Two monologues

Just take a look at the TV schedule for this weekend.

Media imperialism refers to the one-way, non-reciprocal flow of information and cultural influence in the international media environment, which embodies cultural domination of the ‘Third World’ by the West [Wang, 1997, p.15].  It was argued that the expansion of US media economy and culture to other countries resulted in the imposition of US values onto other cultures and the displacement of local tradition. Such a trend is especially rapid with the proliferation of modern communications technologies [Wang, 1997, p.16].

World’s Most Extreme Homes. Simply Delicioso. The Doctors. The Rachael Ray Show. Air Buddies. So You Think You Can Dance. Ocean’s Thirteen.

What do they all have in common? They’re all “imported” shows! Just looking across the board, how many locally produced shows are on? Other than the usual prime time news and a single Sports@SG, our media have been monopolised by external influences and its dominance, especially from the US.

However, the government is concerned about how these American products may affect our own Singaporean culture. Singapore is a multicultural society, which has resulted in a mass media that have to represent a variety of ethnic cultures and languages, already balancing on such a thin line between the myriad of cultures, another external influence may result in conflicts in the society.

Why this cause for concern?

Marshall McLuhan developed the theory that the medium is the message. He focused on how we perceive media messages by looking not only at the content of the message itself, but at how the message was delivered, or its form. For media, people often only notice the content of the media (a speech on radio, a comedy on television, etc.), but not the media that transmit the messages. McLuhan believed that the medium itself influences how we perceive that medium’s messages. And our government belief that whatever is shown on television will be taken up entirely by the audience through the hypodermic needle (Powerful Effects Theory: Believe that the audience is passive, and that the media is injecting information and rules about desired behaviour into a mass audience who would react in the appropriate manner), hence this fear of it being culturally dangerous. Thus, the government have set up barriers to filter and censor what comes on our televisions.

In a capitalistic country such as Singapore, what is the real purpose of the media in the society? Is its role to inform and for enjoyment, or is there a hidden underlying agenda such as to make a profit? Why the shrinking number of media providers through mergers and cross ownership? Is the liberalisation of Singapore’s media the result of relaxing morality or again, for economic reasons?

And with that, I bid you all farewell, I hope you have enjoyed this blog the last couple of weeks. Tis the end. thetonguegetssharper.

Sources:

Channel 5: MediaCorp TV ~ http://5.mediacorptv.sg/default.aspx

Research Paper: Film & Television In Singapore – Economic Development & Media Policies ~ http://www.geocities.com/adeylim/research.html

Wang, J (1997) ‘Global Media and Cultural Change’. Media Asia. Vol 24 No 1

Edward Hall stated that all cultures can be viewed in relation to one another through which the styles they communicate.

Cultures such as those of the Germans or Swiss, they usually communicate primarily through explicit statements (both in text/speech). They are categorised as Low Context (LC) cultures.

Whereas, in other cultures such as the Chinese or Indians, their messages usually include other communication cues such as body language and silence (non-verbal). High Context (HC) communication involves implying a message through what is not said. This includes situation, behavior and non-verbal cues as integral parts of the communicated message.

Hence, across cultures, websites are designed differently to communicate their messages most efficiently across to their target groups.

Food!

McDonald’s Schweiz (Switzerland) vs. McDonald’s India

 vs.

McRosti. Mmm.

From the start, there’s already differences between the site designs. In the Low Context (LC) website, animations are kept relatively simple and are used only to emphasize the active links or to draw attention to certain areas. Whereas for the High Context (HC) site, the animation is centred on images of people (Ronald Mcdonald). Note the positive facial expression of Ronald and his body posture in the picture (doing a slight Hindi pose). – Try it yourself. http://www.mcdonaldsindia.com/

~

 vs.

Low Context (Individualism) vs. High Context (Collectivist)

Contrasts can be seen between the values that are portrayed along with the product. (How these connect with those ideologies relevant to the target group culture.) Values prevailing in HC cultures are generally tied to collectivism and those in LC cultures to individualism, hence, HC and LC culture websites display different values according to their ideologies.

Collectivist cultures tend to emphasize being in good physical shape and time spent with family and friends as their dominant values, whereas the notion of freedom and personal time valued in individualist societies implies relaxation and time spent by oneself. As noted above, images of family time together are more prominent on HC websites than LC websites, whereas in LC countries individuals tend to be portrayed in situations such as an afternoon snack (after/in between work probably).

~

http://www.mcdonalds.ch/ vs. http://mcdonaldsindia.net/index.htm

Go onto the sites. You will understand better the layer-upon-layer look when looking at the sites in action. The designers behind the Indian site seem keener on illustrations and links that constantly evolving into new ones, where parts of information are hidden underneath other information on the same page. Their Swiss counterparts tile information side by side on one page, so that nothing covers anything else as a starting point. Users can find or get whatever information they want much more efficiently.

Summary

Non-verbal communication such as body language may represent itself on HC websites through imagery and animated effects on the website.

The collectivism/individualism variable is reflected in the values that are reflected in the imagery of the website, such as images of individuals versus images of groups (family), and in which the products are placed together with individuals/groups.

The time perception variable, which is tightly bound with the conscious thought patterns, is apparent in the navigation of the site. The transparency of the site reflects the user’s patience and willingness to explore the site to seek information.

What do you think? Where else have HC and LC cultures affected us? Which do you prefer – the “in your face” low context culture? Or the “I hope you geddit” high context culture? Which side are you on?

Sources: http://www.mcdonalds.ch/ & http://mcdonaldsindia.net/index.htm

Sorry boys, this is not gonna be all about babes and booze.

A fraternity is a social organization of men students at a college or university. And to join these fraternities, the potential members (pledgelings) have to go through trials to get into the fraternity; for example in this movie; from getting their butts signed by a stripper to placing a live ostrich in an opposing fraternity house.

The question is - Why does anyone want to go through all these humiliating or mindless tasks just to join a group?

Group Socialisation.

Whazzdat?

It is the situation where individuals (the pledgelings) are seeking to meet their needs, and in this case, to be more popular, by joining the “coolest fraternity on campus”.

Trenholm (2004) explains that a group is “… individuals who, as a result of interacting with one another over time, become interdependent, developing shared patterns of behavior and a collective identity.”

This is evident in Fraternities and Sororities.

Another question you might ask would be – Why don’t the guys already in the fraternity think that they are going too far with the challenges and tasks they are making the pledgelings undertake?

That is the characteristic of being in a group. Individuals in a group have a shared behavioral standard and a collective identity. Another reason is that because they had already gone through these tasks before they were allowed membership, they believe it as a culture of being a frat-brother. This is the evaluation process as described by Moreland and Levine – there are several different stages to becoming a member of a group.

• Prospective member – stage where the individual analyzes the pros and cons of becoming a member of the group (whether it will benefit them)
• New member – the orientation stage or the transitional stage (the trials the members are tasked by the group to test whether they could assimilate into the culture)
• Full member – Pledge-brother woohoo. You will start to assume responsibilities for the group.
• Marginal member – Smaller role in the group
• Ex-member – Often when the student leaves the school, they will “pass the baton”

Being inside the group, more often than not, there are obvious symptoms we can observe.

And in this movie, groupthink symptoms are clearly seen:

• Illusion of invulnerability – In this case, being in “Beta house”, the individual will feel that they are the coolest guys around and that they could do anything (i.e. partying like there’s no tomorrow/stealing from opposing fraternity is deemed OK). It is somewhat like a false sense of security thinking that they are protected by own fraternity rules/laws and external rules do not apply (the real laws).
• Believe in group’s own morality – that their conduct, ethics are correct.
• Shared stereotypes – Not being in “Beta” equates to being uncool.
• Collective rationalization – that their actions are justified. On the pledge board, #42: Ship a pledge in a crate to Toronto. As a bystander, what do you think? Mad or Cool?
• Self censorship – discerning what is acceptable or unacceptable
• Illusion of unanimity – because of groupthink, no one would stand out and say “Hey, I think what we are doing is wrong.” There is this false sense of having a complete agreement from everyone in the group for their behaviors and ways.

How true it is that being in a fraternity will affect one’s own decisions? Will you still be YOU? Or will you turn out to be just like any another product of the frat-ory?

Source: http://www.americanpiemovie.com/

 The Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind

I’m trying to be more relevant this time, this might get boring.

If you have not seen this movie, I highly recommend it.

For a relationship to even begin, there must be opportunity for contact, as described by the Relational Formation and Development theory. (Proximity) I’m going to use the Knapp Model of Relational Development to show how the relationship of Joel Barish (Jim Carrey) and Clementine Kruczynski (Kate Winslet) develops. Oh joy!

A man awakes dishevelled and impulsively, he skips work, heading instead to the shore. (Opportunity) On a chilly February day, a woman in orange, hair dyed blue, chats him up, she’s Clementine and the man’s Joel, shy and sad. By day’s end, he starts developing a liking for her. During the Initiation stage, it is the coming together of two individuals, constantly screening the opposite and Joel clearly displays this when him being very cautious and very conscious of his self-presentation. There’s also a slight crossing of the Experimentation stage – small talk on the train.

The next night she takes him to the frozen Charles River. After, he drops her off; she asks to sleep at his place. In this scene, Experimentation (Stage 2), the couple starts to disclose more about themselves to each other over the phone and by the river. There is also Intensification (Stage 3) with the increased commitment to each other and wanting to share their personal spaces when Clementine asks to sleep at Joel’s place.

I’m going to skip some parts now, it might get a little confusing, ask me for the show if you’re really interested.

Here’s a short write-up to ease the transition.

Joel is stunned to discover that his girlfriend Clementine has had her memories of their tumultuous relationship erased. Out of desperation, he contracts the inventor of the process, Dr. Howard Mierzwaik, to have Clementine removed from his own memory. But as Joel’s memories progressively disappear, he begins to rediscover their earlier passion. From deep within the recesses of his brain, Joel attempts to escape the procedure.

Now these scenes are in Joel’s memory.

The coming apart of the relationship based on Knapp’s Model of Relational Development are as follow – Differentiating (Communication and interaction marked by overt conflict), Circumscribing (Shrinking of relational interest and commitment), Stagnation (Alienation), Avoiding (Withdrawing physically and emotionally) and finally Termination (The breakup).

The point where Clementine decided to erase all her memory of her relationship with Joel would probably be at the Differentiating stage when they were constantly bickering and being the impulsive person she is, she went ahead with the procedure.

Recap.

Coming Together

Stage 1: Initiating

Stage 2: Experimenting

Stage 3: Intensifying

Stage 4: Integrating

Stage 5: Bonding

Coming apart

Stage 6: Differentiating

Stage 7: Circumscribing

Stage 8: Stagnating

Stage 9: Avoiding

Stage 10: Terminating

The stages are not linear though. As seen in this movie, Stages 4 (The “We are together” whooptydoo-stage) and 5 (Engagement/Marriage) are skipped. There wasn’t really a coming together of the couple and they were already at the coming apart stages.

Fret not; relationships do not always end at the Terminating stage. Ha, relieved? Relationships can regress or proceed through the stages, even skipping some.

Do you agree that relationships proceed through these stages? How would you create your opportunities say if you believe in the proximity concept? Which stage would you then realise that you’re in love? Love or Lust?

Whew. Hope you enjoyed this one.

Source: http://www.eternalsunshine.com/