Nothing to Lose

Kids Help phone is one of the most important organizations for youth support in Canada. Helping youth deal with hard times for over 20 years, the service has been available 24 hours a day, 365 days a year since May 1989. “Our mission is to improve the well-being of Canadian children and youth by providing them anonymous and confidential professional counseling, referrals, and information through technologically-based communications media. Last year, we helped Canadian kids in need well over two million times through our phone and online counseling services.” Kids help phone has helped millions of children over its 20-year existence, and continues to help those in need with care and comfort. I feel very close to this cause, as I remember the campaign ever since I was in elementary school. My teacher gave a presentation on the organization, and we were given blue stickers with the phone number on it. I have that sticker to this day in my room.

Billy Talent, one of my favourite bands, is closely associated with kids help phone. One of their early singles titled “Nothing to Lose” was a song about the band’s high school friend, who committed suicide as a result of being bullied. The band’s music song and music video tried to reach out to children in similar situations, and the kids help phone logo and number was featured at the end of the music video. Millions of children would watch the video, and those who needed the number would have it.

I believe that this organization is greatly needed, and is doing an amazing job of helping Canadian youth in need. I plan to donate in the future to kids help phone, and will support the organization in any way I can such as volunteering. If I can help save one kid’s life, it was well worth my time, money and effort. There’s "nothing to lose", so why not do the same?

Works Cited

"YouTube - billy talent - nothing to lose (music video)." YouTube - Broadcast Yourself. 2009. Web. 20 Nov. 2009.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CGUw0und0HM

Kids Help Phone. 2009. Web. 20 Nov. 2009.

http://org.kidshelpphone.ca/en

Gaming Culture

There are many participatory cultures which I am a part of, but one stands out in particular. Gaming is probably the largest participatory culture I am a part of. Through online gaming, I am connected with millions of other online gamers. Both myself and an opposing gamer may not personally know each other, but have much in common when it comes to gaming. We are on the same page as to the rules of the game, the controls of the game, and many other aspects. There is no need to teach my opponent how to play etc., as we both have the common knowledge required to play. When something is shared on a mass scale, we call it culture. If millions of people play online games, that is considered a culture. Video gaming is almost like a second life to me. When I turn on my Xbox 360, and sign on to Xbox Live, I am entering a new world, where I forget about all of life’s problems, and just have fun. Chuck Klosterman also feels this way in his book Sex, Drugs, and Cocoa Puffs.
“The sims is an escapist vehicle for people who want to escape” (Klosterman 13). When one plays any video game, such as “sims”, it is an escape into a different culture for that time being. I can play online with someone from China, India and Spain all at the same time. Our culture together is video gaming. On no other medium can this be achieved, as gaming does not require any communication. There is the option of chatting with others online, but it is not required to play the game. There is a common ground between my opponent and I, even though we don’t speak the same language.

Gaming is a multi-billion dollar industry, and has helped shaped modern American culture, essentially created a culture of it’s own. With over 200 million online gamers worldwide, the industry, and culture, continues to grow. Millions share a common interest, and millions more will join the trend.

Works Cited

"An Industry Shows It's Growing Value." Business Week. 12 May. 2006. 20 Oct. 2009.

http://www.businessweek.com/innovate/content/may20

Klosterman, Chuck. Sex, Drugs, and Cocoa Puffs. New York: Scribner, 2003.

"Online Gaming Industry Stats." Grab Stats. 2008. 20 Oct. 2009.

http://www.grabstats.com/statcategorymain.asp?Stat

Green Day and American Idiots

Culture jamming is any means in which the mainstream media or corporations are disrupted or contradicted, usually by an activist group. By doing this, awareness is raised on issues usually ignored or hidden by these very corporations and media conglomerates. Culture jamming goes against mainstream culture, particularly North American culture, and can be displayed in many different ways. One great example of culture jamming is Green Day’s “American Idiot”:

“Don't want to be an American idiot.

One nation controlled by the media.

Information age of hysteria.

It's calling out to idiot America.”

-Green Day

Green Day is completely bashing the mainstream media in this song; ironically, the song was distributed by the mass media. The song essentially suggests that Americans are fooled and controlled by the mainstream media. It suggests that events such as 9/11, the Iraq war etc., were mostly propaganda, and this information sent the nation into hysteria. Citizens were worried for their lives, and were scared that every plane they flew would be hijacked and blown up by terrorists. This sent the nation into a state of fear, leaving an excuse to enter Afghanistan, and eventually Iraq. Lots of money was made as a result of the war, and capitalists laughed while soldiers died. American idiot says all of this, without completely saying it. It is pretty obvious what the message is, but the listener is left to fill in the blanks. In the music video for the song, the American flag is seen hanging in the background, covered in green, and missing its traditional colours. Green Day’s signature colour is obviously green; by painting the flag green, this symbolizes that the band is essentially contradicting America and jamming American culture. Green Day now becomes the message of the media, not the traditional capitalist media. Green Day is known to be “culture jammers” as much of their music is rebellious and controversial. Green Day’s “American Idiot” can be considered the complete opposite of patriotism.

"they viewed patriotism as a downside... everyone seemed to think patriotic people [were] totally insane" - Chuck Klosterman (42)

Works Cited

"GREEN DAY LYRICS - American Idiot." A-Z Lyrics Universe. 2009. Web. 20 Nov. 2009.

http://www.azlyrics.com/lyrics/greenday/americanidiot.html

Klosterman, Chuck. Sex, Drugs, and Cocoa Puffs. New York: Scribner, 2003.

"YouTube - Green Day American Idiot HQ." YouTube. 2009. Web. 20 Nov. 2009.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nOUnLiVEddI

Over-Consumption and Capitalism

On November 27^th in North America, and November 28^th elsewhere, people around the world will choose to purchase nothing, in awareness of over-consumption and consumerism. “Buy nothing day” was first started in 1992 in Vancouver, Canada by Ted Dave, a local artist, and first received media attention from Adbusters magazine. Over 65 nations currently participate in the event. The idea of the day is to realize how our lives are based on over-consuming, and how our society is based on capitalism. Activities are organized including cutting up credit cards, standing in busy malls with protesting signs etc. to spread awareness of the day, as no mainstream media covered the event except for CNN. MTV, ABC and CTV all turned down the commercial, and banned it from their networks.

Kalle Lasn, editor and chief of Adbusters magazine surprisingly landed an interview on CNN in 2007, which even featured a “buy nothing day” ad. However, the interview was set up to contradict Kalle and make a fool of him, as most of his ideas were shot down by the CNN anchor. In the interview he stated “Over consumption is in some sense the mother of all our environmental problems” and received the response, “Oh come on, environmental problems?”. Kalle responded, “Yes environmental problems, every single purchase you make has some sort of impact on the planet”. What kind of news anchor responds to a valid point with “come on”?

Our culture is so based around consumerism that we forget how much we actually spend. Capitalism saturates our economic system, and something must be done about it. Kalle stated in his 2007 interview, that North American’s consume 86% of global goods, leaving a mere 14% for the rest of the world. If we don’t change our spending habits, environmental, political and psychological consequences will occur. “Don’t buy anything day” is the best thing that has happened to North America, as it continues to spread awareness of over-consumption, and grows larger every year. On November 27^th, I will not be purchasing anything, and I hope you won't either.

"...buying things makes people happy because it takes their mind off living...i get the impression that American's love it." - Chuck Klosterman (19)

Works Cited

"Buy Nothing Day | Adbusters Culturejammer Headquarters." Adbusters Culturejammer Headquarters | Journal of the mental environment. Adbusters, 2009. Web. 20 Nov. 2009.

https://www.adbusters.org/campaigns/bnd

Klosterman, Chuck. Sex, Drugs, and Cocoa Puffs. New York: Scribner, 2003.

"YouTube - Kalle Lasn on CNN Buy Nothing Day." YouTube. 2007. Web. 20 Nov. 2009.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PPQY_Cb4IlI

Corporate Interests and the Internet

The Internet was created on the basis that information could be shared among many computers, and at no cost. Today, the capitalist approach is slowly taking over, as more and more websites require subscriptions, fees, or memberships at a cost. The World Wide Web is slowly becoming a market for business. Many companies operate solely online, such as PayPal, EBay etc. Many entrepreneurs have realized this opportunity and have taken advantage of it. However, some sites have chosen to provide services for free, such as Google, YouTube, Wikipedia etc. Companies such as these could be charging for their services, but choose not to (for now at least). The capitalist approach is slowly taking over the Internet…literally.

Corporate companies are now proposing a different way to make profit. Currently, no company, organization or group actually “owns” the internet. Websites are owned by individual parties, but the web in which they are connected is not owned by anyone. Companies are now looking to buy out the web itself. A company like AOL Time Warner would have control as to what content would be hosted, who could and could not see the content and when, and how much one would pay to do so. An entire new market will be created which never existed before. It would be like charging citizens for every step they take. As long as the law permits it, an entire new market would be created. A corporation would control where you could and could not go, how much you would have to pay to go there, and when you could and could not go. This is essentially the opposite of net neutrality. Corporations will lock certain documents, band certain web pages etc. all at a cost to unlock or access them, when they would otherwise be free.

The mainstream media has not raised this issue at all, even though it is a very real possibility in the near future. The awareness on the issue comes from underground media sources, word of mouth and online groups. The majority of backlashers are students and youth. In order for these corporations to gain ownership of the web, they must be legally allowed to do so, under a government bill. That is exactly what is taking place at the current moment. Bill C-61 is an online copyright law which seeks to copyright all online material, including currently free material such as online articles etc. as property of a corporation. If you access the information illegally, you are essentially violating copyright law and can be legally punished, even if the content was posted free of charge. If I post my own blog, a corporation has the right to lock it, and charge others to access it, even though I created it and posted it. Bill C-61 will inevitably kill culture, as all of our media will be controlled by corporations, in their best interests. Public opinion will be suppressed, and culture will be fabricated by large corporations. Expression, originality and diversity will be compromised as a result of this bill.

There are Facebook groups, blogs, and online communities opposing this bill, with intentions to put an end to it. These corrupt government officials and corporations must be stopped in order to preserve the Internet as we know it.

“Every industry affected by copyright today is the product and beneficiary of a certain kind of piracy. Film, records, radio, cable TV…The list is long and could well be expanded [including the addition of the internet]”. – Lawrence Lessig (61)

Works Cited

Lessig, Lawrence. Free Culture The Nature and Future of Creativity. New York: Penguin (Non-Classics), 2005. Print.

Cross Media Ownership and the Fabrication of Culture

AOL Time Warner is known to be the largest Major Media Company in the world. Some if it’s properties include:

-12 television/film companies including Warner Bros and Hanna-Barbera

-29 operations including CNN, Time Warner Cable (13 million customers in USA)

-24 Book Brands including Time Life Books

-35 magazines including Time and Fortune Magazine (120 million readers)

-AOL (27 million subscribers), CompuServe, Netscape

-52 record labels

-Theme parks, Warner Bros Studios stores in over 30 countries

-Turner Entertainment Corporation (owns 4 sports teams)

*CEO Gerald Levin and Chair Steve Case employ over 70,000 workers, and generate over $31.8 billion in revenue.

Many implications are evident as a result of cross media ownership. News can be skewed, altered or fabricated to present a false picture in light of corporate interest by the parent company. Ex. CNN may air a segment on an upcoming artist, signed to Warner Records, in order to boost record sales. The average viewer may not realize that Warner Records and CNN are both owned by the same parent company (AOL Time Warner), and may see no relation between the two. Many other implications such as this can occur. AOL Time Warner may use any property in any combination to benefit itself, such as in the example above. The result is the fabrication of culture by Major Media Companies such as this one.

Another downfall to cross media ownership is the fact that most of our information is coming from one source, and there is no room for diversity from other sources. We only receive one viewpoint or angle on major issues, as to benefit the parent company, and never see the other side of the coin unless we seek other sources of information. By seeking other sources, we can make our own conclusions based on a variety of sources, rather than being “handed” the news based on one source, and automatically deem the information to be true.

One major implication of cross media ownership is that the credibility of a company or property may be compromised. If CNN were to constantly air stories on Warner Records artists, the viewers may catch on, and begin to question the credibility of CNN. If news is being fabricated, one might not trust that news station on other stories as well. If the station fabricated a story on an artist, why couldn’t they fabricate stories on the Iraq war in interests of oil companies under AOL Time Warner?

Cross media ownership is a common example of capitalism in our modern society. This Media Hegemony is controlling the media we receive on a day-to-day basis whether we realize it or not, and is essentially fabricating culture. As long as one remains aware of this fact, and seeks other sources of media than that from one parent company, such as AOL Time Warner, one can think for themselves, and come up with their own conclusions on what to believe and what to question.

"One of the most cherished freedoms in a democracy is the right to participate freely in the 'marketplace of ideas'" - John Stauber and Sheldon Rampton (10)

Works Cited

Stauber, John, and Sheldon Rampton. Toxic Sludge is Good for You! Maine. Common Courage, 1995. Print.

Williams, Granville. "Ultra Concentrated Media - Top Selling Brands." Ultra Concentrated Media - Top Selling Brands. Granville Williams, Apr. 2001. Web. 20 Nov. 2009.

http://www.newint.org/issue333/Images/ni333-media.pdf

Fake News

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yyn8Kb_do8g&feature=player_embedded

Truth. It’s a journalist’s duty. But when corporate interests are considered, the truth can be skewed drastically. CNN and Fox news are the two biggest culprits of propaganda, which America is notorious for. Images of war can be skewed. Take the current Iraq war for example. One of the greatest examples of false news occurred on April 9, 2003, when the statue of Saddam Hussein was toppled. It was all over the news, including CNN and Fox. CNN news wrote, “Crowds cheer as a statue of Saddam Hussein falls”. CNN cameras shot footage of the statue falling, using close-ups around the statue. This created the illusion of a large crowd, when in fact the crowd was small. The editors used only these close-ups to release to the public. However, wide-angle shots of the event were leaked, and the truth came out. There was a small crowd, it was quiet, and there was very minimal cheering. CNN had skewed the story to create this illusion of liberating the Iraqi people as they cheered for America. Corporate interests were considered when these shots were chosen, as to create the illusion that America had complete control over the situation in Iraq.

There are many implications as a result of propaganda such as this. The public is given false information. Why are we forced to believe everything the media tells us, just because it is the media? We assume the information to be trustworthy; after all, CNN is supposedly “the most trusted name in news” (which doesn’t mean they are 100% honest, it just means they are the “most trusted”). I now personally force myself to question and reconsider the media, and not to jump to conclusions just because of what the media tells me. There are countless examples of false media and propaganda, especially from CNN, and not enough time to list them all. Just be aware of what you are being told, and don’t believe everything you see on the news, just because CNN tells you its true. “ProMario”, a YouTube user who posted a video that reveals the truth behind the toppling of the statue stated:

“The up close action video of the statue being destroyed is broadcast around the world as proof of a massive uprising…There are no more than 200 people in the square at best.” - ProMario

Works Cited

"Saddam Statue Toppled in Central Baghdad." CNN. 9 Apr. 2003. 9 Oct. 2009. <http://www.cnn.com/2003/WORLD/meast/04/09/sprj.irq.statue/>.

“Stage Managing Toppling of Saddam Statue." YouTube. 4 Jan. 2007. <http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yyn8Kb_do8g&feature=player_embedded>.