Research Topic

     Video games have long had a sense of controversy behind them since the advent of next-generation gaming. There have been numerous political and moral witch hunts surrounding the content of games, be it because of sexual themes or violence. Politicians and angry mothers have been outraged in the past because of the violence and other various content in a video game "corrupting the innocence" of their impressionable young children. In my research I aim to look at video games from a therapeutic, educational, and beneficial aspect. There have been numerous studies involving using video games as use of physical and mental therapy and training. One such example I will be examining is the use of video games to aid in people with a mentally or physically disabling disorder. http://news.cnet.com/8301-11386_3-57396431-76/parkinsons-patients-test-video-games-as-therapy-video/
     Video games also can be used as training for business and the military, another key topic I will be looking at throughout my research. http://www.wired.com/dangerroom/2011/11/virtual-explosions/

Maus

       My reading of Maus allowed me to examine and apply some of the principles presented in the reading in Understanding Comics. One thing that I noticed was the mention of the representation of humanity through abstract or simplistic art. The main characters in Maus are drawn as relatively simplistically drawn mice, but still maintain a human form because of their upright postures and their realistic human clothing. The reader can identify with the characters because of their human-like looks and their simplistic facial expressions. The unusually realistic background images help the characters blend in and makes the reader really enter the world of the characters. They feel at home and identify with the simplicity of the character design but at the same time become engrossed in the mysticism of the highly detailed backgrounds. The frames of the comic are set up in a very precise, linear manner allowing the reader to follow the sense of time lapse within the story.

Social Subjectivity

The I-Phone 4s. Does the s stand for sexism?

The use of a female voice that is intended to be your servant, the person who blindly listens to whatever you say and helps you out is quite frankly slightly odd. It's not just Apple's high tech phone where female sounding voices are here to please. GPS and translator services are almost always female voices.

Maybe it is because a female voice is more soothing and many find more comfort in it as opposed to a rough male voice. I find it to be slightly sexist, as it reinforces the sexist idea that women are here to serve men, or anyone in general. I find it disturbing that people are so quick to accept the robotic female voice without questioning whether or not it is ethically and morally right to constantly give orders to a woman.

Just take a second to think about how much you would use your SIRI or your GPS if it was a rugged, rough sounding male voice.

500 Days of Summer

500 Days of summer isn't exactly the traditional love story we all have come to know and love. It has the twists and turns of an average relationship, but at the core it is very different. It does however, despite all the jumping back and forth in time and the relatively non-linear story, follow a traditional three-act structure.

1. The dynamic introduced in act one is when Tom meets Summer, he instantly feels attracted to her but hears from his friend and co-worker that she may not be the nicest of girls. He begins to feel frustration and despair as he trys to get her attention, which he finally does. They go steady for awhile but then things begin to go downhill..

2. The rising action is Tom attempting to get Summer back after he hits a low point in their relationship, he emails her, he calls her, he grieves over love lost, he even quits his job; all in an attempt to get the woman he thinks he loves back. In the end he meets her at the park and finds out she married someone else, which leads to the climax of the story.

3. The climax of the story is when Tom goes for his new architecture interview and he meets Autumn. This love story ends at an unusual place for a relationship to be portrayed in a movie, the start of it.

Cultural Object

   Ideological versus Mythology

• The ideology of this product is showing off the golden beauty of a fine piece of jewelry. There isn't necessarily any marketing techniques being employed here, it just shows the piece of jewelry and all of it's elegance up in front, showing the potential customer(s) exactly what they will get if they purchase it.  
• The aspect of mythology comes into play when looking into the deeper meaning of the cross. It is a symbol of spiritualism and Christianity. 

   Denotation

• The denotation of this product is just blatant showing of the beautiful jewelery. There are really no ploys being used it is just up front representation of the prodcut.

   Connotation

• The connotations are highly spiritual and religious, as well as having some economical and social implications. Seeing as the cross is made of solid gold, it is likely that the price of it is quite high.

"Bulletproof Love"

  The video I will be analyzing is "Bulletproof Love" by the pop/punk/rock group Pierce The Veil. This song features an all male band and is a video that tells a tale of a woman and a man. The video is unique for several reasons.

• The usual objectification of women that occurs in most modern videos is absent

• The man in this video seems to be the one who is under control of the woman as opposed to the usual scenario in which the woman is trying to get the attention of the man

• The situation where the saddened, heartsick woman walks in on her husband cheating on her doesn't occur here, instead the opposite occurs.

Towards the end of the video the role of the woman switches gears as she is shown waiting in the bedroom trying to seduce the man, a portrayal of woman that is very typical of pop-culture. Instead of objectifying the woman and falling prey to her seduction like so many other people.

Another interesting thing about this video is the representation of a divorce or a breaking off of  a relationship, and while the song is supposed to be a sad one about the turmoil of a shattered relationship I think in some ways it makes a statement about women's and in some ways men's independence.

This video to me is a prime example the way women should be portrayed in media. While I am not opposed to the idea that "sex sells,' to me, I think it is more important to portray women as figures of power instead of always showing them as "objects" or "toys" to be utilized by the men. 

This video is an example of a diamond in the rough, a needle in a haystack, or in the case of societal norms for the portrayal of women in media, a piece of hay in a needle stack.

An advertisement you can't refuse.

Semiotics gives us an insight into the inner workings of the brain of the advertisers, the audience, and even the advertisement itself.

SIGN: There are two signs in this advertisement, the coke tap, and the pepsi can. The pepsi can is the sign of the fresh taste that is preferable to coke, atleast as represented in this particular advertisement.

SIGNIFIER: The signifier in this advertisement is the little girl. She starts off innocent and simply asks for a Pepsi. Upon receiving the wrong beverage she quickly changes and adopts the voice of an Italian mobster. The point of this is to really drive home the fact that Pepsi is supposedly better than coke, and if you don't agree you have to deal with the "Godfather."

SIGNIFIED:  The signified is the concept that is reinforced/represented by the signifier, in this case, Pepsi cola is better than coke, appealing to all ages and walks of life.