Editor’s be aware: This text is an element two of a two-part sequence investigating media literacy amongst college students at UW.
I’ve not too long ago been entering into a couple of too many arguments over how a lot I despise “Saltburn.”
My stance is that the film is regressive and very suspect in its depictions of queerness, race, and sophistication. But I’ve been informed many instances that “it’s not that deep” or that it shouldn’t matter as a result of the movie is simply enjoyable to take a look at and watch.
The primary article on this sequence outlined media literacy as with the ability to critically consider completely different types of media for credibility. I’m selecting to deal with how we have interaction with artwork, and the messages current in all types of artwork that form our fashionable tradition and consciousness.
Individuals appear to recoil on the considered “analyzing” your leisure. However I might argue that’s not what it’s essential to do with artwork. To me, all artwork — whether or not a movie, ebook, or statue — is one other human being making an attempt to speak one thing from throughout time and area. They’re making an attempt to speak to you, and your expertise turns into a lot extra fascinating if you happen to take the time to affix the dialog.
But it surely appears we’ve by no means actually been taught be engaged in that dialog past the driest model of research, which I’m positive only a few folks affiliate with optimistic emotions.
To be clear, I’m very a lot for simply having fun with motion pictures — I don’t assume you must be doing a little form of educational evaluation each time you watch a movie. A few of my private favourite motion pictures are my favorites as a result of I like to observe issues blow up and see automobiles go quick.
But recently, it appears like media literacy is low, to place it frivolously. Is it a results of our seemingly ever-present emphasis on STEM and the ensuing de-emphasis on arts and humanities, not simply academically however as an important a part of life? Is it social media shredding our consideration spans and flattening artwork into short-form, flashy, surface-level content material designed to impress however by no means to nourish?
Josh Losoya, a graduate scholar and trainer of “Rhetoric in Widespread Tradition,” provided ideas on the significance of how media turns into a part of our fashionable consciousness.
“The stuff that’s surrounding us and saturating us once we’re not enthusiastic about it helps issues really feel normalized or naturalized,” Losoya mentioned.
Whether or not we’re acutely aware of it or not, the content material of what we watch or hearken to shapes how we take into consideration issues. Any member of a marginalized group can let you know the way it feels to by no means see themselves on display, or the way it feels to lastly see themselves represented.
Equally, the type of what we’re watching additionally modifications how we take into consideration issues. Social media’s reductive, hyperactive type of media consumption, the place every little thing is designed to be introduced in bite-sized chunks to eat and transfer on represents how low our bandwidth for precise processing and contemplation is.
So how can we be part of the dialog that artists are inviting us into?
“My [recommendation for] college students: assume like a content material creator,” professor of philosophy and movie Ian Schnee mentioned in an e-mail. “What makes movies on YouTube or TikTok efficient? Now take into consideration long-form media the identical means: what fascinating selections do filmmakers make to inform tales? “Barbie” and “Oppenheimer” are each good examples of colour, framing, and digicam motion. Watching longer media from this attitude can provide anybody a brand new appreciation for it.”
Possibly this feels like homework, however I don’t assume it needs to be something deeper than at the very least paying a little bit bit extra consideration to one thing than you often would.
Artwork ought to enrich your life. It needs to be extra than simply one thing to take a look at and extra than simply one thing to do idly.
It’s thrilling to exist at a time the place we’ve entry to a lot artwork and are due to this fact capable of be in dialog with so many artists. I believe it’s telling that, on the similar time, we’re experiencing a bigger disdain for artwork — a pervasive sense of alienation and discontent.
So go see a film, learn a ebook, even go to an artwork museum, and put your cellphone down when you do it. You don’t should be analyzing, simply engaged. It’s that deep.
Attain author Justin Shen at opinion@dailyuw.com. X: @justinnshen
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