Just Words?

"How many of you read newspapers? O.K., a couple I see, how many of you watch the news on television or get your information from the Internet?" My teacher asked my class these questions and the answers were like night and day, the answer to the second question was overwhelming compared to the first. After that experience in my class I pondered about the past, present and future of print media and why it has changed over the decades.


There is one thing I know America lavishes in and that's convenience, if there is an easier, faster, more efficient way we want it. If you are a old school newspaper activist cover your ears but as the years go on you will notice that the use of an original newspaper will decrease dramatically; I do not agree with this but it is true.


The newspaper article I will be writing about is from business week (www.businessweek.com/magazine/content/08_40/b4102077743556.htm) about the becoming death of prestigious newspapers like The Wall Street Journal or The New York Times. How these kind of big newspapers are falling behind when it comes to revenue, employment, and the will to want to be better. It also states that some newspapers have opted out of printing everyday because of the decreased value of these newspapers which affects small and large business owners who pay for advertisement in these newspaper. Businessweek quotes that Yearly ad falloffs at many such places are accelerating past fifth-teen percent, which also directly affects home buyers and sellers. The beneficiaries of this terrible luck of the newspapers are websites and local TV and cable. Lastly it states newspapers are in a rout and need to try their absolute best to get out.

For concluding this blog I would like to ask my viewers a questions. What side are you on? Are you one of the on-the-go types who reads their news via their blackberry? Or do you value print media, take your time to get a newspaper and peacefully read it when you have a chance. My message is lets not let our local or major newspapers go extinct because it does more than just hurt them consequently.

How Media Changes us

I love T.V. I can sit up all night watching it, I love reading newspapers, I love the Internet. But honestly i can be the first one to tell you that it has affected me negatively just as much as it has positively. Are we willing to admit what I just said? Or is it a little taboo in our lives, we know it changes us negatively but no one will ever say. Personally, I am a man of god so I like to say I have faith but I will support the famous quote: "the mind believes what the eyes see".
I think we self-consciously tailor fit our personalities and attributes around what we like to watch on TV or read about or listen to. Am I wrong? Okay, I will be more than delighted to put my theory to the test, follow along. Remember that this just is not about you, this is the general public. If you are as big as an Obama fan as me how much time will you spend watching, reading, or listening to people criticizing Obama (Fox News) rather than watching, reading, or listening to people that support him? If you are a fan of rap and r&b will you spend do you think you spend time listening to it equally to rock and roll, probably not. This can go on forever because it applies to so many different aspects of our life, media can shape the way a person talks, interacts with others, and thinks. We have to "give media its props" and realize that it does affect us even if your not willing to admit it.
I can testify to how media changes us as the general public, it changed the way I look at politics in many ways. If it wasn't for the Media in some kind of way truthfully I would have never found out about Barack Obama. And thanks to the media, I now support him in every way possible; thanks to the media I have the opportunity to weigh my personal judgement about each candidate, I can only hope that I did this in a non-bias way. My main point is that the Media can affect almost us in nearly every way, their has been studies shown that when those who listen to one type of music or look a one type of TV that these people are less violent and aggressive. Before Barack Obama I really did not care to much about politics, I thought they were unfair and shady, now its a complete turn around, I believe politics are what ever you make it out to be. And guess what change my perception of politics? The media. When Barack began his chase of the oval office not that many knew who he was and what he stands for. The more Barack would win the more the media covered him. I am not saying all of his coverage is always positive because the more he started to win the more the media scrutinized him also.
Concluding this I want to say to those who read this to be careful about what we let those who a younger watch, be aware that it may just hurt them in the long run and its not just a song, show or movie. They say that every generation gets more and more rebellious from what they use to be and I put some of the blame on those who are older than the judged generations. When you let kids watch rated R movies you are not being nice to them or helping them out your are essentially hurting them and striping their innocence.

From my world to yours

The person I interviewed name is Chibuzo Melisizwe which means in African dialect 'God is the leader', his parents moved over to the US to escape poverty and to give their children the opportunity to live the way they wished they could have lived. He told me with all that his parents did so he can live comfortably, failure to reach his goals in life is not an option, he also said his only sibling, his baby brother, lives by the same values. I must admit, as I interviewed him I began to really question my work ethic because it is defiantly tough coming to a new country from another, but lets throw in the equation the pursuit of education, a legitimate social life, religion or just plain old happiness. I compare this situation to professional sports because ironically enough we think that international students can adjust to a new cultural effortlessly with out problems, hard work, and practice just how we think a professional athlete can make play effortless without having problems, without putting in hard work, and practice.He does not know what it is like to have cable or three square meals a day despite he is a 3.8 GPA. Chibuzo is a pre-med student at Saint Louis University. Chibuzo said where he comes from the life he lives here in America is no where near possible in fact if you are not born into royalty or money you are not suppose to think about living a life of a wealthy person. Chibuzo added, "in America people have the world at their hands and don't even acknowledge their opportunities because they are to busy complaining about what they don't have. Where I am from we don't even have clean water to drink, that should tell you how much I appreciate and realize my blessings". At this moment in this so called interview I began to feel a cringe in my stomach like I found just found our some terrible news, the reason I don't feel like this was an interview is because it seemed like it was a deep conversation rather than asking vague questions to pry out generic answers. I asked Chibuzo if he will ever go back to his birth place and he replied yes emphatically, saying with passion to know where you are going you have to know where you have been, he felt if he abandons his heritage he is abandoning his identity. What really had me in a twist was the fact that I was completely shocked of his story in a good way. Who would have ever known that jolly Chibuzo has a inspirational story like that and it only makes one wonder more about others. What I mean by that is we walk past people everyday without caring, knowing, or even a little curious about others upbringing, interviewing Chibuzo made me feel like I wanted to know more about everyone. We finished the interview with a firm hand shake and hug, and I humbly thanked him for his time to get a better insight in intercultural students and life.