Assignment

Take a look at this supplemental article: "The Day the Napster Died"

Next, watch the ted provocative talk by off-beat musician Amanda Palmer.

Then, respond to the following:

• What are the copyright issues surrounding the digital delivery of music and video?

• Take a quick survey of 10 of your friends and/or family. How many have purchased digital music and how many have downloaded copyrighted music for free?

• What percentage of each person's digital music collection is legal?

• What do the results of this small survey suggest to you?

• What are the consequences of illegally downloading music?

• Is Amanda Palmer correct in saying that it's enough to ask people to pay for music? Would crowd-funding of music work for everyone? Why or why not?

• What do you think about Palmer's suggestion that technology has kept some musicians separate from the community?

• Do you think downloading music for free is acceptable? Why or Why not?

Topic 3

Traditional forms of media like television, magazines, and film tailor their products to defined demographic groups (e.g. female teenagers, men between the ages of 20 and 35, middle aged women, etc.). Producers of these forms of media utilize existing stereotypes of gender and age which only serve to strengthen our fixed images of social roles. For example, middle aged women are often presumed to enjoy "chick flicks" or romances, while media directed at young adult men use sex appeal and action to gain attention.
Watch the following clips:

• A different perspective on gender roles within the media: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9d6Q72Gq850

Notice how gender roles have changed or persisted over time and generations and think about the influence of social movements (e.g. feminism, civil rights) and policy (e.g. FMLA and mandating the opportunity for paternity leave) in changing our ideas about gender.

• Extreme Seniors: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wT_mVbS_-EY&feature=related

Think about the negative stereotypes we commonly hold about older people and consider whether you think the older adults in the video are typical of older adults or are instead a "rare new species"? Think about the older adults in your own life and whether they conform to stereotype or whether you regard them as an exception.

• Social Media and the End of Gender:

(Note: If you have trouble seeing the image, click on the full screen view at the bottom right of the screen and the video should become visible.)

In the above video, Blakley notes that women (including older women) dominate the social media space. Unlike other forms of media that are shaped by marketing strategies tailored to particular demographic groups, social media focuses on what we do and what we like rather than who we are. Blakley asserts that because of this, social media will become increasingly genderless in nature.

Activity:

• How has the media created or perpetuated powerful beliefs about gender and aging?

• Locate a video clip, a news article, advertisement, or other forms of media that confirm or dispel common stereotypes about 1) men or women, and 2) older adults. Describe how the media source confirms or dispels common stereotypes about 1) gender, and 2) aging.

• Does the anonymity of the online world make us more genderless and ageless? What role has media technology (e.g. social media, Internet) played in changing existing stereotypes about gender and age?