MaceM

MaceM

Goblin from the netherworld who just really likes socialism.

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    Latest Articles

    Latest Topics

    5
    Published

    The Minecraft loophole: a library of banned journalism

    In 2020, Minecraft transcended the gaming sphere and became a medium through which to read banned journalism. A project started by Reporters Without Borders, the library holds work by censored journalists all across the world, with some of their most dangerous writings embedded and available to read right there in the game.

    In a world that grows more and more fond of censorship and bookburning, how are video games (minecraft in particular as a recent example), and other media being used to subvert the attempted erasure of political commentary? What opportunities do video games open up which circumvent censorship in ways that didn’t exist before? What does this subversion look like in a digital landscape? Feel free to take some of these questions and run with them!

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      Pending

      What is mainstream media's relationship to internet memes and trends?

      As the 2000’s and 2010’s generations continue to use the internet, giving new meanings to old memes and creating new trends, mainstream media also continues its quest to keep up and riff off our ever-changing, interconnected world. As things stand, most mainstream movies and tv shows for example, haven’t been able to catch on to new trends fast enough for them to be relevant, and if they have, it seems that they’re several years behind. What I’m wondering is, what would happen if/when mainstream media catches up and starts employing more people who have been chronically on the internet since they were young? Would we lose the kind of subversive, critical thinking that exists in the gap between what is mainstream and the (more or less) free range content we see every day on social media? If we start to see the heavily ironic jokes we see on tiktok (for example) in mainstream media today, does it change their meaning, and is the medium really still the message?

        4

        The Phenomenon of "Top 10" entertainment

        "Top 10" type videos and articles on the internet are so prolific right now it’s like they fill up any negative space available on the net. Examine why that is and how this type of arguably cheap content has become so popular. Is it because of the platforms they inhabit? i.e, "the medium is the message," or is it simply because of the mindset of the generation? Interested to hear your thoughts!

        • I would not call "Top 10" a new thing, it has been around for decades. Perhaps how it has changed, say, of songs that have been in the top 10 in different years might provide insight into changing tastes. – Joseph Cernik 4 years ago
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        4

        The Nature of Love in Sense 8

        While still being a plot-focused show, Sense 8 offers an interesting look into what it means to connect on a deep level with another human, sharing sometimes violent or pleasureable experiences in equal measure. Examine the different relationships in the show and what they say about our experience of love and closeness, or alternatively, the lack of those qualities. What is the show trying to get at by telling the stories of these deeply interconnected people?

          5

          So Instagrammable: Social Media and the Modern-Day Romance

          What is the effect of social media stalking, chatting, and posting on budding modern-day romances? Is there a difference between chatting over text or sending a snap to a potential partner? Examine how anxiety and mistrust flourish under the social media spotlight and how our methods of romantic communication have changed over the years from verbal contact to the sharing of images. Also perhaps consider the kinds of images shared and the effect they have on our psyche.

          • That's an interesting topic to look at, especially the creation of online personae. There are a couple of art projects undertaken on social media which act as a comment and critique on the severly mediatised societies we live in today. Maybe choose some case studies and let the writers analyse their effects in more depth. – Kaya 4 years ago
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          • Great topic! Or maybe topics? I think the topic can be narrowed down. – JamesBKelley 4 years ago
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          • Interesting topic. Perhaps make it a little more concise. I think the last topic would be a good topic anxiety and how social media has changed romantic communication over the years. – birdienumnum17 4 years ago
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          Latest Comments

          MaceM

          Well, we all transcend the labels we give ourselves to a certain extent because we are human. I would disagree that Fleabag is the “ultimate feminist” as she is meant to represent the audience. The whole point of the show is not to exalt one character, but to show how to forgive ourselves for the pitfalls and hypocrisies of our personalities as humans. Her un-feminist actions are borne of trauma and pain, and we understand her struggle because most of us have felt what she feels. That’s what makes her so powerful.

          The Portrayal of Feminism in Fleabag (2016)
          MaceM

          I remember seeing this movie in theatres and thinking the same as this article. I wasn’t familiar with the Manson murders at the time of watching, but it definitely struck me as odd that such a great actress was wasted on this film. And for what? To walk pretty and say a total of five lines the whole time? I totally agree that this movie romanticizes traditional gender roles, and Tarantino’s statement of “I reject your hypothesis” is super telling. Thanks for writing.

          Gender in Once Upon a Time... in Hollywood
          MaceM

          I think writing and the arts are so frowned upon as career choices because people perceive them to be things outside of society. Like they’re untouched and pure or something and can’t be ‘real’ because they don’t always deal in a language of realism. But what we forget is that they point out truths in our societies and in ourselves that we have yet to admit, and that’s what makes this type of work so valuable. They aren’t just stories told for the hell of it, there’s almost always more to it!

          Creative Writing is the Sincerest Form of Reality
          MaceM

          YouTube also seems to be jumping on the streaming bandwagon. The paid-for YouTube red seems like a pretty new thing and their ads for premium settings are popping up more and more. I wonder if we’ll be asked to pay for our content there as well and if the idea of a free-range streaming service will collapse.

          The Age of Streaming Services: Then, Now, and Beyond
          MaceM

          It’s interesting too how when people are creating the staple “strong female character” it means stripping her of traditional feminine qualities as though it were impossible to elevate supposedly “weak” character traits. It’s like the only way to make her strong is to imbue her with masculine qualities.

          The Paradox of the Strong Female Character