Subtle Propaganda

Have you ever felt you were watching “Government advertisements” as you watched local drama’s? It is very apparent in our local society, the high usage of local drama’s used to propagate new government policies or to curb certian habits, often by making known the benefits and consequences especially in mandrin drama serials.

Being a majority of the population, Singapore’s media is often catered to the chinese community. But our Mandrin serials have gained popularity among the non-chinese speaking population as well. I know of non-chinese relatives and friends who faithfully follow these drama serials. This thus becomes an extermely good channel to propagate government ideology to Singaporeans.

Media is also tightly controlled by our highly influential government. The control standards do not allow for much freedom of speech and publicity. A good example of propaganda in a local drama is the series that is currently airing on Mediacorp’s Channel 8 at 9pm, “Just in Singapore”.

 

It is set within the context of a close knit community, a group of neighbours living in one room flats. The multiracial characters range from stingy people to obnoxious ones. In one episode, I was able to pick out 5 agenda’s that could possibly be what the government wants to propagate. It may not be entirely accurate but here goes.

Firstly, the group of close knit neighbours teaches Singaporeans the importance of close neighbourly ties where they are able to help each other out in times of need. Especially in areas where there are many elderly living together. They visit each other just to keep in check each other’s lives showing care and concern for the lonely. With our aging population and with many children abandoning their parents to fend for themselves in old age, what is propogated is highly relevant and should not be taken lightly.

The second and third issue that was brought up shows the bad influence/consequences of drinking/gambling and filial piety. A old grandmother living with her only good-for-nothing grandson is depicted. It shows how disrespectful and unfilial the grandson is, making the audience feel for the grandmother. Anyone with a conscience would be moved and this would then inculcate good values in us. As for the bad habit of gambling, the grandson gambles and often borrows money from illegal money lenders. Without a job he is unable to pay off his debts and constantly takes money from his grandmother. Being a poor old lady she’s unable to support his spending habits. Unable to pay off his debts, the debtors often make a nuisance of themselves vandalising and disrupting peace in the neighbourhood. This educates the audience of the consequences of borrowing money from illegal money lenders.

The fourth point would be that of “Anger Managment”. You may wonder how this is on the governments agenda for propagation but i feel it is. As one of the characters who was jailed before is trying to turn over a new leaf and is working in a fruit stall currently. But he often looses his cool when dealing with customers because of his extermely bad temper. It was also because of this, he ended up fighting and in jail. His boss at the fruit stall not only does not fire him from his job, he encourages him to learn how to curb his temper and gives him tips that might help as well. This promotes a good social environment for us to live in.

Lastly, cheating on social welfare. To support a family of 5, both parents depend soley on social welfare to support their family. Both being able bodied adults, they refuse to make life better for themselves behaving pitifully just so they would be given welfare support. They often also feign illness and make their children put up acts in front of welfare officers Technically they’re cheats, cheating for wellfare money, cheating for support through pity from neighbours. And on one particular visit from welfare officers who were doing their rounds of spot checks, they were found out to have cheated and lied about their family situation thus having their welfare support terminated. This educates the citizens making known  the benefits of social welfare and that it should only be for those who genuinely need it. Those found cheating will be severly dealt with.

In just an hour, I was able to pick out all these points, just imagine those who watch this show everyday, who take in all the government’s propaganda, more often than not, without even realising it. This makes use of media hegemony, cultivating a well educated and non “government-opposing” nation.

Whether or not it is beneficial or detrimental to the society and the government, I leave that for you to decide. 

Our World

What is becoming of our world; do you not think that we’re always caught up in the latest trends of today? We often check out the latest computer model or mobile phone in the market and if you don’t keep up with technology, you’ll be lagging behind. Because technology is so advanced these days, the same can be said of our communication. Communication today has become advanced too. But why? Technology is the cause. Because technology has advanced, bringing us the internet and mobile communication, one is able to communicate across borders 24/7. But is that entirely good?

With such advances, i think our interpersonal relations have suffered a great deal. Many now hide behind technology while making interactions with society. No doubt it’s great news for the introverted, is that what interpersonal communication is all about? Relationships, family ties, friendships these days are all built on technology. Would we be communicating as efficiently without it? I doubt so. It has become such an integral part of our lives such that we can no longer live without technology. Tell a 18 year old school going teenager that you’re confiscating his mobile phone he might just turn round and tell you his world is going to fall apart.

But how has that affected us. Many of us now have the ability to put on false fronts, fake identities, or just be who we truly are if in person we’re so shy we always hide behind our mother’s skirts. How has that affected our face to face interpersonal communication.

We have now become so reserved, we do many things, that in the past used to be done face to face, through technology. For instance a boy asking a girl out through an SMS or a girl breaking up with her boyfriend over email. This no doubt makes life easier by saving us certain embarassments or akwardness, it’s part and parcel of life. Technology is making us loose our human touch in everything we do. No one writes pen and paper letters anymore they just turn on the internet and send out and email. Guys don’t send flowers to girl’s offices anymore, they just have to send virtual ones over facebook. Sooner or later people won’t have to go out on dates anymore… they can very well date online. The drawbacks of technology is much worse than we think it is.

BUT… would we give up our technology? I doubt it. I know of the many disadvantages but then again, the advantages far outweigh them. The conveniences they bring, the addiction to technology. I just hope we don’t one day end up like the girl in the video.

Relational Development in 5 mins

 

Hah! strange how she managed to sum up what people experience over lifetimes in just five minutes. Indirectly she’s explaning the entire process of formation, maintenence and dissolution of a realationship. It makes things sound so easy but in life, nothing is. Communication between people is essential in everything we do; and relationships too are built on communication. Why is it then that we constantly falter and go through the process of a breakup and heartache when all we need to do is communicate well. With imense practice and a lifetime of experience don’t we ever get better at it?

How Did a Face Unkown Become so Famous??

Most of us would know her. Not personally but at least have seen her face at least once in our lifetime. But how did this face of hers become so famous?

 What do you know about this picture? What can you tell about her? And again, why did she become so famous?

This Photograph was taken in 1984 when she was 12 or 13 years old. Some of us will not understand why this picture became so famous but only because we do not understand the essence of it; the story behind the eyes that were captured. This “National Geographic Afghan Girl” was made famous by the well acclaimed Steve McCurry. He once said: “Most of my images are grounded in people, and i try to convey what it is like to be that person, a person caught in a broader landscape, that i guess you’ll call the human condition.”

We learn from this that there is usually more to it then what we see on the surface, what we call non-verbal communication. It could sometimes be direct and at many other times, indirect. Just like in our everyday lives, we thrive on non-verbal communication. Be it in throwing a tantrum or going through an interview, we constantly are communicating to the people around us. Through our actions, body language, eye contact, physical appearance are some, but not limited to, of the ways people deciper information about us and vice versa.

Oculesics, the study of non-verbal meaning associated with the eyes, assume the major role of conveying this picture’s message.The picture shows us the intense emotions that the girl is going through. Without knowing her background or anything, her eyes penetrate such intense fear but yet we can see a glimer with hope; mysterious yet innocent, those eyes of hers speak a million words. Another aspect of the picture that tells us more of her less privilidged background would be her attire. This makes use of objectics to convey deeper meaning.

Its scary but true sometimes; the statement, “the eyes are the window to the soul.”

What Can You Tell From…

 

So what can you tell from the picture above? Can you tell what message it is trying to put across to the its target audience?

This is a very good example of Effective Verbal Communication paired with good use of imagery to convey a simple message.  This campaign as we all can see is an anti-drug abuse campaign. It makes use of simple terms and words that are well understood in our context and society. With the words “Imagine spending the next 10 years in this” it entices the audience to want to take the first step in opening the little match box. On the inside, the image of a small cell with just a bed and a urinal, the universal perceived image of a jail cell, it begins to intirgue the audience, wanting them to find out more about what they just saw. And as the matches of the box are fully removed, one will be able to see the text “DRUGS. THERE’S NO ESCAPE.” The text again simple and concise, does not use jargons or slangs that would draw distinction and single out certain groups withthin the community. The campaign is not just well understood in our context and society but will be equally well understood in many other developed countries.

This message is meant for all as drug abuse transcends all ages. Nevertheless there is a particular target group that is more susceptible to the temptation of drug abuse. The message is well placed, being printed on match boxes that are then distributed at pubs and clubs especially to people who smoke; it is the number 1 hotspot for drug abuse. This will enable them to effectively reach out to the intended target audience garnering greater awareness among the people.

Perceptions

Just a few days ago as i learnt about perception and influences on perception, it suddenly struck me on how it applies to our lives. We can even see vividly the use of perception in advertisements. A very good example would be a series of TVC’s by Singapore Prisons.  (Unable to lay my hands on the TVC’s, i have only 2 images that might help you recall the TVC itself.)

The first TVC starts out depicting a man with a fully tattooed arm; slowly, he sharpens the blade on the knife he’s holding. When we see this, we begin to imagine how he’s probably a gangster, preparing his equipment for an up coming duel. Where did we get this information from?

It is not said why he sharpens his knife so we use our what we know , our personal constructs, to try to infer and decipher what he is doing. Based on what we know, which happens to be highly influenced by the media and our surroundings, perceptions can often lead us to make wrong judgements. Just as towards the end of the TVC, the man turns around with his sharpened knife and begins to carve vegetables in a restaurant kitchen. Only then do we find out we were too quick to judge thus making wrong judgements.

The point of the TVC, is to get people to change their perceptions about ex-convincts who have been released. And as part of the yellow ribbon project, help them integrate into society once again. But how then is depicting a man with an arm full of tattoo’s going to change our perception? Doesn’t it further emphasise and give us wrong impressions that men with tattoos are all bad, criminals and probably convicts? The media highlights information that sometimes may not be reality.

The second TVC also starts out in a similar way, with a guy, big and buff, full of tattoos, he slowly walks towards a kindergarden with lots of kids. Its after school and the teacher stands outside with the kids. The scene is set at the school gate where the teacher stands outside with the children waiting for their parents to pick them up. As the tattooed man approaches, the teacher puts on a frightened expression and trys to keep the children behind her protecting them from any unforseen harm that he could pose. Similarly to the first ad, one would think that the tattooed man is of a violent background.

Toward the end of the TVC, a lady approaches the man and they both walk forward to the school gate together. A child then steps forward and calls out “Daddy! Mummy!”. This similary depicts how we humans have the tendancy to make judgments too quickly but at the same time as mentioned earlier, uses a tattooed man to instill fear in the teacher.

Does this message then communicate well its intended message? I believe it does put across the message that we are too quick to judge and that we should change the way we think. This would then help integrate former convicts back into society easily. But on the other hand, it instills the mentality that tattooed men are likely to be bad Is this then sending across right information? It is probably very subjective but i do not agree with them using tattooed men as subjects representing ex-convicts.

Is it true that our world is defined by our communications?

In today’s context, does this social constructivist perspective still apply? With rampant media and ever-changing surroundings, is what we know about ourselves and the world around us all from our communications?

With the internet taking off in recent years, and with communications across borders becoming so convenient, it is easy to learn and find out about anything; with just the click of a button, whatever information you require appears in front of you. In the past, if one wanted to know about the culture of a foreign country for instance, he would have had 3 options. Firstly, he could read from books/publications. Secondly, he could hear from friends and lastly, he could have made a trip there himself.

But with the creation of the internet, these have changed drastically. We can do everything with the internet, from reading up on publications online to find out more or we could even view other people’s posts put up on forums and blogs about how they felt on their trip to a particular country. Becoming highly fashionable too, are online virtual tours. One could even take a virtual tour of a tourist attraction online and still be in the comforts of their home. How times have changed.

 Being exposed at a young age to virtual media, people of the 20th century are well-learned; be it about culture, customs or even general knowledge. But why is this? Is the internet the only media that has accelerated our learning through communications? I believe not.

The invention of the telephone has played a great role as well. Can you imagine a day, in our modern world, without your mobile phone? It has become, from what used to be a priviledge to have, a necessity. But how has that widened our communications? In the past, when technology wasn’t as advanced, people could only communicate through face to face communication and through letters. For people living in different context, the process of communication was even slower. Take for example, placing an order for a shipment of cargo from a foreign country; would it not have taken months for a complete transaction to be processed?

We can see how our communications have shaped our society and culture at large. It is even more apparant when we make comparisons to countries across the world. Don’t people in Africa who lack communications through technology fall way behind us in comparison to our fast-paced society. Because of new technology and the communications we have, we are driven to move rapidly and are unable to live in a laid back, slow-moving society. Therefore our world IS defined by out communications.

Blogging?? Why Blog…

I vowed never to ever start a blog! But one can only be this persistent. When a teacher/lecturer says one has to do it because it’s going to be graded and that it constitutes 20% of your his grades, one doesn’t really have a choice anymore.

Why blogging of all things? I always thought blogging is a waste of time and meant for people who have nothing better else to do. Honestly. Its a complete waste of time writing about events that happened in their daily lives and the number of hours others spend reading your rantings… i witness it first hand as my sister hogs the computer everyday either blogging or reading someone else’s blog.

I don’t understand why blogging is so popular. People get into so much trouble blogging, interfering with the law with provocative posts or even among friends, where they blog about one another, bitching and backstabbing.

I have read so many sources about how reporters were jailed for posting controversial information and even laymen getting into trouble with the law. Why then are blogs still so popular? Blogs for one, do contain honest opinions and views but is it really necessary to make known certain information in a domain open to such a wide audience? No doubt it gains you the popularity you wish for, it might on the other hand, gain you more attention that you want. Even personal blog sites gain too much popularity sometimes that ordinary people like you and me can become sensational stars overnight. But not necessarily in good light. So then if blogging only does one good which is reaching out to the masses which can be done via alternative means of mass media like radio and television broadcast or even publications like newspapers and magazines why do people still blog?

These traditional media forms also achieve mass media coverage but are strictly controlled by media authorities. Though blogging gives one freedom of speech at time of post it does not ensure them that they are safe from the authorities especially if their blogs become popular.

So then why should i be made to blog? i guess i don’t have a choice do i?