The How and Why of Techno-Orientalism

New forms of Orientalism – techno Orientalism, self-Orientalism

 

“Orientalism” is a fantastical representation, a Western construct of Asia and the Middle East throughout the mid to late 19^th century. At its forefront is a romanticised repertoire of images, such as the “sensual woman” or the encapsulating “snake charmer”. “

 

Considered backward and uncivilized, the West deemed it “a place of mystery, of illusions and dreams, peopled with the unfamiliar, (Lorcin, 1998)”. It is an image detached from history, placid and still, a world immune to modernisation and cultural development. Understanding this false view of the East is critical to gaining insight into a misrepresentation and misappropriation of an entire group of people. It also sheds light on the contextual Western notion of “colonialism” and “The White Mans Burden”. However, it is at this moment, that I would like to retract from this trail of thought and divert from solely divulging misconceptions of the East. This post will seek to engage with these misconceptions and how they have acted as a vehicle to provide domineering and influential characteristics that have defined the West over several generations.

 

(NYtime, 2013)

Since the 1970’s the West has witnessed the meteoric rise of a modernised and technologically advance Asia. It began with Japan’s output of superior electronics and later, robotics. Currently, the present context is being dominated by China, who’s booming economy and rapid rise to modernisation has arguably supplanted the West, as the leading world power. However, the West as a collective is not willing to embrace the rise of a continent that for so long was seen as a dark and mysterious land that required “taming”. This “cultural stubbornness” and inability to accept Asian power, is rooted in our past ideologies of the Orient, but is showcased through forms of “Techno-orientalism”, integrated across contemporary popular culture.

David S. Roh details this occurrence, stating, “Techno-Orientalism investigates the phenomenon of imagining Asia and Asians in hypo- or hyper-technological terms in literary, cinematic, and new media representations, while critically examining the stereotype of Asians as both technologically advanced and intellectually primitive, in dire need of Western consciousness-raising, (Roh, 2015).”

 

(Fogmovies, 2014)

Films such as Blade Runner, Cloud Atlas and Snowpiercer are all guilty of representing Asian culture as a civilisation that has not been able to cope with an abundance of power and can only be rescued by the white (Western) hero.

 

 

 We need only to draw contrasts between the utilisation of science throughout the 19^th century and these post- apocalyptic films. The British and French Empires were using science to develop medicine, increase trade effectiveness and make advancements in architecture and design. Science was upheld as an entity that had the potential to change the world for the better, famous physicist from the era, Marie Curie believed (regarding science), “Nothing in life is to be feared, it is only to be understood. Now is the time to understand more, so that we may fear less.”

 

However, Robbie Goh, of the University of Singapore, believes that science is a theme tethered to European colonialism and the modern, visual representations that we see today reflect as such.

“European colonialism also brought science and technological ideologies to nations like India, Malaysia, Singapore, Myanmar and Vietnam, this has also created a dichotomy between science as colonialism, and a new Asian nationalism consequently associated with local knowledge and cultural traditionalism, (Goh, 2013).

Essentially, it can be argued that Techno-Orientalism is an extension of a Westernised construction, where science is a tool that only the West is capable of utilising. When placed in the hands of an Asian society, science becomes an instrument of pervasion, where the “servile” and “culturally traditional” aspects of their culture, override the ability to thrive.

 

 

 

 

 

 

References

 

David S. Roh. and Betsy Huang. and Greta A. Niu. and David S. Roh. and Betsy Huang. and Greta A. Niu. Techno-Orientalism: Imagining Asia in Speculative Fiction, History, and Media. New Brunswick: Rutgers University Press, 2015. Project MUSE. Web. 7 Apr. 2016. <https://muse.jhu.edu/&gt;.

 

Lorcin, P.L, 1999. Imperial Identities . 1st ed. Columbia University: I. B. Tauris.

Goh, R.G, 2004. Asian Diasporas: Cultures, Indentity, Representation. 1st ed. Hong Kong: Hong Kong University.

 

Goh, R.G, 2004. Asian Diasporas: Cultures, Indentity, Representation. 1st ed. Hong Kong: Hong Kong University.

 

 

 

 

New Platforms, New Voices

 

Role of social media in China behind the Great Firewall 

 

Social media has transcended beyond a form of communication. We no longer “login” to connect with people, as we do not need to. Platforms such as Facebook, Instagram, Twitter and YouTube have gained such a stronghold on communication within our culture, that we no longer interact, with one another, but simply react. We don’t think about connecting online, because we never break the connection, we have become an online society.

 

We wake up, check Facebook, Email and then get on with our day. The Western world generally views social media as a form of communication, not a tool of change. However, across the globe we have seen revolutions tweeted throughout the Middle East and greater Arab world and accurate statistics produced, surrounding natural disasters, well before the professional outlets.

 

There is not doubt that social media has the ability to empower and influence, if utilised to its full potential. However, when it comes to the biggest economy in the world, their presence is absent from platforms we are familiar with. This is due to the Golden Shield project, colloquially known as “The Great Firewall of China.”

 

It’s not like Chinese citizens are banned from Internet usage, or indeed using social media. In fact, “China also has the world’s most active environment for social media. More than 300 million people use it, from blogs to social-networking sites to microblogs and other online communities, (Chiu, 2013)”.

 

However there is a key difference in social media participation. The last few years have seen Chinese citizens, particularly students, organise protests surrounding the tight censorship that the government holds over what enters and leaves cyberspace.

 

Ultimately, citizens of China are endeavouring to employ social media as a tool for relinquishing the authoritarian style censorship that the government employs over the Chinese web space. Platforms such as “Sina Weibo” (Chinese equivalent of Twitter) are being used as a driving force behind community organised actions and protests. These movements are exemplified through small and large occurrences across Hong Kong and mainland China and can be referred to as “wangluo shijian”, which translates to “Internet incidents or online events”. G. Yang, from the Chinese Journal of Communication infers, “these events involve online verbal and symbolic protests about social and political injustices…, (Yang, 2012)”.

 

In 2007, the “Xiamen protests” occurred. 20,000 people took to the streets in the area of “Fujiyan”, to stand against the construction of a new Paraxylene plant in the city. Students and faculty from Xiamen University were informed solely through mass instant messaging platform “Mobile QQ”. This protest is widely viewed as the first Chinese movement that has been organised through social media and a “watershed moment in China’s growing social media presence, (Dong, 2016)”.

Flash-forward to 2014 and we see the “Umbrella Movement” (for more information on this movement, click here), spawn from the aftermath of the Hong Kong protests.

 

With Electoral freedom on the line , protestors took to the streets, after China announced that Beijing would vet candidates to run in the 2017 elections, thus regulating the race to be Hong Kong chief executive (highest government role in Hong Kong). The event as a whole went for a number of months with various violent flashpoints. However, from this event, rose the “Umbrella Movement”. Lisheng Dong, author of “Urban Mobilizations and New Media in Contemporary China”, recognised this transformative process as, “protestors were victorious, because their rellies were given visibility on multiple platforms”. Dong commented further, stating, “ In this case, Social Media was a de facto tool in mobiliding and starting up the organisational phase of the protests, (Dong, 2016)”

 

I would like to insinuate that social media usage in China is not simply a “call to arms”. It is used for recreational purposes, however there is an element of duality surrounding its uses. When these protests are held in China, they contain a significant gravity about them that cannot be replicated in Australia. When these protests are contrasted with China’s dubious authoritarian style government, one cannot but help make the assumption that social media is heavily contributing to a political shift in the worlds fasted growing economy.

 

(Courtesy of Newbloom, 2014)

 

References

 

Dong, L.D, 2014. Urban Mobilizations and New Media in Contemporary China. 1st ed. Hong Kong: Routledge.

 

Yang, G.Y, 2012. A Chinese Internet?. Chinese Journal of Communication, [Online]. 5/1, 49-54. Available at: https://moodle.uowplatform.edu.au/pluginfile.php/598847/mod_resource/content/1/chineseinternetguobin.pdf [Accessed 06 April 2016].

 

McKinsey Quarterly. 2012. Understanding social media in China. [ONLINE] Available at: http://www.mckinsey.com/business-functions/marketing-and-sales/our-insights/understanding-social-media-in-china. [Accessed 06 April 16].

 

Hong Kong. 2014. The role of social media in Occupy protests, on the ground and around the world. [ONLINE] Available at: http://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/article/1628305/role-social-media-occupy-protests-ground-and-around-world. [Accessed 06 April 16].

 

Secondary Links

 

Wikipedia. 2013. Golden Shield Project. [ONLINE] Available at: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Golden_Shield_Project. [Accessed 6 April 2016].

 

 

Jayme Soulati. 2013. SteamFeed. [ONLINE] Available at: http://www.steamfeed.com/weibo-chinese-social-media/. [Accessed 5 April 2016].

 

https://nvdatabase.swarthmore.edu/content/chinese-residents-force-relocation-chemical-plant-xiamen-2007

 

Chemistry World. 2009. Leak causes explosion at para-xylene plant in China. [ONLINE] Available at: http://www.rsc.org/chemistryworld/2015/04/explosion-zhangzhou-para-xylene-chemical-plant-china. [Accessed 4 April 2016].

 

QQ Mobile. 2010. Download Messenger. [ONLINE] Available at: http://www.downloadmessenger.org/download-qq-mobile. [Accessed 4 April 2016].

 

NEWS ABC. 2015. Hong Kong’s umbrella movement. [ONLINE] Available at: http://www.abc.net.au/news/2015-09-28/timeline-hong-kong-umbrella-movement-one-year-on/6802388. [Accessed 3 April 2016].

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Pros and Cons of Quantitative Research

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Quantitative research is the expression of results, through numbers. A clear set of documented results can be provided to avenues of research, marketing or advertising, where the results can be interpreted to assess the legitimacy of the findings. This is most effective when we are attempting to gain a snapshot into a user population, i.e. Broadband internet user throughout various sections of Australia.

For arguments sake, I am going to use broadband Internet usage in Australia and the onset of the National Broadband Network (NBN) as an example, to showcase the advantages and flaws of using quantitative research.

The Australian multi-screen report, produced by Oztam Measuring, focused on how Australians viewed entertainment online, collating information on age and types of devices such a phones, tablets, laptops and smart televisions. The report, whilst incredibly detailed in regards to age and devices used, often failed to recognise the economical disparity within the collated data.

At first you might ask, so what? Why does this matter? Lets simplify things for a moment.

If a sample was taken of PlayStation 4 usage in Australia and compared to usage in Malawi (the poorest country in the world with a GDP of US$226.50), you would notice that the Australian results would be astronomically higher than Malawi. Though the economical divide is clearly the answer, it is harder to prove using only quantitative data, rather than blending it with qualitative results. This idea is on an extreme scale, but the same concept can be applied to the economical landscape of Australia. Take the implementation of the NBN as an example; large swathes of the country will not have access for years and what about those that have access, but cannot afford the price? The idea that quantitative data “misses” key elements of measurement, is reiterated by InterAction, an organisation dedicated to reducing international extreme poverty and strengthening human rights, as they state,

“Quantitative correlations produced (e.g., between costs and benefits, gender, and access to services or benefits) may mask or ignore underlying causes or realities.”

 

Quantitative data serves a great purpose in inspecting what particular groups of people like, need or want. It is a perfect form of research for testing any theories of hypothesis surrounding a theory or subject, as it assumes that a sample is representative of a population. However, samples do not always reflect the mentality, economy or even geographical nature of an entire population and this is where quantitative data can become compromised.

 

References

 

ABS. 2015. Internet Activity, Australia, December 2014. [ONLINE] Available at: http://www.abs.gov.au/ausstats/abs@.nsf/mf/8153.0/. [Accessed 23 September 15].

Interaction. 2015. Strengths And Weaknesses Of Quantitative Evaluation Designs. [ONLINE] Available at: http://www.interaction.org/annex-1-strengths-and-weaknesses-quant-evaluation-approaches. [Accessed 24 September 15].

Oztam. 2015. SCREEN TECHNOLOGIES IN AUSTRALIAN HOMES. [ONLINE] Available at: http://www.oztam.com.au/documents/Other/MultiScreenReport_Q1-2015-Final%20amended%20P7.pdf. [Accessed 24 September 15].

 

Where We Stand – Street Photography

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When addressing ethical matters within the public space, one must be willing to accept a number of values and ideologies from a variety of social and cultural backgrounds.

Why do I say this? Because that is what the public space has become. The digitalization of the West has developed a culture of enhanced media, where we are constantly connected to a network of online feeds and platforms such as Instagram, Pinterest and Facebook (the list goes on). However, thanks to smartphones, everyone can be a “photographer”… and a subtle one at that.

Then

Now

“Street Photography” has become increasingly popular over recent years and has become a polarising topic in the conversation surrounding privacy in a public space. David K Sutton runs a photography blog from the United States, and on occasion, shares his views (albeit occasionally bias) on the ethical dilemma of photography, particularly images of individuals in a street setting.

Whilst he believes strongly in street photography as an art form, he understands that inevitably, people are going to share opposing views. He poses the general questions that are often tethered to this argument, “Should permission be sought before a photo is published?”, “is it ok to photograph children?”. However, upon further research it became apparent that there are actually no official laws against street photography, in fact, there are very few laws regarding the general privacy of an individual in a public place.

Jane Curtis, from “Shutterup Online”, inquires into the personal side of photographing another in public, stating, “you can generally take photographs of buildings, sites and people of all ages in a public place without asking permission. Does this mean you should, (Curtis, 2011)?”. Essentially, Curtis is asking, “is it acceptable, just because it isn’t illegal”? In an interesting turn of events she continues to argue this point by asking the reader to envision their family members being the unaware participants of a photograph. Once reading this, I for one, felt inclined to think about the matter on a deeper level and not from a purely analytical position.

 

It is important to note the wider context surrounding this balance of ethics. The world sits within a hypersensitive state of insecurity, bound by the impending threat of terrorism and the general disintegration of society.

We are slowly succumbing to a 1984-eske police surveillance state, constantly under institutionalised, bureaucratic scrutiny. Yet, we all own devices, where photos can be taken and opinions can be shared across the globe, by keying in a few buttons. Sometimes it is impossible not to notice the paradox sitting in your palm, as you type a text or send an email.

In possibly the most candid line from Sutton’s blog post, he states, “I live in a free country, and I want it to stay that way, (Sutton, 2014).” He doesn’t know how this dilemma will ever be resolved and I personally do not know the answer either. But what I can say, is that there is no shame in taking an artistic interest in your fellow man. Of course, I believe there are boundaries to who we can photograph in a public place, but if you consider this art (which I do) then I see no harm in sharing what you have created with the world.

 

References

 

David K Sutton Photography Blog. 2014. Is Street Photography A Violation Of Privacy, Or Ethics?. [ONLINE] Available at: http://blog.davidksutton.com/594/is-street-photography-a-violation-of-privacy-or-ethics/. [Accessed 24 September 15].

ABC – Open. 2014. The legals of street photography. [ONLINE] Available at: https://open.abc.net.au/explore/5148. [Accessed 24 September 15].

Images

Fokkomuller, (2015), Portfolio [ONLINE]. Available at: https://fokkomuller.wordpress.com/portfolio/ [Accessed 23 September 15].

7978 Moments, (2012), I [ONLINE]. Available at: https://7978moments.wordpress.com/category/street-photography/page/2/ [Accessed 23 September 15].

Illegal Downloading is a Part of Us

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When contextualising media usage within public and private places, one must be open to the subjectiveness of demographic and global positioning of the group or individual that is being examined. Social norms will ultimately vary between certain groups; for example, an elderly couples media usage will be drastically different to a house full of undergraduates. It is this disparity that allows for societal rules and regulations to be tangible and thus leads to specific campaigns and research from parties such as “The Australian Classification Board”.

I am placing such emphasis on age bracket because a dialogue surrounding piracy in the home and in public, must be able to address the key stakeholders, which, in this case, is generation Y. People outside these age brackets are by no means out of the conversation regarding aspects of piracy, but statistics prove that they are not partaking to the extent of their younger counterparts who make up 58% of illegal downloaders, (Archive, 2014).

We have all heard of video piracy, however, its intricacies are becoming increasingly complex as the notion becomes ingrained within our culture. The digital age has expanded piracy, taking the act away from the cinemas and moving it into online spaces, (torrenting websites, third party downloaders) where downloads are accessible through the click of a button.

This is where it gets interesting…

Before digitalisation, the act of video piracy involved attending a cinema, recording the film on a handheld device, copying the footage to a tape and manually distributing it. The whole ordeal was seen as “shady” and social anxieties dictated that these people were thieves, hence you were removed from the cinema and reported if you were found to be recording a film. There was a protocol to dealing with illegal pirates, which in turn, mentally pigeon holed these individuals as people with lesser morals, void of integrity.

What I have just said may sound hyperbolic, but I truly do believe that the development of piracy has transformed our cognitive domain. As piracy moved to its contemporary state, the lines became blurred between what was right and what was easy. All of sudden, you or someone you knew were downloading illegal movies and television shows, last years figures stating, “54 per cent in the 18-24 year old age bracket admitting to actively accessing pirated movies and TV shows, (Newscorp, 2014)”.

We are now at a point where piracy has transcended beyond a “place”, it is accessible from multiple entry points. Rules and regulations must constantly be updated in a futile attempt to restrict illegal downloading. However, as mentioned earlier in the post, piracy has become synonymous with digitalisation and will continue to influence film distribution on an international scale, film theorist, Ramon Labato believing, “piracy has a transnational dimension in that it is a persistent feature of media in general.”

 

References

 

News.com. 2014. More Australians illegally download movies, music and TV without punishment. [ONLINE] Available at: http://www.news.com.au/technology/online/more-australians-illegally-download-movies-music-and-tv-without-punishment/story-fnjwneld-1227091745637. [Accessed 22 September 15].

Archive.com. 2014. MPAA Piracy Report. [ONLINE] Available at: http://www.archive.org/stream/MpaaPiracyReort/LeksummarympaRevised_djvu.txt. [Accessed 23 September 15].

Labato, R.L, 2014. A sideways view of the film economy in an age of digital piracy. European Journal of Media Studies, [Online]. 1/1, 1-3. Available at: http://www.necsus-ejms.org/a-sideways-view-of-the-film-economy-in-an-age-of-digital-piracy-by-ramon-lobato/ [Accessed 23 September 2015].

When Celebrities Think They’re Superheroes

There is something off putting, perhaps vain, about the celebrity endorsement of charity in African nations. The landscape of international charity is dictated by “mega stars”, such as Brad Pitt, Sean Penn and yes, even Bono. Despite conveying legitimate cause for concern, they have created a unique platform for giving, where they act as shepherds, leading the Western populous down a path of questionable self-righteousness.

I’d like to stress that I am by no means against charity and I regularly give to a number of organisations. However, I do take issue with celebrities, simplification of issues regarding aspects of poverty and hardship and their ability to,

“hook to draw someone in and then it is up to the campaign to convert that interest into ongoing support for the issue, (Bunting, 2010)”.

 

Madeline Bunting’s article explores this issue and highlights the fracturing of ethical boundaries when celebrities begin to impose themselves on third world nations, without a timeline of progression.

Bunting makes an interesting point when discussing the emergence of a new industry, between celebrities who are looking to “attach themselves to good causes” and NGO’s who are seeking celebrity endorsement. Already, one can assume that the charitable intentions of the celebrity have been soured by a desire to increase their renown and public image.

But I can’t help but thinking, is this as good as it’s going to get? Does this business partnership between both entities (celebrities & NGO’s) represent the future of charity? I think it does. Instead of trying to change the model, it should look to be suited to the work of Sean Penn in Haiti. However it is the celebrities themselves, who must put fame aside and invest real time and effort into development and progress.

References

 

Case study

 The Guardian. 2010. The issue of celebrities and aid is deceptively complex. [ONLINE] Available at: http://www.theguardian.com/global-development/poverty-matters/2010/dec/17/celebrity-aid-development-bono-brad-pitt. [Accessed 03 September 15].

Sources

Mckinsey & Company. 2015. Mckinsey . [ONLINE] Available at: http://www.mckinsey.com/about_us/who_we_are/history_of_our_firm. [Accessed 04 September 15].

People. 2015. Sean Penn Raises $6 Million for Haiti with Charlize Theron by His Side. [ONLINE] Available at: http://www.people.com/article/charlize-theron-sean-penn-together-help-haiti-home-gala. [Accessed 03 September 15].

 

 

The Human Cost of FIFA

The negative media coverage of FIFA in recent times has been so prolific, that if one was not familiar with the recent corruptions scandals, they would quite literally have to be living under a rock.

However, the focus over the last six months has circulated around individuals such as ex-president of FIFA, Sepp Blatter and ex-vice president, Jack Warner. A quick Google search will show a plethora of articles, posts and tweets, showcasing the latters arrest over massive corruption allegations or the formers ability to dodge official reprimanding.

Fading into comparison are the crimes being committed by FIFA’s corrupted administrators, who approve slave labor constructed stadiums in Qatar and are open to the displacement of thousands of citizens in both South Africa and Brazil. Meredith Clark’s article, “The Other FIFA Scandal: Slave Labor”, grapples with the severe lack of human rights within Qatar and questions the ethics of hosting one of the worlds most inclusive events in a country where women are second class citizens, human slavery is rife and homosexuality is illegal.

The article blends fact with opinion, stating:

“…their (Nepalese workers) passports had been confiscated and were not allowed to visit their loved ones, despite the recent and disastrous earthquake that had taken place, (Clark, 2015)”

&

“More than 4000 workers are expected to die before the tournament begins, (Clark, 2015)”

 

If you need more convincing, here is something that might win you over

———————————————————

Perhaps the most thought provoking development is the forming of a sacrificial pattern, beginning at the 2010 world cup in South Africa.

Residents within specific areas of Cape Town were relocated to “Tin Can Town”, an official “temporary relocation area (TRA)”. Shelter was subpar, running water was often a luxury and men, women and children were subject to beatings by the police, (Smith, 2010).

The 2014 world cup saw thousands of people residing in favelas, surrounding Rio de Janeiro and Sao Paulo simply forced out by authorities and told to go elsewhere.

It pains me to say it, but I do not expect anything less from Russia and especially Qatar. I do not know the answer to this problem, but what I do know is that FIFA’s current state of corruption is only adding fuel to a fire started by the governing bodies of these countries. If corruption within FIFA can be nullified, then maybe, just maybe, the strain on the people can be somewhat alleviated.

References

 

 Case Study

 

Refinery29. 2015. The Other FIFA Scandal: Slave Labor. [ONLINE] Available at: http://www.refinery29.com/2015/05/88225/fifa-corruption-qatar-slaves-world-cup. [Accessed 01 September 15].

Sources

 

The Guardian. 2010. Life in ‘Tin Can Town’ for the South Africans evicted ahead of World Cup. [ONLINE] Available at: http://www.theguardian.com/world/2010/apr/01/south-africa-world-cup-blikkiesdorp. [Accessed 31 August 15].

Edwin Rios. 2015. This Chart Shows the Staggering Human Cost of Staging a World Cup in Qatar. [ONLINE] Available at: http://www.motherjones.com/mixed-media/2015/05/chart-fifa-deaths-qatar-move-it-to-the-united-states. [Accessed 01 September 15].

Max Theory. 2014. Brazil Puts Missiles On Apartment Buildings, Deploys Troops To Protect FIFA’s World Cup. [ONLINE] Available at: http://www.maximumtheory.com/blog/2014/06/brazil-puts-missiles-on-apartment-buildings-deploys-troops-to-protect-fifas-world-cup/. [Accessed 01 September 15].

Wikipedia. 2015. Jack Warner. [ONLINE] Available at: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jack_Warner_(football_executive). [Accessed 31 August 15].

Addressing Rape Culture

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 (Meme on Facebook)

Rape culture is attributed to the societal attitudes towards gender and sexuality, where the notion of rape is normalized, even trivialized by the status quo. This element of modern society is engrained into many cultures around the globe, but I would like to devote this post to focus specifically on college campuses in the USA.

Jennifer S. Hirsch, a professor of Socio-medical Sciences at Columbia’s Mailman School of Public Health, has produced an article that contrasts “Images of masculinity that glorify aggression, representations of sexuality that normalize violence and coercion…, (Hirsch, 2015)” with the flawed sexual education that American high school students receive.

I am not for one instance stating that rape culture is not present within the campus’ of Australian Universities, or in fact, the wider community. However, last year, I spent a semester living on campus at a university in North Carolina. Whilst I had a fantastic time, soaking up all that the campus had to offer, it was quite apparent that rape culture was a lot more pronounced than it was back in Wollongong. It is difficult to articulate the mentality and gender stereotypes that were tethered to the US student identity, however real life experience within the community, combined with research has led to a number of conclusions being drawn.

The “images of masculinity” and “normalized sexual violence” mentioned in Hirsch’s article are often manifested in the form of student athletes and Fraternities, who are regularly being condemned for sexual misconduct.

The upstanding undergrads of YALE – “ no means yes, yes means anal”

Heisman Trophy winner (most prestigious individual award in college football) Jameis Winston accused of rape

Cases such as these are prevalent in campuses across the country, but most concerning is how these situations are dealt with. Is the system so broken, or are the universities so desperate to maintain their reputations at the cost of a student’s wellbeing?

Speaking truthfully, I feel it is a case of both.

The system creates this problem through lack of education, Hirsch stating,

“America’s sexual culture is fundamentally unhealthy, with one of the highest rates of teen pregnancy in any western country. Most students still don’t get medically accurate, comprehensive education in the basics of pregnancy and disease prevention at school, (Hirsch, 2015)”.

 

In regards to higher learning institutions covering up stories, you need look no further than this article, which highlights the notion of victim blaming, emphasising that universities are more likely to investigate a stolen laptop than rape.

Rape culture is within most societies to some extent. But we need to make the message clear and concise.

  <—— Wrong

Instead of hash tags such as these ^^, we should abide by a simpler code. Perhaps Charlie Pickering’s ethos of…

References 

Case Study

Time. 2015. Colleges Need to Think Bigger To End Campus Rape. [ONLINE] Available at: http://time.com/3740895/college-sexual-assault-campus-safety/. [Accessed 31 August 15].

Sources

Daily Life. 2015. Charlie Pickering skewers ‘batshit crazy’ attitudes to sexual assault on The Weekly. [ONLINE] Available at: http://www.dailylife.com.au/dl-people/dl-entertainment/charlie-pickering-skewers-batshit-crazy-attitudes-to-sexual-assault-on-the-weekly-20150812-gixymt.html. [Accessed 30 August 15].

Daily Mail. 2015. ‘Universities are more likely to investigate a stolen laptop than a rape Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/femail/article-3112344/Woman-investigates-shocking-number-sexual-assaults-campuses-country-reveals-universities-covering-majority-cases.html#ixzz3kTxRUVUJ Follow us: @MailOnline on Twitter | DailyMail on Facebook. [ONLINE] Available at: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/femail/article-3112344/Woman-investigates-shocking-number-sexual-assaults-campuses-country-reveals-universities-covering-majority-cases.html. [Accessed 29 August 15].

YouTube. (2011). Yale bans fraternity for chants against women. [Online Video]. 17/03/2015. Available from: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Lr2-pDkewSk. [Accessed: 29 August 2015].

The Hunting Ground. (2015). Jameis Winston Accuser Speaks In Public. [Online Video]. 15/03/2015. Available from: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4x-RI0FPs58. [Accessed: 30 August 2015].

A trip to the cinema with A.J Harrington

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Never have I been focused on the aesthetical make up of a visit to the cinema and my surroundings whilst watching a film. However the overall experience was satisfying (especially since I wasn’t the one paying), I was able to intertwine an educational excuse into seeing a film and spend some much needed catch up time with my father.

Of course, I had to remain focused on the educational experience, which revolved around Torsten Hagerstand’s three constraints:

1. Capability – Refers to the question of ‘can I get there?’
2. Coupling – Denotes the question of ‘can I get there at the right time?’
3. Authority – Poses the question, ‘am I allowed to be there’.

Organising a time and place to attend the film “The Gift” was relatively straight forward, as both I and A.J. Harrington preside in the same residence and are generally free on Sunday afternoons. We drove in one car, as it was a quick trip of roughly five minutes to the local cinema (Miranda Westfield). In fact, we arranged to leave an hour before the beginning of the film, enabling us to taste the delights of the small food festival, taking place at the centre.

Coupling was the most important aspect for me, as I am one of those individuals who feel uncomfortable attending a film on my lonesome. It seems silly, I know, but because of this restriction, I had to make quite a conscious effort into choosing a partner to attend the film with. Despite this constraint, coupling, much like organising was quite easy, due to the close proximity that I and A.J. Harrington live. I simply asked him earlier in the week and because of our similar tastes in film genre, choosing a film was the easiest part.

The notion of authority did not play a major part in this experiment of sorts, as I am a legal adult and not subject to restricted ratings. And as far as I know, I wasn’t grounded either J

I believe the next 5-10 years of cinema will continue to decline as “Slashfilm” stated, “2014, produced number of 1.20, the lowest totally, rivaling that of 1.21 billion in 1995.” With avenues of streaming, such as Netflix and Box Office services available from the lounge room, people will continue to be deterred from jumping in the car and driving to the cinema. I am an avid fan of attending films at the cinema and believe that the overall experience of the environment, contributes to the enjoyment of the actual content. To combat the digitalization of our leisure time, cinemas must incorporate the feelings of yesteryear, when attending the cinema was a day out. Miranda Westfield is attempting to reinvent the experience for cinema goers, with the introduction of a licensed bar, an extensive candy bar and tickets that allow for discounted meals at local restaurants. However this overhaul of sorts must become a norm across Australia, if not, I fear cinemas will continue to struggle, and in 5-10 years time could find themselves fighting to stay afloat.

References

Film- Blogging the real world. 2014. Cinema Attendance Hits 20 Year Low. [ONLINE] Available at: http://www.slashfilm.com/box-office-attendance-hits-lowest-level-five-years/. [Accessed 30 August 15].

John Corbett. 2011. Torsten Hägerstrand: Time Geography. . [ONLINE] Available at: http://www.csiss.org/classics/content/29. [Accessed 30 August 15].

The System Needs Work

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The concept of “Othering” is term that grapples with the treatment of race from a hierarchal perspective. Essentially it is where those (be it individuals or minority groups) who are perceived to be different from the mainstream, are subordinated and chastised.

Throughout the last eighteen months, the United States has been scrutinized by media outlets, regarding “othering”, which has been manifested in the form of white police officers murdering or injuring African American civilians. The Michael Brown and Eric Garner incidents are two of the most high profile cases, causing outrage across black communities and sparking numerous rallies throughout the country.

 

However, cases like these have often led to a portrayal of a “black vs. white” mentality and a history of media coverage has shown that this can lead to disastrous consequences, e.g. The attack on Reginald Denny during the 1992 Los Angeles riots.

The current unrest in the USA is in part, due to race, but also points to a breakdown in authoritative control. I say this because of these statistics released by “World Net Daily “, stating:

“While nine in 10,000 whites and nine in 10,000 Hispanics are victimized by racial crimes, only seven in 10,000 blacks are targets, according to the report, (WND)”

It is not a simple case of whites fearing blacks and vise versa, but whites in positions of authority, abusing their power and victimizing the black minority. I would like to draw to attention to an article by “The Guardian(USA)”, featuring this video.

This brutal, yet true representation surrounding mistreatment of the “Other” at a protest on the campus of UC Davis is the issue. Police departments throughout the country continue to enrage populations of the African American community and most concerning is the lack of action being taken towards the officers committing these acts of violence. The term “injustice” is often circulated throughout the media when the latest act of race related violence occurs, but I believe it is more complicated than that. The law system appears broken and its archaic flaws are beginning to seep through the cracks and into the digitalised eyes of the public sphere. However, the present and near future does not indicate any change of significance.

References 

The Guardian . 2013. UC Davis pepper spray police officer awarded $38,000 compensation. [ONLINE] Available at: http://www.theguardian.com/world/2013/oct/23/pepper-spray-cop-uc-davis-compensation. [Accessed 24/07/2015].

Time. 2007. The L.A Riots. [ONLINE] Available at: http://content.time.com/time/specials/2007/la_riot/article/0,28804,1614117_1614084_1614511,00.html. [Accessed 23/07/2015].

World Net Daily. 2012. ‘HATE CRIME’ VICTIMS: YOUNG, POOR, WHITE. [ONLINE] Available at: http://www.wnd.com/2006/02/34888/. [Accessed 24/07/2015].YouTube. (2013). Reginald Denny Beating. [Online Video]. 13/07/2013. Available from: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UMP6bXnXdZM. [Accessed: 23/07/2015].

YouTube. (2011). UC Davis Protestors Pepper Sprayed. [Online Video]. 18/11/2011. Available from: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6AdDLhPwpp4. [Accessed: 23/07/2015].

Colin Campbell, (2014), Everything We Know About Eric Garner’s Death At The Hands Of The NYPD[ONLINE]. Available at: http://www.businessinsider.com.au/what-we-know-about-eric-garner-death-2014-12 [Accessed 23 July 15].

John Zogby, (2014), Michael Brown and Eric Garner: Media Pundits and “The Limits of Analytics”[ONLINE]. Available at: http://www.globalresearch.ca/michael-brown-and-eric-garner-media-pundits-and-the-limits-of-analytics/5418787 [Accessed 22 July 15].