SALMEDIA

Designing the Interactive Space Part III

Fri, 13 May 2011 03:13:00 -0400

SMS Webpage: http://webspace.newschool.edu/~shars273/

Bridge to Next Semester…

1) What is that I am trying to investigate in my practice? What I am most passionate about?

I am really trying to investigate the impact Media has on people. I am planning to conduct a lot of research behind this aspect. The reason I even wanted to study media was because of the negative way the media had depicted Muslims after September 11 and the rise of Islamophobia in the West. I found these courses of events very interesting and knew that to some extent the media controls our perceptions unconsciously in how we should view the world around us. I’m really passionate about the “business” aspect of media. That’s why I am currently in the midst of obtaining the media management certificate at The New School. I see myself being a “CEO” of a major media network conglomerate one day, for whom, right now Arabs and Muslims, but I envision it growing to every culture. It would be interesting to see and conduct a study of the impact and perceptions people have on news stories conducted about Islam, but produced by Muslims, or a story or news about African culture, conducted only by someone of African descent and so on and so forth. Then compare stories in the same topic or view but other different cultures and see the difference. Who knows 10-15 years down the line there will be a new media network conglomerate in America called SMS! Called Shattering Muslim Stereotypes or to relate it to everyone and every culture Shattering Media Stereotypes. Instead of CNN, ABC, or FOX, etc., that would be my dream come true. I am just taking things one step at a time and this journey has been nothing but fruitful and exciting.

2) What are my strengths and weaknesses?

Well, I have to say this class helped me brush on my “public-speaking skills.” I personally never really had to present that much, because studying biology as undergrad, all our work was just submitted via lab reports etc. There would be presentations here and there but not too much. I did take one speech class but still not many opportunities to talk in front of people. This was a huge change for me, something I wasn’t use to. Yes, I admit I do have speech phobia at times. This class helped me strengthen this weakness, and to relax!! But also to share my work in front of people, this class matured me in so many ways. Videos are also my weakness, taking pictures too. I’m really not the type of person who makes videos or takes pictures all the time, just for occasions and Kodak moments. This class pushed me to think outside the box and be creative, to use what you have and making it a masterpiece. I can really brush on my video editing and Photoshop skills. Hopefully, I can use it without using my editing process notes. My memory can be so bad sometimes! So far my video quality is “you tube worthy” which is a start. In terms of production, I am okay with editing. I have a great strength in paying attention to details. Just takes a lot, a whole lot of patience. I learned a lot from audio editing and paying attention to the smallest detail, everything had to be “perfect” in order for it to be aired live. I’m so used to audio/radio and being behind a microphone, getting the visual aspect was a big step for me as well. And, I’m good at coming up with new “ideas” for campaigns, I’m usually very theoretical and conceptual, which I hope to use for future projects and campaigns.

3) What are the core elements missing from my practice? How will I obtain them?

I really need to figure out creative ways to reach out to people, so they can care for the ideas I am passionate about. I really want to be professional and presentable. I believe these two factors are vital and a key to success. Even if I were to conduct campaigns and present it in such a way that can strike an interest, I need to not only be confident in my work but have more faith. My resources are lacking as well. I looked into very cool stuff the other day with “information design” which really sparked my interest, regarding the advocacy work I intend to do as well. I want to learn more about it. I feel I can obtain a bit of all of this by merely networking! And actually working and putting my ideas into practice. I want to incorporate my ideas and work for non-profit organizations. I need to meet people, go to conferences, share my work etc. and explore more of what The New School has to offer.

4) What was my preferred medium before this course? After the course?

Before this class I preferred just my microphone and an audio recorder. Now, I feel I got out of that shell and I’m not afraid to explore and try new things! I can’t say what I “prefer now,” I still love audio. But video and web design is something I want to enhance my skills in. “Shadow of Modesty” encouraged me to create short sweet videos about Islam that can give powerful and meaningful messages. I see this as something like a youth series for young women. I’m actually thinking of connecting and contacting my friend who started an Islamic Magazine and combining the two together. As far as web design, I see this as something I need predominately in the future. Everyone uses the internet! Well at least I think so. Especially because I want to manage my own company, I want to be interacting with people and be able to strike their interest. I’ll probably take a class in website management or design in the future, no doubt about that.

5) What is the next topic, theme, or question I would like to investigate in my next project?

I recently conducted a survey regarding “Shattering Muslim Stereotypes” in the media and got interesting results. I know surveys are not out to prove anything but they can sure help grasp some answers to complex issues. I wanted to know what activity people would most likely participate in, and “online discussion” got the highest percentage. I want to explore on that idea and figure out innovative and creative ways in connecting people. The first topic on my list is “media-analysis” talks. Where I hope will strike a conversation. I also hope to research more on “social media” or take a class/internship in social media. I want to connect with people get them engaged. This is my primary step and mission.

6) What is something I learned in this class that I can teach someone else?

I can teach someone how to use prezi, start the process in Photoshop and explain what most of the tools do. I can explain to them a step by step editing process in using final cut pro. I can teach them how make a short video and, also how to start on an html website. Organizational skills! Input, output, and build folder. I’ll never ever forget them. Furthermore, assist in exploring an idea and making it come to light, by creating a story, a campaign, or artistic image or design.

7) What is something I will try to do next semester that I have never done before?

Share my ideas and goals to larger groups of people. I have to believe in myself before anyone else can believe in me, I really believe that. This class really got me out of my “shy” shell. I want to share my work with other people, because my company ideas will never flourish! If no one knows about it! I need to constantly achieve feedback and constructive criticism to go to the next level. Next semester I probably would sign up for final ruff cut presentations where I can share my work or research to professors, students, etc. I actually do have very good news :) My first opportunity is coming up next month, I will tell you how in person tomorrow.

8) What is something I will try to do every day or week that I did not do before this course?

Updating myself! What I mean by that actually maintain a blog! And most what I am thinking, my ideas, and any small projects that I would be conducting. Also, now that I have a twitter account, I will maintain that as well. I do use a Facebook, but a blog is more personalized and something I can do to share my work with others in order to gain feedback all the time.

9) What is a creative project that I would do with a budget of $ 150 million?

That’s an interesting question, I never really thought about it before, maybe work on making my own media network conglomerate for TV and Radio. To be more specific perhaps use “Radio Tahrir” (the program on WBAI Pacifica Radio 99.5 FM in NY) and spread this station nationwide.

10) How I could do the same project with a budget of $150?

There’s a “Radio Lab” at the New School, that’s somewhere I can start from. I can buy materials; like a media tool kit to get something like this started.

Designing the Interactive Space Part II

Sat, 07 May 2011 01:12:00 -0400

Mood collage of pictures of stereotype in the Media (business-like mood)

color pallet

Home page

Interact SMS

Thu, 28 Apr 2011 14:28:00 -0400

Week 12: Designing the Interactive Space (Part 1):

Website Analysis:

Website: http://www.soliya.net/

Analysis: The soliya non-profit organization is intended to serve students form diverse backgrounds across the globe. The website introduces their new technologies that enable cross-cultural communication and collaborative action. Their projects are designed to build a global of young adults and empowering them to bridge the divide between the West and Arab & Muslim World. Which is accomplished by connect programs and innovative networks using the latest web conferencing technology, which also offers facilitators collaborative leadership conflict resolution skills.

Reversed-engineered Site Map:

For a webpage that I am considering in designing is of a collaborative & resourceful website that gains awareness with individuals in the community. Essentially it can benefit Arab, Muslims, and everyone. The target audience would particularly be the journalists in America. That would provide media analysis research (by presenting charts that reflect the media bias within the media network conglomerates such as: Fox News, ABC, NBC, etc.). Provide legal assistance for the Arab and Muslim communities to take action and speak out against the violations of defamation in the media. Create media training workshops for the youth in how to become better leaders in communications. Provide resource of all the TV, radio, and newspapers in America for Arabs and Muslims. Benefit on a national scale, promote peace and understanding amongst journalists and Arabs and Muslims. I am planning to call it essentially SMS which is my full name, Sally Monther Sharif but for the company’s theme, it would stand for Shattering Muslim Stereotypes (SMS). If this idea goes well I want to be able to reach out for all ethnic backgrounds and just generally call it SMS Shattering Media Stereotypes. To incorporate more into the theme of SMS, why not through texting! Interact more via SMS using these interactive SMS marketing techniques: http://www.smsmatrix.com/info-nonprofit-marketing.html, http://www.sumotext.com/news/SMS-Giving-Services.html , http://www.clubtexting.com/groups/non-profits.html.- “Club Texting is the perfect communication tool for Non-Profit Organizations to alert staff members, students, applicants, and alumni. Non-Profit Organizations can use our SMS text messaging software for internal communication as well as to reach out to perspective volunteers and collect donations via a mobile marketing campaign.”

Homepage

· Who we are

· What we do

· Programs offered

Action Tool Bar

· Get involved; your voice, your world

· Career/ volunteer opportunities

· Future Events

· Young Professionals & The Youth

· Contact Us

Resources

· Websites ( all the TV, radio, & newspapers)

· Media Kits (for the youth)

· Testimonials of the program

· Journalists in America

Research Institute

· Statistics (charts, media analysis, etc.) of bias content

· Papers

· Media Outlets

Productions/ Projects

· Visuals (videos, power point presentations etc.)

· Audio (interviews)

· Photography

Wabi-Sabi for Artists, Designers, Poets, & Philosophers

Sun, 24 Apr 2011 13:01:00 -0400

1) What is Wabi-Sabi and why is it difficult to define?

Wabi-Sabi is the beauty of things imperfect, impermanent, and incomplete. Wabi-Sabi is a beauty of things modest, humble, and unconventional. It’s simple, artless, and unsophisticated. I think Wabi-Sabi is difficult to define because it is not to everyone’s liking. It’s an extinction of a beauty. In addition, because people need the right disposition and most Japanese people never really learned about Wabi-Sabi in the intellectual context, because there weren’t any book or teachers to learn it from. The question whether this difficulty of understanding its meaning was intentional or not, was indeed intentionally thwarted.

2) How is Wabi-Sabi different from modernism? How is the same?

There are many similarities and differences with Wabi-Sabi and modernism. The differences are: modernism is primarily expressed in the public domain, while Wabi-Sabi is in the private; domain; modernism implies a logical rational world-view while Wabi-Sabi implies an intuitive worldview modernism is absolute while Wabi-Sabi is relative. Modernism looks for universal, prototypical solution while Wabi-Sabi looks for personal, idiosyncratic solutions; modernism is mass-produced/modular and Wabi-Sabi is one of a kind/variable; modernism expresses faith in progress; modernism is future oriented but Wabi-Sabi is present oriented; modernism believes in the control of nature yet Wabi-Sabi believes in the fundamental uncontrollability of nature; modernism romanticizes technology and Wabi-Sabi romanticizes nature; modernism represents people adapting to machines; while Wabi-Sabi is people adapting to nature; modernism is geometric form while Wabi-Sabi is the organic organization of form (Koren, 26-27). The similarities, they apply to all manner of manmade objects, spaces, and designs, both are strong reactions against dominant, established sensibilities of their time. In addition, they both avoid any decoration that is not integral to structure; both are abstract, nonrepresentational ideals of beauty; and both have readily identifiable surface characteristics (Koren, 25-36).

3) What is the Wabi-Sabi State of mind? What are its moral precepts?

Wabi-Sabi’s metaphysical basis: are things are devolving toward, or evolving from, nothingness within its universe. When the universe is destructing it’s also simultaneously constructing. Whatever new things that come out, are essentially coming out of nothingness. The universe is in constant motion toward or away from potential (Koren, 45). Its spiritual values consist of 3 factors that, truth comes from the observation of nature, that greatness exists in the inconspicuous and overlooked details, and beauty can be coaxed out of ugliness. Furthermore, that all things are impermanent, are imperfect, and incomplete.

4) What is the Wabi-Sabi state of mind? What are its moral precepts?

Wabi-Sabi’s state of mind is the acceptance of the inevitable and an appreciation of the cosmic order. Its state of mind is often conveyed through poetry. Its moral precepts get rid of all that is unnecessary and focuses on the intrinsic and ignores material hierarchy of generally stopping our preoccupation of success and enjoy the unencumbered life (Koren, 58). Gaining this type of life style is not an easy task and needs a lot of effort. We need to sometimes learn to accept things the way they are.

5) What are the material qualities of Wabi-Sabi?

The material qualities are the suggestion of a natural process which are irregular, intimate, unpretentious, Earthy, murky, and simple. There flaws testify to the history of use and misuse. And that these factors suggest a strong character. In regular things like a glass that’s broken up and put back together again, with glue. They are small and intimate, but offer a tranquility vibe. It’s unpretentious and demands its center of attention. It’ earthy and its material are not far from its initial form. They can be murky and have an unclear quality. But, it’s also simple at its core.

This picture signifies a Wabi-Sabi. This was a personally a random photograph I found on a

Friend’s profile on Facebook. I thought of Wabi-Sabi when I saw it because it reminded of the

One of the spiritual things of Wabi-Sabi which is: beauty can be coaxed out of ugliness (pg.51)

This Picture at a glance looks like an infectious disease, a plague coming out of the paper or title or like a nasty bug. But when you overlook its details you begin to see its beauty of colored a rooted plant. The decomposition of things makes the nature imperfect but Wabi-Sabi teaches us to accept things the way they are. The state of mind of Wabi-Sabi is the appreciation of the cosmic order (pg. 57). The change of coloring and structure of the plant root represents the physical and deep structures that underlie in our everyday world (57). Its material is earthy and not evidently far from its original form.

Creative Obstructions in film/video week. I was inspired by this...

Sat, 23 Apr 2011 01:29:06 -0400

Creative Obstructions in film/video week. I was inspired by this piece by Matina Banks. This project Shadow of Modesty is a project I see myself doing in the near future. I want to be able to make short, sweet, informative videos similar to this and convey a message that is mentioned in the Quran about women or any simple message about ettiqutes of modesty in Islam. The audience can be relatively any age and this project would be a lot of fun! It’s hard to sit in at an hour lecture, I think me being able to have people visualize a verse in the holy book quran is a unique and insightful way of educating and inspiring others about simple moral ettiqutes.

This week for film/video post-production for media concepts, I...

Sat, 23 Apr 2011 01:09:49 -0400

This week for film/video post-production for media concepts, I collaborated with my classmates Samantha and Janine. We decided to incorprate our ideas about being a dictator for dummies. We all acted out a funny skit, I was the future supreme ruler, Sam was daff, and Janine was norma. Humor, even if scarcastic, is always a great way to convey message to people. Especially when it comes to serious political issues like these, so much is going on around the world, it’s time to wake up!

This week was a continuation of film and video production. I was...

Sat, 23 Apr 2011 00:52:00 -0400

This week was a continuation of film and video production. I was inspired by a radio interview I conducted two years ago on WBAI 99. 5 FM Pacifica radio. I interviewed an Arab-American activist named Leila Khalil, who is a current e-board member of American Muslims for Palestine. She had gone on a convoy with George Galloway in July 2009 to Gaza, Palestine. I wanted incorporate this interview by shedding more light of her experience in a visual context. This is just a preliminary cut and will need lots and lots of editing. I interviewed her at her home and she showed me pictures of her journey to Gaza, Palestine on her laptop. Although, the lighting and sound was not great, I was able to get 40 mins of footage. I edited it down to 12 mins, as a sample piece. Hopefully next time I can extract her photos via a USB and present it in that way with her voice over. I also wanted to shed light on one important point she makes about her experience and want to develop that further into just a 3 minute piece. This piece although is not perfect but inspired in considering making documentary films for my country Palestine.

This week was a film/video production part of my media...

Wed, 20 Apr 2011 12:19:00 -0400

This week was a film/video production part of my media concepts class. My classmates Karen Fratti and Giselle Chollett and I all colloborated on this Japan Campaign with respect to the recent Tsunami that struck in 2011. We were incorporting the idea of juxtaposing the differences of lives in different places. Essentially, our theme of the project was survival and the key five factors humanity needs to survive which are: water, food, shelter, social interaction, and spirituality.

Week 6: SOUND AS Story AND Shape This week I read a couple...

Fri, 11 Mar 2011 21:49:00 -0500

Week 6: SOUND AS Story AND Shape

This week I read a couple chapters 17 and 18 regarding sound. “The Five Dimensional Field Sound” and “Structuring the Five- Dimensional Field,” the author Herbert Zettl discusses various types of sound that can help enhance the mood, setting, and creativity in conveying a message with images. Like enhancing the outer orientations of sound like space, location, environment, and time were amongst the various factors mentioned. Some are situational types of noises that describe a specific situation. The inner orientation emphasizes on its mood and energy. There are also Aesthetic factors of specifying a certain sound and relegating other sounds into the background or sound perspectives that match up close pictures with close sounds and long shots with sounds that seem to come from far away. My partner Martina Banks and I decided to continue incorporating the ideas of Modesty from a previous project “Shadow of Modesty.” We took verses (30-31) from the Holy Book Quran from Chapter 24 called Surat “Al-Noor” (The Light). The holy book Quran means the recital. The clip I have here is a recitation followed by verse 31. Speaking about the word of God in terms of modesty for women, the Zettl’s sound characteristics that we predominately incorporated was the information structure of sound, which means, the major information function of sound is to communicate verbally specific information, it is certainty easiest to deliver a message by simply saying it. Specifically, we did a narration. Which described a screen event, the Quran recital and the translation enhances this concept. It helped give a simple and nonchalant mood with the pictures we have presented a few weeks ago representing modesty.

Le Jette

Sat, 05 Mar 2011 00:41:00 -0500

La Jetee

Act 1-“Setup”

Who are the main characters (protagonist and antagonist)? How do they relate to one another? What are the time and place settings in the film? What is the dramatic premise and dramatic situation? What is the inciting incident (or precipitating event, i.e. what sets the film’s plot into motion)? What is the first plot point or reversal (i.e. when the hero takes on the problem)?

The main characters in film is the man (Davis Hanich), who is the prisoner used as a subject for the scientists’ research on time travel. Also, the woman (Helene Chatelain) is who the man recalls in his past vague childhood memory. And, finally the scientists who research and conduct the time travelling experiment on the man.

The settings in the film take place in France (at Orly Airport; Jetty), at an unknown future time, but definitely after the Third World War. The story is about a prisoner who is chosen after World War III, by research scientists who want to send the man to call from the past and future, in order to rescue the present, the inciting incident; what sets the plot in motion in the movie, is a vague scene of a man getting murdered at the Jetty; Orly Airport. The first plot point is when the man receives obsessive memories of the woman from his childhood.

Act 2-“Confrontation”

What are the obstacles, first culmination (the point where the hero seems close to achieving his objective), and midpoint?

Within Act II is the man’s quality time developing a romantic relationship with the woman in the past. The midpoint of film is when he finally points to the woman where he is from at the museum and gets travelled back to the present. The man then realizes that would be his last encounter with the woman after she has finally found out the truth.

Act 3-“Resolution”

What is the climax and denouement? What do you make of the “surprise” ending?

The point at which the plot researches its maximum tension is when he goes back to the past and sees the woman again, at the jetty. The denouement is when the man gets assassinated from an agent of his jailers.

It was crazy how his childhood memory of a man getting murdered ends up being him. This movie really takes you on a twisted mind loop!

How do the sequential still images reflect the themes and narrative of the film?

The still images of the woman reflect a lot for the theme of the film, regarding a past time. The images of her are predominate and repetitive memory. A time and place where the man believed he belonged.

What are your personal responses to the film?

This movie reminds me a lot of the sixth sense! That twisted end of death realization of the main character. It was my first imaged movie I ever watched. It’s like taking a story book of images and putting it up a notch into life. I thought it really was quite clever, for a movie that was made in the sixties.

How could you apply the concepts in the film to your own work?

Well, not so much of the concepts of the film but more of the “structure” that I would really love to apply. It was so suspenseful. I never really thought still images can convey such profound messages. A picture is worth a thousand words indeed….but a movie like this gave out a million or more. Probably more than a moving imaged 2 hour movie! Short, sweet, and to the point.

Shadow of Modesty Art Work...Photography before & after with Adobe Photoshop:)

Sat, 26 Feb 2011 02:00:20 -0500

Before……

After…..

Before…

After…

Before…

After..

Shadow of Modesty

Sat, 19 Feb 2011 20:18:00 -0500

Week 3: project for my Media concepts class was about Photography. Me and my partner decided to exemplify the concept of modesty by exploring some of the etiquettes by embracing it through specific poses and movements, and applied it predominately with shadows that were mentioned by the author Herbert Zettl. On a bright sunny day at the Lincoln Center was where we snapped a few shots and let modesty do its work!

This first photo below is a picture of Matina banks standing an a proper and shy matter. This shadow is an example of a cast shadow. Like most cast shadows this one was independent from its object, in this case it was the wall. Shadows seemed like a great way to present modesty because it reflects off a interpretation, a sense of mystery, of what is really underneath a full dress of clothing.

This second photo is a picture of me looking down and pretty much minding my own business. This example is a type of “fast falloff.” We tried to capture in the light;the sun at different angles. The sun here is a back light and goes off rather fast and then dense and dark on my face. Here I’m embracing a form of modesty by restraining my gaze and not letting my eyes wander or dwell on anything. Furthermore, avoiding flirtatious speech or conduct (with the opposite gender), another practice of modesty.

This third photo is a picture of me wearing a “niqab” covering half my face. This example is a “slow fall off: The light brightness contrast between my scarf or “hijab”to my face is very little.

This fourth photo is an example of a another “fast off,” the light contrast moved quickly from left to right on my face. Cast shadows tend to create a mood or specific event. The lighting here I thought was very elegant and showed a sense of simplicity with the solid coloring of the head scarf.

This fifth photo, which is a fast fall off shadow gave a different effect than the previous picture. The lighting exemplified the clothing and my skin and face was more hidden and dark.

This sixth photo, is a picture of my partner Matina of her putting the actual head scarf on. This is a type of “cast show.” Specifically an independent one. The shadow on the wall I thought was very beautiful and it emphasized the practice of dressing modestly and captured a dynamic moment.

This seventh photo is a fast fall shadow of me practicing “haya” a conduct of modesty of being shy. The fact that there was no one always present made it more interesting, one can ponder really what am I looking away from, from a big wide open space. Regardless, of the circumstance the etiquettes of modesty were elegantly embraced, by not drawing attention to myself.

This eighth photo, is a “low key lighting” example an over all low level of highly selective lighting on myself. Only specific lighting was reflected off of me here by the sun which was my hands, a body part that can be shown aside from my face. Which here the sun depicted that.

This nineth and tenth photos are pictures of my partner Matina away from the brightly lighted wall, which I photographed horizontally and vertically. The shadows are more independent cast shadows. I thought this was very pretty, and the horizontal alignment gave a sense of tranquility, rest, and calmness. A feeling I personally have when observing the modest dress.

This last photo cast shadow was initially horizontal. I decided to make it vertically oriented. It made the specific shadow more dynamic and energetic from the pull of gravity. This shadow shows that I am not wearing any specific jewelery or other adornments that can be causing attention.

A Symbol of Shock: During the Spanish Civil War (1936) in Spain and the Egypt Revolution (2011)

Fri, 11 Feb 2011 21:30:00 -0500

Susan Sontag: Regarding the Pain of others

Here’s a brief description of the first photograph described by Susan Sontag in her book called, “Regarding the pain of others. “In an era of information overload, the photograph provides a quick way of apprehending something and a compact form for memorizing it. The photograph is like a quotation, or a maxim or proverb. Each of us mentally stocks hundreds of photographs, subject to instant recall. Cite the most famous photograph taken during the Spanish Civil War, the Republican solider “shot” by Robert Capa’s camera at the same moment he is hit by an enemy bullet and virtually everyone who has heard of that war can summon to mind the grainy black-and-white image of a man in a white short with rolled-up sleeves collapsing backward or a hillock, his right arm flung behind him as his rifle leaves his grip; about to fall, dead, onto his own shadow” (Sontag, 22).

This photograph was portrayed as a famous symbol during the Spanish civil war. This image inevitably causes attention and surprise to the viewer. Susan Sontag says, “That shock has become a leading stimulus of consumption and source of value” (23). This type of image depicts an influential effect in the subconscious mind of the moment of death; the soul leaving the body.

On YouTube I extracted a similar photo, from a video that depicts the same notion of shock during the Egypt Revolution. This video can be disturbing, so just warning you. In Alexandria a defenseless young protester gets shot; killed by police on Jan. 28^th. To watch the full length video here is the link: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Cl7LNvwbaU8&skipcontrinter=1

Extracted photo:

Both images portray a shocking image to the viewer. Whether it is an armed solider or an unarmed civilian they both have a relative impact of shock. And both essentially are striking to the viewer. A viewer cannot forget images like these in their subconscious memory. The republican solider had represented the republican army and this Egyptian civilian had represented the Egyptian demonstrators. In two separate influential times in history one can only remember sometimes a shocking image that represents a horrifying event. The viewer consumes this shock and that translates into a memory that can last a life time. This is the type of value that Sontag had mentioned earlier on page 23. A feeling of shock of those two photographs at the moments of death depicts a similar feeling of shock for the viewer. A shocking experience reflects off a shocking memory and feeling that possesses that value of eternal sympathy. The shock is essentially the source of value that acts as the stimulus. This eternal feeling of sympathy that gets derived from memory, is how we the viewer can sympathize and value for the pain of others during atrocities.

Media: the Spark of a Revolution

Fri, 04 Feb 2011 20:19:20 -0500

Media has played a tremendous role within the protest movement that is currently happening in Egypt. The breaking news from major news outlets like Aljazeera coverage to the CNN coverage has dispersed to the Egyptian nation about the revolution that occurred in Tunis. The Tunisian man that set himself on fire and following the course of events shortly afterwards, of the President fleeing, had caused Egypt to rethink their current oppressed circumstances. Egypt possesses a powerful and raging hope of a better tomorrow and a chance for history to repeat itself. The transport of information of media has been sent out internationally and locally regarding the Tunis story. Egyptians received the message via major newspapers like “El Haram,” “Al-Akram,” and “El-Goomeryah.” Major television outlets include “Al Jazeera.” “Al-Arabia,” and “Mehwar.” Radio stations include “Sur al 3arab,” “Shurk al usat,” and “El Shab.”

Aside from traditional known media of TV-newspapers-radio, the internet, and major social networking tools like YouTube, Facebook, and twitter played a tremendous role. In fact, social networking tools had eventually forced President Hosni Mubarak to block all internet connections in Egypt. Social media has allowed the transport of communication and information a lot easier for less tolerant societies like Egypt. Social media made it a lot easier to organize as well. There was a woman by the name of Asmaa Mahfouz who has sparked the revolution by posting a video and sharing it on her Facebook. This video had driven millions of Egyptians to demonstrate on Jan. 25^th at the Tahrir Square in Cairo. Facebook was essentially the spark, the type of medium that ignited the first flame. They say a picture is worth a thousand words, this brave young woman posted a video. Imagine how many words a video is worth. Here’s a link of the video:http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SgjIgMdsEuk&feature=player_embedded

But despite the blockage of the internet by President Hosni Mubarak, Egyptians still received support from influential American figures like Hilary Clinton, defending the use of social networking amongst the protest:

Business Week: Clinton Defends Facebook Twitter amid Egypt Protests

http://www.businessweek.com/news/2011-01-27/clinton-defends-facebook-twitter-amid-egypt-protests.html

Egyptians also find alternative ways to use Social networking tools:

Mashable: How Users in Egypt are Bypassing Twitter and Facebook Blocks

http://mashable.com/2011/01/27/bypass-twitter-facebook-block-egypt/

Just to look at this at another point of view, here some readings that think that social media is not the cause of a revolution:

Malcolm Gladwell wrote an article last year arguing that the “revolution will not be twittered” http://www.newyorker.com/reporting/2010/10/04/101004fa_fact_gladwell

Also, a book called “Net Delusion” by Evgeny Morozov:http://www.amazon.com/The-Net-Delusion-ebook/dp/B0047T86BU/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&m=AG56TWVU5XWC2&s=digital-text&qid=1295071167&sr=1-1

The author is a journalist and social commentator that reveals evidence to people, to stop thinking of the internet and social media as liberating and the promotion of internet freedom generally might be something that’s disastrous to democracy as a whole.