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Okay where to begin... my research project concerns that due to various factors such as increased technology, globalization of the media, increasing media marketization, there has been a certain 'commodification' of culture. Its my premise that there have been cultural effects that I won't digress on such as increased isolation, lack of community, social fragmentation, cultural lack of empathy.... and a certain 'coarsening' effect on the social and individual psyche.
First off, what do I mean by culture... Culture specifically means the power to define reality. Who has this ultimate power? AOL Time Warner, Vivendi Universal, Bertellsman, News Corporation, Sony, Disney, and Viacom. As an example lets examine Rupert Murdoch's baby NewsCorporation: they own Fox Television, 20th Century Fox Films, Harper Collins Publishing, are the largest owner of newspapers in the world, and finally own Sky Television, which broadcasts all over the world. These 7 transnational corporation own all the culture shaping industries and they since they are private corps. loaded with debt they only have one goal: to sell commodities.
My question concerning you guys at EF is there seems to be a current lack of community based on where one lives. If we compared neighborhoods 50 years ago to neighborhoods today, I bet there would be more of a communal feel... this is phenomenon is not exactly groundbreaking news... Marketers, since the 80s know the consumer is wanting more than just shopping and entertainment from their culture: they want identity, a sense of belonging. One example that comes to mind is Starbucks, they started selling a pseudo/spiritual sense of belonging to a community to the public, what they call a "third place", a location that's not home, not work, a place you can meet other people who share similar interests. The problem is this "third place" is not their private idea. This idea used to be public: The sense of belonging to a community.
This is what has happened the last 20 years, but especially now: it is the privatization of something that used to be public.
In my life, I have my colleagues I go to school with, I have work friends who I can relate to, I have friends -that all married with kids-, I have an SO that I'm intimate with, and finally I have parents that I adore, however there is really a lack of community where I live and sort of a communal void in my life. I came to do research on gear... the next thing I know, I"m down here chatting with CM about becoming Finally Fit... and noticed a rather strong sense of communal "feel" here.
My question is do you feel EF provides a sense of community to you?
On the other hand, are your communal needs met just fine, and EF is just an auxiliary adjunct to what you would perceive as a healthy community environment which is pleasant enough and provides you a sense of belonging.
I would love to include your guy's participation in my research project which is due October 20 and I'm way ahead of the power curve, this is actually my next section that I'm goin to research. I would love to include "real" input into a purely theoretical peice. I need 30 to 50 voted to include this poll as data, but more important, actual feedback would be appreciated and even stir my mind even more.
Votes are purely confidential.
First off, what do I mean by culture... Culture specifically means the power to define reality. Who has this ultimate power? AOL Time Warner, Vivendi Universal, Bertellsman, News Corporation, Sony, Disney, and Viacom. As an example lets examine Rupert Murdoch's baby NewsCorporation: they own Fox Television, 20th Century Fox Films, Harper Collins Publishing, are the largest owner of newspapers in the world, and finally own Sky Television, which broadcasts all over the world. These 7 transnational corporation own all the culture shaping industries and they since they are private corps. loaded with debt they only have one goal: to sell commodities.
My question concerning you guys at EF is there seems to be a current lack of community based on where one lives. If we compared neighborhoods 50 years ago to neighborhoods today, I bet there would be more of a communal feel... this is phenomenon is not exactly groundbreaking news... Marketers, since the 80s know the consumer is wanting more than just shopping and entertainment from their culture: they want identity, a sense of belonging. One example that comes to mind is Starbucks, they started selling a pseudo/spiritual sense of belonging to a community to the public, what they call a "third place", a location that's not home, not work, a place you can meet other people who share similar interests. The problem is this "third place" is not their private idea. This idea used to be public: The sense of belonging to a community.
This is what has happened the last 20 years, but especially now: it is the privatization of something that used to be public.
In my life, I have my colleagues I go to school with, I have work friends who I can relate to, I have friends -that all married with kids-, I have an SO that I'm intimate with, and finally I have parents that I adore, however there is really a lack of community where I live and sort of a communal void in my life. I came to do research on gear... the next thing I know, I"m down here chatting with CM about becoming Finally Fit... and noticed a rather strong sense of communal "feel" here.
My question is do you feel EF provides a sense of community to you?
On the other hand, are your communal needs met just fine, and EF is just an auxiliary adjunct to what you would perceive as a healthy community environment which is pleasant enough and provides you a sense of belonging.
I would love to include your guy's participation in my research project which is due October 20 and I'm way ahead of the power curve, this is actually my next section that I'm goin to research. I would love to include "real" input into a purely theoretical peice. I need 30 to 50 voted to include this poll as data, but more important, actual feedback would be appreciated and even stir my mind even more.
Votes are purely confidential.
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looking forward to actually going out and ''engaging''
