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Archive for August, 2009

Make Me Beautiful: Media and Images of Beauty

In media on August 30, 2009 at 9:42 pm

Beauty is a tricky concept. I see it as the by-product of habitual behavior and social pressures. In other words, beautiful is what you are told is beautiful–skinny and tall. That is why I was so pleasantly surprised to see a a full-page photograph of a GlamNYP1regular-size model in a mainstream fashion magazine. Bravo!

Media has built the image of female beauty–slim body, long hair and light skin. After all, magazines need to give advertisers loyal customers, and what better audience than the one soaking up images of skinny models like sunshine. You build products and find people to sell them to; as simple as that.

So what does Lizzie Miller think she is doing by showing her unfit, naked belly in Glamour? Is she opening a new page in the history of media? Or is she presenting, as The Sartorialist suggested, a healthy realization of the fashion community in times of economic crisis?

Photo Credit: The Sartorialist (scanned photo from the NY Post)


Why Concerts Remind Me of Social Media

In media, new media technologies, online content on August 21, 2009 at 10:51 pm

concertThree hours ago I was clapping my hands and cheering loudly to the song Goodbye by the Bulgarian rock band Signal. I became a part of something huge–a rising wave of voices and music. In the midst of my euphoria, I thought about how much this culture reminded me of social media.

It is funny how at concerts I consider my voice vital. Without me, I think, the public won’t be loud enough. So, I let my voice slice the air and I clap as hard as I can. But when I take a break to have some beer, I get a reality check: I hear the crowd cheering pretty loud without my help.

Similarly, many users of social media consider their voices vital. Without your interesting interactions, comments and photos, you may think, social networks won’t be half as fun. Well, have some beer because it is time to get another reality check: the online community will be doing as well without you.

Both concerts and social media are not about you in the singular. They are about the entire music-loving audience or the entire networking population. The goal of both activities is to unite a community with similar interests and make it stronger and more fun as a whole.

At concerts, there is this brief but nonetheless palpable moment when you become one with the culture around you. And you can express it by shaking your head to the beat of the music or holding the hand of the person swaying next to you. Either way, you are achieving the ultimate goal of concert-attending—connecting with people. Isn’t it the same with social networking?


Capital Setting the Pace for Bulgaria’s Press

In Bulgaria, Bulgarian press, Twitter, media on August 12, 2009 at 8:46 am

Skimming through the headlines at a newsstand in Varna, I felt disillusioned. They were all dedicated to a Big Brother contestant and the former Prime Minister’s sexual orientation.newspaper

The magazines, spread out haphazardly among the yellow tabloids, dealt with beauty tips and love advice. As I was losing all hope for a good read, I saw a thick, nylon-wrapped newspaper peeking at me with its catchy political front page.

Капитал (Capital) saved me from drowning in complete disillusionment with the Bulgarian press.

Launched in 1993, the weekly newspaper offers well-written articles on the country’s politics and economy. Some lead stories demonstrate good narrative journalism. The content of the articles overflows with interesting comparisons that better inform the reader. For instance, based on several Capital articles, I was able to carry out a very fulfilling political conversation recently.

The newspaper’s lay-out complements the content quality. Capital’s pages contain a healthy mixture of charts, photos and images that facilitate the reading process. Well-balanced are the produced images (like the one of a waving skeleton) and the real photos (like the one of the Belene nuclear power station). Featured are also political caricatures.

What impressed me the most, however, was Capital’s use of social media. The newspaper is active on both Twitter (with nearly 300 followers) and Facebook (with over 2 370 fans).

Capital definitely uses Twitter more efficiently than the biggest media channel in Bulgaria bTV. Unlike bTV’s long yet incomplete tweets always ending in dots, Capital writes well thought-out updates. It interacts with followers and responds to mentions in a timely fashion. In addition, Capital features Tweet of the week in its print edition. How cool is that?

Photo Credit: onlinewoman

** Correction: bTV doesn’t have a Twitter account. The one I mention above is created by a person not affiliated with the televizion.


Social Media Changes the Game of Silencing People

In Bulgaria, Iranian elections, Russia, Twitter, elections, media, new media technologies, online content on August 7, 2009 at 10:38 pm

What’s the best way to silence one? Silence all, teaches yesterday’s Denial of Service attacks against the largest social media sites.
silence
Facebook, Twitter, LiveJournal and other social networking and blogging sites were attacked in attempt to silence a blogger in the Republic of Georgia known as Cyxymu. Cyxymu was supposedly using his blog to criticise Russia for last year’s military conflict with Georgia. This news prompted me to reconsider the ways in which Web 2.0 and new media technologies bring real change to a given sociopolitical reality.

Protests in Iran

The first big social media outcry came with the injustice carried out in the Iranian elections. Not only did the people of Iran protest against Ahmadinejad’s election, but they also blogged and tweeted about it. They uploaded YouTube videos of the protests and wanted their voice heard. According to BBC “Germany, France, Britain and the US all said they would not be sending letters of congratulation to Mr Ahmadinejad.”

Voting in Bulgaria

What influenced my voting decision in the Bulgarian parliamentary elections was a friend’s blog post. As someone who currently lives in Bulgaria and is politically active, she has a better grasp of the situation than I do. She got me curious about Bulgaria’s top political parties and I went out of my way to find further information online in support of (or against) her judgment.

Military Conflict in Georgia

Today presented a third, very strong example of the real change that social media and blogs bring to the world’s sociopolitical landscape. My jaw literally dropped as I read that “Twitter, Facebook, LiveJournal, YouTube, Google Sites and Google’s Blogger all get attacked yesterday to silence one man.” Good job, Cyxymu!

Photo Credit: Ciudadano Poeta

London Revisited (in Less Than 14 Hours)

In Boston, London, airport, cultures, travel on August 3, 2009 at 7:36 pm

Two days ago, I took full advantage of my flight lay over time. I didn’t sleep on Heathrow’s harsh plastic chairs, not did I smell the duty free Prada perfumes. I went out and tried to capture London’s vibe in less than 14 hours. And the city felt like a high school bully who just slapped fellow classmate Boston and walked away with no regrets. telephone
It took me an hour or so to realize that in downtown London I wasn’t going to see people wearing Red Sox shirts or funny crab hats. The passers-by I saw here were French ladies in silk dresses and Italian gentlemen with long Konica cameras hanging on their necks. I breathed in the first wave of European fashion and kept observing my surroundings.

Oxford Street’s architecture somewhat reminded me of Boston’s governmental center. I saw fusion of historical heritage and contemporary design. Building signs and statues attached to brick houses highlighted London’s rich history. “Here since 1789,” read the sign of a candy shop I entered. Clearly, this candy shop has existed long before my college.

Soho’s coffee shops somewhat reminded me of Boston’s North End. Small and full of life, they attracted crowds of fashion-savvpeople watchingy visitors. These visitors, however, faced the vibrant street and not each other. Clearly, the importance of people-watching in London is bigger than that of Boston.

London did prove superior to Boston in fashion and architecture, history and vibrancy. Yet, to me, it lacked Boston’s casual charm. Maybe 14 hours weren’t enough, after all.