Learning in 'my time'

For my last assessment I’ve been researching alot on the effect of media on society (among other things). This has relationship has stimulated much thought. This knowledge has had an impact on my ‘pleasure time’. As I watched a movie I was stunned by the profound effect it had on me. I didn’t expect this purely leisure based activity to cement what I have learnt. As I write and process this assignment I can’t help thinking of this movie. It was clearly made a few years ago; I couldn’t help enjoying the simple split screen and the general filming techniques that (perhaps because of current trends) I haven’t seen in ages. It really reinforced the content. I could see why the producers had used this. My appreciation for this film increased as I watched. I loved the slow pace. I loved the split screen. I loved the character comparison and the brief periods of image montages. Perhaps because many of the techniques in this have been revamped they now look and feel different in the recent films I have seen. The power of how techniques are coupled has become clear to me.

In essence, the nature of film and the very techniques used have changed so dramatically. I felt I was watching with fresh eyes. The film captured me much more profoundly than any recent film I have seen. I can understand how film production affects attention. I can clearly see how much it can have an effect on the viewer- I mean I’m still thinking about it now!

Religious Experience. Is it possible to represent?

I've just been away with my church for the weekend. It was wonderful spending time with the people and with God. It was amazing spending time with him and having him speak clearly to me. The wisdom of those around me was noteworthy, the insights of God, shared through them served to confirm what God was doing and saying to me both internally and externally.

I assume that for many of you, this does not translate personally. My point is: I think it is very difficult to translate an intense religious experience. It is not difficult to explain what happens internally or externally or how they are linked. However to represent this and the intrinsically linked dynamics would be incredibly difficult. I definitely believe that the media is limited in their ability to represent something. Ultimately I will never know what it feels like to bungy jump unless I do it, irregarless of how many documentaries I watch on it.

What experience would you love to have people to have?

What experience would you love to have people to have?

Watch this. A cultural portrayal of Religion

It is brilliant that the media has the ability to influence society. The showcasing and publication of challenging ideas is illustrated as a wonderful resource by Canas (2008) in her exploration of the Canadian television comedy ‘Little Mosque on the Prairie.’ This show promotes cultural diversity and tolerance. Cana’s (2008) article clearly represents and portrays the positive power of the media whilst recognising historical negative representations of Muslims. Clear and concise examples provide deep and rich understandings of the issues facing Muslims in Canada and the representations of people groups. These examples are stark, they assume that ideas are absorbed by viewers, and portray historical representations of Muslims as ultimately negative. Ultimately they succeed in displaying the media’s role in portraying and influencing culture. It is clear that the media is viewed by Canas (2008) as a powerful and influential vehicle that has a place and role in the representation of religion.

 According to Canas (2008, p195-196) the historical representation of Muslims has been distorted. Her outline of this assertion is clear. Orientalism is used to support the notion that historical representation of Muslims portrays them as “inferior, premodern, and violent” (Canas, 2008, p196). In particular the women are noted as “exotic and voluptuous belly dancers” (Canas, 2008, p195). According to Canas (2008, p196) the oriental portrayal of Muslims has been “greatly reinforced and spread by the media” since 9/11. This idea, is clearly valid and supported by several theorists who have studied media representations of Muslims (Canas, 2008, p195). Whether these portrayals are clearly Muslim is not discussed by Canas (2008). The difference between the portrayal of middle Eastern culture and Muslim identities is worthy of mention, as the two appear irrevocably linked by Canas. The absorption of these portrayals is either misrepresented and/or unabsorbed. The orientalist representation of the inferior and/or belly-dancing Muslim is not necessarily translated to viewers. Especially to those who can see a distinction between culture and religion. In reflection, Canas brief investigation of the portrayal of Muslims should be extended, as viewers do often distinguish between religion and culture.

 What do you think? Have you absorbed the idea of the ‘inferior’ or ‘belly dancing’ Muslim? Has there been a distinction between culture and religion in these representations?

Canas S. (2008) ‘The Little Mosque on the Prairie: Examining (Multi) Cultural Spaces of Nation and Religion’ in Cultural Dynamics 20 (195) Accessed online at sagepub.com on 1/May/2012