Happy Violence

In my opinion, happy violence is glorified and projects a highly unrealistic view of what the consequences of those actions would actually be in the real world. The best way to explain what happy violence is, is to show it through examples. A recent movie I have seen that portrays happy violence is, "Deadpool". It is full of violence, but packed with witty writing and provided lots of laughs. While the character, Deadpool, is in a gun battle, I found myself laughing at the hilarious comments written in the movie, which distracts me entirely from the violence that I am watching.

Deadpool has made "killing bad guys" so nonchalant with the commentary and selection of music during violent scenes. Below is a link to the movie trailer that portrays happy violence. About 50 seconds into the trailer, selective music begins, and evidence of "happy violence" begins.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Xithigfg7dA

Regulators

Well. It's safe to say I had no idea what media conglomerates owned what. Not only was I unaware of what specific media they owned, I did not even know who the actual conglomerates were. I am seriously surprised that at age twenty-seven, I am just now learning this. Um, hello? Why am I just finding out? Truth be told, I was not really interested in finding out. More so, I didn't think to think about it. Looks like the media really did a number on me didn't they? Well, Isn't that their intention anyway? To heavily influence what you think you should be interested in?

Okay, so. With that being said, I decided to take a closer look at what I am interested in down the rabbit hole. One show I enjoy watching is called, Suits, which plays on USA. But, when I watch it, I buy the season through my apple T.V. I do this because I cannot commit to watching it when it plays because my schedule is always all over the place. I get to choose when I watch it, so for some reason, that sort of makes me feel like I am winning. But in all reality, I am not. For one, they are taking my money double time because we pay to already have cable, and then pay AGAIN for the season just to accommodate my schedule. Who is getting my money though? Apple is definitely getting some. Charter is definitely getting some. WHO OWNS USA? Who else is getting my money? Show your face.

(First column: GE  First orange word: Comcast)

USA Network is an American basic cable and satellite television channel that is owned by the NBC Universal Cable division of NBC Universal, itself a subsidiary of Comcast.-Wikipedia


Well, there's that answer. Hi GE, nice to finally know who takes my money, I am Caitie, a poor college student.

Going one deeper... Jeffrey Immelt is the chairman of the board and chief executive officer of GE. He was selected by GE's Board of Directors in 2000 to replace Jack Welch following his retirement. Previously, Immelt had headed GE's Medical Systems division (now GE Healthcare) as its President and CEO.-Wikipedia

Hey, Jeffrey! 

Here's how he felt back in August 2016: 

http://www.businessinsider.com/ge-ceo-jeff-immelt-calls-trump-comments-on-muslims-and-mexicans-unacceptable-2016-8

GE HAS THEIR HANDS FULL O' STUFF:

https://www.nytimes.com/topic/person/jeffrey-r-immelt

The Allegory of the Cave

While reading the "Allegory of the Cave", I came across an instance where it may help us understand media and media influence. An example that stood out to me in the text was, "tell me do you think that these men would have seen anything of themselves or of one another except the shadows cast from the fire on the wall of the cave that fronted them? How could they, he said, if they were compelled to hold their heads unmoved through life?"(1963, p. 747). In my opinion, this can help us understand media and the media's influence because we often times act as though we have been compelled to hold our heads unmoved through different bias opinions. The internet, specifically, has the tendency to do this to us. With all of the factual and not so factual information out there, often times I have come across people who cannot turn their heads to another opinion because of all the *excuse my language* bullshit that is being put out there. The media can be so influential, yet it can also pose a threat to what is considered true. So many false statements are being made in our media, and unfortunately, people have the tendency to not be able to decipher a factual statement from a false one.


References:

Plato: The Allegory of the Cave, P. Shorey trans. from Plato: Collected dialogues, ed. Hamilton and Cairns, Random House, 1963.