part one

hannah – female – eighteen – vegan

How long have you been vegan for ?

I have been vegan since February 18th 2018, approx. 1 year and 7 months.

What is your reasoning behind going vegan ?

Preventing the exploitation of animals, to lower my carbon footprint to help the environment, & for the health benefits. Adopting a vegan diet/lifestyle is one of the most efficient ways to do so ! 

Do you remember the exact day you were going to be vegan ? If so, describe it ?

One day, after a few months of being surrounded by friends who were thriving on a vegan diet, I decided to research further into why so many people choose to be vegan – and watched numerous documentaries, such as ‘Cowspiracy’, & ‘What the health’. I was astounded after watching these films, and decided immediately that veganism was a lifestyle I needed to adopt.

What are some things you are tired of being told/asked as a vegan ?

I would say I get most tired of ‘silly’ arguments that people use to aggravate/shut down the good intentions of vegans – for example: ‘Plants have feelings too’. Unlike animals, plants do not have central nervous systems which transmit pain signals to the brain, which they also don’t have.

What is the food you miss most ?

I personally don’t miss any non vegan foods, as the thought of consuming animal products beats any cravings for me. 

Best vegan food ?

Grocery/health food stores have been constantly releasing an abundance of amazing items & sweets over the past year or two, so there are so many great things to choose from – but one of my favourite meals to have would be a ‘nourish bowl’, full of salad, numerous veggies, hummus, avocado, chickpeas, tofu, dressings etc. Super healthy, easy to prepare, satiating, and nutritious. 

Have you ever had doubts/stopped being vegan ?

I can happily say I have never had doubts about choosing to be vegan – as I have educated myself on the extensive list of benefits of veganism, environmental/health/reduction of cruelty etc – therefore I do not question myself as I am confident I am doing the right thing.

Biggest challenge ?

I would say the biggest challenge I experience being vegan, is dining out at restaurants when I am with a group of people who aren’t vegan, and trying not to feel guilty if they cannot go to a place they would like to go in order to accomodate for me. 

Do you think you will be vegan for the rest of your life ? 

Yes, I plan to be vegan for the rest of my life !

The V Word

I was instantly overwhelmed by the idea of doing a DA. The assignment just seemed beyond my personality and capabilities and I went into instant panic mode. I assumed it would be impossible to come up with a worthy idea and felt more and more nervous as those around me started to come up with some great ideas! I know, I sound like the biggest drama queen ever! But, I had never done anything like this before and I was scared!

Although I do believe my personality is pretty out going, the thought of publicly posting blogs or YouTube videos about myself made me cringe.

However, once I actually sat down and began ideating, I realised coming up with an interesting concept wasn’t going to be that hard. I realised I am actually interested in quite a lot of things; movies, music, fashion, animals, current affairs! I tried brainstorming ways I could turn these concepts into something tangible and engaging, but I didn’t seem to be getting anywhere. I don’t really have any credible experience in any of those areas and thus could not figure out a way to base a whole project around them.

And then one day as I sat down to eat my vegan lunch, it came to me! Veganism! I have been vegan for three years and therefore decided that doing my DA on veganism would make the most sense, as food is obviously one of the most important things in our lives! I was a bit concerned about doing a topic so ‘controversial’ as I am scared of what people say about me, and so I usually keep the fact that I am vegan to myself for as long as I can. But then I realised no one actually cares that much, and if anything, people are only becoming more open to the idea! Veganism is only becoming more relevant and prominent in today’s climate and so I decided that it would be an appropriate, personal and interesting topic to base my DA on as it something I am knowledgeable of and am able to help educate other about. I then started to brain storm specific ideas relating to veganism

For my DA I plan to post Youtube videos and blog posts – but apart from my pitch video, I haven’t done either. 

Because of my lack of content and promotion, I have had no engagement with an online audience. I really need to step it up and start producing posts and videos in order to actually obtain feedback and analyse how well they are received by others. I have now realised that in order for my DA to be successful, I need to “choose a routine and be consistent” with my posting. I have also realised I need to engage with the first step of the design process: empathy. If I want to create an engaging audience, I have to consider what they want to see. I plan on using twitter polls in order to obtain opinions and suggestions for my content.

However, I did pitch my idea to a few ‘naive listeners’. I explained my DA to some friends and family members and they were all interested and supportive of me idea. I have quite a few friends who are vegan and they were especially interested, and claimed that they would definitely find my content useful and entertaining. 

To help me start ideating, i took inspiration from various vegan and lifestyle content creators such as Lindsey Rem, Wear I Live, Haley Raines and Hitomi Mochizuki. Being able to consider how other people are doing the same thing I plan on doing has been really helpful and has provided me with some guidance on how I should go about my DA.

Now that the ideating process is over, I can focus on prototyping and making! 

Many genres of music, especially rap, lend themselves to hybridisation and can therefore become glocalised to a new specific culture, or become appropriated.

Cultural appropriation can be defined as the act of taking or using things from a culture that is not your own, especially without showing that you understand or respect this culture. Comparatively, cultural hybridisation can be defined as the blending of elements from different culture (Burke, 2014).

The common themes that tend to be glocalised are the universal concepts of language, political beliefs, traditions, cultural clothing, and the values of a particular group or nation. These concepts are considered by a different group and then transformed to become relevant to their culture. An example of this can be found in grime music. Grime is a genre of electronic dance music that emerged in London in the early 2000s. Most grime artist from the UK, such as Stormzy and Wiley, are known for being politically active through their songs, and this is an element of grime music that can be localised to different countries as this theme can be adaptable and relevant to different cultures.

Indigenous Australian rapper, Baker Boy, has implemented a strong sense of Indigenous culture within his rap songs. The majority of his songs are rapped in Yolgnu Matha language and backed by a strong beat created by a digeridoo. The regular appearance of digeridoos, the aboriginal flag and traditional face paint within his music vides, in addition to the music itself, can be used as example of how the genre of rap has been localized to suit indigenous culture, issues and concerns (Israel, 2017).

There are many artists in the music industry who have been criticised for their appropriation of other cultures. Artists who have appropriated and profited off the sounds of African American music include Elvis Presley, who has been dubbed the “king of rock and roll”, a genre that he did not found. Similarly, artists such as Justin Bieber, Miley Cyrus and Post Malone have adopted significant elements of African American culture by wearing dreadlocks, having grills and twerking. Although the artists may not intend to cause harm and rather believe they are merely following a trend or experimenting with new sound, the issue lies beneath the fact that they fail to speak up about the oppression, both past and present, that people of this culture have had to face.  

References:

Israel, J. (2017, December 30). The Guardian. Retrieved from https://www.theguardian.com/music/2017/dec/30/baker-boy-rising-from-arnhem-land-to-sharing-a-stage-with-dizzee-rascal

Burke, P. (2014). Cultural hybridity. Cambridge: Polity.

The movie I will be reviewing for BCM111 is the French-language horror movie ‘Raw.’ This movie has been claimed as a “modern horror masterpiece” by Rolling Stone Magazine and has an impressive 92% on rotten tomatoes.

‘Raw’ follows Justine on her first week of Veterinary school. Among other traditions, all new student’s must eat raw rabbit meat in order to ‘pass’ initiation and become accepted by the older students at the school. Although Justine has been vegetarian her whole life and therefore tries her hardest to resist, she is ultimately convinced by her older sister and her will to fit in and eventually eats the meat. She then develops a craving for flesh and starts to indulge in all sorts of meat… and then human flesh.

Despite the movie being about cannibalism, it also explores themes of love, family, control and self discovery. The beautiful cinematography and the complex characters allow all the twists, turns and shocking scenes to come together to create a clever and unique horror film that everyone should (try) to watch at least once.

‘Raw’ is classified as R18+ and is therefore intended for mature audiences, and for those who are willing to sit through graphic scenes involving sex, drugs and, well, people eating other people. The movie is spoken in French and is therefore more intended for French audiences. However, it has been dubbed with English subtitles and is easily accessible and watchable for most people.

The movie has won awards in France, Toronto, London, Belgium and Australia. Thus, ‘Raw’ has travelled and been accepted well in many countries. However, these awards suggest that it has been best received in Western countries, the Global North. This can be explained by the cultural proximity theory. This theory suggests that audiences tend to prefer media from their own country or culture because the familiar faces, places, customs, issues and ethnic faces are more appealing . French and Belgian audiences appreciate this movie because of the familiar locations, language, humour and college traditions. Similarly, those who liked the movie from London, Toronto and Australia would have appreciated the fact that the characters “looked like them” and would be able to understand the western cultural concepts and the idea of trying to fit in at school or college.

Additionally, ‘Raw’ could be universally accepted (by those who like this these type of movies) as the themes of fantasy, horror, relationships and coming of age stories are universal concepts that many cultures would have an understanding of and interest in (Falzon, 2015). ‘Raw’ is also an example of homogenisation as it is a form of media produced in a powerful country and has travelled well to others (Hornung, 2012).

So, ‘Raw’ is a movie like no other. It is graphic and unsettling but definitely a must-watch, if you don’t mind a bit of cannibalism.

References:

Falzon, C. (2015). Philosophy goes to the movies an introduction to philosophy. New York, NY: Routledge.

Hornung, U. (2012). Homogenization and porous media. Place of publication not identified: Springer.

THE V WORD

..(vegan)

My Digital Artefact will be based on veganism. I will be producing content on the best vegan food spots, simple recipes and sustainability tips. I will be focusing on the stereotypes and controversy surrounding veganism and use the experiences of both past and present vegans, as well as non-vegans, to help viewers gain a greater understanding of the concept and its place in today’s society. I will also do my best to provide viewers with facts and information in the least annoying way possible.

I will develop content for my DA through blog posts and YouTube videos. These posts will take on a more relaxed take on veganism and will focus on considering the struggles, misconceptions and benefits of the diet. My DA will aim to encourage viewers to learn more about the concept and will be a great place to start for those who are considering adopting a vegan lifestyle!

Watching television is up in my top 5 favourite things to do. I find that it is a great way to relax and reward myself after a long day at work or university. I always have one playing in the background as I eat, get dressed, do my makeup or brush my teeth. Once I find a show I like it is very hard for me to do anything else but watch it.

The television I consume comes mostly from the western world – Europe and America – the Global North. Most of my favourite shows are British, these including Skins, The Inbetweeners and My Mad Fat Diary. I find British humor superior and am therefore more entertained by these shows. Although I don’t believe my personal humor is as inherently pessimistic or mocking (Looney, 2012), I do I find the irony, sarcasm and banter of British humor very funny. I think The Inbetweeners is my favourite show because I would never dare to say more than half of the things they do.

I am also a sucker for cringey America television as well. I have been through the Gossip Girl, Pretty Little Liars and Glee phases and although all I seem to do is take the piss out of them, I cannot stop watching them! These shows are entertaining to me because of their absurdity and drama rather than humor or storyline. However, I just finished watching Euphoria, which is one of the few American television shows that I did not perceive as overdramatic or silly. I believe the show dealt with serious issues in a highly empathetic and beautiful way.

The television I watch is mostly about teenagers and how they deal with the trials and tribulations that life throws at them. Some deal with these topics in a serious way, and others in a comedic way. These show tell me a lot about the universal themes of adolescence and remind me that individuals of the same age all over the world are dealing with similar things (and that some are dealing with much, much worse). In regards to audiences, it tells me that most people are drawn to drama and topics such as romance, drugs, friendship and watching other people experience awkward and terrible situations.

I believe the reason for these show’s global success is their relatability and ability to touch on experiences that most teenagers are apart of. I think both these British and American shows have done so well in Australia because of their cultural similarity and proximity. Cultural proximity theory suggests that individuals tend to prefer their own national productions because of the familiar features, places and people that they are able to recognise and connect to (Elasmer, 2014). Although there are slight cultural differences between all 3 countries, I am able to understand the references and humor that is used in these shows. I have a general understanding of both the past and present issues and events of these countries and therefore have a decent understanding of the context in which the shows take place. A lot of British and American people “look like me” and “dress like me” and thus I feel a greater sense of connection to the characters.

References:

Elasmar, M. G. (2014). The Impact of International Television A Paradigm Shift. Hoboken: Taylor and Francis.

Looney, M. M. (2012). Humor vs. humour in “The Office”: The necessary adaption of television humor from the British market to the American market. University of South Alabama, ProQuest Dissertations Publishing

How global am I? I am really unsure of how to answer this question without sounding like a moron, so I have decided to let you determine my level of global-ness. To do this I have split my answer into 3 sections:

• My family
• The places I have travelled
• My interests

Well, my Dad, Aunty and Uncle are all adopted.

My dad’s biological father is Canadian, my Aunty’s biological father is African, and we have no idea who my Uncle’s biological father is. That is pretty global I suppose. Although I guess none of that history really affects me personally.

Throughout my life I have travelled to Canada, Bali, Fiji and Tonga. I went to Canada when I was 12 so my memory of the trip is sort of foggy, however I can’t imagine experiencing many cultural differences compared to Australia.

Bali was interesting. It was the first place I had travelled to that had obvious distinctions from ‘Australian culture.’ After observing a different language, traditional song and dance, costumes, religious offerings, temples, food, and the way in which everyone interacted with each other, I had gained a greater understanding and appreciation of different countries and cultures.

Unfortunately, I can’t really say the same for my trip to Fiji… because I went there for schoolies. Although I did participate in an amazing ‘cultural exchange day’, in which we ate traditional food, watched performances and spent the day dancing and hanging out with local children, most of the trip was spent drinking, playing trivia, singing karaoke and speed dating.

During the recent uni break I went to Tonga. Turns out I have family over there? My dad’s cousin, or something. They have lived on the island of Nomuka, with a population of around 400 people, for about 8 years now. I was sort of hesitant to go, because what is there to do in Tonga? I obviously went, and I had a wonderful time. It was one of the most ‘global’ experiences I have ever had.

We arrived at the motel in Nuku’alofa at around 2:30am. When the manager opened our door and a cat ran out of the room, I knew we were in for an interesting experience. We were only supposed to stay there for one night before catching a boat to Nomuka where we were to spend the majority of our trip. However, the boat broke down and we were stuck there for four nights! The room was filthy, there was no TV or internet and there were stray animals roaming around everywhere. But, we made the most of it and eventually got used to it. While we were there we visited the markets, ate Tongan food and made friends with the family that ran the motel. It was also King Tupou VI’s 60^th birthday during this time, and we had arrived right in the middle of his two-week celebration.

We finally took the 6-hour boat ride to Nomuka. That was an experience. Everyone was vomiting. Chickens, dogs, babies and families slept on the boat floor. When we got off at our stop we had to hop the roof of 3 boats, holding our luggage, to get to the one that would take us to Nomuka.

Once we were there we had the most amazing times. We slept in tents, had limited access to hot water and zero access to flushing toilets, but it was great. We swam with whales, went snorkelling, surfing and hiking. We rode horses and swam with them at the beach. We enjoyed home cooked meals with fresh ingredients from their garden. Spent full days on a boat watching dolphins and swimming to deserted islands. I spent the majority of my time with popcorn, a baby chick they rescued. It was the best time of my life!

Moving on. I guess my interests are pretty global. I am studying international studies as well as communications and media, and do hope my future and career will somehow relate to culture and the global world. I love foreign films and tv shows such as Raw, Skam, Baby, Blue is the warmest colour etc. I also love food from all over the globe, my favourites including Thai, Indian and Mexican. I am also an avid user of social media and am therefore connected to other individuals from all over the world, thus making me part of the global media. I follow many accounts that are based in other countries and I love to keep up with the news, music and fashion that are relevant to those places. I am very curious of the world and hope that my life will involve more of these global aspects and experiences.

How global do you think I am? I reckon a 7/10?

The ethics of a journalist have always played one of the most pivotal roles in their work. They determine the nature of a journalist’s practice, their writing and how they are perceived by the general public and others in the field of journalism. The MEAA journalists code of ethics is what Australian journalists look to for guidance, and centres around honesty, fairness, independence and respect. Similarly, the SPJ code of ethics are what American journalists abide by and is relevant to what will be discussed in this explainer.

You would think producing ethical work would be pretty simple, right? Well, that’s not always the case. Some investigative journalists fail to apply these ethical standards to their work. Sometimes by accident, sometimes on purpose. The desire to produce an exclusive story or provide the public with vital information are common motives behind a journalist’s intentional decision to disregard ethical recommendations. A specific instance of this situation can be found in The Mirage Bar Deception case, in which two investigative journalists from the Chicago Sun Times, went undercover as small business owners to prove that the government was accepting bribes from businesses to avoid being shut down. As exemplified through this case, deception and fakery are two of the many ways journalists can violate the code of ethics. So, is it okay to do so? If yes, then when?

By analysing the nature of the Mirage Bar Case within this explainer, we will be able consider the key ethical issues practitioners need to be aware of and concentrate specifically on deception tactics and how it can be justified. Dodgy business to say the least.

Deception and fakery. No, I’m not referring to the mean girls in high school that were nice to your face but would talk smack about you behind your back. I’m talking about one of the most common ethical issues debated in journalism. Sting operations, undercover journalists, fake identities. The lot! If we compare the similar points from both the Australian (MEAA) and the American (SPJ) code of ethics, it appears as if deception and fakery of any kind will simply not be tolerated.

MEAA:

• Report and interpret honestly, striving for accuracy, fairness and disclosure of all essential facts. Do not suppress relevant available facts, or give distorting emphasis. Do your utmost to give a fair opportunity for reply.
• Use fair, responsible and honest means to obtain material. Identify yourself and your employer before obtaining any interview for publication or broadcast. Never exploit a person’s vulnerability or ignorance of media practice.

SPJ:

•  Avoid undercover or other surreptitious methods of gathering information unless traditional, open methods will not yield information vital to the public
• Balance the public’s need for information against potential harm or discomfort. Pursuit of the news is not a license for arrogance or undue intrusiveness.
•  Recognise that legal access to information differs from an ethical justification to publish or broadcast.

That doesn’t seem to stop them though. But why?

Going undercover or completing sting operations can be an extremely advantageous and powerful way to obtain restricted information. Sometimes, this form of journalism can be the only way major societal issues can be brought into the public eye. In most instances, investigative journalists utilise this type of research with hopes of benefiting the community and restoring justice. Most journalists find value in truth and the public interest and this is why deception and fakery is still prevalent and somewhat justified in journalism.

Let’s talk about a specific instance in which deception was used to catch criminal activity in Chicago. In 1977, journalists from the Sun Times, Pam Zekman and Bill Recktenwald, utilised hidden cameras to prove that the government was accepting bribes from businesses to avoid being shut and down and to expose corruption in the forms of “tax gyps” and “payoffs” throughout Chicago. Using fake identities, they bought a pub on 731 N. Wells Street and, thus, The Mirage Bar was created. This is an example of a ‘sting operation.’ They were successful in their goal, and were ultimately able to prove that government inspectors ignore laws and standards, “persuaded city inspectors to disregard health and safety violations in return for bribes, observed shakedowns by liquor inspectors, and uncovered tax fraud.” They caught the inspectors ignoring a maggot and fruit fly infestation, loose wires and faulty sinks. Their findings were published in the Sun Times as a 25-part series of documents that highlighted the crime and corruption that commenced within the Mirage during that year. Closer observation of businesses and tax frauds was enforced in the form of IRS agents and new inspection procedures, frequent investigations and city code revisions were imposed following this case, leading to the indictments of over half of the city’s inspectors.

Although some of these cases may be successful in exposing a significant story that was of high pubic interest, deception and fakery can lead to serious consequences. After all, its still lying. And it can get some journalists into a lot of trouble. While the journalists involved in the Mirage Bar Case did not face any legal backlash, violating the code of ethics can seriously affect the credibility of a journalist and may jeopardise their career. On a more serious note, journalists may face criminal charges and lawsuits for not identifying themselves, not clarifying their use of recording devices, fraud, an invasion of privacy and trespassing. Therefore, practitioners must be aware of these risks before utilising deception in their work if they wish to maintain their professional and legal standing. By evaluating instances of deception and fakery, journalists are able to recognise what should be considered:

• Can you get this story without using deception or going undercover?
• How will this affect the innocent individuals involved?
• How will this affect your career? Will it have a positive or negative impact?
• Do you have approval or permission from others involved?
• Is it worth it?

No two instances of ethical violations within journalism are the same, and this is the main point practitioners must be aware of. In this instance, Pam and Bill’s defence of public interest was accepted and they were actually commended rather than criticised for their deceptive ways. However, this outcome is not guaranteed and therefore journalists must do their upmost to abide by their countries relevant code of ethics if they wish to maintain a steady and admirable career.

Sources:

Websites:

https://www.coursera.org/lecture/international-journalism/undercover-reporting-and-deception-jcXEr

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mirage_Tavern

https://www.samedayprocess.com/blog/What-Is-A-Sting-Operation_AE102.html

https://chicago.suntimes.com/news/the-mirage-tavern-40-years-later-sun-times-special-event/

https://theconversation.com/explainer-what-is-public-interest-journalism-78996

Images:

I usually access my news from Australian newspapers and websites such as abcsnews, the Illawarra mercury and The Guardian. As we learnt in last weeks’ lecture, these media outlets are owned by News Corporation Australia, which is owned by Rupert Murdoch. Although these news sources are considered to be reliable by most, Rupert Murdoch is an exact representation of the exploitation and misuse of media for many.

Who owns the news we are consuming matters considerably. Highly regulated media and misleading information contributes to a distorted and confused reality and inevitably leads to high levels of doubt and mistrust in the media. It shouldn’t be so hard to figure out the truth.

Everyone wants to know what is happening within their community and the rest of the world and we therefore access these forms of news to find that information. The public deserves to know the truth and to have access to reliable, honest news. But how are we to trust the information that is provided if it is well known that the man who controls it is not always the most ethical? And, how are we to differentiate between fakes news and real news?

Melissa Zimdars, a Communication and Media professor at Merrimack College in Massachusetts published a list suggesting what journalists, and members of the general public, can do to identify fake news and to determine whether or not a source is trustworthy.

• WATCH OUT IF KNOWN/REPUTABLE NEWS SITES ARE NOT ALSO REPORTING ON THE STORY. THERE SHOULD TYPICALLY BE MORE THAN ONE REPUTABLE SOURCE REPORTING ON A TOPIC OR EVENT.

• LACK OF AUTHOR ATTRIBUTION MAY, BUT NOT ALWAYS, SIGNIFY THAT THE NEWS STORY IS SUSPECT AND REQUIRES VERIFICATION.

• CHECK THE “ABOUT US” TAB ON WEBSITES OR LOOK UP THE WEBSITE ON SNOPES OR WIKIPEDIA FOR MORE INFO ABOUT THE SOURCE.

• BAD WEB DESIGN AND USE OF ALL CAPS CAN ALSO BE A SIGN THE SOURCE YOU’RE LOOKING AT SHOULD BE VERIFIED AND/OR READ IN CONJUNCTION WITH OTHER SOURCES.

Basically, just take everything you read/watch/hear with a grain of salt!

Stupidly, I have quite a lot of trust in all sources of media. I like to believe I am capable of identifying fake news and gossip, but I still tend to believe almost everything I read, unless its outright ridiculous. However, being part of this degree has allowed me to become more aware of the deception that occurs behind the scenes of the media industry. It is our responsibility as communication and media students to educate others on the possibility of fake news and to encourage them to question the validity and the message of the media that they are consuming.

Thanks for reading

Gemma 😀 xxx