Starwars vs. Transformers - Blog 8

I had a few ideas, but I wasn't completely sure what movie was the best fit for our generation; however after giving it some thought, I think the Transformers series is probably at the top of the list. Transformers has been around for quite sometime, but just recently regained it's popularity. So, I'm not sure if this would make it the movie of OUR generation, but I feel like it definitely is way more recognized as a movie of this time period. I thought Transformers would be a good fit for this topic (similarities between SW & T's) because; most of the main characters weren't humanly real, both take place in not-real settings, they both come in a series of movies, and both have caused a large scene. I mean by "large scene" as in, you can walk into any Walmart and almost any other department store and if you keep your 'eyes peeled'  you will notice multiple different objects Transformers & Starwars themed. A few that I could think of off the top of my head would be, clothing (T-shirts, pajamas, underwear), toys/games, costumes, and some smaller things like toothbrushes, bed sets, party supplies, etc. 

When Reality Hits - Blog 7

When People Stop Being Polite by Chuck Klosterman is primarily focused around the reality television The Real World. But that's the question, how real is reality television?  One of the main points that caught my attention the most from the reading was when he [Chuck] mentioned on pages 36-37, "They have to behave as if what they're doing hasn't been done before. Real Worlders, always get into arguments, but you never hear them say, 'Oh, you're only saying that because you know it is going to be on TV,' even though that would be the best comeback 90 percent of the time. [...] The kids talk directly into the camera every single day, but they are ceaselessly instructed to pretend as if they are not being videotapped whenever they're outsie of the confessional. Most of all, they never openly recgonize that they're part of a cultural phenomenon; They never mention how weird it is that people are watching them exist."
I don't understand the cultural phenomenon The Real World has brought to America. Why do we as American's find it so exciting to watch other people exist? I, along with the majority of other people, can agree that we act differently and talk differently while we're being recorded vs. when we're unaware of being recorded. That's the problem with The Real World though, they know that they're being recorded. How can they actually be themselves? I see this as minimal proof of reality, we are just watching people exist, but not act like themselves. The Real World cast members are all strategically placed in the show for some reason; Just as all the members of the seasons have been. I think The Real World is responsible for the newest popular show, The Jersey Shore. The two shows share a similar concept, but yet still have their differences. The Jersey Shore is a house full of strangers, trying to learn how to exist with other people. However, this show is more focused on partying and trivial drama. The Real World still is a bit like that, but with more down-to-earth cast members.
Recently, I was reading or listening to something, somewhere, and it mentioned that the cast members of Jersey Shore don't actually live their lives as a giant party. They are more down-to-earth people as well, when they are off the camera and the set.

Hip Hop & Country Music - Blog 6

What I noticed they had in common was, their results of the "what words do you think other people think.." questionnaire to hip hop and country genres. To my surprise, the results weren't like I thought they would be. However, I do admit, when doing that assignment, I circled answers that I didn't feel were related. I thought other people would think this and that. But they appear to all kind of have the same opinions as I did; When we filled out the "what words do I think.." portion. The only theme I can think of at this point would be stereotyping. For example, the majority of us listed patriotic under the country music and not one of us listed patriotic for hip hop. And we listed youth or young under hip hop, but not country music. See the pattern here? When I, at least, hear country music, I definitely don't automatically think of teenagers. And the same goes for when I hear hip hop, I definitely don't relate that to a middle aged man driving his big truck on a gravel road. Etc.