The novel coronavirus has been causing major illness and uproar around the globe. Once the virus has been contracted, it causes an illness recently deemed “COVID-19”, but this is not the only thing that has been spreading as a result of the virus. False information (“fake news”) has been circulating faster than the illness itself, and it is of the utmost importance that we take necessary precautions and steps to ensure we are in the know. Similar to how we are practicing social distancing in the real world, we must practice critical thinking in the online one.

With the mass of information circulating online today, it is crucial that users who rely on online sources are fact checking what is being read. Let us take Twitter for example, a platform many people rely on for daily news and updates on events. This environment has always been largely polarized and hostile in my opinion, but recent times have allowed these traits to shine. Current events regarding the global pandemic are being heavily politicized and fingers are being pointed unnecessarily, which is extremely concerning. During times such as these, most would agree that it is imperative that we are all here as one, and are here to support one another unconditionally. Given the fact that (most) people are following the rules and staying inside, it is safe to say there is now significantly more time being spent on social media. This further emphasizes the importance of removing hostility and negativity from the platform in as many ways as possible; users will become consumed by who is at fault, etc. when the only thing that truly matters is progressing forward as one, and as a society. If we look just south of our border, we can make an example of the blaming and politicizing of the coronavirus. The U.S. President has been publicly calling the virus the “Chinese” virus, which is blatantly racist and discriminatory. This immediately implies that one race/ethnicity of people are at fault for what is occurring, which is incorrect and puts the wrong idea in the minds of those who regularly read updates he posts on his Twitter feed. The Chinese people are not the only group Donald Trump has been blaming however, as he recently has also been pointing fingers at the Democratic party, initially claiming the virus to be “their new hoax”. Incredibly hostile political debates have been occurring all over the platform since the pandemic began, and it is clearly not helping anyone in any way. Politicizing this is the last thing we need to do, and any sensible human can agree.

These recent events are fresh, prime examples of why we must be skeptical at all times. Letting your online guard down for even a minute can result in being consumed by negative environments and opinions online, and fact checking (or even basic reasoning) is necessary in order to ensure we make it through these times as one. The statement “power in numbers” has nearly never been wrong, and right now is one of the most crucial times that we do in fact need numbers, and need to unite, as it is the quickest, safest way to progress and flatten the curve.

Without a doubt, all of us have grown up on Disney films, toys, and other related consumables. At first glance, it would most definitely seem as though Disney is out to do nothing but good, delivering messages to children to be strong, never give up, and so on. However, upon examination, it is clear to see that there are many dark, discriminate, and racist underlying themes in almost all of Disney’s classics. In this article, we will examine Disney’s Peter Pan, and Tarzan.

Peter Pan has racist, discriminatory messages within the film regarding indigenous/First Nations individuals. The children come across a group of First Nations, and immediately the racism and stereotyping begins. They are quickly addressed as “Indians”, a racist, politically incorrect term in regards to these groups of people. When the children find the footprints these folks left behind, they began to track them like animals, portraying them as sub-human, and inferior. This is not all however, as when the group of kids find the Indigenous people, countless stereotypes are shown. First, the skin off all of these individuals is red, and mindless dancing, drumming, and singing ensue for minutes upon minutes. These discriminatory and stereotypical aspects of First Nations peoples are portrayed throughout the movie, which is a concern. Raising children and youth on these movies is a risk, given the fact that in some cases, the first time seeing groups of certain individuals through a discriminatory, racist lens.

Another classic Disney film with notions such as these in it is Disney’s Tarzan. In this case, rather than First Nations peoples, the target group is African-Americans. In the jungle, a group of gorillas is found, and there are countless stereotypes that occur throughout the entirety of the film. First of all, the group of gorillas are portrayed as low-class, African-American children. They all speak with a stereotypical accent for this group of individuals, and are shown as less intelligent, and inferior to the white characters in the movie. In addition, most viewers could make the obvious link, making the assumption that Disney is making a comparison between African-Americans and monkeys, a racist, unacceptable message that should not be fed to children at a young age who are influenced very easily.

Not only are some of the messages in Disney’s movies outdated and discriminate, but they are also a threat to the young minds of new generations. It is imperative that more people are made aware of these notions, and that they are prepared to teach their children otherwise. The main reason this is posing a threat is because nowadays, the majority of the population does not think with mindsets such as these, and generally have a more liberal, accepting lens when observing the world. At the end of the day, everyone has grown up on Disney movies, but a group effort still must be made to ensure that racist/stereotypical views and opinions are not revived. We must work towards a better, more equal world.

Sources:

https://screenrant.com/disney-movies-too-dark-for-kids-inappropriate/

Technology and electronics are no doubt becoming more and more of a necessity as time progresses. The rate of technological advancement is at its highest yet, and keeping up can be difficult sometimes. However, it is almost necessary for us to do so. Today, we are going to discuss and deflect claims made against technology, and show value and purpose for its existence.

It is almost a guarantee that we all have that one person in our lives who is constantly complaining about technology. Whether it be how frequently others use it, how they cannot understand it or keep up, or even comparing to how things used to be, there always will be people who express opinions such as these. What people may not understand, is just how crucial being able to use electronics and new tech actually is, especially in terms of finding employment, education, and even just leisurely activities.

The first, and most important aspect of the usefulness of technology would be in terms of education. In university (and even high school), in order to complete many of the required academic activities, a computer or similar device is required. Just possessing a device such as this is not enough, though. One must know how to use it, and use it efficiently and effectively. For example, at UNB Saint John, a vast majority of assignments, grades, and class updates are posted online. In addition, important notifications are typically sent through this service as well, or student emails. If these are inaccessible to students due to lack of tech, or tech skills, success becomes quite difficult to achieve.

Secondly, we should address the requirements for employment in terms of technology and media. Most jobs now require at least basic knowledge for the use of computer software such as Microsoft Word, PowerPoint, Excel, etc. In many cases, these requirements are posted on the application for jobs, and sometimes applicants are even tested. Social media and cell phones are also crucial tools, as if you need to get a hold of a coworker or boss these are the most commonly used tools. For example, it is now nearly impossible for someone to be a successful business associate, politician, or teacher without electronic means of communication, as in order to keep customers or clients, it is necessary for them to keep up with the times. From personal experience, I have now had two jobs and both have used social media to contact employees and bring workers at the establishments together. At McDonald’s, the restaurant used Facebook Messenger, creating group chats and also privately messaging employees. At Best Buy, (my current place of employment), an app called Group Me is used, similarly to how it was at McDonald’s.

Last, but certainly not least, is in regards to socialization and friend circles. Without a doubt, any college or university student you ask will have at least three or four social media platforms they use regularly. As time has progressed, media has become a larger and larger part of everyone’s social lives, with things like texting, Snapchat, Twitter, YouTube, and so on. Without these tools and platforms, communication with close friends and family seems much more difficult, and some may describe a feeling of isolation as well. In the least biased, most respectful way possible, I will say that this is where many comments and complaints from older folks occur. They see it as us younger people being unable to socialize as they did when they were younger, and sometimes are unwilling or incapable of learning how to use these new methods of communication and entertainment. In some cases, people finally begin to understand how the new technology is used, and then large technological advancements occur, far too quickly for many people to adapt. This may cause frustration, and can be a huge hurdle for those who struggle to use technology and electronic communication/media.

Now that we have brushed the surface of the importance of media, technology, and electronic communication, we can better understand and explain to those who make comments and complaints regarding it. It is becoming a necessity, and soon enough success in this world will be impossible completely without the proper knowledge and use of it.

In class, we discussed what Nightingale and his partner established in their articles. What I am referring to, is the difference between an active audience and an interactive audience, and what traits, characteristics, and habits are associated with each. Today however, I am going to discuss a different theory, which is slightly more recent, although similar. This theory is the differences between an active and passive audience, and how we are transitioning gradually from the first to the latter.

First, we must establish the differences between a passive and an active audience. According to an article on elevate.com, a passive audience is a less questioning, more conforming audience. Members of this type of audience accept most opinions displayed through the media they consume without question. This interpretation of opinions happens just as the media distributor intended it to. On the other hand, an active audience is one in which its members view media through a very critical lens, thoroughly examining opinions and messages being portrayed through the media they are using. Viewers develop their own independent opinions and ideas of the media they’re consuming. Now that these differences have been established, we can further understand how the majority are moving from being a part of the passive audience, to being a part of the active audience.

The rate of education is on a steady rise. Post-secondary degrees are at their highest rate ever in Canada, with over 50% of the qualified people either with degrees or trying to obtain them. Essentially, people are much more educated than they used to be. The movement towards critical questioning by audiences is partially due to the fact that we are much more educated now than we once were. After being in University or College for a length of time, critical thinking skills are highly developed and encouraged, and have likely become a habit. People are more suspicious and interested in what they are viewing, and are therefore much more likely to form their own opinions, rather than conforming to the portrayed ones. Education is not the only major role in this movement. Unlike in the past, nowadays companies are much more exposed, in the sense that people are more curious and want to find things out about those who are in power. If we know more about the people who are controlling a market, or a large portion of entertainment, we can more easily form our own opinions based on the people portraying the messages in media to us. Rather than just accepting what is said to us, we can use factors such as these to question what is being said.

The movement from passive to active audiences has made immense changes in the field of media and entertainment, and this is definitely a good thing. Group mentalities produced by an elite few is going to become more and more uncommon, and as people get more and more educated our opinions and views will become more and more subjective. Diversity is what makes our world interesting, and if everyone had the same opinion due to lack of criticism, it is safe to say our world would be pretty boring.

Sources:

http://www.nbm.com.au, New Business Media -. “Passive vs. Active Audiences – Why Audiences Are Smarter than Ever in 2017: Elevate Communication.” Elevate Communication, http://www.elevatecom.com.au/blog-view/passive-vs-active-audiences-why-audiences-are-69.

Williams, Phillip. “A Glance at Canada’s Postsecondary Education Standings.” University Affairs, http://www.universityaffairs.ca/opinion/margin-notes/a-glance-at-canadas-postsecondary-education-standings/.