Blame Hollywood

Mass media plays an important role in influencing our daily lives, the decision that we make and the topics to be discussed between friends and family. Well, it may not be successful in telling us what to think, but instead what to think about. The mass media has the ability to mentally order and organize the world for us. Hence, the mass media is a powerful tool that constantly gives us updates and affects our lives to a great extent. The biggest player in the media industry currently is the Hollywood industry. The western culture has very much influence our way of life especially in Singapore as Singapore is one of the highest country to consume American products. Therefore, we can safely say that most of our perception that we build on overtime are mostly American views.

I came across an article recently titled "Nicole blames Hollywood", dated on the 22nd of October 2009. The article can be found on http://theblemish.com/2009/10/nicole-kidman-blames-hollywood/. According to the article, it says that "... (Nicole) condemned Hollywood for contributing to violence against women by portraying them as weak sex objects." The article also said that "Nicole should also blame Hollywood for placing too much emphasis on youth and beauty thereby forcing aging actresses to inject their faces with Botox." There is an increasing number of people using Botox to make them look younger and it is considered to be a norm to be practicing it nowadays. Hollywood plays with woman's insecurities in telling them that they are not good or pretty enough and hence, Hollywood encourages them to practice plastic surgery and Botox to enhance their beauty. According to the Cultivation theory, it suggests that the mass media is responsible for shaping, or ‘cultivating’ viewers’ conceptions of social reality. It does not influence the audience attitude directly, but instead it is cultivated indirectly. Mass media portrays beautiful and thin actresses which many of them uses plastic surgery and botox. This indirectly gives the message that having natural beauty and being fat is unacceptable and ugly. Hence, people in general will tend to have that kind of perception about beauty as well although beauty is in the eye of the beholder.
The theory also states that heavy viewers of the television are exposed to more violence and therefore are affected by the Mean World Syndrome. People who watches a lot of television are likely to be more influenced by the ways in which the world is framed by television programs than the individuals who watches less television. According to http://www.9-11heroes.us/news-children-violence.php, it says that "It has been shown time and time again that being exposed to violence does influence children - and not for the good. Kids who see violence often can become numbed by it so that they do not consider it anymore any "big deal" to see another human being killed. Eventually they may start accepting violence and force as a means to solve their problems." In my opinion, watching and being exposed to violence through mass media will lead children to think that violence is acceptable and it is not wrong to use it to solve problems. Hence, it's no surprise that crime rates such as gang fights are increasing at this day and age. It is up to the viewers to filter the messages portrayed by the mass media and not be too influenced by it. The judgments that we make are for us to control and we should not be swayed by the different views and perception portrayed by the mass media.

Mass media plays an important role in shaping the society. It influences our thoughts and perspective. It also connects individuals to the world. It is a very influential tool that have been largely responsible for structuring people's daily lives and routines as we live in a society that depends on information and communication on issues such as entertainment, health and education. The mass media has a both positive and negative influence on the society.

Mass media is highly influential in the fashion world whereby it shows stick-thin models strutting on the runways all over the world. It potentially gives the message that thin is beautiful. The portrait of the ideal women is painted by the media through magazines, advertisements and television and it may have an ultimately devastating effect on the young women of today. The influence of mass media can be blame for the rise of eating disorders in our youths. The pictures below shows some of the most popular Hollywood celebrities which are battling anorexia.


Mass media also provide increasingly frequent portrayals of sexuality. The media keep sexual behavior on public and personal agendas and it will lead us to think that it is a normal thing to do.
Furthermore, the media rarely depict sexually responsible models. This gives rise in our youths to engage in pre-marital sex. When this happens, it comes as no surprise that there is an increase in sexually transmitted diseases such as STDs and AIDS. This will in turn lead the government to educate the masses on the importance of practicing safe sex through campaigns and advertisement. In my opinion, mass media works in a cycle whereby when an issue is portrayed excessively, the public will be incline to follow the trend and when the outcome comes to a dangerous and unacceptable level, mass media will be used again to warn and curb the effect. The mass media is indeed influential and this is proven in one of the theories of mass communication that is the "Powerful effect theory". It influences our perception and thoughts on issues discussed in our circle of relationships for example friends and family.

However, there are also positive influences of the mass media. The mass media helps to bring the world closer together, where we as consumers of the mass media are able to know what is happening all over the world. Although certain issues may be unobtrusive, we are aware of the events that is happening currently. For example during the SARS period in 2003 whereby schools were closed and we were not encouraged to go out, we depend on the mass media to keep us updated on the current situation; on what to do and what is not to do. Also during the recent H1N1 period, the government gives us information on the pandemic outbreak through the mass media as well. Thus, this shows that mass media is an important tool to spread information when face-to-face contact is impossible.

In my opinion, it is up to us as consumers of the mass media on how we want to consume the mass media. We must not get too influence on what the mass media portrays but instead form our own perception and thoughts about the issues that is brought to us by the mass media. The mass media may not be successful in telling us what to think but instead what to think about. Hence, do not be too judgmental when a news is brought upon and do not be too gullible to accept the news literally because it could be one of the ways in which mass media can manipulate you in your thinking.

"Whoever controls the language, the images, controls the race."~Unknown

Body modification & Tattoo

Fancy the pictures above? Well, at one point of time in our lives, surely there's a point in time in which each of us wants to be an individual; to be different from others. This is especially so for youngsters and teenagers in which their inner rebellious nature wants to break free. This form of individualists vary from individuals to individuals and it may be subtle changes such as dying a person's hair blue or to extreme changes such as body modification for example tongue splitting, eye-tattooing and body piercing as shown in the pictures above.
According to the news article on www.CTV.ca,
http://www.ctv.ca/servlet/ArticleNews/story/CTVNews/20060804/body_modification_060804/20060804?hub=Health&s_name=
body modification is a growing trend that is going extreme.

"People want, I think in general with society -- especially the younger sect -- to be different," said Luis Garcia, international liaison for the Association of Professional Piercers, which takes no official stance on the modifications. "It's not different anymore to have your navel pierced."

There are very few societies around the world who accepts this growing trend. It comes as no surprise that Singapore is certainly not supportive of this extreme and growing culture since she is still a conservative and a fairly open-minded country. Most of the Singaporeans will cringe at such an extreme idea and they dare not try it. However there are still people who accepts this culture as they view it as a type of body art. They don't see anything wrong with expressing one's individual character through body art because to them, it's a matter of personal expression. Surely this type of extreme body modifications comes with a risk, that is health risk. Health risk such as infections, blind(for eye tatooing) and Hepatitis are one of the few illnesses that may happen if the person who does it is unqualified or the needles use are not properly sterilized. Well in my opinion, there is nothing wrong in the desire to express one's personal expression but one will have to consider the advantages and disadvantages of doing so. In this case, body modification takes up to an extreme level that there are many risks to it such as health risks. One will have to weigh the potential health risks that may happen and whether it is worth going through such pain just for personal expression. They are other painless ways in which to portray their personal expression such as paintings and music, not necessarily through body modifications only. Despite the potential harm that body modification have, that does not stop people from doing it.

"Teen works for loan sharks to get cash for tattoos" was the headline for "The NewPaper" dated on 5th October 2009. According to the article, it says that increasing number of youngsters were attracted to become loan-shark runners because of the attractive and lucrative money that these loan-sharks offer. The amount that they are paid vary from the difficulty of the job that they had to do.
According to the article,
"Despite knowing that it was illegal, Arshad Ajmal Mohamed Salih, 18, worked as a loan-shark runner for two months, earning about $60 each time for splashing paint at debtors' homes."

Furthermore, the lad needs the money to keep up with his tattoo addiction. For these youngsters, they engage in tattoos to give the impression that they are rebellious and bad. They want to instill fear in the people around them. Tattoos can also represent the gangs that they belong to and it is also a sign of loyalty and belonging towards the group.
Well, there's a long history of tattoos and body modification and it goes as far back as five thousand years ago. In my point of view, tattoos and body modification is a personal choice. What about yours?

love knows no boundaries.

Muhamad Noor Che Musa sits to his newly married 104-year-old wife Wook Kundor.
Photo: AP

"Man, 33, marries woman, 104 year-old woman"-AP

This headline spread across newspapers worldwide, from the Straits Times in Singapore to Harian Metro in Malaysia. I am sure that a lot of people out there including myself were shock when they received the news. Some people even asked how is this possible? Well, some people may say that love knows no age boundaries and this is the perfect example for it. Different people have different reasons in engaging interpersonal relationship. The reasons can be categorized into two groups that are social needs and personal needs. The personal needs are sexual, physical, emotional and psychological needs, for companionship, security and money matters. The social needs are conformity for example people engage in interpersonal relationship to conform to society's norm.
According to Harian Metro, the couple said that it started out as mutual respect and friendship but it has turned to love. It is the 33 year-old man, Muhamad Noor Che Musa's first marriage. However, for the wife, 104 year-old Wook Kundur, it is her 21st marriage. For Wook Kundur, she got married again because she was lonely and needs a companion to help her and feels her time in her everyday life. As for the husband, he sympathises her as she is old and lonely. He denies that it is not for the money. Well, in my opinion this relationship surely does not depend on physical appearance. This is because she is a very old woman who does not have the kind of attractiveness that a young woman has, for example physical strength and body wise. The formation of this relationship is more of complementary differences and exchange. According to www.smh.com, he said that he hoped to help his bride master Roman script while she taught him Islamic religious knowledge. This shows that with the different types of knowledge that both partners have, they can share knowledge and information which may be useful for them. This type of mutual exchange may help to strengthen the relationship further. Wook Kundur even gave advice about how to sustain a marriage when asked. She said that as for her, she provides the needs for her husband such as physical needs for example food, emotional needs for example giving her husband support and sexual needs. However, three years later, headlines about the couple started to appear in newspapers again.

"107-year-old woman seeks 23rd hubby"-AFP

This came as a shock to most people as they seemed to be a happily married couple three years back. She even gave advice on how to sustain a marriage. According to AFP, the 107-year-old woman is ready to marry for the 23rd time because she fears that her current drug addict husband might leave her for a younger woman. The relational challenges that the couple may be facing are insecurity, change and possibly boredom. This is because Wook Kundur is feeling very insecure as she fears that when her husband has ended his drug rehabilitation treatment, he will leave her for a younger woman. Her husband's drug addiction and habit may potentially be one of the reasons as to why she wants to find another husband. As her husband is mainly away for treatment, she is feeling lonely. This was one of the reasons as to why she got married to him three years ago, that is to feel her emptiness and loneliness. However, this goal has not been met.
"My intention to remarry is to fill my forlornness and nothing more than that,"she said-AFP
In my opinion, her personal needs which are company, emotional support, advice and security has not been met. Three years ago, she married this man to fulfill her needs and wishes. When these needs and wishes are not met, the maintenance process of the relationship becomes difficult. Hence, these relational challenges could result in relational dissolution if not solved.
Well, we have yet know the end to the story about 107-year-old woman and her husband, 36-year-old Muhammad Noor Che Musa. The story continues.

Love all, trust a few-William Shakespeare

Perception

Recently, the news on "Malaysian Model Faces Caning For Drinking Beer" became very controversial. A news article adapted from The Times Of India said "Six cane strokes await the waitress who served beer to Malaysian part-time model Kartika Sari Dewi Shukarno." The first controversy which this case have sparked was that whether Kartika, a mother of two should be caned in the first place as some people perceived that caning is too harsh a punishment for a case like hers. Secondly, she stirred a controversy by insisting that she be caned in public in the presence of her family members and the media. The case hit international headlines and human rights and women's bodies have appealed for doing away with this mode of punishment to a woman. For some, they perceived caning as too hard a punishment for a woman. Others think that she deserved to be caned as she did not abide to the Syariah Court's Law which states that drinking is forbidden in Islam. Those in favour of caning under Islamic laws, have commended Kartika for her "remorseful attitude" and willingness to accept her punishment. Some people have the perception that physical punishment is more effective in making the perpetrator to be remorseful and learn from their mistakes. Hence, discouraging them from doing the crime again. Others think otherwise. Well for non-Muslims or even some Muslims, they don't see why she has to be punished to such an extent(caning). They view it as a minor issue as to them, drinking is a norm.
The issue on drinking depends on individuals. Different people may have different perception on it. This perception varies due to different cultural/religion background, social networks such as habits of family and friends. If one is brought up in a family who drinks, he or she does not think that it is wrong to drink. However, one thinks otherwise if he is brought up in a pious family or a family who does not think that drinking is right. For example in Islam, drinking is forbidden. Hence, it is considered to be a major issue if a Muslim drinks in Malaysia. Furthermore, Malaysia is an Islamic state and it is considered to be disrespecting the religion if a Muslim drinks.

In my opinion, to cane or not to cane is an issue between one's self and God. I feel that she should be served with kind advice instead of physical punishment. Generally, I think there should be a balance between physical punishment and non-physical punishment such as giving advice and lending a support. Carrying out physical punishment or non-physical punishment alone helps only to a certain extent. Hence, both types of punishment should go hand in hand for the punishment to be effective. However, it depends on the situation as well. So to cane or not to cane?

language barriers

I came across an article on Channelnewsasia.com which says "Government sets up S$10m fund to promote social integration" dated on 16 Sep 2009 1748 hrs (GMT + 8hrs). In the article, it says that, "The aim is to get locals and new immigrants to expand their social circles to include each other. For instance, more new citizens and permanent residents (PRs) could be included in community festivities, such as celebrations of ethnic festivals and the National Day Parade. Children could also have meals together with their new friends in school, and there could be more English classes for those unfamiliar with the language at work."

Well, from the article, it shows how important language is. Looking at our local context, Singapore stresses the need for both locals and immigrants to improve on their language skills, especially the English language so as to provide effective communication. It can be frustrating at times when both parties do not understand each other. For example, have you ever met a foreigner who said or did something you found highly offensive, yet they were clueless? Cultural differences are all-too-common, however, by learning a foreign language and expanding your interest in its culture you will broaden your point of view of others. Hence, it will also aid you to rid yourself of barriers preventing exciting possibilities. Exclusionary language, bypassing which causes misunderstanding due to misinterpretation, using slangs and jargons and polarisation are some of the examples of language-based barriers to communications. Hence to avoid such misunderstandings, we have to learn each others languages and at the same times, we are able to learn about each others cultures. Another example is imagine yourself travelling to another country. Learning the basics of a foreign language will equip you with enough skill to experience the pleasure of traveling to the land of those speaking it. Many cultures believe that their customs or traits are the right way and the best way. Beauty is in the eye of the beholder. The customary beliefs and traits of cultures differ greatly which often leads to misunderstandings. Exploring a foreign culture will lead to a better understanding of its people, and you will realize that it is only different, not necessarily a inferior way of life.

In my opinion, overcoming language-based barriers by learning each others language for instance, is important as it enables communication to be smooth and effective. This will then reduce misunderstandings that might possibly happen. Especially so in Singapore as we live in a multi-racial society. Learning each others languages and cultures help promotes social cohesion. Furthermore, the Singapore government is promoting foreigners to come to work and stay in Singapore. Hence, language is a very important tool to provide effective communication.

Language is the blood of the soul into which thoughts run and out of which they grow. ~Oliver Wendell Holmes

signs

Do you have twelve minutes to spare? This video which was introduced by a friend and it was taken by the very famous Youtube.com called "Signs" got me intrigued. Communications as i know not only consists of verbal communication but also non-verbal communication such as body language. "Signs" shows a form of non-verbal communication which uses papers as a medium of communication. This video if i am not mistaken uses the transactional model whereby there is simultaneous exchange between communicators. For example, when the man wrote a question shows it to the women, the women replied back using papers as well almost immediately. In my opinion, this type of communication is not very typical and it may be similar to passing notes to one another in class. However, it is very rare for people from another building and also another floor to exchange notes using windows to communicate to the other person. I find that very interesting. It is also very "romantic" and "sweet" if you are able to find your soulmate in that kind of way.

However, there are limitations in this form of communication as well. There exist time lapse when communicating. Also, there's the factor of noise which consists of physical, psychological and social factors that influence communications. For example, in the video when the man wanted to reply back to the women, the women was called by the boss and she had to go. The boss represents the social factor. This type of communication may also lead to several problems when the people communicating meet up face-to-face. This is because initial acts of communication will influence subsequence acts of communication. They will get so use to such non-verbal communication that it may be awkward when communicating in real life. This may be seen in the video whereby when the couple meet up, they were so stunned and didnt know what to say to each other. The women then proceeded to show the word "Hi" that she wrote on a piece of paper.

Despite the limitations that exist in this type of communication, I feel that we should give this type of communication a try. Maybe across the hallways in schools or another person from a housing block close to you and who knows what will happen. Maybe new friendships will be formed or maybe you will find your soulmate just like in this video. You'll never know.