Homework 7 response

The internet does make the accessibility to free things come to reality. People, however, do still enjoy paying the extra to get their "copies" in better quality or ASAP. The media around us and our peers are usually to blame for why we like to get our items as soon as they become available and in the best shape possible. Being the first to have something is always uplifting and people enjoy having the attention on them. My mom loves to get things right away when they come out. She was up at 3 a.m. for the Verizon iphone release, and just a few days ago she was in line at Best Buy at the 5 p.m. Ipad 2 release. When I ask her why she goes out of her way to do these things, she simply responds she enjoys doing it. Everyone has their own hobbies and ways of doing things. Some enjoy spending less money while others see money as not an obstacle. "Free" isn't always the best way to do things.

Homework 6 - Walter Benjamin Reading

Walter Benjamin explains in his paper, "The Work of Art in Mechanical Reproduction" that mass producing art makes art less valuable and pretty much destroys the aesthetics of the original artwork. He also believed that film was created to change people's visions of the outside world. What people watched impacted their perceptions to what was going on around them. He also felt that all of this impact could be blamed on the politicians at the time. This reminds me of propaganda in the media. A major example of this is the famous poster, "Uncle Sam, I Want You". Art was created not for enjoyment, but to influence the attitude of a certain community towards a position. I can see how art has changed throughout the years and people aren't creating work as often anymore for themselves, but mostly for a profit. Unfortunately that is how our world is today, everyone is working to make a living and people who enjoy art create it for others so they can gain cash. I completely agree with Walter Benjamin and do believe that art is not as meaningful when it is mass produced. But, unfortunately most art these days are mass produced. You walk around with a certain t-shirt you like, millions of others are doing the same thing.

One of my favorite Sites

My favorite interactive media sites as a kid was www.pogo.com. Now I only go on there when I am extremely bored. They have all sorts of games to keep you occupied. They also have avatars that you are able to customize for yourself. It is great for all ages from young kids to even elders. I know my younger brother used to play on it and now my grandmother is on there every so often. The graphics for the games are so advanced and it beats spending real money if you are in the mood to play casino games. You should check it out sometime if you get bored one day and want some classic games to play. They have monopoly, canasta, chess, scrabble, poker, pool, and so much more. Play by yourself or with others online, even your friends!