The Internet Personna

     I think that it is safe to say that all of us know at least one person who is consumed with social networks. I am not talking about the person who you would categorize as a "addict" or something of that nature. I am referring to that person who is one way in real life, maybe they are really shy or really outgoing, and the way that they portray themselves online counteracts with that.
    Now I am not really talking about the extreme here. There are people that completely change their identity online, for example a 53 year old man transforming himself into a 13 year old girl. But I am talking about the guy or girl that you personally know who is one of the shyest people that you know in person, but online they gain a ton of confidence and transform into a different person metaphorically. Maybe they become the joke-ster on Facebook, or the person who everyone thinks is a freak on Twitter, but in real life, they do not live the lives you have perceived that they have lived.
     I wrote a paper about this in my pop-culture class, and from reading a few scholarly journals, Ive found that people are more comfortable with becoming this "new person" online because they believe that this person is their true self and online they feel they can be their true self with out any one judging them. I find that a little weird. Why would you want to talk to people that you barely know online, and tell them personal things about yourself? Some believe that they can avoid the judgment that they feel they may receive from their actual friends, by talking to people that they barely know.
    Now, I sort of switched topics in that last paragraph so let me clear up what I mean. A lot of people create what I call the "internet persona" and then also create new lives. I do not mean that they create a life that is fake, I mean that they often find themselves talking to, or hanging out with people that they normally would not. Which is fine, but some people really loose sight of who they truly are. They are one person on Twitter, so when they get around the people they only know from Twitter they have to be that person they perceived themselves to be, but when around their other friends, they are the person that they normally are. Some say that the "internet persona" is really a mire image of who the person truly is, and others say is is an image of who the person whats to be.
      I myself know people personally, who are not who people think they are on these social networks. But in their case I don't find it a bad thing. They are both very shy people in real life, and these social networks allow them to shine. They become the sort of "cool kids," people that every one loves, and thinks is funny, or respects them, people that they would not be other wise. They are allowed to show the side of themselves that they would not be comfortable showing if the circumstances were different. In their case, they really are the person that only the people on the social networks see, but others are not the same.
      I tell people everyday that the most important thing to remember is to always stay true to yourself. But some people do not even know who they are. Do you know who you are? I mean do you REALLY know who you truly are?

Reality Tv and the REALITY of it.

    Every day that I am on Twitter, I see a tweet about some sort of reality tv show or talk show. Whether it is Bad Girls Club, or Jerry Springer, there is not a day that goes by that someone is talking about one of these shows. Now I myself am not into those type of shows, but there are so many people that are.
     What happens every day on a show like Maury? Some one is exposed in some sort of fashion, and maybe a fight breaks out or somebody ends up crying. But what is it that draws people to these shows? Why is it that even years later, people are obsessed with them? Well its simple. People like to see others make a fool of themselves because it makes them feel better about themselves or they like to see people living "the good life" because they want the same.
       I mean why else would you watch as Kourtney and Khloe take over Miami? You want to live vicariously through them. You want everything that they have, the money, the cars, the fame, so you continue to watch it. Its the same for people who are Jerry Springer or Bad girls Club fans. You love to watch as people fight or argue and make fools of themselves because you are glad that it is not you. You like feeling better than they are. You enjoy the fact that you are not on a show trying to find out who the child of your father is for the 10th time. You like the fact that two sisters are fighting for the same man, simply because it is you that does not have to endure the embarrassment.
       And that is the reason why reality tv shows and talk shows like Jerry Springer have continued to rack in the numbers. People can not move past the fact that these people on these shows cannot, in anyway benefit them. Seeing who is gonna smack who on the Bad girls club will not help you get anywhere in life, but that is what people believe. They grow to know these people on these shows and the fact that they CAN NOT relate to them, is the same reason why they continue to watch them. You watch 16 and pregnant because you yourself are not 16 and pregnant. And more and more, these shows are taking over our televisions. But hey, they're only shows right?

Obama says the war is over?!

     In late August, President Obama made a statement that America would remove its focus from the war, and start to refocus on things going on at home. The President claimed that the war was over. Is that so? It could be, but isn't it funny how that statement was made around the time things were getting heated with the primary elections? I mean think about it. Politicians have to be some of the smartest P.R people around.
    The elections that just past was one of high importance, and with the dark cloud of the war still hovering over congresses heads, things could have gone a lot different. Now I am not saying that the war is not over. I can not attest to that because I have not fought in the war, BUT politicians sure do know how to weigh things in their favor. They get on TV and tell us what we as people of this country, want to hear, and then we start to love them again.
    Pretty cool tactic though. I mean we have no choice but to believe him, he is the president of our country right? Politicians know how to get what they want in to the media when it is best for them. President Obama should have said "Hey guys, our economy sucks, but at least we wont be spending American tax dollars on useless war expenses!" But instead he beat around the bush and said America has to focus more on things that are going on our grounds (meaning the economy crisis). But hey I don't blame em. Getting people to listen to you is very powerful indeed. Kudos Obama!

Obama declares an end to combat missions