Short Analysis, Part 2

      The fact that there is a reality beyond what we see is scary. Each and every teen is carrying around with them a “viewing glass” that allows the outsider to grasp but a glimpse of this. These gateways into their world can range across many different types of mediums. Three articles present a picture of some examples of different utilities teens use to allow their world to be viewed and understood by others. In, “Film as Identity Exploration: A Multimodal Analysis of Youth-Produced Films”, Erica Rosenfeld Halverson describes the use of film in the lives of teens. In "Adolescents' Expressed Meanings of Music in and out of School.”, the authors describe the affects of music on teen expression, and identity development. Also, in “Shifting selves: the struggle for identity and spirituality in the work of three young women artists”, the authors observe and describe how visual artwork can be used to portray the inner teen world. These three articles work together to show that if the general populous actually took the time to look at and understand these teen worlds, then they could influence teen lives in a positive way and even deter them from making life threatening decisions. 

            Each of these articles explores the concept of media expression, whether it is through the use of “film to address complex issues of identity, particularly the construction of a social identity” (Halverson), or the art of music to “construct, negotiate, and modify aspects of… personal and group identities” (Campbell et al.), or ­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­images that are used to “[make] sense/meaning out of everyday life.”

            In Halverson’s article she emphasizes the different ways in which teens used different aspects of the video making process to represent different kinds of emotional aspects of themselves. From transitions, to camera angles, to lighting, all these aspects of a single piece of work contribute to the big picture of the inside of a teen’s world. Various things are portrayed through these different aspects of film. Happiness, hurt, pain, joy, confusion, hatred, the list goes on and on. All of these things make up the stewing caldron of the teen emotional being. Sometimes, if this cauldron is not monitored, it can spill over in destruction, damaging the lives of both the teen, and others around them.

            Similarly, "Adolescents' Expressed Meanings of Music in and out of School.” Describes the role that music, both made and consumed, plays in the identity of teens. Using music as a “badge” (Campbell), teens use music to place themselves in certain groups or associate a personality with themselves. Some are stereotypical such as Emo kids listing to Screamo, and smart kids listening to Classical music. Stereotypical or not, all associations between the cultural definitions of music and personal definitions of music based upon both lyrics and basic musicality, influence the ways in which teens view themselves and others. The article goes on to describe both benefits and disadvantages of active musical presence in the lives of teens, giving the argument solid proof of validity.

            In “Shifting selves: the struggle for identity and spirituality in the work of three young women artists”, the authors explore the vast world behind the obvious of visual creations. There is depth and meaning behind something that a teen creates. They go on to say that these issues of this world connect with “questions and expressions of ultimate concern.” The big picture across all three of these articles is that there really is something behind the obvious! Every film, musical piece, artwork has so many underlying things that will tell its audience stories upon stories of the creators’ lives. So, the big question is, how does one tap into this spring of insight?

            The answer, clearly, is displayed in the very nature of these three articles. None of these works has an anonymous quality to them. In each, the authors roll up their sleeves and get right into the middle of the muck. Every piece of evidence was gathered via investment. See, the only way to actually impact the life of a teen is to invest in them. This is portrayed over and over again countless times in these works. This is the key to the success of understanding this world that is concealed to the outside view. There is only so much support that these articles could give as to the actual “evidence” that is presented, but there is so much more in terms of their methodology of finding this evidence. There is no other way but to stick one’s nose into someone else’s business and really start to figure out the pieces to the puzzle.

            Whatever the “viewing port”, art, video, audio, dance, poetry, literature, there are many ways to access information about one of the most important issues in today’s world. If one takes the time to invest in the life of a teenager, they can understand their “world” and make an impact that will not only affect the teen now, but long into the future.

Works Cited

Campbell, Patricia S., Claire Connell, and Amy Beegle. "Adolescents' Expressed Meanings of Music in and out of School." Journal of Research in Music Education, 2007. Web. 29 Feb. 2012.

Halverson, Erica R. "Film as Identity Exploration: A Multimodal Analysis of Youth-Produced Films." TCRecord: Article. Sept. 2010. Web. 24 Feb. 2012. <http://www.tcrecord.org/Content.asp?ContentID=15948>.

McPhillips, Kathleen, Peter Mudge, and Jay Johnston. "Shifting Selves: The Struggle for Identity and Spirituality in the Work of Three Young Women Artists." International Journal of Children's Spirituality 12.3 (2007): 233-47. Print.

#4

The situation of uncertainty comes into play many times throughout the journey of life. Where does one turn when this obstacle comes to block the path of hope? When one’s identity is in jeopardy, and it is covered by something, either emotional, physical, or relational hardship, they turn to other forms of concrete substance to make their true identity shine bright. Some turn to drugs and alcohol, some to sex, some even to gambling. Some teens, however, turn to film-making.

Many times, teens have no idea how to come to terms with the reality of their seemingly upside down lives. So much so that they must turn to the use of other mediums of expression. One of these is film making. For many teens, film making provides the sense making stability that they need in order to express their feelings about their lives. In the article “Film as Identity Exploration: A Multimodal Analysis of Youth-Produced Films”, Erica Rosenfeld Halverson makes it evident that this film making by teens creates a space that can allow them to show what exactly it is they see in their lives, and how that represents their personal reality.

            At the beginning of this particular article, Halverson begins with the concept of storytelling. Storytelling has been used for many generations as a way to make things that are not so concrete, graspable such as parents’ divorce, abuse, and financial hardship. She gives the reader descriptions, parallels, and examples that show that storytelling is not just a way to pass the time, but you can create whole other world within the realm of a story. If one can make something real when it was originally just imaginary, why couldn’t one be able to make something reality that already is?

            Halverson’s main goal throughout the article was to emphasize the different ways in which teens used different aspects of the video making process to represent different kinds of emotional aspects of themselves. From transitions, to camera angles, to lighting, all these aspects of a single piece of work contribute to the big picture of the inside of a teen’s world. This medium is but a window that allows others to see into the abstract world of a teenager. Halverson mentions the use of storytelling as a key player in this concept. To make this point hit home, multiple examples of teens’ screenplays were analyzed and described in very concise detail. This insured that the reader was made aware of the reason behind each of these stylistic film-making choices, and therefore could draw their own conclusions on how the directors of the pieces were putting the stories of their lives on the big screen.

            Due to the hardship teens face in their lives today, Halverson believes that the use of film for expression is “important for youth who feel marginalized in mainstream institutions and who do not have opportunities to explore a positive sense of self in traditional institutional contexts.” In short, teens do not have the opportunity to feel a positive sense of their identity in the basics of life. Family, school, church… the list goes on and on. The positive side to this is that teens are being encouraged to take hold of this effective “therapeutic” video making as it will help to “bring new literacy practices to youth who are most in need of alternative mechanisms for engaging in positive identity work.” Throughout this particular section of the article, Halverson uses logos and pathos to turn the reader into sympathizing with these teens who, realistically, have no where else to turn to in their time of need.

Towards the end of the work, Halverson wraps things up by applying a concept that allows this whole idea of a “looking glass” into a teen’s world to make sense. She states: “The function of this analytic framework is to understand how youth filmmakers use the medium of film to address complex issues of identity, particularly the construction of a viable social identity.” She then makes the tie to one teen’s work entitled “Rules of Engagement”. This one film was not just solely about a particular teen’s life, but opened up a gateway so people could see and understand not only what happened in the director’s life, but also the reality of what it is love to be in the Muslim American teenager social group. This is true not just of this work, but all of the other works of teen movie makers, Halverson explains.

Through this massive cry for help, teens are making a large “in your face” statement. Through this, this issue of identity crisis will be understood by all, and as time continues, and as people step up to the plate, there will be no more cries for help because none will be needed.

           

Sources:

Halverson, Erica R. "Film as Identity Exploration: A Multimodal Analysis of Youth-Produced Films." TCRecord: Article. Sept. 2010. Web. 24 Feb. 2012. <http://www.tcrecord.org/Content.asp?ContentID=15948>.

Evaluative Summary

             In the article "Vulnerable Teens, Vulnerable Times: How Sensation Seeking, Alienation, and Victimization Moderate the Violent Media Content--Aggressiueness Relation",  the authors claim that the relationship between teen use of violent media and being aggressive depends on personality and their life situation. This study explores the concept of how the culture and nature of teens impacts the way that they interpret violent media, and how they display that back into their social setting. This is done through a study that analyzed a teen’s Use of violent media content, aggressiveness, age, tendency to not consider consequences in decision making, and the moderators that would construe the results of the study. The authors cover their ground well, and create an environment where their argument is taken in with open arms.

            Throughout the first few sections of the article, he authors lay out the basis of their inquiries. Two sections are dedicated to two theories into which they dive into with great detail, acknowledging sources along the way. These sections describe how these theories relate to the topic of the study, and provide the essential background for the reader to understand what the issues are in teen life that would spark such an interest in the conducting of a study such as this one.

            In the second and third sections, specifically, entitled Dispositional Tendencies: Sensation Seeking and Social-Environmental Influences: Alienation and Victimization, the authors also put into place six sub-hypotheses in order to narrow the focus of the article. These hypotheses turn the information previously given to the reader into concrete ideas that the reader can easily follow into a much more murky section of the article that describes specific methods used, data collected, and so on. Via these hypotheses, the authors have created a road map for the reader to come out of the maze of information unharmed and sharp-witted, still being able to see how the authors’ argument is worth while, and strong.

            Yet another argument booster is the clear spelling out of the results of the study, and how those results relate back to the six hypotheses state earlier in the work. This does not directly deem the writers’ thesis to be strong and accurate, but does, however, supply the six hypotheses with the status of accurate and concise. This result, in turn, then allows for the main thesis to be validated, and then accepted.

            Throughout the study, the authors take the hand of the reader, and delicately guide them through the work by use of concise sources, direct hypothesis, and easy to understand yet powerful conclusions. The balanced combination of these elements ensures that proper authorization is given to the writers pertaining to their authority to write on such a topic, and furthermore, the author’s main thesis is accepted by the reader, and therefore considered valid. This tactic is essential for creating an environment that ensures the existence of a solid, persuasive, and effective argument.

Sources:

Slater, Michael D., Kimberly L. Henry, Randall C. Swaim, and Joe M. Cardador. "Vulnerable Teens, Vulnerable Times: How Sensation Seeking, Alienation, and Victimization Moderate the Violent Media Content--Aggressiueness Relation." Communication Research 31.6 (2004): 642-68. Print.

Objective Summary

           There are millions of blogs in the world today that range among many different topics. One such topic that has struck a chord with teens in today’s society is a fashion blog. In these blogs, teens (usually girls) attempt to show the world how they express themselves without any kind of real limitations. Because of this digital presence, teens can be someone online, and someone else offline. This allows for an open playground for both good and bad influences to be presented to teens. In “Digital Dressing Up: Modeling Female Teen Identity in the Discursive Spaces of the Fashion Blogosphere”, Tara Chittenden suggests that blogs are transforming the way teens express themselves and build their identity in the social world.

            Chittenden starts out her article with some sources of recent studies about teenagers having to do with the digital influence. She has also gathered some information herself by studying ten female fashion bloggers. These bloggers were given open ended questions to answer and, using this data along with the other data collected by other sources, Chittenden was able to make conclusions.

Continuing with the methodology of the performed study, Chittenden gives the reader information regarding specifics about the blogs and bloggers she had access to. All of the ten bloggers’ blogs were easily accessible, and it was not uncommon to see edited pictures of the blog owners portraying their fashion tastes. In some instances, to add a more powerful fashion effect, they would use editing software that edited their facial features or body image. Also, the author continues to outline the ways in which her research is credible and that she is doing her best to eliminate any sort of bias.

Chittenden then continues to give her conclusions based on her results, using her research and the data from external sources as evidence. She states that the blog provides a gateway to allow the teenager to rake in “social capital” or social gain. All in all, social networking and blogging behaviors are a product of an extreme want for social approval, which the teenager interprets as a social “credit” or gain. Things may seem more complicated than that, but this one truth is simply what it boils down to. When a teenager blogs, they are able to receive feedback on all areas of life besides fashion. They start to receive suggestions on how to become better in a sociological perspective. Because of the following and feedback received, the teen is then able to gain knowledge of self worth, and importance in society, which was the goal from the beginning. This can either be taken positively or negatively, which is an issue for many teens that decide to put their necks out into the digital social regulatory network.

            Blogs have created a large footprint in the ways that teens express themselves to the outside world. Also, this truth presents some major challenges on an individual basis. It is here where we need to make the decision whether or not this change is undermining or nurturing better social behaviors and values for the next generation.

Sources:

Chittenden, Tara. "Digital Dressing Up: Modeling Female Teen Identity in the Discursive Spaces of the Fashion Blogosphere." Journal of Youth Studies Vol. 13.Issue 4 (Aug2010): 505-20. Print.

Biography

            I am an outsider. An outsider to a world that is scary, confusing, and downright sickening. This is a call to arms. A call to arms for people who want to stand up and fight the lie. The lie that you are something you are not created to be.

            My name is Scot, and I am a spring 2012 high school graduate. Over the course of the last three and a half years, I have been in the middle of a cesspool of identity theft victims. Every boy and girl around me has been fighting an unending battle for their identity. Society and American Culture have been slowly stripping our teens of their sense of who they truly are and what they can become, and replacing it with ideas that they need to be sexy, strong, cool, smart, and acceptable in order to truly be someone of worth.

            You might be asking, “So, why this blog?” This purpose blog is to supply you, the general population with the evidence, motivation, and tools to be able to turn your teen into the person he or she is destined to become. It is only by your influence, as their friend or significant adult that they will be truly impacted by this message. This blog is the gateway into sight: a sight that lets you see things for what they truly are. You will be able to discern truth from darkness, make sense out of the chaos, and then share that with those you truly care about. Think of that one friend you have, whether they are your same age or not, that you see going down a path that will lead to destruction, hopelessness, isolation, and sometimes even death. Every day you see them buying the lie. Take this as a call, friends, to be the person of strength that they can cling to so they may find the joy they have been searching for!

More specifically, this blog will be covering the different effects of present American culture on teen self image. What are some areas of our culture that we take for granted and that are “pretty much okay” in our eyes? What underlying themes do these activities, concepts, or ideas have that effect the next generation of teenagers? You will find that some things that you find harmless and just normal actually impact the thought patterns and decisions of the teens that come in contact with them. They create a social “blinder” that gives the average teen only one option, when really the options are infinite.

So, please, take the information I give you, embrace it, and most importantly apply it. If you do not see the effect it has on the lives of others, then this whole entire blog is null and void. Please feel free to comment and give your opinions of what I post, and please share your experiences that you have when applying these concepts. It is important to remember that we are all in this together and we will make a greater impact as we build each other up. So please feel free to comment with your experiences so we may all learn.

This is something that is very near and dear to my heart. I hope it will be the same with you. Thank you for allowing me to share my passions with you as we work to build a better future.