The main arguments of the texts read were the usage of video games, reading and how we interpret what is playing on the screen in front of us (television). There were different ways the author presented every concept to the reader. He showed both point of views, why these things may be bad, then again he talks about how they are doing good for us as well. In the first reading about television and its effects talks about different television series and how all viewers interpret what they are watching. When we are watching these shows on TV we need to figure out ourselves what’s going on or what’s going to happen next. If we were to have arrows pointing to different materials on set stating what they are there for or what they will cause to happen next then no viewer would enjoy watching TV. When we are watching TV questions arise while the show or movie is playing that’s what causes the suspense and this is what urges us to keep watching the whole series or movie. If there were to be arrows pointing out telling us what would happen next then it would not be enjoyable at all. Some not so great things about watching TV is all the violence and sexual activity viewed compared to how movies and shows were back then. It has changed a lot for the worse because much of this content is not appropriate for half of its viewers. Another topic in this reading is TV and how it compares to video games and also how they differ from one another considering which is more passive and the degrees of passivity. Another concept is when the watchers are viewing TV, they are looking at things that others are going through or experiencing on the screen. The viewer has nothing to do with it; yet they are sitting there watching and seem to be in the characters business. In this excerpt the viewing of TV is compared to reading text.
In the excerpt about reading compared to video games the author talks about how video games help us interact with other, for example playing with your friends or playing online against another player half way around the world. When we are reading we are only interacting with the text; it’s only yourself and the text present; this is why the author says that reading isolates you. Also how reading is planned out for you, you are not able to change anything like the plot or the setting. Compared to playing video games there are more rewards with reading. He also talks about the concept of how playing video games is like you are not in the real world. Video games seem to help with hand eye coordination; but then again they promote aggression and violent responses to conflict. He states that readers are active and reading stimulates the senses while video gamers are wasting their time.
Reading these excerpts gave me many reactions. I agreed with much of the author has to say. I feel like reading compared to playing video games is much more helpful and gives you many rewards at the end. When playing video games we may be improving hand eye coordination but is that very useful in the life we live today? I feel like the competition these days is who got into the better school or college, or who choose a better career path. The “rewards” you get with playing video games have nothing that will help you with the competition. The concept he talks about in the excerpt about television also connects with what I think. He is right, we as viewers watching a movie or a TV show will not have any interest or “fun” when “arrows” are pointing out what’s happening in the story. It’s the thoughts and questions that we create in our mind that keep the interest. I agree that that there is too much violence and sexual contents in most of the shows and movies we watch; it’s actually a surprise when one or the other doesn’t happen in a movie or TV show. TV never improves skills like text does: I agree with this as well because watching TV is looking at images and hearing words being said. When you are reading the text, it is written out and we are able to look at the vocabulary in front of us.
Readers seem to be more active compared to viewers of TV or gamers of video games? I don’t know, I think that it all depends on the game, show, movie or book that is being read or viewed. If you are viewing or reading something that is nonsense and has no impact to your life than how would this make you active? If you are reading or viewing something that really matters than I still feel like it all depends on the material. If it’s something that makes viewers or readers travel than they will be more active; but if the movie or book is about someone’s life story than how would that make one active? When watching television nothing seems to change in the viewer’s life; they are just looking at what is going on in the characters life. Also when the author talks about playing video games he says that we are not in the real world when we are playing. I agree with this; when we are using electronics we seem to be lost in another planet. We do not know what’s going on with our senses until the electronic device is shut off; that’s when we realize that we had been drooling for half an hour.
This excerpt connects and disconnects with what the author of Feed has to say. They both talk about the usage of electronics and how they are making our world today better and worse. In Feed the author exceeds the concept of digitalization and how it is making our world worst since we are all exceeding the limits of electronic usage. I agree with somewhat of what the author of Feed has to say. In Everything Bad is Good for You, the author talks about electronic usage and how it compares to educational materials like reading text. He doesn’t seem to exceed the usage of electronics and how it will destruct our world in the near future; instead he talks about it in the way it is in the modern world today. Playing video games and watching TV are not doing much for us but reading is much more helpful for our future. I agree with this but it all depends on the material being viewed or read. Both authors are concerned about the usage of electronics and express it in different ways. The author of Feed takes the concept to a whole new level, while the other author stays on the same page as many of its readers. I think that both texts make a good affect on its readers; I know it does for me.
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Amber,
ReplyDeleteI really enjoyed reading your post. I felt like you stated your opinions very clearly, and it really helped me get a sense of what you were trying to say.
Basically, you see the merits of both arguments, to an extent. Overall, you mainly think that it depends on the situation at hand and the materials involved. In general I feel the same way; I think that it is usually more helpful to consider each individual situation than to generalize whether something is all good or all bad.
The only thing that I found confusing about your post was that at times it was difficult to tell which author's opinion you were referring to or even if you were stating your own, but this may just be my reading of it.
One thing that interested me was in your first paragraph, when you were talking about how TV shows and such would be no fun if we had those "flashing arrows". The main reason for this, of course, is that it would completely destroy the subtlety of the scene, and thus ruin the suspenseful atmosphere. But another thing it made me think of was the author's argument that plots are growing more complex-- in fact, now a days we NEED plots to be full of intricate networks of tiny clues just to stay interested.
I enjoyed your post, and look forward to reading more from you!
Remy