Assignment 7: Television Without Pity

Actually I cannot link the Television Without Pity website. Thus, I picked one episode on Hulu.com.
The episode what I picked was the Naruto Shippuden, Season 5, Episode 190. This is the updated one. Naruto Shippuden is a Japanese animation by Kishimodo Masashi. Actually I started to watch Naruto when I was in high school. At that time, most of the boys in my class were watching this animation. We talked about it at the time the new episode came out.

Episode 190 is the newest one. It tells the memory of Uzimaki Naruto when he was a rookie Ninja going out to achieve mission. In this episode, the memory of how Naruto grew from a rookie to a powerful Ninja is the main content. The author picks one exact mission of Naruto to describe his immaturity when he was a rookie. The rookie Naruto was kind of overconfident. He was never convinced to anybody. Thus, in this episode, his partner, a very old man was despised by Naruto. They go into the forest to seek for the information of the enemy. Naruto depises the old man so that he wants to seek for the whole forest alone. But he encounters his enemy, and he is not able to beat them. At the dangerous time, the old man comes out to save Naruto defeating the enemy.

The above is the brief content of that episode. Actually I think every show needs to be watched from the 1st one to the last. Otherwise, some background information or context will be missed. So I want to talk about the context of this episode. Because Fire Ninja Village is under attack by their enemy, a dark organization. But the enemy's power is huge, so that the Ninja including mature Naruto cannot defeat them. At this time, the memory of rookie period comes to Naruto's mind. Those memories encourage Naruto and motivate him to stand up again to defeat their enemy. Thus, the central message of this episode is the motivation or the cue for the next following episode.

Actually I don't like the structure at all. Probably all conflict between justice and devil always starts with the loss of justice. Then some motivation encourage the protagnists to show their tremendous power. Finally they defeat the enemy. In fact, the conten of Naruto is worse and worse. The author just expands the episode artificially with some empty content. Even if some protagnists die, the author will call them alive again. Thus, Naruto Shippuden has become more and more unreal. Therefore, it has lost more and more audience. Its ranking of the Japan animation drops down gradually.

I think as a TV show, no matter the reality show or animation, there should be a selling point. This point can catch the audience's eyeballs. But before that, audience determination is crucial as well. Let's use some example. Detective Conan is one of most popular Japanese animation. Its audience deternination is very clear. It's the people from 7-30. Thus, not only the type of drawing, but also the language, even some cases fit the audience very well. But some shows has audience anbiguous. Because they want to make more audience to watch the show. I think it's hard to be possible. Pleasing everybody is the hardest issue in TV shows. Audience deternimation is relevant to the ethnography. Audience refers to the culture in some case. So the TV producer should not extravagantly hope to please all the culture. It is fact that more or less people will like the show and more or less people will dislike the show.

Beside the audience determination, reality is important too. The content of the show should lead the audience in the story in order to make audience feel they are parts of the story, so that the audience will have the echoes, and the show will be popular. But let me use Naruto Shippuden as an example. At the very beginning of this animation which is talking about the growth of Naruto can encourage the audience to make effort to achieve their dream. As we all know, the process of achieving dream must have difficulties. But the author designs the antagonists so poweful that surpasses the possible imagination of human. In order to defeat the antagonists, the author has to make the protagonists more powerful. It is losing the reality gradully. At the beginning, audience can have some echoes to make effort to achieve dream, but as the episodes go, I, as a little part of audience feel the conten is farther away. Because I know no matter how hard I work or study, I cannot defeat nuclear weapon with by body. There is no doubt heroism is important to motivate people to dedicate. However, the hero cannot be so far away from the normal people. After all, the real superman is not alive in our real life.

Assignment 6: Queer Analysis

I tried to watch both of the episodes on Monday, but the Modern Family has expired. Thus, I have to answer the questions from the Glee.

The clip shows the heteronomaticity in three ways: One is that the boys kiss girls and want to have sex with them. The other is the teacher ask boys and girls into two groups by gender. Finally is the girl-like boy is always bullied by that strong guy. In the clip,we can see generally two stereotypes which are natrual/deviant, and gender clarity/gender anbiguity. As the social mainstream rule, heterosexuality is regarded 'normal'. Thus, I would say in the clip, the boys intimate with girls on bed is natural. On the other hand, one guy is kind of deviant in sexuality. The other stereotype is gender clarity/gender ambiguity. The African American with special hair style is obviously strong and dominated. I think the gender of his is very clear from 10 minutes episodes of Glee, including he asks everybody to pay for the singing performance. But the deviant guy what I mentioned before is kind of gender ambiguous. What I have one more to say is that the blonde hair boy 'beast'. Actually I don't understand the meaning of beast here quite well. Does that mean the boy imagine having sex with a beast? Or having sex with a girl like a beast? If the truth is like what I think, then the blonde hair guy is gender ambiguous as well. What the teacher does to ask students split into two groups by gender is the link between what talking about in book and in the clip. I think there are two completely opposite ideas about making groups like that. I think that this way reinforces the heterosexuality, because each person is absolutely clear his gender which means if I am in the boy group, it means I am a boy. When somebody is clear on his gender, generally he is also clear about what sexuality he is seeking for. Another reason is that boys are working with boys, girls are working with girls all the time. As a result, they know nothing about the opposite gender. Due to the instinct of human's curiosity, they will try to know the other gender. Thus, I think that is a reinforcement of heterosexuality. I think this video portrays sexuality as a personal identity. Because each person in the clip has his individual interest on sexuality. I think sexuality portrayal should be personal. I think the sexuality interest on different people differing from another a lot depends on the environment. Different people has their own environment of growth, so that their sexuality interest cannot be absolutely the same. For example, two boys, they are both homosexual. However, probably the reason leading them to homosexuality is different. One is growing with girls from a kid to adult. He knows everything about girls. When he was a kid, he used to have a shower with girls, sleep with girls. This phonomenon is normal among kids. Due to being together with girls, he will have some girl-characteristics more or less. Thus, when he grows up, he tries to seek for being with boys. This reason leads him to homosexuality. The other boy has a different reasom to be a gay. Probably he was dumped by girls for millions of times. He is disappointed with girls and he feels enough hurt by girls. At the right moment, another boy like a older brother gives him a lot of love and cares. This reason lead him to homosexuality. Thus, different people have different reason to choose their interest of sexuality. Thus, I think the study of sexuality is a personal issue. It's hard to summary it to several reasons. Actually the sexual problem is not only homosexuality and heterosexuality(The following topic is a little bit far from the book). There are other issues about sexuality like pedophilia, mothercomplex, fathercomplex. Thus, the study about the sexuality is super complicated because each person has individual interest and characteristics. The more important, each person has individual experience.

Assignment 5: Feminist Analysis

First of all is the active/passive. Robert can go to a party with his friend or cheat on his wife with another female. He can decide everything without fear and doubt. For example, it seems like divorce to his wife or not is his own choice. He don't have to discuss with his wife at all. On the other hand, his wife has to lie to him in order to go to a party. However, she has to pretend single to her friend. She lies to both side people around her because she cannot tell the truth. In some case, the passive female uses lie to pretend active. Second is the public/private. I think at this point, we can see the private side from Dana's lie. The truth cannot be shown in public,no matter she goes to a party or her marrige. The third is logical/emotional. Actually from the whole video, the ladies wants to be active and logical. However, the fact is they just pretends to do that. For example, man is necessary to open a jar because man is stronger. But the ladies in the party don't want a man to appear. They pretend they can open the jar. But the result is what they only can do is to break the jar. That is their emotional part. The ambivance forces them to pretend logical and active. Thus, they go to a bar to tease a man. The fourth is the sexual subject/sexual objective. I think this part is obvious in that Robert goes a bar with his MALE friends. The only female is described greedy on food and fat. Also, Robert can threaten his mistress wantonly. It expresses that the sexual subjectivity of Cleveland.

I think the additional gender stereotype not addressed in the chapter might be the four steretypes within one gender. The book talks about the gender four stereotype between men and women. But we can see the four stereotypes within one gender as well. In the video, we can see that Rolow, the kid of Robert dominates among their friends. He seems active, private, logical among his boy friends. Compares with Rolow, the other kids seem passive, private, and emotional. The other example is Dana seems like active, public and logical within her female friends. I think this probably another issue WITHIN genders beside BETWEEN genders.

Assignment 4: Rhetorical Analysis

Q1: What are the key signs? What other signs cluster around them? What associations and dissociations are invited by the clustering of signs? What is strategically absent from the text?

A: I think the key signs in the video are the soldiers. Or we can go more specific that the key signs are the military uniforms and the equipments of the soldiers. Of course, when the soldiers are in the war, they need to wear uniforms and be equipped. But different soldiers have different missions, like the troops, navy and so forth. The unity of the soldier has lots of similarities which protects the nation and the like. But they stand for different individual as well. I think the strategically absence from the text probably is the government. As we know, soldiers battle for the country. However, they accept the demand from the government. Thus, in some cases, soldiers stand for an attitude of a government. Another strategically absence probably is the country, which the soldiers fight for. As an essential element of a country, soldiers stands for the safety of a country, which means the soldiers stand for the existence of a country.

Q2: What formal appetites does the text create? How are they resolved?
A: When the audience see a video about the soldiers. I think the form will be that the audience appetites to see the proud, braveness, and reponsbility. Moreover, the audience appetites to see the relationship between the country and the soldiers, especially what the soldiers could do for the citizens. From the video National Guard, we can see at the very beginning of the video, it shows that the soldiers save citizens from some diasters. In this case, citizens rely more on soldiers and respect soldiers more.

Q3: Identify three other messages that share at least some structural similarities with the video. What are the similarities? What expectations do that foster?
A3: The similariies in these videos all talk about how the soldies protect the nation and the citizens. It is from the what they do in  the video. We can see soldiers hold the gun, runs a tank or helicopter. We can see they are disciplined.

Q4:What is the story being told in the video? What are its main characters and events? What do you notice about the specific discourse being used in the video? What are the characteristics of the narration?
A: The story is telling about the American soldier. It is talking about what American soldiers look like and what's the goal of them. The main characters in the video of course are the American soldiers. I think the specific discourse is the line which the soldiers speak. It is inspiring. The narration is terse, but the lines show the proud, responsibilities, missions of the American soldiers.

Show response. This blog is really really serious.

First of all, thanks for giving me this chance to deliver my ideas. Actually the show I watched is relevant to two very serious issues I want to talk about recently. These two issues are full of my life recently. What a occasion that this show combines these two issues. Ok, now I will explain some more deeply. Due to these issues are more or less about the politics, so it's really really serious.

The first issue I want to say is the war between the North Korea and South Korea. I believe that one of the most important factor of President Obama's Asian trip is about the cooperation with South Korea on the war game. I think everybody is aware that the aim of President Obama is not the North Korea. It is China. As a Chinese, I know that North Korea is like China's little brother. Thus, if something bad happened, like the war, Chinese government never abandon this little brother. I think this relationship with North Korea pushes China into a trap of dilemma. Well, I want to talk about North Korea.

In my dictionary, North Korea means fool. I have no offense to North Korean. The fool I am talking about is to aim to North Korean government. Why North Korea is a poor country in the world? Why this poor country wants the nuclear weapon all day long? It's all the government's fault. After the war between China & North Korea against America in the 1950s, North Korea had totally become a poor city(please forgive my language. I am a foreigner, so that I can't find very specific word to describ). From that time, North Korea started to require the research about the nuclear weapon. Let's assume, what happens if North Korean government use all the money to build the country instead of researching nuclear weapon? Somebody will say researching nuclear weapon be a way to build the country. It will increase the power of military. Well, I want to ask, when the citizens are in hunger and cold, what's the use of military? And what's the use of the nuclear weapon? The citizens are hungry and cold, but they are forced by the government to battle with America. I really sympathize the North Korea citizens. The citizens become the sacrifice of the fool goverment. Now, North Korea has the war with South Korea. Due to the history relationship, China HAS to give a help. Actually Chinese government don't want to get involved with the issued between North and South Korea. China persuaded both of them for several times. It doesn't work. So, North Korea drag China into this dirty water. It leads to the relationship between China and America go down(of course the going-down relationship between China and America is because of lots of other issues like the economy). North Korea government in order to build their great face, they put their citizens and other country into the hell. Thus, the worst thing of citizens is that they follow with foolish government. The worse thing is that citizens from different countries become enemies due to the government battle. I feel really sad about it. Why not we become friends and talk about something peacefully? Why we must use war? The sacrifice of war is only the citizens. I know the politics is very complex, and sometimes the government has no choice. But we should make effort at least, shouldn't me?

The second issue, I want to satirize the Chinese government itself. As we can see in the show, the host can use lots of joke to talk about the leader of a country. He can express his idea totally. But in China, the artist or people work in media, cannot say any single word bad to the current government. Here is an example.

There is an artist named GUO Degang. He is the most popular Xiangsheng artist in China. Xiangsheng is kinda like the comedy talk show in America. In his show, he satirizes the bad phenomenon in China. It includes some dark side of the government. Because he is the only one who dares to express the dark side of the society and the government, he is supported by the audience so much. But his show shakes the authority and image of the government. Therefore, Chinese government and Chinese media prohibits every show of his, and cancel his DVD or CD in stores. By the way, Chinese official media is just the dog of the Chinese government which means Chinese media is dark and rotten. The Chinese media will follow the 'Spirit' of government which means that they will report everything the government likes and prohibits everything the government hats, even if they will distort the truth. I like GUO Degang personally, it's because not only he dares to talk about the dark side of the society, but also his ability of Xiangsheng is great. I have to say a truth to make it clear. Most of the Xiangsheng artists pay more attention to making money and lick the government's shoes, so that they don't like to learn ability on Xiangsheng. Xiangsheng, as a tradition art in China, needs lots of learning to be great. A genius has to learn at least 10 years to be okay, not great.

Now, Chinese citizens start to support GUO Degang more and more. The aim of Chinese media is to wash the citizens' brain to make the citizens fool and bottomed-down. In this case, the citizens never disagree with the government so that the government can do whatever they want. But the government never thought that more and more Chinese study abroad and the Internet technology is so advanced now. The citizens will know the truth someday.

Well, I feel that I can't calm down now. I really want to fuck every foolish government. Due to these government, the innocent citizens become sad.

If this blog is unclear, please let me know in the comment. In this blog, my gun is just to the North Korea government and Chinese govenment. No offense to anything else.

Assignment 2

I will answer the following questions separately.
1. Why study media? Why have you chosen to be a media student/scholar?

A: Actually I am studing a branch of media which is the film and video. The reason to study media is because: first, that's my interest. It's hard to say why this interest built up. I just feel when I study the media part or work for media, I will become energetic. Now I am doing the film and video production. When I see the camera or go into the editing room, I feel I am the citizen of this world. Thus, probably I am born for the media. The second reason I think is because media is a field working WITH people, working FOR people, and working ABOUT people. We are all people, and media contains all the way related to people. And media has saturated people's life to become an essential tool. I want to know more about the heart of each person and how media influence peopl. So that that's a very important reason pushing me to study media.

2. What have you learn as a media student? How media inform your life?
A: Basically, I have learned all kinds of media like newspaper, TV, film, radio and so forth. But I focus my attention on film and video part. As a video student, I gradually grow to reach the professional in video. I think median saturates all the people's life, including me. I can live withou media for one day. When I wake up, I will turn on the computer to check email, surf the Internet. And I have to know the news everyday. When I am driving, I will listen to the radio. After class, I will go back to watch TV. Actually I get in touch with all kinds of medium. I think one imporatant function of media is to bring me information everyday. If I don't have media, I think I will be out of the world.

Media Profile

Media Profile

What I'm currently Watching: Boardwalk Empire, Pokemon(Advanced Generation), Detective Conan, Nikita, The Office.

Shows I don't like but should: Survivor.

Shows I absolutley refuse to acknowledge: ANTM, all of the reality show.

 

Favorites of all time: The House, Detective Conan, Naruto Ninja.

Brilliant, but Cancelled: I have really no idea about this one.

Oldies: I have really no idea about this one.