Blogs in my opinion can help if they are done in a proper manner. With that being said, I definitely enjoyed the online assignments that we to do for this class but I do not necessarily think that they were blogs per se. Blogs are basically a free write on any given topic without guidelines but of course, under university policies as college students, all of our assignments must be guided in a specific manner. The blogs we had in our Race, Gender, and Media course allowed each individual student to show their own personality and use the internet as a media palette to broadcast the results found while doing research for certain assignments. I remember in high school doing blogs but they were far different from anything we ever did in this class. Regardless, I am pretty sure I am going to be on the lookout for blogs pertaining to some of the topics we discussed in class. Who knows, I may even attempt to keep mine going. Only time will tell.
Granted I am in the process of getting my degree in Film and Video Studies, I am taking classes that place an emphasis on mass media so I will have a better understanding of how to target my audience without disrespecting anyone regardless of gender, sexual orientation, race and/or ethnicity. As we mentioned throughout the semester, my generation is different in regards to being able and willing to talk about racism, sexism and so much more and I want to be able to portray that through my work. Whether it is through film, television, blogs…I personally feel that we have to shine some sort of positive light on media and media usage. Otherwise, generations to come are going to be doomed and issues like anorexia, bulimia, depression and things of that nature will only continue to rise and turn the United States into a self-hating underweight group of citizens who will eventually fall of the map due to self mutilation. I know that sounds extreme, and maybe even funny, but sadly enough it may very well be true if people in our soon-to-be positions do not do something.
Being a minority, race has always been an ongoing issue that I have personally had to experience. However just as there is the coined term “white privilege“, I do believe that this can also be turned around within other races and ethnicities.
With Caucasians being the majority or superior race, white privilege is something everyone can say exist and that people may have even experience on a day to day basis if they are a minority. It may be a hard concept to grasps if you are not a minority and have never had to look at it from the outside in, rather than inside out. I have heard arguments on both sides and quite frankly respect both opinions. I think what people forget is that everyone has a mind of their own and even if you can not persuade someone to think exactly like you (honestly why would you?), learn to deal with the difference and find ways to make it benefit all parties involved rather than constantly focusing on the negative. You truly will never get anywhere staying in that state of mind. Depending on the angle you look at any kind of privilege, there is always going to be someone who disagrees…It just goes to prove that you simply can not make everyone happy.
All in all I liked this class and truly feel that I gained something from it not only as a college student, but as a media professional prospect as well. I look forward to more classes like this in the future.
