This blog will serve as our virtual classroom and as a place to circulate ideas in addition to our normal classroom time.
Introduce yourself (and practice posting) by writing a comment to this post that tells us which region/nation of the 'tri-continent' fascinates you the most and why. Then add a paragraph about your own media experience: have you ever 'resisted' the messages of media? How and why did you do (or not do) this?
Finally, if anyone has ever seen a good movie about how traditional values are threatened by modern life (and especially by American media) let us know about that too!
Welcome yourself to International Communication studies, and tell us where you are 'coming from'....
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Hi Dr. G., Let me introduce myself. I am Pat Stack and I have an interest in Mexico as an apt representative of the "Tri-Contient". The cultural profile of Mexico is juxtaposed against a first world representative (USA) literally and ideologically. The two cultures have porous boundries that bleed together notions of borders, nationalities, customs and beliefs. Mexico's neighbor to the north can be compared to Mexico in many ways. One way to assess cultural similarities or differences and quantify a culture based on social dilemmas. For instance, one social dilemma is Universlaism versus Particularism. Trompenaars, Hamden-Turner have found that Mexican culture demonstrates a strong sense of communitarianism whereas the United Staes culture exhibits a strong sense of individualism. These differences are worth further examination.
The next question for this blog was "Movies that threaten traditional values." There are, of course, many. As a group or genre Surrealistic cinema of the 1930's and 1940's threatened all social values. That was the intention...to ask audiences to subject themselves to shock value for the sake of the experience. Surrealists such as Salvatore Dali created art that was intended to shock and question reality. Maya Deren, cinematographer produced avante-garde films that were intended to repudiate film convention and thereby threaten traditional values.
Well, I guess that's enough of my diatribe.
Hello Dr. George,
My name is Emi and I am the one who has two home countries!
I would have to say that I have a very strong interest in Asia and would like to propose Singapore as tri-continent representative. Although Singapore is a young nation, its history fascinates me. Singapore is bundled with various cultures, beliefs and values. This young nation, was once a colonized country till it gained its independence in 1965. No doubt Singapore is part of Southeast Asia, unlike other Asian countries, there is no "Singapore language", English happens to be the first language for this country. Furthermore, as it was once being colonized, British educational system, British law system, and needless to say, British English are essential elements to classify Singapore as one of British colony before. There is definitely a very strong influence from England, taking for example, the shapes of buildings. I find this country rather interesting because most of the native Singaporeans do not know their roots due to the mixed culture and languages. You asked whether we have experienced "resisting" the media? I would think I have. Mentioning about O.J. Simpson's new book; I would not even think of reading it. I would say that it is a form of how I would "resist" the media.I feel that it is extremely absurb to even publish a book after being trailed as a murderer. I just don't feel that it is ethical to even think of publishing such a book.
For your second question, I believe there are alot out there. The one movie that I think is threatening to traditional values would be the 'American Pie'. Don't get me wrong, I think that this movie is interesting as it tells us the life of a typical American teenager and their life through college especially when the movie is shown towards a group of audience whom are totally alien towards American lifestyle. It was a cultural shock for me as I think that the content was overwhelming. Even though it may seem normal for Americans, I believe that the behaviour of these teens are not acceptable for the older generations of Americans, needless to say Asians. Due to the mass media, there is a very strong influence from the U.S. in Asia, which I think gradually leads to a threat in teenagers' beliefs and teachings from traditional values. After all these media influence, I guess the once so called "no sex before marriage" is no longer existent in the U.S.
I guess that is all I have to share for now.
Hello Dr George! I am Dikshya and I am from Nepal (South Asia), which is a part of the tri-continent. Although I’ve lived in Nepal almost all of my life, it never ceases to fascinate me because of its diversity, beauty, sharp contrasts between the city and rural lives and the people’s struggle to deal with the decade-long Maoist insurgency. One can experience the country life by traveling or trekking to the mountainous terrain but at the same time, it is interesting to witness the city life in Kathmandu, the capital city.
The difference between the rugged mountains and the city life is remarkable. Despite Western influences on Nepal’s cities (through the media), there are no skyscrapers in Nepal. Historical cities such as Patan and Bhaktapur are indeed different from those in the West. Another interesting factor is that Nepal does not have a history of being colonized by any foreign powers. Against this backdrop, the Nepalese are still trying to grapple with violence and bloodshed although Maoist insurgency officially ended last year.
I have never consciously resisted media messages but I have certainly disagreed with the news contents time and again. During the decade long Maoist insurgency in Nepal that claimed around 14,000 lives in the country; the international media not only portrayed Nepal as a country burning with bloodshed and violence, but it also sent messages to international tourists that it was unsafe to travel to Nepal. I disagreed with the international media’s message to the tourists because I believe that the country was unsafe for the Nepalese people but the tourists were never harmed by the Maoists and the security personnel. Such negative messages to potential tourists definitely affected Nepal’s tourism.
Hello. My name is Madoka Yamagata, and I’m from Japan. I’m glad to study International Communication with you in this semester. For first question by Dr. George, I have an interest in Honduras as tri-continent because the country has a problem of economic assistance. When I was in a college, a teacher told me about the wide gap between rich and poor in Honduras. According to the teacher, developed countries, such as the U.S., have provided financial aid for Honduras. However, the teacher said that Honduras takes it for granted that developed countries provide financial aid for the country, so the country is unwilling to become independent from those aids. In addition, people who control the country are originally rich and do not know how poor people have been distressed by poverty. Therefore, according to the teacher, money is hardly used for those poor people to improve their living standards. As a result, Honduras cannot make the gap between rich and poor smaller. Dependency theory reminds me the country and the problem. I feel the difficulties of assisting other countries. For second question, I have experienced the feeling many times. In especial, when news programs reported opinions by people through interviews, I often doubt that the producers may pick up only favorable opinions for the programs. In other words, I think that those producers may eliminate negative comments for the programs. Therefore, I always try not to believe only what I watch on TV, but I try to look for opposite view toward the stories of the news. About movies, unfortunately, I don’t have any useful information, so I will search for some movies about the issue.
Hi Dr. G., this is Arianne Thoeun or Chany. I find many of the tri continent areas intereting in contrast with U.S. culture. My main interest would have to be Cambodia though, partly because this is the country of my ancestors. One of the most interesting fact about Cambodia is that it used to be one of the most powerful country in Southeast Asia until internal conflict as well as external wars destroyed most of the land. Cambodia was a French colony before the civil war that devastated the country. Today, French is the second official language of the country after Khmer. This is a country that has sustained a rich culture despite having been pillaged again and again by other countries. It is also interesting to see the similarities of cultures between Cambodia and it's neighbors, Loas, Vietnam, and Thailand. Many people do not know this but Loas, Vietnam, and Thailand used to be part of the Khmer Empire back in its glory days, and many of the similar traditions these countries have carried over from that time period.
As for resisting the media, I find myself doing this constantly, whether it's just refusing to buy something that the media says is popular or altogether banning certain media from my life such as FOX.
In answer to the movie question, I'm sure I have seen a couple of movies that threaten traditional values, but I cannot seem to remember the names of any of those movies right now.
Hello Dr. George and fellow classmates. My name is Stephanie Elcewicz. I am from a rural part of Eastern Kentucky. I have traveled to Brazil, Great Britain, and most recently, Malaysia. I am fascinated with the Brazilian culture and the passion that is evident in all aspects of living (music, dancing, food, etc). Malaysia had incredible technological advances I never could have imagined. Also, religion is more prevalent in their society than I have experienced anywhere else. Though these cultures were incredible, I must say I am most interested in the British culture. I am interested in the government, specifically Parliament and the role of the Queen. I found the use of the language to be sophisticated in a literal manner. I believe my immediate feeling of connection to this foreign land came from the excitement of seeing where my ancestors came from. Seeing architecture that has been able to withstand more than 1,000 years made me realize how young our nation is. In response to the question of “resisting” media, I would have to say that when my husband was in Iraq I completely ignored anything that was televised about that area. After hearing his account of what goes on there I just became apathetic to the negative messages presented by news programs. It seems that the old saying “no news is good news” really holds true with regard to some issues presented in the media. Finally, I am not certain if the movie I thought of qualifies as a good example of tradition threatened by modern life. The movie I thought of was “Pleasantville.” It was released in 1998 starring Reese Witherspoon and Tobey Maguire. The brother and sister find themselves trapped in a black and white 1950’s sitcom. When Reese Witherspoon’s character Jennifer enlightens the other characters about the modern world, objects (then people) begin to show color. Ciaos ensues, values change.
Hello Dr. G, this is Elise. I am originally from the East Coast. Honolulu has been my home since March 2002.
My choice for a tri-continent country is Japan. The resiliency of the country illustrated by the belief that any and all hardships are viewed as challenges to be overcome makes it a formidable force to be reckoned with. After WWII, Japan said it would be back and the next time it would come in through the back door. Cases in point: my DVD player is a Sony, Sony owns Columbia Pictures, and all my cameras are Canons. Who won the war? Sony founder Masaru Ibuka had the big hairy audacious goal of erasing the perception that "made in Japan" meant poor quality. He succeeded.
My usual way to resist the media is to talk back to the TV. I tend not to believe commercials and politicians. Outside of groceries I rarely shop, but when I do it's for a particular purpose. I do not shop for shopping's sake. Nor do I succumb to the "come ons" from my credit card companies.
My choice for a film that challenged conventional traditions is 1967's Guess Who's Coming to Dinner. The film put the issue of interracial marriage front and center in America. Sidney Poitier's character was so perfect--good looking, well respected in his field, well off, that the only reason his fiancee's parents could object to the marriage was because he was black. The question for many self-professed liberals was, "can you walk your talk?"
Hello Dr George. This is Moe. I find a lot of Tri-Continent countries fascinating, but what fascinates me the most is this little nation called Lebanon. It gained its independence in 1948 from France. It is beautiful, largely mountinous, surrounded for the most part by the Mediterranean Sea. It is fascinating in every aspect, even its flag celebrates this beauty by featuring a green cedar against a white backdrop bounded by two red stripes. Because of its sectarian diversity, Lebanon follows a political system, unknown to all neighboring countries, called confessionalism where power is distributed as evenly as possible among different sects. Lebanon enjoys relative calm and prosperity driven by the tourism, agriculture, and banking sectors of the economy. Some historians consider Lebanon to be Switzerland of the Middle East due to its financial power. Others refer to Lebanon as Paris of the Middle East due to its attracting beauty. An average Lebanese speaks three languages: French, English, and Arabic. Some minorities would speak even more languages than those. Hope my little excursion didn't bore you. As for the other question, I always resisted the media, especially political media, where I grew up in Syria. My attitude toward that type of media was more oppositional than negotiated. I knew there always was a contradiction between the encoding of the messages sent by the political leaders and the decoding of those messages. The messages were always about unified position and social harmony, but the real aim was always deception, own personal advantage and enrichment. Thanks
Apa khabar? (How are you, in Malay.) I am Kim from Malaysia and have been to Hawaii for more than six years. I obtained my BA in Human Resource Development from HPU and this is my third semester in MACOM.
China is one of the tri-continent nations that fascinates me the most because of its rapid and influential economic growth. China is the world second largest oil and gas consumer after the United State. While vacationing in the City of Guang Zhou in China, a few years ago, I experienced first hand being in a country, which consists of 20 percent of the world’s population. The city appeared more crowded compared to New York.
On average, eight out of ten items that we use daily are made in China. The remaining items are either from Taiwan or another South East Asian country. My friend traveled to Beijing for six weeks on a language and cultural tour. While he was there he decided to find a “Made in America” product as part of his cultural exchange. After four weeks of searching at several market and malls, he finally found Dixie brand 16 ounce, red, disposable plastic cups at a Super Walmart location.
My way of resisting the messages of media is I usually change channels on the Television or on the radio during commercial as a means of resisting media bias in commercials. I ignore online advertisements while surfing the Internet and I check all options of automatic spam guard on my email programs. I have an alternative email address for registering at websites that are a potential source of spam mail.
A good movie that I watched containing concept of how traditional values are threatened by modern life is “The Last Samurai.” This movie made me feel threatened to live in our current day modern life. The movie “The Last Samurai” starring Tom Cruise is a Japanese historical movie on, Bushido, the way of the Samurai. The Bushido way stresses rectitude, courage, benevolence, respect, honesty, honor and loyalty. I wonder how nice our society would be if those virtues are practiced by everyone. We would not have to lock our doors, our cars, or worry about being robbed and cheated. Without hesitation I would move to the village in the movie where the Samurai lived, without missing my modern technology.
Hi Dr. G., I'm Trevor LaClair. I find myself a little pulled by topic because I'm interested in more than one region of the 'tri-continent.' I suppose my first choice would have to be China. Over the past 3.5 years I was living in Japan and had a lot of exposure to Asian culture and experiences. China and Japan have an interesting relationship and it was interesting for me to see how these two powers regarded one another in their media. The Western world has a real 'love/hate' relationship with China and as they continue to grow and flex their economic muscle it will be interesting to see what kind of role they play in Asia and the rest of the world.
As for the media, I am a bit of a media junkie. I love magazines, newspapers, and 24-hour cable news channels, although I don't often sit down and watch TV. I feel being informed is the best way to resist anything. Simply putting the blinders on to a message you don't like or don't want to hear doesn't make much impact in my mind. Of course I have my point of view but I still like hearing the debate. So that being said, I don't know if I 'resist' the media, but I do read Adbusters magazine from time to time, which offers interesting insight on globalization and consumerism. Also a new book by Naomi Klein (author of 'No Logo') came out today called 'The Shock Doctrine' which discusses many topics with applications in the field of International Communication.
At this point I can't think of any movies to list off for you, but I will edit my post should something come to mind. Thank you.
Hello All,
My name is David Fry. I am originally from central Massachusetts, but I have been enjoying living in Kailua for the past year now.
The tri-continent country I am most interested in is Egypt. In history courses covering Ancient Egypt I was always amazing by the ingenuity and achievements of their incredible culture. The Egyptian were the first to make paper, they were great thinkers in math, linguistics, and science, and built incredible structures including two of the Seven Ancient Wonders of the World: the Great Pyramids (the only one of the Ancient Wonders still standing today), and the Lighthouse at Alexandria. I got the chance to travel to Egypt a few years ago and I was amazed the history, the beauty, and the diversity of the cities along the Nile, from Alexandria to Cairo, to the temples at Luxor, and the stone quarries in Aswan. I think it would be interesting to study a country that played such a vital role in history and the development of the world, and compare that to present day Egypt’s international role.
As for how I practice media resistance, I try not to watch Fox news. I do not agree with many of the practices of Rupert Murdoch, especially what seems like framing for many issues on his channel’s news broadcasts, including some stories while ignoring or downplaying others. I will also sometimes check the Project Censored website. They try to expose stories with little to no coverage in the mainstream media
I don’t have much experience with international film, but “Network” is a great movie about modern life and the media encroaching on traditional values, with the classic line, “I’m as mad as hell, and I’m not gonna take this anymore.”
Have a great week everyone.
Hi, Dr.George I'm Oui Seekhiew. I come from Thailand which is the fastinating country. It is importance that Thai culture is graceful and impression. Especially,I like the repect in Thai society. A younger shows the repect to a older such as bowing. Moreover, Thais have a faith in the King who be loved. Although other people think this is strange to repect only one person,who knows better Thai people. "King does everthing for us" is a right reason. Thai people not only respect but also be proud of being his citizen which are universal differently.
For the second question, after Thai coup happened last year, Thai people were resisted an information. The media presents only what the military goverment wants to infrom and tell people in country. As the result, the previous prime minister's speech has never given since the coup. However, I study in the USA., so I have more choice to see and hear news from forign news publication. therefore, this help me to recieve more information and situation in my country.
Aloha Dr.George,
My name is Finn. I come from Thailand. I got my bachelor degree in Arts from Thailand. This is my third semester in HPU. Then, the nation of the tri-continent fascinates me the most is India. The colonial in India began in 1510, when the Portuguese stablished a presence in Goa. Rivalry between European powers saw the entry of the Dutch, British, and French among others from the beginning of the 16th century. The fractured debilitated kingdoms of the Indian subcontinent were gradually taken over by the Europeans or indirectly controlled through vassal or puppet rulers. By the 19th century, the British had assumed direct and indirect control over most of India. I impress Indian culture that is rich and diverse and as a result unique in its very own way. Indian culture treats guests as god and serves them and takes care of them as if they are a part and parcel of the family itself. Even though Indian people don’t have anything to eat, the guests are never left hungry and are always looked after by the members of the family. Elders and the respect for elders is a major component in Indian culture. Elders are the driving force for any family and hence the love and respect for elders comes from within and is not artificial. An individual takes blessings from his elders by touching their feet.
The next question, have you ever “resisted” the messages of media? I have never resisted the message of media, but it does not mean I trust it. I n my opinion, I think the message from news or advertising are not true at all. Therefore, I have to consider from many sources such as internet, television and radio etc before I trust it.
Finally, I am so sorry about the good movie that how traditional values are threatened by modern life. I don’t have any idea about that. However, I will search and tell you later.
Hi Dr. George, my name is Kerianne Pascua. I’m born and raised here on this lovely rock. The one region of the tri continent that fascinates me the most would probably be Asia because it’s a part of my ancestry. My background consists of Japanese, Chinese, Filipino and Spanish. I think the Philippines is most fascinating because my grandmother and her 11 brothers and sisters are from Cagayan. I’ve never had the opportunity to visit the Philippines, but I’ve heard so many stories about her home country. I’m also a registered nurse and within the health care system here in Hawaii there are so many employees who are from the Philippines or they’re 2nd/3rd generations. I’ve talked to many people that said they came to America to work and send money, clothes and such back home.
I’m not a history junkie, but from what I’ve learned, the Philippines has a very interesting history with living under Spanish ruling for about 300 years. Then during the Spanish American War, Spain ceded the Philippines to the United States, creating June 12, 1989 as the Filipino Independence day. It wasn’t until the 1940’s that the Philippines gained full independence from the United States with Manuel Roxas being the first president. Then there was the Ferdinand Marcos era, in which the Philippines faced a corrupt president. Today the president of the Philippines is Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo. So the fact that a woman is running the country and the relationship that people in Hawaii have with their relatives in the Philippines fascinates me.
For the second question, have I ever resisted the messages of the media, yes I think there were many times were I chose not to read a particular magazine or buy into or purchase something that the media popularizes (ie iphone, play station and such). I’m also skeptical about what I hear on the TV, not believing or agreeing with what I hear. As for movies, I can’t really think of any at this time.
Hi, Dr. George, I am Maggie Meng-Chieh Lin and from Taiwan which is a fascinating country. I would like to propose Taiwan as tri-continent representative. In mid 16th century, a Portuguese ship sighted the main island of Taiwan and dubbed it "Ilha Formosa", which means "Beautiful Island." The Portuguese made no attempt to colonize Taiwan. In beginning of 17 century, the Dutch established a commercial base on Taiwan and colonized for a half century.Taiwan had been colonized by Japan once in end of 19 century until Japan lost in WW2. Therefore, up to this very day, a small number of older Taiwanese are still loyal toward Japan, and share their beliefs with the next generation. The cultures of Taiwan are very diverse including Confucianism, Japanese, European, American, global, local and indigenous influences, which make Taiwanese people have tolerant to absorb different customs and respect other ethnicity.
Second question, I think I try to resist politics from media. Other than that, I am a fashion junk and like to read entertainment magazines or fashion guide. I do think in United States, there is much more freedom to receive any kind of message from media. However, for increasing their audiences/viewers, media nowadays more focusing on what their audiences like to see and hear. I think, Somehow people need to be wilder to consider opposite opinion and be objective.
For the last question, I am afraid I do not approach any good movie about how traditional values are threatened by modern life yet.
Hello, Dr. George. My name is Maribeth and I am originally from Newark, Delaware. I’ve been on the island for 8 months now and am enjoying every minute!
Out of the tri-continent countries, I am most fascinated by Egypt. I have always been interested in Africa and hope to travel there someday. I’ve always been interested in other cultures and Egypt holds incredible history, culture, and art. Egypt is one of the most populated countries and Cairo is Africa’s largest city. Egypt is known for its ancient civilization and famous landmarks, including the Pyramids and the Great Sphinx. I am most interested in Egyptian art. I think it is fascinating how the Egyptians coded their art and filled their wall paintings with meaning. I believe it is important to understand other cultures in order to better understand our own and I would most like to study Egypt and the role it plays in regards to other countries.
I don’t think I try to resist media; in fact, I believe there is a lot of information “out there” that we don’t know. I don’t watch too much t.v., but I do read the paper and get most of my news online. I am interested in current events and how it shapes our world today.
The only movie I can think of off the top of my head that values are being threatened by modern life is the movie “The Da Vinci Code.” It has to do with keeping aspects of religion a secret. The main characters try to uncover the truth about the Vatican and learn information being withheld about the marriage between Jesus and Mary Magdalene. The characters learn the truth is covered up and there are many trials and tribulations throughout the film to try and learn the truth about the church. Thanks.
Hi Dr. George,
My name is Angela and my interest in the tri-continent would be Brazil. I have been surround by the culture here in Hawaii because of my involvement with Capoeira which inspired me to go school and live in Brazil. I have gained so much knowledge and experience living there that I hope to go back an visit or maybe live there someday. However I found it interesting to see how media plays such big role in that country. To give you an example if you were to walk into any restaurant you would see that they have T.V's everywhere. Soap-opera is very popular for Brazilians, it their own version of a reality show. At around 5:00pm you will see all the waiters and waitresses hoovering around the T.V watching their favorite Soap-opera, even on a busy night.
On the other hand, the one movie I felt that threatens traditional values was the movie "American Beauty." Our Idea of the American dream was to have a family with a mom and a dad and the kids. Where the dad was the head of the household and he brought home the money. The wife was supportive in his decisions. In the movie American Beauty contradicts all of that. The Father gave up his job and blacked mailed his boss so he could live comfortable. He also went and got a Minium wage job flipping burgers. His wife was so caught up with making money that she fell out of love for her husband. The movie overall was excellent with great cinematograpy and story. I thought this movie really showed another side of the American dream. I felt it was telling us, wanting to much would lead us to unhappiness and dispair in the end.
That is all I have to say...Thank You
Hi Dr. George, my name is Tannie. I am originally from the city of smiles, Bangkok, in the country of smiles, Thailand. The region fascinating me the most is, of course, Thailand. Not only it’s because I am from there but it’s also because its long-reigned background or history, cultural richness, its unique character and its landscape. The history of Thailand begins with the migration of the Thais from their ancestral home in southern China into mainland Southeast Asia around the 10th century. The Thais established their own states starting with Sukhothai and then Ayutthaya kingdom. These states were under constant threat from the Khmers, Burma and Vietnam. Much later, the European colonial powers threatened in the 19th and early 20th centuries, but Thailand survived as the only Southeast Asian state to avoid colonial rule and this fascinates me the most about its history. The culture of Thailand is heavily influenced by Buddhism. Thailand is nearly 95% Buddhist, with minorities of Muslims (4.6%), Christians (0.7%), Mahayana Buddhists, and other religions. Even thought we hear the news about conflicts regarding cultural and religious differences, I can see harmony and sympathy of the people in the time of need. Thailand is renowned for the friendliness and hospitality to strangers. This is why it is called the land of smiles. For its beautiful landscape, Thailand fulfils all dreams of holidaymaking. We have lonely islands, white sandy beaches, coconut trees and the clear blue sea are warranty for best vacation. Also, splendid temples and sunken ruin places as well as the fantastic landscape of the north, with its mysterious jungle paths where is the contrast to the noisy large cities and tourist centers.
To this question, I have been trying not to be a victim of today’s commercial ads by avoiding watching consumer goods’ ads while hungry or doing research for a little bit after watching ads about things. Unfortunately, sometimes ads are really hard to resist especially when you see handsome guys and gorgeous girls posting with cool clothes, carrying nice bags and wearing jewelry that catches your eyes. So, the next best way to resist ads would be ignoring them if you can.
I am not sure about any movies that fit the requirement here right now but I will keep finding one or some. I will let you and the class know later!
Hi Dr. George and Classmates! My name is Janueri and I am from the Big Island of Hawaii.
The tri-continent that I am most fascinated with is South Korea. I don’t want to give you all a history lesson, but rather, BRIEFLY share my personal opinion on why I am interested in South Korea. South Korea is a country that is very savvy in technology (with competitive pricing to other countries) and very fast in the trends of fashion due to their skillful textile works. The Korean culture is also similar to the culture of those who grew up in Hawaii…we both have very strong moral and family values and respect our elders.
As for the media, I love it, but I am able ‘resist’ it because I don’t have time for it. Other than watching the 10pm local news and reading the local newspaper online, I do not have much time for television watching or recreational reading.
As for the movie question, my choice was the film, “My Big Fat Greek Wedding.” I highly recommend this movie to those of you who have not seen it. The movie is funny and you will see how traditional values being threatened by modern life is portrayed in the film.
Thank you for reading my comment and have a great week!
Aloha!
I'm Lisa, one of the few locals in our class. Actually, it’s one of the biggest reasons why I chose HPU since I wanted to broaden my cultural horizons. Hawaii is (and always will be) my home paradise but there’s a whole big world out there to explore!
The tri-continent region of Western Africa fascinates me the most, particularly Sierra Leone with its average life expectancy of only 34 years, compared to the whopping American rate of 74 years. American news sources have been reporting horrific accounts of political oppression and human suffering in this African region almost daily for decades and yet most Americans remain largely uninformed about this region. The major American broadcast networks do little to garner compassion for the people there, perhaps because they feel that we have very little direct social and economic investments.
I tend to hold a somewhat resistant view of media messages by remaining skeptical of their intent. Since the majority of information sources are run with the clear-cut business attitude of increasing the bottom line, consumers hold more purchasing power than they sometimes realize. Gossip, carnage, and indignation sells newspapers, attracts TV viewers, and draws movie fans but consumers who make educated choices help to decide what options are put on the market and which companies stand to make a profit from them.
A good movie about how traditional values are threatened by modern life is The Last Samurai. These aristocratic warriors have been idolized and idealized in many American films but this one focuses mainly on the personification of Bushido values of loyalty, honor, and courage. The film reveals how modern life abolished the samurai's longstanding position of being the only armed force in Japanese society and how the Meiji emperor came to favor a more westernized army.
Dear Dr. George. Aloha, my name is Alice Kuo and I come from Taiwan. I’m glad to join this class- international communication.
Now I’m talking about colonial moment in Taiwan. As we know that Taiwan is part of China, but in the begging, Taiwan was not belongs to anyone. However, in the 16th, Taiwan had been colonized about 29years by Holland. During the same time, Spain also wanted to have Taiwan, so they fought with Holland during the 16~17th. After that, Taiwanese still has no freedom because Japan colonized Taiwan about 50 years in the 19th century. They tried to use education, wars and psychology to control Taiwanese. Some of Taiwanese thought that if Japan colonized it is good way, because they won’t afraid other countries. However, some of the Taiwanese thought they have to protect their country. They tried to fight with Japan, but still failed. Now Taiwanese has two part of thinking. One is to help Taiwan become independent. Another is still not to change the same situation now.
As for resisting the media, I think I try to resist media, because right now, some of the media was not bring the truth to the audiences. Media will change people’s mind, that’s way we have to learn communication.
About the movie question, I think “the secret garden” is a good movie that to related about the traditional values are threatened by modern life.
Hello Dr. George and all my classmates, I am Saskia Langer and I am from Germany. I find it very hard to decide on only one region or country of the 'tri-continent', as I have travelled and lived in few of them. Originally, I was going to choose Asia in particular Thailand, where I worked and lived for over a year and a half and therfore gained some knowledge about the country. However, I changed my mind and thought about picking the Seychelles, which are located south-west of South Africa instead. I worked on the island of Mahe, which is known to have the smallest capital, Victoria, of the world. What makes the islands so special is the different races, history, the lush nature, sun and ocean, which have together given origin to a culture based on different ideas, an unusual mixture which is conservative yet creative at the same time. French, African and Madagascan influence are all seeds that have been planted in this fertile soil. The fruits which are purely tropical have a genuine fascination of their own, they are the explosive colors found in the oil painings, the traditional music and dances, the Creole language. One of the most fascinating things one is bound to experience is rhythm.There are three kinds of music and dancing in the Seychelles, which express the joy of living: the highly popular 'Sega'and the 'moutia', highly syncopated, both of African and Madagascan origin, and then th 'kamtole' of European origin. Aslo worth mentioning is the food. The Creole cooking is an exotic mixture, a combination of refined French food, Chinese dishes, Indian recipes with dashes of hot African spices.
As for the media, I have never resisted the media on purpose, however I was more or less forced to resist it. As mentioned above, while working in Thailand, I lived on a tiny island, which had no access to internet, had no TVs and no stores to buy newspapers or magazines. Honestly, it was nice for about the first two month, but then it started to be very frustrating. I would say that I am usually well informed and keep myself updated by the news and without any channels of information I started to feel uneducated to some extent. I don't necessarily believe everything which is being brought to me, but I like having the opportunity to make my own decission whether to believe it or not.
Regarding the movie about how traditional values are threatened by modern life, I would like to suggest "Die Weiße Massai" (The white Massai). It describes how a European woman falls in love with an African Massai. Even though, their love for each other was incredible, the woman leaves after many years living in hte jungle, because she cannot cope with the lifstyle. She returns many years later to the village and introduces the traditional Massai to new kinds of technology and therefore also introduces new values. Even though there is no doubt that she does it to help the people, I also believe that she encounters the risk of distroying traditional values without noticing it.
Aloha Dr. G, my name is Ping Xu and I am from Shanghai, China. I visited many Asian counties. Like Hong Kong (SAR), Thailand, Malaysia, Indonesia, Singapore, and Japan. For me, western countries would be more mysterious. I haven’t been to anywhere in States except Hawaii, but, I will.
The question is the nation fascinates you before might not be the nation fascinates you now; while, the nation fascinates you now probably not the one fascinates you in the future. I have pondered where my fascination is...
Prior to Hawaii, the region that impressed me the most is Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HK). HK is a part of China, while it is wildly different from the rest of county. Talking about the globalization, HK is the ideal location of this topic. People call KH is the gate of China, because it plays an important role between West and East. It is a city that absorbed influences from the West and went on to localise and indigenise foreign culture. Yet on the other hand, HK is a Chinese community that has strong links with mother culture, and in many aspects has also developed its own HK culture. Asides from HK’s people, culture, economy, history, and life, one picture that is deep down in my mind is the final handover ceremony in 1997. This is a momentous and historic day.
Now, there is no room for doubt, America is the most appealing nation for me. That’s why I am here in this fabulous country. I like Hawaii mainly because of its weather and beach. It is an ideal place to study and live at. Winter in China is unbearable cold for me. I am not really a beach person, but nothing is more charming than crystal blue water. The US is the number one economy country in the world. Its education system, economy system, legal system, technology system and media system etc. are all constructed substantially. China as a developing country should learn more from or work with western countries in terms of boosting economy and improving technology, etc. Like me, I have been learning a lot in every class. And the more I learn, the more I know I don’t know. So, I realized that learning is a life long project for me since the day I landed in this country. People here in Hawaii are very mellow. Due to the “aloha spirit”, from peoples’ eyes I see the peace in their hearts, very beautiful.
Few days ago, I went to a bank in downtown for business. A teller recommended me that I shall go to New York City to pursue career in the future. He said that Hawaii is surfing, NY is making big bucks. How fascinating this country is!!!
Oh, regarding media experience, media function or system is very different from China. People have more freedom to speak for themselves. I don’t resist the messages from media, because it is part of our lives.
I enjoying watch movies, but I barely remember their names. I know some good movies fit the topic, I will try to figure them out and keep you posted. My apology.
Aloha All,
My name is Debra. I enjoy studying South Korea and North Korea in terms of international media. First is that I spent a month in South Korea and spent several years tutoring a student from South Korea. The second is I find that various forms of the media have flooded both nations and are being used by several governments in both nations for various reasons. Another nation I am interested is learning more about is India (I think it was India) because I have heard that the government there is sponsoring acting troups who perform at health fairs in an effort to educate the populace on various issues such as safe sex and objectification of women through bridal dowries. I find this particular governmental manipulation very interesting as a counter-cultural top-down movement. I am not sure that I agree with it and I wonder at its Western ifluences.
I would say that I have resisted media messages because, until I was 20, we did not have TV in our home and we did not receive the newspaper. Instead, we sometimes listened to radio, often read books, and most often read political publications. Similarly, I was not introduced to "pop" music until age 20. My family, while ethnically European (for the most part), was very religious and this made us very collectivistic. While we applauded individual achievement, we stressed the importance of supporting each other in our endeavors, of making the family look good, and of spending time with each other. We had extended family dinners at regular times, several times a week. We also had special family gatherings, family game night, etc... I think that these were attempts to resist media messages because we focused on each other and on discussion rather than on following what was popular. We did, however, spend time partaking of, and critiquing, media as a family. We put great importance on education and spent a lot of time in the library and doing research on the computer.
That's about it. I'm looking forward to getting to know all of you better!
yooooo. For my tri-continent interest I would have to say Cuba because of Dr. Hashimoto. Her shared experience of beeing there makes me question many things that are accepted within their culture because they are very different from my own. I also find it very thought provoking the way the media has portrayed and labeled Cuba and the people who live there often negatively; yet I have heard stories of first-hand accounts that life is beautiful there and the people are quite content.
As for resisting media. Of course I have! Like right now, I am resisting the urge to watch family guy because the commercials earlier told me how good it was going to be but I must do my homework :) I am 100% sure there are other instances, but right now my brain is in battle between blogging and blocking (Family Guy) out of my head.
I like Roger Water's The Wall
Hello, Dr. George and everyone.
I'm Gunho Lee from Korea. I'm very happy to join the international communication class this semester.
I'm an active Korea Army Officer (captain) right now and my branch is Public Affiars. (So, I'm studying communications.)
I have an interest in my own country, Korea, as tri-continent representative. (And if I have a chance, I'd like to know surrounding countries, Japan and China.) As a lot of people already know, Korea is the last divided country on the Earth. Thus the Korea Peninsula has lots of unique things in the part of politics, national security and so on.
Korea has had very complex history for a last century. Korea was violated the sovereignty by Japan a century ago, and became independent in 1945. But the country was divided into two countries, North and South Korea right away. And then there was Korean War from 1950 to 1953. After the end of war, there was nothing Korea had and moreover the country was still divided. Korea was one of the most poor counrties in the world at that time. But Korean(South Korean) have conqured all difficulties for last half century and became one of the strong Asiatic powers.
But since Korea has had too fast social changes for pretty short time, there are some special situations of the society in the area of politics, education, and national security, etc.
And Korea has pretty complex relations with surrounding countries, the four biggest powers of the world, Japan, Russia, China and America.
As a Public Officer of military, I have pretty much experiences to 'resisted' the message of media since it was a part of my responsibilities. Concrete things about it, I'll tell you in detail later.
And seperately from the class, if you have anything that you want to know about Korea and Korea military, please tell me. I'll answer you everything that I know.
Hello All! My name is Jason Hirst. I am from right here in beautiful Hawaii. I am from Moanalua Valley and now reside in Ewa Beach.
The nation Of Japan fascinates me the most due to many factors. Firstly, Japan is a country I can identify with. I was raised in a predominately traditional Japanese neighborhood here in Hawaii. Even though I was the freckle-faced hooligan that ran my bicycle through the neighbor’s rock gardens countless times, I learned through trial and error the cultural mores that define who I am as a person today.
I am also fascinated by how Japan's history has been shaped from outside influences and by long periods of isolation. Japan is a leading nation in the fields of scientific research, technology and medical research. Japan’s music and fashion scene is very eclectic and cutting edge. I am intrigued by the countries advertising and marketing techniques in terms of consumer products and services. I love how Japan’s culture is a mixture of outside influences and internal developments. I am fascinated by Japan because of the constant strides and accomplishments they have made in the past 50 years. And if you don’t believe that, I can always say my deep fascination with Japan eclipses my love for cheap saki and incredible soccer games.
I find myself resisting media messages constantly by never having watched or read any Harry Potter movie or book despite the ingenious marketing ploys. Although media is hard to ignore I feel it is definitely ingrained in our everyday culture here in America. Media acts as a cultural storyteller. Parents rely on television to keep their children entertained when they have had enough and need a break. Constant bombardments of advertising in forms of magazines, commercials, billboards, radio plugs, and news papers take there toll on all of us. All of these things help cultivate our need to consume.
I am Sheng-Hao Lin. I come from Taiwan which is a small island in Asia.
I am interesting in Taiwan because it is my home. Taiwan is a strange island. Why I said that? Let me explain to you.
First, Japanese was first language during the generation of my grandfather, who is 70 year-old, because Taiwan was a colony of Japan at that time. Therefore, Japanese government forced Taiwanese to use Japanese only. Any media was in Japanese including the education.
Second, in my father’s generation, the Kuomintang (KMT), which was from China, ruled Taiwan. Therefore, Mandarin became first language in Taiwan. All of media changed to Chinese from Japanese. So, KMT resisted any media of Japanese.
After KMT controlled Taiwan, Taiwan has a strange position in the world. Some people said Taiwan is an independent county but some people believed Taiwan is a part of China. However, that is an interesting situation from my hometown.
Hey Dr. G., my name is Candace Sholing and I am from Guam. The tri-continent country that I am interested in is Thailand because of its great history. In the 19th and 20th centuries European colonial powers threatened Asian countries, but Thailand was the only Southeast Asian state to avoid colonial rule. Another interesting fact about Thailand is that the people live by their king. There was a case in which the Thai government wanted to ban the access of YouTube in their country because of inappropriate video clips regarding the king.
I have definately resisted some of the messages of the media, but it is difficult! Different stations censor or ignore different stories, so I only get to see and hear one side.
I don't have much experience with international film but some good movies I have seen include "City of God" and "Motorcylce Diaries."
Hello Everyone! My name is Paul, and I am from Norway.
From the tri-continent nations I have been, I find Malaysia the most fascinating country. The capitol, Kuala Lumpur is a city that offers everything from extremely developed technology and impressive architecture, to a fascinating culture. Malaysia is a multi-religious society and Islam is the official religion. I find the people very friendly and polite, but also very different from what I am used to. Malaysia also has some very beautiful islands, like Langkawi.
To the second question, I cannot remember one specific time I resisted the message of media, but I have noticed several times that different media channels cover news stories completely different. Sometimes it can almost look like different news channels are not covering the same story, because of the angles they use, and that makes me wonder about their reliability.
I have probably seen some movies about how traditional values are threatened by modern life, but no one comes to mind right now.
I realize now that I incorrectly answered the second question. So, I would like to write a retraction. I am most fascinated with the tri-continent region of Latin America specifically, Brazil. The culture is full of life. The people are very friendly and they are passionate about the little things that make life worth while.
Self- My name is Bitna Kim, but many people refer to me as BB. This was a nickname given to me while I worked as a waitress in Waikiki. After I quit my job, I decided to keep the nickname because it grew on me and I liked the simplicity of it.
Fascination - Korea and Korean people fascinate me. Moving to Hawaii at the age seven, my parents made it clear that I was not to hang out nor make friends with Korean people. The reason being was so I can learn English quicker and adjust to the 'American ways'.
Despite growing up having no Korean friends, I participated in a study abroad program at Soonchunhyang University during my undergraduate studies. I spent six months sharing a dorm room with seven Korean students. I had the best time of my life and till this day, I often reminisce about that particular time in my life.
There is a strong part of me that wants to work and live in Korea in the near future. I believe that even though I am an American-citizen, living the 'American life' as my parents wished, there's a part of me that is completely lustful and in love with Korea.
Resisting the message - I cannot tolerate president Bush. How can I support his views and messages when I have lost all faith in him?
***I apologize for the late posting - I received the syllabus after the posting due date.
Movie! I'd suggest 'Old Boy'. It is in Korean, but copies with English translation are available.
Hi this is Andrea Ciletti. I'm from NY. I've lived in Hawaii for two years now and I'll never go back to the snow! I'm interested in Japan, especially after watching Ken Burns "The War". So far the documentary chronicles the lesser publicized struggles of the pacific including wake island, guadalcanal, bikini atol, etc. I'm also interested in learning more about the phillipines. As far as resisting messages of the media I tend to resist TV and most local news and like to read traditional newspapers, and magazines like the New Yorker, Atlantic monthly, Harpers Bazaar,etc. A good movie about traditional values threatened by modern life may be "Dances with Wolves" or "You've got mail". I'm looking forward to learning about many cultures within this international communication class. Thank you.
My name is Hallah Nilsen. I am not particularly interested in any of the countries in the "Tri-Continent." My interests are in Australia, England, France, and Russia because these are the countries I have studied. I do have a growing interest in the Middle East and find its history very fascinating especially the whole Arab/Israeli hatred toward each other because when the genealogy is traced they all have the same ancestors. I have been to the Middle East and have met some of the people and I found the people to be very delightful. The people were the most rewarding part of my visit to the Middle East.
In terms of a movie that threaten traditional life in values I think of "Out of Africa," because the main star wants to teach the local children which brings tension between herself and her co-star and it is a good example of how Westerner's viewed non-Western cultures.
I resist the media all of time because I think it is very biased in its presentation of news especially political or military news. I am disappointed to have gossip presented as news for example, Paris Hilton, Nicole Richie, and Anna Nicole Smith. For me watching the news gets me upset. I pick and chose my sources for news and pretty much stick to online news.
Aloha Everyone!
My name is Carmen Indalecio. I am most interested in studying India as my tri-country. I don't know much about the country but know that it will be an interesting find.
As far as resisting media; of course I have! A great example is a 20/20 special that was aired regarding my home country and the status of the garment factories there. I had personally that week took at tour of one of the biggest ones at home with its owner. I was there because I was asking for monetary support for the local library and as we spoke we took a walk around the facilities. We were bashed and made to look like a country taking advantage of other countries workers. This was not the case at all. Although, it proved an important learning experience of what to trust and not trust regarding information retrieved from the media.
Thanks for the share!
Carmen
Real Women have Curves is a movie that talks about a specific culture that has to adapt to a modern world. At the same time it also reflects cultural differences.
Within the Mexican/Latino (I'm not sure what the "politically correct" word is not) culture there are changes and struggles between old ways and more modern ways. Secondly it addresses the differences betweeen a mother and her daugther.
The Mexican culture is one that values collectivistic ideas and ways of live, and to them it is all about family. Their daugther struggles because she grows up in American which is a very individualistic culture. What she is taught, in an upper class white school, is opposite from the values of her family. Because she grows up in a different period she does not understand fully why her family does not see the world the same way she does. It is not until she works in her sisters shop that she realizes how hard her family has/have to work to make money.
I also find an irony in her romance with her boyfriend who comes from an up-scale white famiy. Although he cannot relate to what she is going through he is still able to find the beauty and truth in her. In some ways I think this was put into the film to give the "white upper class" a good aspect and nothing more. The part could have easily been played by another Mexican person but was not. Just my opinion.
All in all i think this was a very good film because it was able to hit a lot of different issues.
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