Stand In the Light

This post harkens back to our discussion about music we had in class a few weeks ago.  I found a pro social song that I really like.  It is called "Stand In the Light" by Jordan Smith.  I just appreciated the promotion of courage, kindness, and not being afraid to be seen as we are.

Movie Review: Allegiant*

To celebrate my friend's birthday this week we went and watched the new movie, Allegiant.  Afterwards my friends commented that at one exciting part of the movie, they noticed that they were all on the edge of their seats excitedly enthralled in the drama of the movie, and then they noticed that I was just sitting calmly staring at the screen.  I kind of laughed it off, saying that I hadn't noticed at all, but I knew the real reason that I hadn't been as into the movie as they were.  It's because the whole time I was thinking about what we've learned in class about the messages that the media sends to us.  My friends were seeing an entertaining show, but this is what I was seeing:

• Not only men, but also women shouldn't show emotion.  They must be strong and use violence to get what they want.   
• There was little character development.  One effect of this was that you didn't feel sorrow over the death of the characters because you were never emotionally attached to them.  Some of them were just nameless faces who were in the movie only so they could be killed.  
• Romantic relationships = kissing.  I guess that it could have been worse than kissing, but also anytime the two main characters were together and happy, they were kissing.  There were no words of affirmation, no conversations, no meaningful acts of service or sacrifice for each other.  That is not what a real relationship is like or what it should be like.  
• The man main character was invincible.  Fighting (and killing) ten people and crashing a helicopter, would do more damage than a scratch on the face and a cut on your side.  And then, walking through a desert through a blood storm and being beat up again would take a toll, even if you were a strong manly man. 
• The movie portrayed the main woman character as "genetically pure."  She was also the one who had all the plans, who was in charge most of the time.  Overall it gave the impression that she was better than the other characters.  Which sounds great from a feminist perspective, a strong woman, leading the expedition to save the world.  The problem was that she didn't really do anything to deserve that position.  She seemed to be in charge simply because she was a woman, and she was just as violent as the men.  
• All of the powerful leaders of the different groups who were at war were women.  They all sanctioned violent acts and killing. 
• At first glance, it seems like women have been brought to almost the same level as men in the media (they are given the same amount of power, and they are just as violent) except they are still sexually objectified. 
• The movie showed the woman main character completely naked.  Sure, it was in the dark, so it only showed her silhouette (and may I add that her silhouette fit very well with the idealized body image we've discussed in class) but still, why did they put that scene in?  It wasn't necessary for the plot development. 
• Because, there was little plot development.  The movie was mostly a conglomeration of ACTION (aka violence) and kissing.
• AND the person who was really in charge and had the most power was a white, older man dressed in a business suit. 

So, those are just a few of the thoughts that went through my head during the movie, and that's why I wasn't on the edge of my seat enthralled by the movie while my friends were.

*warning: reading this post may be associated with a slight decrease in one's ability to be mindlessly entertained by the media

Captain Moroni and the Media

While reading from the Book of Mormon this week, I was impressed by what motivated Captain Moroni and his men in their battles against the Lamanites.  


"They were fighting for their homes and their liberties, their wives and their children, and their all, yea, for their rites of worship and their church." (Alma 43:45)


The Book of Mormon was written for our day, and I believe this part is especially applicable because we are fighting the same battle as Captain Moroni.  We don't use swords or slings, but Latter-Day Saint prophets today have called us to protect homes, liberties, families, and religious rights in the political arena, on the home front, and especially with regards to the media.  

In this light, I thought our discussion in class about media in the family was very interesting.  Dr. Coyne talked about the situation she found herself in when immodestly dressed dancers came on screen while she was watching Dancing With the Stars with her children.  She could have turned the tv off, but instead she took time to talk to her children about what was going on.  

This reminded me of a situation that Capitan Moroni faced when the war to protect families and religion became desperate.  He threatened his enemy saying, 

"I will come against you with my armies; yea, even I will arm my women and my children" (Alma 54:12)


and then he followed through with the threat,  

"And Moroni had prepared his men with weapons of war; and he went to the city Gid, while the Lamanites were in a deep sleep and drunken, and cast in weapons of war unto the prisoners, insomuch that they were all armed;  Yea, even to their women, and all those of their children, as many as were able to use a weapon of war"  (Alma 55:16-17)

What sticks out to me is the fact that he armed the men, women, and children.  

I don't thing Captain Moroni really wanted to give children weapons, but he realized it was necessary in their situation.  Similarly, in our modern battles, we may not want to expose our children to the weapons used against families today, but it might be necessary.  As adults we might instinctively want to shield children from all of the bad things in the media and in the world, but realistically, we won't be able to protect them from everything.  Perhaps we, like Captain Moroni, can arm children by teaching them about the dangerous aspects of the media and then let them participate in defending families, liberties, and religion.  

Miss Representation

Watching this movie in class was kind of depressing for me.  I went home wondering what could be done to change the warped ideas that the media present to us about women's role in the world.  Like Dr. Coyne, I thought maybe I should run for congress.  I worried about this for a couple of days and then this morning I reread President Russell M. Nelson's October conference talk entitled, A Plea to My Sisters.  He quoted President Kimball who said that the women of the church must be distinct and different-in happy ways-from the women of the world.  I thought to myself, maybe I can't singlehandedly change the media industry, but this is one area that I as a woman in the church can be different from women of the world.  We talked in class today about how the media has effected our culture even at BYU, and I think that as mormon women, we can do better.
President Nelson also quoted President Boyd K. Packer who plead for women to detect "the trends in the world...that, however popular, are shallow and dangerous."  I think the gender roles for both women and men that we have learned about in the past two days of class fall under this category of popular but shallow and damaging trends.  Since we, as students, now know that, I think it is our responsibility to do as President Nelson pleaded, and become "defenders of morality and family in a sin sick world."

Content Analysis: Virtuous, Lovely, of Good Report, and Praiseworthy

I've noticed that content analysis studies predominately seem to focus on negative things.  We study violence levels, sexual content, physical and relational aggression, and other such topics.  Why don't we study positive values and acts in the media?  Is it because we wouldn't find enough positive material to analyze?  Is it because no one would be interested in the findings?  Is it because we can accomplish more good by disclosing the bad in negative aspects of media than we can by extolling the good in positive aspects?

This class has really helped me realize that if I don't proactively look for wholesome media, I'm not going to find it by chance.  Because of that, I had the idea to start my own personal content analysis project to evaluate the media I use.  Instead of looking for negative things, I'd like to "code" the media I use based on positive aspects.  How many uplifting and wholesome incidents occur in the video/book/song?  How frequently do images/acts/lyrics that invite the spirit occur?  How many portrayals of chastity and charity occur.

This means that I'd have to find definitions of uplifting, wholesome, chastity, and charity.  I'd have to take time to think about the media I use instead of just using it with my mind in "entertain me" mode.  I'd probably have to stop using some of the media I currently use.  But I've realized that if I really want to seek after things that are virtuous, lovely, of good report, or praiseworthy, it's probably not going to be easy.

Revenge of the Bridesmaids

This week I watched Revenge of the Bridesmaids for the first time.  My roommates showed it to me.  When it was over, I asked myself, "why did I watch that whole thing?"  I couldn't really think of one good thing in the whole movie.  It depicted drinking as negative perhaps, but inevitable and portrayed sex as something that had no consequences.  I was especially surprised by the contrast between the movie's promotion of revenge, hatred, getting even which contrasted so sharply with what I had been studying earlier this week about forgiveness, love, and healing.

Prosocial preteen music?

I was really intrigued by what we learned about prosocial music, especially when we listened to the song "Soldier."  I've thought about how music impacts our lives whether we want it to or not, so it would probably be better for us to be proactive about finding good music that will affect us in the way we want it to.  With that in mind, I've been trying to come up with a prosocial playlist for a preteen boy who's had a difficult life.  I've found a few songs, but I'd like to find more.  Does anyone have any suggestions?

Media at the Market and Technology in the Testing Center

Technology is being used to fill so many of the needs that were done in person in the past.  Sometimes it's a plus, but other times it becomes so much of a hassle that it frustrates me.  For example, today I tried to pay for my groceries with a check.  In the olden days, cashiers accepted handwritten checks, and took them to the bank to be processed.  Now they just take your blank check, run it through a little machine "that goes ding ding ding" (as the cashier said to me), type in the ID number found on your driver's license, and give the check back to you.  In theory it sounds like a great idea right?  Quick and easy.  But it's a different story when the system doesn't work, the cashier has to call another cashier, who then calls customer service to come over, all while there are so many people waiting in the check out line that they spill over into the grocery aisle.  

For another example, my friend told me how she was planning to use the student ID found on her BYU app to get into the testing center.  Another great idea in theory.  No worry about losing or forgetting her ID card.  But then, after she made it through the testing center line and right when she got up to the counter to get her test, her phone died.  

I guess though that problems like these have always existed and they will probably just serve to help us continue improving technology.  I guess there's really no point in complaining about it, it's probably better to accept the newfangledness and embrace the good it brings while working to improve or eliminate the bad.  

This week, even the elderly lady teller at my bank exclaimed, "look how modern we are!" as she described the bank's new app that allows one to deposit checks by simply taking a picture of them.  Although I'm wary that it might not work as well as she described it over the phone, I guess I'm supporting it because I just downloaded the app.  

Last night my friend had a game night at her apartment.  For one game, each person had to write the name of a popular person/character.   We used the names to play a version of charades.  It was interesting to note how the names we chose to write down had been influenced by the media.  A couple of names like Nemo and Mickey Mouse were repeated twice, but there were two names that had been written by several different people.  They were (consistent with the popular media in terms of politics and entertainment)  Donald Trump and Darth Vader.

Star Wars: Does it Awaken our Media Awareness?

I like the old star wars movies (4, 5, & 6).  While the newer movies (1, 2, & 3) are much more advanced and entertaining in terms of plot line, special effects, and etc, they seem to have degenerated in terms of decency.  Because of that, I wasn't overly excited to see the newest star wars movie.  I didn't see it until yesterday, but when I did, I was pleasantly surprised.  Not only did they bring back the original characters and actors from the old movies, I felt like they also brought back the wholesome, good verses evil aspect of the original movies.  
I work at an elementary school and all of the children (third graders) I asked had seen the movie over Christmas break or were going to see it soon.  There were a few moments in the movie that I wouldn't have recommended for a third grader, for example, when one of the storm troopers was walking around with a bloody handprint on his helmet, or when another storm trooper was stabbed clean through with a lightsaber.  But, in thinking about our class discussions, I realized that at least they were showing the negative, but realistic, consequences of violence.  Which is certainly better than showing no negative results of violence.  Is it better than showing no violence at all?

For one of my classes, I have to read the middle grade chapter book, Flora and Ulysses.  Four of the five main characters are either writers or are inclined to writing tendencies.  This fact reminded me about something I read in a book about introverts.  Books are often written by introverts because they tend to enjoy things like sitting still, pondering, and etc. that are inherent in writing.  Also, there are some introverts who wish they weren't introverted but the fear of being social is so great that it overpowers their desire to engage in social situations.  Books, like other media, provide shy authors a way for them to become involved in situations that their shyness prevents them from engaging in.  Because of that, book characters themselves often demonstrate introvert characteristics.

Since authors generally write about characters similar to themselves, whether they portray them as writers or as introverts, it is interesting to think about how people who are like the authors will generally be the ones who like to read.  Perhaps a love of reading doesn't stem from actually enjoying the reading process, but more from characteristics that the writer and the reader have in common.