I believe that in order to progress in the modern world, we must be morally conscious of the content we distribute and publish. Therefore, advertisers should best avoid stereotyping because putting down one innocent group in favor of the other is never a sound thing to do. People must be treated as equals, everyone is different and there must be an acceptance of that. Stereotypes are based off of historical misconceptions or unfair assumptions in the modern day, contributing to any stereotypes is generalizing an entire group of people. Most stereotypes contribute to historical oppression towards marginalized groups, or contribute to toxic idealizations towards any group. Either way, they do nothing to make progress, they exist to guilt, punish or undermine.
Putting stereotypes into advertisements could mean two things: Garnering the attention of the wrong crowd, people like bigots who you would not want to associate with your product, or your product being boycotted for unethical, demoralized practices (like stereotyping). With internet culture, both are likely to happen which will either way, give you bad reputation and turned into a laughing stock of social media with jokes or memes. Normally, social media attention is a good thing, but having done something morally and ethically wrong will increase the jokes and decrease sales.
Monday, November 28, 2016
The Army Print Ad
The US army put out an add urging young people, young men in specific, to think about their future jobs by listing off qualities the army can help you develop. In the image, a soldier, holding an AK-47, is seen taking a leap from one ledge to an elevated ledge with the sun shining in the background. The target audience for the ad must be young men about 16-18, as those are the years people start trying to think about their future and what path they would like to take. It uses statistics, like 9/10 employers look for these certain qualities that the army can easily help you improve and hone.
The model is obviously a young man, leaping for his life with faith to higher ground which can be seen as leaping for a better, or brighter, future. To add on, his body position points towards the sun- a common symbol for hope. The soldier is also holding a gun, a typical symbol for American patriotism. The entire image indicates that serving for the greater good of the country will lead you to a better, brighter future.
The text at the bottom of the image says that you don't have to start in business to be in business. This further urges the audience to join the military in order to hone the skills that 9/10 employers seek (determination, co-ordination, confidence, etc.). The ad indicates that being in the military provides qualifications to add to your resumé if you haven't thought much of it yet, especially since this is targeted towards young men. Although, there is nothing in the text that indicates the target as it uses strictly neutral pronouns (such as 'you', it is speaking to the audience themselves) but the model, a fit, young caucasian male, is enough to understand the context.
The model is obviously a young man, leaping for his life with faith to higher ground which can be seen as leaping for a better, or brighter, future. To add on, his body position points towards the sun- a common symbol for hope. The soldier is also holding a gun, a typical symbol for American patriotism. The entire image indicates that serving for the greater good of the country will lead you to a better, brighter future.
The text at the bottom of the image says that you don't have to start in business to be in business. This further urges the audience to join the military in order to hone the skills that 9/10 employers seek (determination, co-ordination, confidence, etc.). The ad indicates that being in the military provides qualifications to add to your resumé if you haven't thought much of it yet, especially since this is targeted towards young men. Although, there is nothing in the text that indicates the target as it uses strictly neutral pronouns (such as 'you', it is speaking to the audience themselves) but the model, a fit, young caucasian male, is enough to understand the context.
Monday, November 21, 2016
Pitch Reflection
In my group, we had to advertise a bike sharing program in Abu Dhabi. We used the corniche, an iconic location, as our reason for the aesthetic appeal as we demonstrate where people will be able to ride their bikes. Along with the scenery, a bike ride can be a relaxing, quick get away, which is why we decided that the need to escape and need for aesthetic sensations could be combined. Our other two appeals was the bandwagon appeal and the need for prominence. First, the need for prominence is rooted in community. The bike sharing program would be a community of people who share the love of biking, being seen in that community will get you some regards of respect and people who see you biking may feel motivated to do the same, making you an important figure at the scene. Next, the bandwagon appeal is to advertise it as a motivator. If you're not part of this new, inviting and healthy community ten you're missing out on certain personal benefits.
We wanted the people in the advertisement to be regular, diverse people because we want to be inclusive and think about everyone who wants to be part of the program. It's meant to be an act of encouragement, along with the use of nostalgia. Not many people continue riding bikes after they've grown up, so persuading people by showing children on trikes to adults on bikes would induce nostalgia to the audience. Experts are trusted with the general population, all we need to say is how the bike sharing program can benefit your health and wellbeing and that immediately scores with association, because if experts are recommending it, then why not?
Our target was the general audience, the group and I are familiar with Abu Dhabi because we live here. We know, from experience, that riding a bike is common practice among youth and we had an easier time figuring out how we were going to go about this. To add on with our familiarity for the setting, we knew which places are scenic and most recognizable for an advertisement.
If I were to redo this, I would have kept eye contact with the audience and keep a fluid word flow to keep it interesting. Less use of filler words and to be more concise and to the point.
We wanted the people in the advertisement to be regular, diverse people because we want to be inclusive and think about everyone who wants to be part of the program. It's meant to be an act of encouragement, along with the use of nostalgia. Not many people continue riding bikes after they've grown up, so persuading people by showing children on trikes to adults on bikes would induce nostalgia to the audience. Experts are trusted with the general population, all we need to say is how the bike sharing program can benefit your health and wellbeing and that immediately scores with association, because if experts are recommending it, then why not?
Our target was the general audience, the group and I are familiar with Abu Dhabi because we live here. We know, from experience, that riding a bike is common practice among youth and we had an easier time figuring out how we were going to go about this. To add on with our familiarity for the setting, we knew which places are scenic and most recognizable for an advertisement.
If I were to redo this, I would have kept eye contact with the audience and keep a fluid word flow to keep it interesting. Less use of filler words and to be more concise and to the point.
Wednesday, October 19, 2016
Letter To The Editor; Twtr? It's majorly bad!
Honestly, I'd think that people would know the difference between formal and casual speak. Why would you message an employer/teacher saying "yo do u wht do u think of this????" or "can u check dis out 4 me" when it's clearly a more formal setting? Unless, you're close to the person you're speaking with. It's not a bad thing that people use text speak, but it's bad when people don't know where to use it. So, instead of condemning people for using 'improper' grammar and language, how about we promote awareness of when and where to use formal and casual language? If indeed that the younger generation is becoming more careless, there should be more actions taken towards distinguishing where formal language is to be expected and where it is not expected. That being said, anybody should be able to text however they like. Promoting awareness of where formal language is to be used will probably do better than complaining about teenagers using text lingo in their personal lives. Texting in itself can be expressive, especially for todays youth where we use emoticons and memes with our friends or on social media, it can be fun and shouldn't be criticized with the way our language use evolves with progression of the media. So, over-exaggerating textspeak or even going as far as saying 'the english language is detonating right in front of our eyes!' doesn't exactly help the situation at hand. The problem is not textspeak, lingo or specific jargon within communities. The real problem is who you’re texting and where you’re writing for an optimal outcome, awareness of the situation. For example, formal language should be expected when writing for academic or business purposes, but casual language is completely fine if you’re texting a friend, blogging or using personal social media.
Sunday, October 16, 2016
A [fictional] Interview with Nicki Minaj
*Note*
This is a fictional interview between an interviewer and Nicki Minaj. This is a task for an English assignment and should no way be taken as an insult to Nicki Minaj. She is one of the most prominent female rapper and vocal about feminist issues, and I respect her a lot.
Sunday, October 2, 2016
Does language define who we are..?
Language can shape our identities in different ways. Our identity is composed of several different traits making up who we are. We are defined by our behavior, personality and thoughts but taking up a new language can help you understand cultures, language barriers and new views. This aids into our knowledge about the world, therefore being able to slightly shape different aspects of our identities. The article ‘Why Do writers Abandon Their Native Language?’ written published on economist.com, March 14th earlier this year, provides several examples of writers who explore new languages that help them shape their identity.
In 2012, an English speaking author called Jhumpa Lahiri moved to Italy in order to immerse herself in a new culture and language. Part of her identity was being an English speaking author who wrote in English, but now that she has learned Italian and prefers it some are questioning as why she’d do something so dangerous for her career. She clearly expresses that learning a new language has opened up a new perspective, it is now a language she is comfortable in being able to produce content with variety. Not only does she have the skill to fluently speak another language, but that language is now part of her identity which in turn aids to who she is.
The article notes that she is not the only writer to abandon her mother tongue in hopes for a new perspective on literature, claiming that “there is a tradition of writers trying to escape their language and render their art in a foreign tongue.” and that writers have found new, artistic ways in being able to do so. Two writers say that with the new language, they feel they have more freedom in their writing and expression as there are less boundaries. These artists are curious and experimental, that is who they are. Learning the a language adds excitement for them and their work because it is entirely new, it is a foreign tongue that they’ve decided they wanted to master to gain skill and perspective with their literature.
Your identity is just one part of who you are as a person as, and again, identity is composed of a variety of traits and aspects. Some traits include the ability to speak a language, write in another language or use language in a way that expresses yourself. Another part of your identity is how you use words, too. The vocabulary you use and tone of voice is part of what makes you a unique person, but not necessarily defining who you are. Language is able to shape and change those aspects of your identity, though what makes you and what defines you? When it really comes down to it, you as a person are much more than the language you speak or what casual words you use, but it's more about how you are personality-wise. Being ambitious, seeking creativity and working towards something are traits which can be used to define someone as who they are
In 2012, an English speaking author called Jhumpa Lahiri moved to Italy in order to immerse herself in a new culture and language. Part of her identity was being an English speaking author who wrote in English, but now that she has learned Italian and prefers it some are questioning as why she’d do something so dangerous for her career. She clearly expresses that learning a new language has opened up a new perspective, it is now a language she is comfortable in being able to produce content with variety. Not only does she have the skill to fluently speak another language, but that language is now part of her identity which in turn aids to who she is.
The article notes that she is not the only writer to abandon her mother tongue in hopes for a new perspective on literature, claiming that “there is a tradition of writers trying to escape their language and render their art in a foreign tongue.” and that writers have found new, artistic ways in being able to do so. Two writers say that with the new language, they feel they have more freedom in their writing and expression as there are less boundaries. These artists are curious and experimental, that is who they are. Learning the a language adds excitement for them and their work because it is entirely new, it is a foreign tongue that they’ve decided they wanted to master to gain skill and perspective with their literature.
Your identity is just one part of who you are as a person as, and again, identity is composed of a variety of traits and aspects. Some traits include the ability to speak a language, write in another language or use language in a way that expresses yourself. Another part of your identity is how you use words, too. The vocabulary you use and tone of voice is part of what makes you a unique person, but not necessarily defining who you are. Language is able to shape and change those aspects of your identity, though what makes you and what defines you? When it really comes down to it, you as a person are much more than the language you speak or what casual words you use, but it's more about how you are personality-wise. Being ambitious, seeking creativity and working towards something are traits which can be used to define someone as who they are
Sunday, September 25, 2016
As someone learning Spanish with a Spanish-speaking parent, I understand that switch from the different English being used in Mother Tongue by Amy Tan. Communication, when being multilingual, doesn't have to be limited to one language and even if it is, it doesn't have to be entirely perfect to get an argument, idea or statement across, especially when you are used the way the languages or language is being used. The idea and complexity of language and sentence order doesn't have to be limited to only one language, meaning that no matter what you're speaking there are numerous ways for you to get an idea out.
The Author, for example, uses broken English which has become something personal for her and people she shares it with. The way she exchanges words with her mother, or husband, isn't perfect English because it's casual and easier for both of them to understand even if they have a completely perfect grasp of the language. In my opinion, being able to communicate should be held higher than how well your use of language is. Close-knit, multilingual groups often break the boundaries of languages to blend or mix them be it vocabulary or sentence structure; Which is interesting to think about. It happens more often with bilingual or multilingual families, where words turn to more of a concept than a definite thing to say, as if there were a right word to use.
I relate to that experience of communicating, as previously mentioned I am learning Spanish and I live with a Spanish-speaking parent. I grew up familiar with words like abuela and tia to describe family members; Now I find myself sometimes catching myself with bad English because I've been speaking, what we like to call, 'Spanglish' with mi madre. I listen in on the conversations my mother has with my abuela, they often speak in Spanish but I hear catches and glimpse of English because my abuela is still learning the language. From where I stand and how I observe languages being used around me, I don't think much of it when people slip up grammatically or they're still learning. People's negative attitude towards non-native English speakers are usually harsh, it's irrational because they use arguments like 'learn the language' when they've yet to realize the person they're being critical about is, in fact, learning the language that seems mandatory to learn because of how dominant it is in today's world culture.
All that matters is communication, messing up on language does not dictate whether or not you're a not an intellectual. Amy Tan expresses this when she talks about how her mother is a very smart business women, yet most people aren't willing to take her seriously because of her "imperfect" English-- Even when her health may have been on the line. What's most important is that we need to stop associating the capability to speak English perfectly with intelligence and start listening to how people are trying to communicate their ideas.
The Author, for example, uses broken English which has become something personal for her and people she shares it with. The way she exchanges words with her mother, or husband, isn't perfect English because it's casual and easier for both of them to understand even if they have a completely perfect grasp of the language. In my opinion, being able to communicate should be held higher than how well your use of language is. Close-knit, multilingual groups often break the boundaries of languages to blend or mix them be it vocabulary or sentence structure; Which is interesting to think about. It happens more often with bilingual or multilingual families, where words turn to more of a concept than a definite thing to say, as if there were a right word to use.
I relate to that experience of communicating, as previously mentioned I am learning Spanish and I live with a Spanish-speaking parent. I grew up familiar with words like abuela and tia to describe family members; Now I find myself sometimes catching myself with bad English because I've been speaking, what we like to call, 'Spanglish' with mi madre. I listen in on the conversations my mother has with my abuela, they often speak in Spanish but I hear catches and glimpse of English because my abuela is still learning the language. From where I stand and how I observe languages being used around me, I don't think much of it when people slip up grammatically or they're still learning. People's negative attitude towards non-native English speakers are usually harsh, it's irrational because they use arguments like 'learn the language' when they've yet to realize the person they're being critical about is, in fact, learning the language that seems mandatory to learn because of how dominant it is in today's world culture.
All that matters is communication, messing up on language does not dictate whether or not you're a not an intellectual. Amy Tan expresses this when she talks about how her mother is a very smart business women, yet most people aren't willing to take her seriously because of her "imperfect" English-- Even when her health may have been on the line. What's most important is that we need to stop associating the capability to speak English perfectly with intelligence and start listening to how people are trying to communicate their ideas.
Monday, September 19, 2016
Names are to be respected.
Names sometimes have cultural significance and meaning. Abrahamic names are fairly popular because they transcend one language and have a lot of variations. I come from two cultures, conveniently these cultures have the same variation of some abrahamic names! My mother is hispanic and my father is arab, while naming my sisters and I they chose names that work in both Arabic and Spanish. Sara, Fatima and Mariam are the names they chose for us. Though, my full name is Mariam Abdul-Aziz Yousef Hasan Bin Safwan since it's traditional for your paternal line to be included in your full name.
Talking about my first name, Mariam. There are several meanings, however the name is mostly associated with the Virgin Mary because the name, Maryam, is speculated to either be originally Egyptian or Hebrew. It's meaning, surprisingly, is meant to be 'rebellious', 'bitter' or, in a more positive outlook 'strong waters' or ' wished-for child'. Personally, I feel like the meaning 'rebellious' resonates more with me and who I am as a person.
As for my last name, there were always people who poked fun at my name, specifically non-arabs and especially westerners. My last name is Bin Safwan. "Bin" simply means "child of" in Arabic, my name, translated, is not "Rebellious Trash Rock", but rather “Rebellious child of rock”. In my personal opinion it feels a bit rude to assume someone’s last name is ‘garbage can’ and make fun of them for it, especially when the name is not in your language. Names are to be respected, not humiliated.
Talking about my first name, Mariam. There are several meanings, however the name is mostly associated with the Virgin Mary because the name, Maryam, is speculated to either be originally Egyptian or Hebrew. It's meaning, surprisingly, is meant to be 'rebellious', 'bitter' or, in a more positive outlook 'strong waters' or ' wished-for child'. Personally, I feel like the meaning 'rebellious' resonates more with me and who I am as a person.
As for my last name, there were always people who poked fun at my name, specifically non-arabs and especially westerners. My last name is Bin Safwan. "Bin" simply means "child of" in Arabic, my name, translated, is not "Rebellious Trash Rock", but rather “Rebellious child of rock”. In my personal opinion it feels a bit rude to assume someone’s last name is ‘garbage can’ and make fun of them for it, especially when the name is not in your language. Names are to be respected, not humiliated.
Friday, September 16, 2016
We should all be able to agree that there are no such thing as "positive stereotypes" because they reinforce generalized ideas to marginalized groups. Being half Latina, I've had my own share of troubles with "positive stereotypes" and how it has affected me. Often, Latinx (gender neutral word for Latino/Latina, pronounced Latin-ex) have been described as 'the ideal partner' because, apparently, we are attractive, charismatic and flirtatious. This leads to objectification of Latinx, with words like "exotic" being used to describe anything from accents to body, but if you took a greater look at Latin America you would find that we are diverse. Not every Latina has a curvy body and not every Latino is tall and burly. As with being 'charismatic and flirtatious', I can barely manage to make conversation with someone, let alone come off as charismatic! Like everybody else on earth, we are all different! Latin America is composed of several countries and the entire continent of South America, we have our own, specific communities and intra-community problems.
Every time I say I'm hispanic or Latina, I always get the question "So, you're Mexican?" which makes me stop for a second to process the fact that most people don't know the difference between being hispanic and being Latinx. Hispanic means the country you come from speaks Spanish as the main language, while Latinx means that you are from Mexico, Central America, some part of the Caribbean OR South America. This is called 'Latin America' because the languages spoken in these countries are rooted in Latin and the three most spoken languages are Spanish, French and Portuguese. So, no, not every Latinx speaks Spanish! I myself am learning Spanish since my mother is from Honduras-- A country in Central America. Every country in Latin America is different, we have our own cultures and languages except we are marginalized and share some of the same stereotypes that let non-Latinx objectify us or degrade us. Latinas especially are degraded and objectified because we are expected to be flirty dolls with great bodies for the male gaze which is incredibly sexist. Latinx people in media are casted as 'Mexican Workers' which is racist because it gives the idea that Latinx are there to serve and that 'everyone who is Latinx must be from Mexico'. Since most Latinx characters I've seen are Mexican, a lot of people will, of course, assume I'm Mexican when I say that I'm hispanic/Latina. Somebody has actually called me Mexican because they only knew that I'm hispanic. Now, Honduras is a lesser known country to everywhere that isn't Latin America but I hope to see more Hondurans in media-- Or at the very least, Central America since it's the closest thing if not the specific.
By reading this blog post, I hope you've now taken the time to understand that "positive stereotypes" only lead to generalization, objectification and degradation when we don't meet the standards imposed on us. You should also know the difference between hispanic and Latinx. Thank you for reading!
Every time I say I'm hispanic or Latina, I always get the question "So, you're Mexican?" which makes me stop for a second to process the fact that most people don't know the difference between being hispanic and being Latinx. Hispanic means the country you come from speaks Spanish as the main language, while Latinx means that you are from Mexico, Central America, some part of the Caribbean OR South America. This is called 'Latin America' because the languages spoken in these countries are rooted in Latin and the three most spoken languages are Spanish, French and Portuguese. So, no, not every Latinx speaks Spanish! I myself am learning Spanish since my mother is from Honduras-- A country in Central America. Every country in Latin America is different, we have our own cultures and languages except we are marginalized and share some of the same stereotypes that let non-Latinx objectify us or degrade us. Latinas especially are degraded and objectified because we are expected to be flirty dolls with great bodies for the male gaze which is incredibly sexist. Latinx people in media are casted as 'Mexican Workers' which is racist because it gives the idea that Latinx are there to serve and that 'everyone who is Latinx must be from Mexico'. Since most Latinx characters I've seen are Mexican, a lot of people will, of course, assume I'm Mexican when I say that I'm hispanic/Latina. Somebody has actually called me Mexican because they only knew that I'm hispanic. Now, Honduras is a lesser known country to everywhere that isn't Latin America but I hope to see more Hondurans in media-- Or at the very least, Central America since it's the closest thing if not the specific.
By reading this blog post, I hope you've now taken the time to understand that "positive stereotypes" only lead to generalization, objectification and degradation when we don't meet the standards imposed on us. You should also know the difference between hispanic and Latinx. Thank you for reading!
Wednesday, September 7, 2016
Introduction!
Hello!! My name is Mariam Bin Safwan, though I go usually by Jash or Void. My birthday is February 1st and I was born on 2000 in Terre Haute, Indiana, USA. I am half Emirati and half Honduran, but I speak neither Arabic or Spanish despite growing up with my mom in Abu Dhabi.
I love to draw, paint, write and I'm learning a bit of 3d animation and 3d modeling! I aspire to be a comic book creator and game designer because stories are very important to me. Growing up, I watched disney films-- Films based off fairytales and fell in love with the movements and change. Then, I grew up with video games like Kingdom Hearts and Harvest Moon! The comics most important to me are Homestuck and The Fantastic Four. I admire the setting, development and wonders of stories-- There can be so much depth displayed in minimal ways, or extravagant, colorful actions. I have a lot of story ideas, currently three projects I'm actively working on. My biggest project is my comic, Monsters Crowd, Creatures Call! I currently really love the game Overwatch, it has a lot of story to it that's shown through animation and comics despite it being a first person shooter.
Languages have had a role in my life, especially growing up biracial when people expect you to speak the languages your parents speak. I am currently trying to learn Spanish and Arabic, though! I've been making progress (especially with Spanish; I speak spanglish at home sometimes.) It's sometimes stressful with expectations being put on me since a young age, but I still find beauty in the languages of my parents, as well as feeling a connection with both cultures. Being able to study language is dire for the human race, without communication we'd have nothing. Communication is essential for discussion, trade, culture and living. Studying language can also connect someone with culture, how the words are used and how they are said is interesting to think about.
I've always felt excluded from language barriers. My fathers side speaks mostly arabic, my mother's side speaks mostly spanish. Both my grandmothers can't speak english, this has prevented me from speaking to them. My older sisters can speak both languages, and I've always felt left out of the family since I can only speak english-- But that's even more reason for me to press forward and learn both languages. I love my cultures, I love the languages and I love learning more about myself and language.
I love to draw, paint, write and I'm learning a bit of 3d animation and 3d modeling! I aspire to be a comic book creator and game designer because stories are very important to me. Growing up, I watched disney films-- Films based off fairytales and fell in love with the movements and change. Then, I grew up with video games like Kingdom Hearts and Harvest Moon! The comics most important to me are Homestuck and The Fantastic Four. I admire the setting, development and wonders of stories-- There can be so much depth displayed in minimal ways, or extravagant, colorful actions. I have a lot of story ideas, currently three projects I'm actively working on. My biggest project is my comic, Monsters Crowd, Creatures Call! I currently really love the game Overwatch, it has a lot of story to it that's shown through animation and comics despite it being a first person shooter.
Languages have had a role in my life, especially growing up biracial when people expect you to speak the languages your parents speak. I am currently trying to learn Spanish and Arabic, though! I've been making progress (especially with Spanish; I speak spanglish at home sometimes.) It's sometimes stressful with expectations being put on me since a young age, but I still find beauty in the languages of my parents, as well as feeling a connection with both cultures. Being able to study language is dire for the human race, without communication we'd have nothing. Communication is essential for discussion, trade, culture and living. Studying language can also connect someone with culture, how the words are used and how they are said is interesting to think about.
I've always felt excluded from language barriers. My fathers side speaks mostly arabic, my mother's side speaks mostly spanish. Both my grandmothers can't speak english, this has prevented me from speaking to them. My older sisters can speak both languages, and I've always felt left out of the family since I can only speak english-- But that's even more reason for me to press forward and learn both languages. I love my cultures, I love the languages and I love learning more about myself and language.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)