. I hear the term “creeping” a lot in association with Facebook. It is easy to wander through the site looking at other people’s profile which is known as facebook “creeping”. You can spend an hour looking at friend’s friend’s friends or trying to find out what old classmates are doing. I like Facebook because it is more interactive then e-mail. I think we are evolving away from e-mail and using other forms of communication such as Facebook to talk with friends. I enjoy the Facebook experience and soon expect another website to popup that will take Facebook by storm and became the higher power in the online communication world.

Violence in Video Games

I think the issue of video games violence is severely over exaggerated and the issue is played out. The video game industry is a multi-billion industry. There are a number of large scale companies such as Nintendo and Microsoft who are driving the industry. A major issue over the years has been the violence in a number of video games and what that means for the people playing these games. In today’s market there is a very distinct rating system in place that rates all games on a scaled basis. People who think that video games lead to killing are out of their mind. These people who kill have personal issues and problems outside the use of video games. I grew up with a gaming system in my home and I know from personal experience that gaming does not lead to any form of violence. If anything television and movies have a larger impact on a personal perception of violence and killing. People don’t want to look at the deeper issues of these people such as abuse and inner pent up anger. Video games are just an out to blame these violent crimes on rather then the real issue. There is a wide range of variety in today’s video game market. The violent video games of today have a strict rating system put in place. If parents wish to purchase these violent games then they are the ones to blame with the issue of violence in videogames. We need to stop pointing the finger at the smaller issue of video games which have been around for more then 20 years and look at issues such as safe parenting that need much more attention.

Perceptions on Race

Much of our cultures perceptions on other cultures are biased based due to the media. Many races do not associate with other races on a personal level therefore they depend heavily on the media for personal perspectives. If you are in socially involved with other races on a personal level then you will use personal experience rather then the media to help you form your personal opinions. The Medias involvement ultimately consciously or subconsciously changes your perception on a specific race. The African American community is generally harshly portrayed and viewed in the media which leads to a number of false perceptions that are unfair and prejudged. People have a number of false stereotypes that they may not consciously assume they possess. This is because they have very little personal exposure to these cultures. The media needs to assume a more positive role in stopping racial stereotypes. Many of the viewers of television are of a white background so the media has formed entertainment that is directed towards this target market. Many other races are unfairly put into stereotypical roles in the media. This is doing nothing to help improve racial perceptions. We live in a world of prejudgment and stereotypes that must be addressed by the media so current trends do not continue.

The Media Monster

The media has the biggest impact on someone’s personal perspectives on life, people and themselves in today’s society. The media is everywhere and it is impossible to escape. It forces people to have phoney perspectives on life such as false body images, assumptions on race and views on violence. It is hard to turn away from this media monster and have your own personal perceptions on some of the major issues in today’s society. The media is causing young woman to turn into skeletons and for males to bulk up and hit the gym. If people do not attain these goals then the results can be depression, loneliness and even death. It is hard to get away from these perfect images that the media provides. In most cases these images are unattainable because they have been created to endorse a product or business. Therefore the people that strive to achieve the status of a figure in the media have impossible goals and the results can be devastating. The real question is if it is possible to turn away from this media monster and have our own views and opinions. In today’s market there are many more forms of media such as the internet. Everywhere you go there are false media messages being sent out to in magazines, newspapers, and television. It is very important to shut out the false media perceptions and set your own standards for yourself. People need to realize that the media over exaggerates many ideals which makes them unattainable. The general public needs to strive for what they want not what the media monster says is best.

Passport Grief

It all started on November 2nd, 2007. This was a week away from our departure date to Italy on November 9th. I had everything purchased and mostly packed in my anticipation of going away. We started off the Friday with a three hour GIS class. After the class we had a brief meeting about Italy. Our teacher, Martin, just wanted to verify that everyone had the proper documentation to go away on the trip. This documentation included passport and insurance, both of which I had. He made sure everyone had a valid passport and mine expired on January of 2008. This was over a month after we were set to arrive back into Canada on November 18th, 2007. I told Martin when my passport expired and he explained to me that in Europe they want passports that expire no earlier then 4 months after you return to your country. This would mean that my passport was far off from this 4 month window after my return. Right then I began to freak out because I knew that were we set to leave in a week. I had to renew my passport in less then 5 business days. My classmates told me that was impossible to get a new passport in this time which only added to my frustrations. From this meeting I rushed to the nearest photography shop to get my passport photos taken. I knew that if I went down to the passport office without photos then I would only wait in line for a few hours and then be sent out to get new photos. After getting these photos I rushed down to the passport office. It was around 3:00 pm and the office was packed. I knew that waiting in line might not even get me anywhere on this frustrating Friday so I went to the information booth. I asked the lady if it were possible to get a new passport if I came in on Monday, bright and early. She said that if I came in and paid a bit more money then I could have my passport renewed in just a few days. On Monday morning I woke up early and went back to the office and waited in line. I was ended up being second in line but still had to wait a good hour before I talked to someone after the office opened. The last process was the pickup of my new passport on Thursday. I knew that if there were any troubles with shipping my passport then I would be in big trouble for my trip. Luckily my passport was there for pickup on Thursday afternoon. The whole process was very stressful because of the tight time schedule and I only wish my trip coordinator would have told me this information earlier than a week before we were set to leave. The benefit to this whole process is that I now have a valid passport for another four years.