Tuesday, November 17, 2015

Jack - Final Presentation

For my Final Activist Media Project I chose to create two Photo-shopped images to advocate for my stance. Pertaining to class, I found that I related my project to three different ideas discussed during class. Media Convergence, Mimicry, and Rhetoric. Media convergence in the images is evident in that media can be transferred across media. In my project we see media issues today being related to a prison, and Halloween. In terms of mimicry I created images that were in part made to mimic the ludicrous nature we find in political correctness and how far the issue can be taken. Finally, Rhetoric is evidently apparent because my images beg a response. They are made to persuade and influence. Each image shows a side of the argument, therefore begging for a counterargument.
                The first image depicted is a group of children after Halloween. The narrator of the scene asks the kids what type of candy they received, which they respond saying, vegan cookies, gluten free granola bars, gender neutral candy, and a Reese’s. The child who received the Reese’s is confused, mocking the people for giving the kids such strange and politically correct. The point of the photo is to illustrate how people try to enforce their personal affiliations and identifications on others for “the sake of political correctness”. It is Halloween, just give candy that they want and stop bringing a personal vendetta against the holiday’s true nature. The second image is of two inmates in a prison cell with one saying “What are you in for mac?” and in response the other says “I said Merry Christmas instead of Happy Holidays”. I chose to concoct this image because of the insane nature that people have against someone saying Merry Christmas. Obviously not everyone celebrates Christmas, therefore we should respect their Holiday’s as well, but no one should be attacked for saying the phrase. Saying Merry Christmas is being attacked and at which point do we relax on this idea of Political Correctness and just accept everyone’s opinions for what they are.

2) Political Correctness is a valuable tool that is essential to the respect amongst the individuals of our nation. The problem with Political Correctness today is that people begin taking the idea too far and jumping to vast conclusions simply because someone was not entirely politically correct, therefore forcing their views on others, rather than just living their lives how they want.

3) My vision for my final project is to find a general consensus for people to come together and stop fighting each other and forcing views on others. I would plan to post these images on social media to hopefully extend to a large viral capacity. I just want people to take a stop back and relax, to stop freaking out over the smallest issues and instead live their lives how they want to, not by caring what other people think.


(click image for full resolution)

2 comments:

  1. Jack, these are great. Being 'politically correct' all the time (as many know) has been proven to cause even more inconsequential issues. There won't ever be a middle ground, but political comics such as yours are definitely an important step to present it to the public, particularly in social media, to attempt at some sort of neutral ground where the bigger picture can addressed instead of everyone's own petty stances. I hope you can get these out there on a more widely attended platform, I'm sure you can. Good luck and nice job!

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  2. Jack I find you project on the sudden rise in focus on being "PC" at all time both entertaining and important. I think this is very relate-able in our culture today whether through the Safe Space protests happening at college campuses or seen in South Park episode with PC Principle. I don't think there will ever be a middle ground for how PC people should be but I do believe your project brings the idea of how far is too far to light. Great job!

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