Author Archives: gailhodgesgrady

Reading Summary: The author argues that we are currently in the postmodern world – we still have the belief systems that gave form to the modern world, and indeed we also have remnants of many of the belief systems of premodern societies. But we also have a growing suspicion that all belief systems – allContinue reading “Welcome to the Postmodern World”

Reading Summary: Video games can be very persuasive. Immersion, intense engagement, identification, and interactivity are traits of video games that function as mechanisms for influencing attitudes. Propaganda is closely related to ideology, but the terms have distinct meanings. Ideology refers to shared values and beliefs that shape individuals’ understandings of institutions and social relationships. InContinue reading “From The Green Berets to America’s Army: Video Games as a Vehicle for Political Propaganda”

Reading Summary: A cyberbole is a myth or exaggeration. One issue is called ‘endism,; referring to predictions that new developments will result in the end of other methods and approaches. Endism is conceptually and practically flawed – conceptually because it is an absolute and absolutes are rarely found in our relativist world, and practically itContinue reading “Myths and Cyberbole, Trends and Tipping Points”

Reading Summary: The reading discusses how you can discuss an event with different audiences and highlight different things based on your audience. One’s constant behavior is their behavior across situations. Sociologist Erving Goffman describes social life a as a drama where we perform different roles in different social arenas, depending on the nature of theContinue reading “Behavior in Its Place – Friday”

I am at home in New Orleans with my parents, sister, brothers, and dog. I am using zoom on my laptop. In general, I guess I am worried about how it might be hard to hear people or if my internet will hold up. I think that this class will help us to adapt toContinue reading “Activity 3/23”

Reading Summary: This chapter talked about how groups often try to be “inclusive” while still maintaining a distinctive identity. The words “we,” “us,” and “you” have a great deal of rhetorical power. If a title of a news article says “you,” it is addressing you directly and is more personable. You are now part ofContinue reading “Ch 6: “Role models and stereotypes: An introduction to the ‘Other’””

Reading Summary: The comic talks about how you piece things together when writing a story. It starts out by showing some of the stories that a flight attendant has. It talks about taking a bunch of unconnected anecdotes and forming them together is hard. Narrative suspense is when you put things in chronological order, andContinue reading ““Keep or Kill: Story Structure””

Reading Summary: The article analyzes an ad for Marilyn Peach, a sparkling wine. The ad contains many subtexts, as it suggests the Genesis narrative and contains sexual undertones. The Genesis narrative is called mythization. Connotative chaining is when each signifier evokes a connotation which in turn evokes another, and then another, and so on. TextualityContinue reading “Persuasive Sign”

Reading Summary: Barbara Nitke noticed that porn films and Food Network shows shared similar characteristics. The color and texture of the way many food is portrayed on the Food Network resembled that of porn. When couples will feed each other food, Nitke said they stretch the moment out. In both cases, you also can’t haveContinue reading “Debbie Does Salad”

Reading Summary: Semiotics is the science that answers the question: What does X mean? A sign is anything that stands for something other than itself. The thing that the sign refers to is known as the referent. There are two kinds of referents: a concrete referent, such as the animal designated by the word dog,Continue reading “Messages, Signs, and Meanings”