Addi Lusk – Klosterman (2010) & Baudrillard (1983) – Wednesday 4/24

Section 1: Summary of Media “This is Emo” by Chuck Klosterman is an essay from his book “Sex, Drugs, and Cocoa Puffs,” where he offers a critical examination of love and relationships in the context of modern society’s media-saturated environment. Klosterman discusses how cultural icons and media portrayals create unrealistic expectations of romance, leading to…

Addi Lusk – How ‘Roblox’ became a playground for virtual fascists (Wired) – Wednesday 4/17

Section 1: Summary of Media “How Roblox Became a Playground for Virtual Fascists” is an investigative article by Cecilia D’Anastasio published on Wired. It delves into how Roblox, a popular online game platform, became a breeding ground for extremist ideologies and radicalization. Here are the key points: In summary, Roblox’s virtual world has become a testing ground for extremist ideologies, and…

Addi Lusk – Macnamara J., Sorting Myths and Cyberbole from Trends and Tipping Points – Wednesday 4/3

Section 1: Summary of Media Jim Macnamara’s work titled “Sorting Myths and Cyberbole from Trends and Tipping Points,” is an excerpt from the book “The 21st Century Media ®evolution: Emergent Communication Practices”: Jim Macnamara, the author, is a Professor of Public Communication at the University of Technology, Sydney, with extensive experience in professional communication practice Section…

Addi Lusk – Klosterman (2008 & 2011), Cruise Trollface & Space Time DVR – Wednesday 3/27

Section 1: Summary of Media For “The Awe-Inspiring Beauty of Tom Cruise’s Shattered, Troll-like Face,” Chuck Klosterman examines the cultural obsession with celebrity appearances and how they are portrayed in media. He uses Tom Cruise as an example to explore the broader societal implications of idolizing physical perfection and the schadenfreude that accompanies the downfall…

Addi Lusk – Smith, G. (2011), What media classes really want to discuss – Chapter 4 (pages 52-68) – Wednesday 3/20

Section 1: Summary of Media Chapter 4 of Greg Smith’s book “What Media Classes Really Want to Discuss” is titled “Genre Shmenre.” In this chapter, Smith challenges the conventional boundaries and definitions of media genres. He provides students with a critical language to discuss and analyze media genres beyond “common sense” perceptions. The chapter encourages…

Addi Lusk – Segment of RadioLab, “On Repeat”, Season 10 Episode 3 – Wednesday 3/6

Section 1: Summary of Media: Radiolab is a radio program and podcast that explores topics of a scientific and philosophical nature, through stories, interviews, and thought experiments. The episode explores the concept of loops, which are repeated patterns or events that can have surprising and sometimes paradoxical effects on our lives1. The episode features four stories…

Addi Lusk – Excerpts from Persuasive sign: The semiotics of advertising – Wednesday 2/21

Section 1: Summary of Media: The book explores how advertising uses verbal and nonverbal techniques to influence attitudes and behaviors by suggesting how we can satisfy our innermost urges and aspirations through consumption. It applies semiotic analysis to the signifying processes that underlie advertising messages in print, electronic, and digital media. It covers topics such…

Addi Lusk – The Semiotic Method – Wednesday 2/14

Section 1: Summary of Media: The semiotic method is a chapter from the book Signs of Life in the USA by Sonia Maasik and Jack Solomon. The chapter introduces the concept of semiotics, which is the study of signs and their meanings in culture. The chapter explains how to use semiotics to analyze various aspects…

Addi Lusk – Ch 3 & 7 : White Space is Not Your Enemy – Wednesday 2/7

Section 1: Summary of Media: Section 2: First thoughts & relations: My first thoughts when reading these passages was the stylistic and aesthetic appeal of superiorly formatted interior decor. Especially with respects to wall decor, if even one item is out of place, the whole room can look off to onlookers. These images shows the…

Addi Lusk – Ch 4-5 : White Space is Not Your Enemy – Wednesday 1/31

Section 1: Summary of Media: Section 2: First thoughts & relations After reading chapter 4 and 5, I instantly began to think of these types of stores that are so flamboyantly decorated they look gaudy and cringe-worthy. This example directly presents 9 of the 13 layout errors outlined in chapter 4, not to mention the…