Blog #2
A person’s identity can be chalked up as the very essence of a person’s being. This is an obvious truth all of us are aware of–I hope. Since it is the essence of a person’s being, it means identity will have a significant impact in how we respond to different life scenarios. Personally, I think identity is the reason behind every action we do and you respond to things based on who you are and what you believe.
For example, my basic identity is a biracial Catholic woman and sister, from Ohio. A more indepth look at my identity would be a 20 year old, half-black, half-white, Catholic (ex Catholic school student), woman from Columbus, Ohio who goes to Howard University and has a younger brother. All of these components have helped shape me into who I am today.
So, if I heard a news story about a Catholic school being burned to the ground out of hate I would feel some type of way because I attended a Catholic school. Or if I saw a news story saying, “people with younger brothers are awful,” I would feel some type of way. All of this to say, oftentimes people actually speak up or have a response when the story attacks a part of their identity.
In the case of the Ferguson Rebellion you can see this rule at play. Those who were Black and living in the communities directly impacted by the police’s racism were who spoke out and protested the most because pieces of their identity were being attacked. On the other hand, the White people who were trying to prove their point by walking around with multiple automatic rifles strapped to their chest were protesting because they felt their identity–their identity being gun owners–was being attacked.
Both people are acting because something happened a little too close to home but the response to that ‘thing’ is different based on their identities. The Black people are protesting because their entire identity of being Black is being attacked, leading to police brutality and the police abusing the justice system. The White people are protesting because their identity of being able to own guns is being attacked….not sure how that’s so important and I think it’s safe to say that White people have once again, missed the whole point, but I digress.
To summarize, identity comes from a whole host of places but it often drives how we react to certain events we see in the news. In the case of the Ferguson Rebellion, the reactions from different groups stemmed from the groups’ identities. I personally think we, as a society, need to stop being so singular and help not because it only affects me but because it affects those around me, which help make up my identity.
See what I did there?….that’s all.
Gabby
Vlog 2
Vlog 3
Blog #3
When a new invention pops up in the world, everybody has to get their hands on it and be the person to lay claim to it. At the end of WWII, after America dropped a nuclear bomb on Hiroshima, all around the world countries began crafting their own nuclear bombs that were bigger and more deadly. In 1955 the space race began after the United States stated they intended to launch the first satellite into space and around the world, countries once again began crafting their own space tech. Throughout history there has always been a desire to be the dominant force; and don’t get me started on the whole humans are still animals and therefore live in a kill or be killed world thing because that could be a whole post in and of itself. No, this post is about another way men have tried to be the best and that is the “browsing wars” or the battle to craft the best internet.
What I learned from “The Browser Wars” is, it is better to wait to be the best then to try to be the best right away. I am currently in my 15th year of education and there is one thing I have learned from a million history lessons: oftentimes the first person to invent something is rarely the person who ends up dominating that field. The Soviet Union was the first government to successfully launch a satellite into space but they do not ‘dominate’ space today. America was the first country to use a nuke in war but now Russia has the largest nuclear weapons arsenal in the world. Whether that makes them better, I won’t comment. However, these examples show that waiting is often better when it comes to ‘being the best’.
Netscape and Microsoft tried so hard to be the best but Google was able to slide in and steal the title away, while they weren’t even looking, by building upon the programs that the other two companies had created might I add. This would also be a good time to mention that none of these companies could have thrived without the other because each improved on the other’s design until we get to what we have today. So, maybe, and I know this is going to sound insane, it is best to work together to improve the world than try to be the one on top.
Alas, will anyone listen to me or will they continue to climb using only a rope when they could look to the right and realize there’s a set of stairs. The answer is no because reaching the stairs means asking for help and abandoning the rope and God forbid that happens.
Alright I am done rambling….that’s all.
Gabby
Vlog #4
Blog #4
Is the selfie below narcissistic?
I would say no because it is a photo of me chowing down on some baked ziti that my mom made–it was delicious, if you care. This photo was not taken with the goal of looking good, which is evident by the messy bun, no makeup and glasses I never wear out of the house. It was taken to show my mom, I was eating the baked ziti she had made the night before. That’s not narcissistic, it’s proof.
Next question: Is this photo narcissistic?
You could make an argument for yes here. I took this because, well as you can see, my hair looked amazing, my makeup looked amazing and all around it was an amazing picture. But does that make it narcissistic? Google dictionary defines a narcissist as, “a person who has an excessive interest in or admiration of themselves.” I definitely do not have an excessive interest or admiration for myself, so I, myself, am not narcissistic but a picture does tell a thousand words. This picture definitely says I have an interest in or admiration of myself–I am clearly posing and trying to look good AND I posted it on my Instagram story which means I very much admired this image–but it does not tackle the whole “excessive” part. I will admit here I took multiple photos at this time so maybe that tackles the “excessive” part. So, now I’m wondering if I’m a narcissist because I like to document when I look good?
So, is this selfie empowering or narcissistic? And an even better question: are selfies narcissistic or empowering. I believe they can be both. In this day and age people take selfies for all sorts of reasons. Sometimes it’s a lack of a photographer to take a picture for you, simply documenting what you are doing and, in a niche way, I have to take a selfie in a class for attendance every week. Sometimes, it’s because you look good and want to showcase that. It is not narcissistic to want to take a photo of yourself but I struggle to find where it is empowering either. I guess you could argue that there is empowerment in documenting your life or posting something that you know is good but overall I would not say a selfie is empowering.
Overall, a selfie is just a selfie. There is no underlying meaning, messaging or deep thought process into a selfie…at least when I take one. And to be honest, I rarely ever take selfies anyways. And if I am, it’s because I feel like I look good and want to save that. That’s not narcissistic or empowering, that’s just me being a person and using MY phone how I want to. Not everything needs to be deep because not everything is. If you want to take a selfie, then take a selfie. If you don’t, then don’t. If you feel empowered after that, then great for you, I will go get you a cookie. If you feel like a narcissist, great I will go get you a cookie too because I do not care.
In summary, take the selfie or don’t, nobody cares anyways….that’s all.
Gabby
Media Consumption Sheet
Over the course of 5 days, I recorded my media consumption. Now three days having 10 hours of media consumption is a lot but, I am not surprised about that. I spend the majority of my days with my face in a computer due to school and two jobs. What I am surprised about is two of the ten hours being on a Friday and Saturday. I am typically not on my computer doing a ton of work Fridays and Saturdays which means most of those hours came from my phone. Concerning, I know.
I will say this though. I am starting to move past the idea that high screen time is a negative because of how prevalent screens have become in modern life. It is no longer possible to do any work without a computer, meaning most people will be on a screen all day. On top of this our whole lives practically live in our phones. It’s how I stay up to date on the world, what’s going on with my friends and keep up with work when I am away from my computer. So, it really is hard and unrealistic to be completely disconnected from phones, and not because of an addiction, despite what many people think about my generation.
So, when you look at this sheet, I ask that you don’t judge me for how high it is because, unfortunately there is no other way to make it work. Unless of course, I decided not to work anymore and became a recluse, don’t think my parents would appreciate that though.
Alright, that’s all….
Blog 5
So, Americans are ignorant. Oh wait sorry, nope, once again this is about young Americans; i.e. Gen Z; i.e. my generation–being in a “knowledge deficit.” What a shocker. Another person with an opinion on Gen Z being stupid. Listen, I read these 2 chapters about America and the decline of people’s understanding of history, science, math, etc. You know, all the common core classes that some people like and some people don’t. While I will say it was pretty educational and mostly focused on the declining rates of critical thinking skills and being able to read above a 4th grade level; it stirred up some thoughts that have me a little fired up. My thought and main takeaway is y’all keep blaming Gen Z for this crisis instead of taking into account literally any other reason for why my generation is so ‘ignorant.’ Yes, that was sarcasm.
I’m about to get on my soap box cause quite frankly I’m annoyed by this discourse, so everybody tuck in and get comfortable.
Let’s break some things down first. The birth years for Gen Z are 1997-2010. That makes the oldest Gen Z 28 and the youngest, 15 (14 if your birthday is late in the year). That makes the majority of my generation still in school whether that’s High School, college or those in graduate school. This means my generation is still heavily influenced and controlled by the education system; and who controls the education system?
You can blame a bunch of minors for not having the comprehension of a grown adult with a Bachelor’s, Master’s and PhD or we can discuss the people with actual power to change this, but use their power for nothing but their own agendas. If you want Gen Z to be interested in reading, stop making them read books that were published when my teacher’s mother was born. Not saying that older books have no value but ONLY allowing students to read a 500 page monologue about wanting to escape the world and it turning out to all be a metaphor for shopping is not that interesting to a 13-year-old. Maybe having reading assignments that appeal to your target audience might be good.
Now I love learning. I liked history and English growing up and from time to time could vibe with science. NEVER. MATH. I also love books. I can devour a book in one sitting,
But I’m just one person. I also went to private school for grades 1-12 so I had a different type of education than a person who went to public school. I also think for that reason I may not fully apply to this conversation because I consider myself to be pretty well rounded in the knowledge sector, for my age group. However, for those who may fall into this category we should point fingers at our government that heavily dictates what happens in schools; including what we learn and don’t learn. I just find it so interesting that the people who raised Gen Z are also going on about how awful we are. To them I say, go cry about your bad parenting skills to someone else. Here my friend can do it with you:
Anyways, I’ll be here, putting my phone down and reading my book. That’s all….
Vlog 5
Blog 6
In the modern era of social media apparently comes the modern era of censorship. I guess we should have anticipated this but forgive me for still being in elementary school and not being able to fully understand what Trump’s 2016 presidential win meant for America. In the vlog below I gave two sides to the debate on if social media has the right to limit freedom of speech with censorship. In an effort to promote digital media literacy, I will not restate what I said in the video but instead expand on something I only briefly touched on which is the alarming realization that this may no longer be a debate, but a reality.
I was only in 4th grade when Trump won the election but I can tell you now even I was shocked. Since that November the world of politics has never been the same. While Trump is just a person with limited perspective, what he created with that perspective is the cause for concern. The idea of MAGA has gone from being a tag line for a political campaign to the motto for, what I can only call, a cult. MAGA means hate, bigotry, suffering and a whole list of other adjectives that are not positive. From hate comes self-involvement and betterment leading to people acting only in their own interests and what fits their narrative.
Trump has his own narrative and agenda and in order to push that agenda he has started censoring the media. It has become abundantly clear that I no longer have access to certain parts of the world. When I search Palestine or Gaza on TikTok what you think would pop up, is not going to pop up. All I get is several videos that don’t even talk about what is really happening, but instead just contain the use of those specific words but not in any helpful context. And when Trump ‘saved’ TikTok, we all know that was just so he can begin his mass censorship in ways people really wouldn’t even notice. That’s why classes like this are important, so we can use our critical thinking skills and realize what is actually happening in the world around us because the reality is, you cannot trust what the right is or the media networks (*cough* *cough* Jimmy Kimmel) are saying anymore.
But in the interest of censorship and not exceeding the word count by too much; that’s all….
Gabby
Vlog 6
Vlog 7
Media Analysis Timeline
Linked below is a Media Analysis Timeline that depicts the ways the media has pushed the agenda of a woman needing a man to be whole. It is a tale as old as time and a song that’s honestly grown repetitive. From the first example in 1813 to the most recent in 2025, hundreds of years of films, books, songs, plays, etc. have positioned men as the final key to a woman’s happiness. Even if the woman has everything she wants AND says that she doesn’t want a man the media oftentimes make it so the woman ends up with love in the end.
While there is nothing wrong with finding love, there is something wrong with showcasing a character who goes against the notion of romantic love to then end the story in love. So, while I understand love sells and the media likes to throw it in as the cherry on top, that cherry subconsciously conveys to viewers–sorry women–that in order to be complete you need love–sorry a man.
https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/10PTHjD5MnNnoo5HS41aEVbZK8FggTkDM35u7f5U0rcA/edit?gid=0#gid=0
Blog 7
How does digital news differ from traditional/legacy journalism? The obvious answer is, traditional journalism is printed and includes physical copies, while digital news is online. But let’s dive one step deeper and analyze which is truly better. So, let’s make a list of all the good and bad parts of each and compare from there.
Pros of Traditional Journalism
- More credibility and accountability
- Professional training
- Fact checked more
- Stable funding
- Public trust
- Less fluff
- Tangible
Cons of Traditional Journalism
- Corruption from the government
- Slower due to having to print
- Impact on the environment
Pros of Digital News
- Quicker turn around
- Easy to fix mistakes
- Access to more parts of the world
Cons of Digital News
- Fake news
- Takes away money from traditional journalism
- Editors are less meticulous and miss errors
- Algorithms lead to people only see their opinions
So, there are more pros for traditional journalism overall, which I expected to happen when researching. However, the cons between the two are relatively even; so, which is the better form of journalism? It’s hard to say and the answer primarily lies in personal opinion and the generation you grew up in. My parents’ generation received newspapers everyday and my dad still reads physical newspapers to this day. Personally, I like that we can go on our phones and find out what is going on in the world. All it takes is a quick google search of whatever part of the world you are looking for and boom, you can read the news there. That was not possible during the golden age of traditional journalism. So, digital news has opened an avenue for people that allows them to become more informed and cultured from their couch. However, it has led to a high rate of fake news and clickbait which can leave people unsure on what to believe or not.
As someone who has grown up in this digital news world I have always known how to navigate and differentiate between what is real or not. So, in a general sense it has never been a hindrance because it is all I have ever known. I imagine for those who grew up with traditional journalism and had to pivot to digital news, it would be a learning curve. Instead of being able to just trust, now you have to navigate what’s real and what’s not after years of being able to know when the newspaper came it was edited, prepared and delivered with truth and precision. This is something I am beginning to empathize with in the age of AI. As AI develops it gets harder to distinguish what is real and what is not. Just yesterday an AI picture of Michelle Obama on Howard’s campus was circulating on social media, and at first glance the picture looked real.
It makes me wonder what the next learning curve will be and how news will change as technology continues to develop. My theory is a significant increase in fake news but only time will tell.
For now, that’s all….
Vlog 8
Blog 8
So, we finally get to talk about AI. Everybody cheer 🎉!!! BUT WAIT, Before I get to the ethics of AI and higher education, I would like to talk a little bit about how I feel about AI. Personally, I have a love/hate relationship with AI because, on one hand, it is very cool that we as a civilization have progressed to the point that we have technology that can create pretty much anything we ask it. However, the fact that many organizations and companies have already started using it as replacements for people, which is an ethical debate in and of itself, is concerning.
So, the ethics of AI in higher education….As a student this is something that I have a lot of contradicting opinions on. For starters, I think AI is a good tool for brainstorming and collecting your thoughts. Having platforms that organize your notes or help you create a mind map for a paper, can be extremely helpful especially for a comm major. So, those uses of AI are completely ethical to me because it’s not being used as a tool to help cheat or plagiarize work. However, using AI as a means to fully do assignments is completely unethical and honestly a disservice to the student.
I pay half of $100K to go to my university–which is insane by the way–so to use a robot to do my work feels like a waste of my money. Now am I gonna lie and say I’ve never used AI to help me solve a math or economics problem?…no….but I’m also not a math or econ major who really needs those tools to succeed in my career. However, when it comes to anything related to my major? #goodbyeAI. I believe that knowing how to do the work I will one day get paid to do is important and I should take the time to really work on my skills. So, for those of you that use AI to do all of your work, especially the work you do for your major…
- That’s unethical
- You’re not learning anything
- You’re wasting your own money
So, just do your work and leave Chat GPT and all the others for, I don’t know questions about astrology; at least that’s what I do.
Alright, that’s all….
Vlog 9
AI Video
Blog 9
For my video I decided to have a little fun and ask the AI generator to create a video of a woman who lost her purse in the ocean. I was interested to know how AI would interpret this prompt and I have to say, I was a little let down by it only using images and narration but hey, you can’t get that picky with a growing robot. In a perfect world, the video would have been actually animated and shown the woman losing her purse, looking for her purse and potentially finding it. However, after a couple failed attempts at trying to make that happen, I called it a day and went with what it gave me.
The positives of this experience are:
- I am familiar with an AI generator website, I did not know about before this assignment
- I learned to be more direct with my ask
- Now I’m interested to know how detailed a video could be if given the right script
The negative of this experience are:
- The video did not turn out the way I wanted it to
- I have to pay to use the site after so many attempts (*sigh)
Overall, what I have learned from this is AI has a long way to go but is already pretty advanced for its age. I find it fascinating that a simple, “please create a 1:30 video of a woman who lost her purse in the ocean” can produce all of this. So, while I was a little let down by the details I have to acknowledge how advanced AI is becoming that it followed the prompt pretty well with only one sentence to go off of. With that being said, I think AI still has a lot of growing to do but I feel like that growth will happen fast and within the next 5 years. I am unsure whether that scares me or excites me because the emotions are so similar but I guess I’ll have my answer based on what humanity does with that growth.
But for now and for the final time,
That’s all…
P.S. thank you dr.tierney for teaching this class, i really really enjoyed it!
Gabby's Thoughts 