Catcher in the Rye was a book that had a huge influence on me because it was the first time that I have ever read a first person narrative that was from the point of view from a teenager that reflected more adult themes than I usually read. The writing style was also a very original form because it was like a having a conversation that went off into loosely connected tangents.
Nineteen Eighty-Four was a book that opened my eyes to an authoritarian type of society and the parallels that occur in real life. I also enjoyed the fictional world that George Orwell created in which 'Big Brother' was always watching.
Brave New World is probably my favorite book that I have read for the last couple years. It dealt with futurisic world where people were born into an exaggerated class system of today. They are born and bred to do certain jobs which they know nothing other than that since their minds are being controlled from a powerful mind control/pleasure inducing called soma. I liked this book because of one of the book's theme of the selective breeding of assembly line workers who have no will and those who are see through that guise and don't accept that.
Monday, January 25, 2010
Tuesday, January 19, 2010
Week 2: Media Impact
For my media research project I propose studying Advertisements and how their messages affect the behavior of consumers. I would be trying to determine how advertisements influence consumers' purchases on expendable and essential items. I would use the method of random sampling when it comes to interviewing consumers. I would ask how much media they around during the day, what kinds of products they buy, what they look for in buying products and how they come to their conclusions for buying products. I would then cross-reference what the products they buy with the amount of advertisements there are for products and how much media coverage there is for the products. I predict that a large amount of expendable items(ipods, computers, clothes) would be influenced by the amount advertisements that go into a product.
Sunday, January 10, 2010
Books - I have always enjoyed reading books of witty humor and interesting subject matter of philosophical subjects. But it has not always been this way. I used to not like to read books for any matter. And its not because I was a bad reader because I actually was considered a high reading level in school. It was because I was lazy and would prefer to hang out with my friends. I did pull through my classes reading the required text but I often found my self struggling to finish books. Right now I'm reading a book call "More Information Than You Require," by John Hodgman which is a satirical historical fact encyclopedia.
Newspapers - I read newspapers often from 3-5 times a week. I used to read the newspaper everyday when I was in middle school and early high school but I now i find less and less time to myself to do so. I read the Silicon Valley's "Metro" more often than I would the San Jose Mercury Newspaper and this usually takes place at my place of work. I do like the stories in the "Metro" because it is technology related and community based news rather than frightening and depressing news that is sometimes found in national newspaper.
Magazines - I only subscribed to skateboarding, video game and automobile magazines until a few years ago but now I don't really read magazines that much anymore. I read many "Gamepro", "Nintendo Power" and "Game Informer" and sometimes still do if a friend has one laying around. I do not enjoy magazines that are like celebrity gossip-based magazines because I do not see the fascination with famous people to point where I want to know what they are doing every week.
Movies - For the past four years I have usually gone to the movies 2-4 time a week with either my girlfriend or with my friends. This is one of my favorite pasttimes because I'm able to get out of my house but yet be comfortable. I really enjoy comedies like Wes Anderson films (Bottle Rocket, Rushmore, The Life Aquatic with Steve Zissou, Fantastic Mr. Fox) because of the interesting, eccentric characters played by extraordinary actors. I think that the one thing that appeals to me in movies is the sense of realism, interesting characters and a plot that is overall entertaining.
Recordings - Music and recordings are the most important media in my life. Having a musical background in drum set percussion pushes to me to always have an open ear to music and to be able really hear what is going on within the message. I'm especially interested in experimental, mainstream and freeform jazz fusion like the Robert Glasper Experiment. I'm also into math rock indie music like Maps and Atlases, Tera Melos and The Mars Volta. I can appreciate any kind of music that takes skill to compose, execute and that overall has a attractive sound whatever that may be considering that taste is something that is formed from life experiences. I have tastes in string quartets, electronics artists like Panda Bear, Dan Deacon and Ratatat and also Hip-hop like Mos Def, the Roots, Dangermouse and Chromeo. These appeal to because of the thought process that goes into coming up with a catchy melody and expanding on it almost exponentially while keeping a constant groove.
Television - I watch many hours of television and my interests are varied depending on my mood. Discovery Channel is a favorite of mine because of Mythbusters, Man vs. Wild, Dirty Jobs and Planet Earth which are all very informative shows about the world in general and entertaining at the same time. I also find pleasure in watching comedy shows and cartoons like South Park, The Venture Brothers, Superjail, The Simpsons, Tim and Eric Awesome Show, Great Job!, and Arrested Development. I do dislike many shows like reality shows, celebrity review show and game shows though due to the cheap entertainment value.
The Internet - I spend days on the internet at a time and then I could go days without using the internet. I find it a good way to spend free time and when used contstructively it can be informational. I know that I used it to watch youtube videos, talk to people on facebook, and download music. It has really become a social tool for most people I think and it has been able to be an icebreaker at times the way that I use it. I do hate the spam that comes with the internet which is why I set e-fire to all of my spam on gmail.
Newspapers - I read newspapers often from 3-5 times a week. I used to read the newspaper everyday when I was in middle school and early high school but I now i find less and less time to myself to do so. I read the Silicon Valley's "Metro" more often than I would the San Jose Mercury Newspaper and this usually takes place at my place of work. I do like the stories in the "Metro" because it is technology related and community based news rather than frightening and depressing news that is sometimes found in national newspaper.
Magazines - I only subscribed to skateboarding, video game and automobile magazines until a few years ago but now I don't really read magazines that much anymore. I read many "Gamepro", "Nintendo Power" and "Game Informer" and sometimes still do if a friend has one laying around. I do not enjoy magazines that are like celebrity gossip-based magazines because I do not see the fascination with famous people to point where I want to know what they are doing every week.
Movies - For the past four years I have usually gone to the movies 2-4 time a week with either my girlfriend or with my friends. This is one of my favorite pasttimes because I'm able to get out of my house but yet be comfortable. I really enjoy comedies like Wes Anderson films (Bottle Rocket, Rushmore, The Life Aquatic with Steve Zissou, Fantastic Mr. Fox) because of the interesting, eccentric characters played by extraordinary actors. I think that the one thing that appeals to me in movies is the sense of realism, interesting characters and a plot that is overall entertaining.
Recordings - Music and recordings are the most important media in my life. Having a musical background in drum set percussion pushes to me to always have an open ear to music and to be able really hear what is going on within the message. I'm especially interested in experimental, mainstream and freeform jazz fusion like the Robert Glasper Experiment. I'm also into math rock indie music like Maps and Atlases, Tera Melos and The Mars Volta. I can appreciate any kind of music that takes skill to compose, execute and that overall has a attractive sound whatever that may be considering that taste is something that is formed from life experiences. I have tastes in string quartets, electronics artists like Panda Bear, Dan Deacon and Ratatat and also Hip-hop like Mos Def, the Roots, Dangermouse and Chromeo. These appeal to because of the thought process that goes into coming up with a catchy melody and expanding on it almost exponentially while keeping a constant groove.
Television - I watch many hours of television and my interests are varied depending on my mood. Discovery Channel is a favorite of mine because of Mythbusters, Man vs. Wild, Dirty Jobs and Planet Earth which are all very informative shows about the world in general and entertaining at the same time. I also find pleasure in watching comedy shows and cartoons like South Park, The Venture Brothers, Superjail, The Simpsons, Tim and Eric Awesome Show, Great Job!, and Arrested Development. I do dislike many shows like reality shows, celebrity review show and game shows though due to the cheap entertainment value.
The Internet - I spend days on the internet at a time and then I could go days without using the internet. I find it a good way to spend free time and when used contstructively it can be informational. I know that I used it to watch youtube videos, talk to people on facebook, and download music. It has really become a social tool for most people I think and it has been able to be an icebreaker at times the way that I use it. I do hate the spam that comes with the internet which is why I set e-fire to all of my spam on gmail.
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