Tuesday, February 18, 2025

Blog Post #9

     Propaganda. When we think of this word we may think about the regime of Adolf Hitler in Nazi Germany. This, however, is far from the entire picture. Propaganda is everywhere. It's on the TV you watch, it's in the books you read, and worst of all: you walk around with it in your pocket 24/7. So what is this mysterious term? How does effect us in our everyday lives? According to the Oxford dictionary, propaganda is "information, especially of a biased or misleading nature, used to promote or publicize a particular political cause or point of view." Despite its connotation, propaganda isn't inherently political by definition. Let's look at one example where it wasn't. 


    It was the turn of the 20th century. A young Edward Bernays and his family moved to be closer to Edward's uncle, Sigmund Freud and capitalize on new opportunities. Bernays was a visionary of sorts. According to Britannica, he was the "first to develop the idea of the professional public relations counselor—i.e., one who draws on the social sciences in order to motivate and shape the response of a general or particular audience." This was big deal, and he certainly didn't let his chance go to waste. Shortly after the first world war, Bernays and his wife opened their own Public Relations office. Some of their clients included the US War Dept. and the Lithuanian government. Among other things, Bernays is also known for his promotion of the electric industry, Ivory Soap, and Big Tobacco. Out of all of his campaigns however, I believe the most impactful was his creation of the modern American breakfast. Yes, that's right! You've been told your entire life that breakfast is the most important meal of the day. What if I told you that wasn't the entire truth? This was a marketing scheme devised by Bernays and John Harvey Kellog to sell more breakfast foods. Think about that next time you have eggs, bacon, or cereal.



    Let's pivot and examine propaganda in the more traditional sense. As I mentioned before, propaganda isn't only found in totalitarian regimes. It can also be seen in democracies... even the one that we live in today. One glaring example of this happening in the USA is our invasion of Iraq. In the early 1990's, President George H.W. Bush conducted a military invasion of Iraq. He claimed that the reason for this action was that Iraq was in possession of weapons of mass destruction. After the conflict had fully ended over a decade later, these weapons were never found.



    Another striking example of propaganda in our nation is that of the Gulf of Tonkin. The US Naval Institute states "On 2 August 1964, North Vietnamese patrol torpedo boats attacked the USS Maddox while the destroyer was in international waters in the Gulf of Tonkin." Later on, "The United States government falsely claimed that a second incident occurred on 4 August, between North Vietnamese and United States ships in the waters of the Gulf of Tonkin." The first incident was the response of the Vietnamese to US covert operations in the area. The second however, was falsified and a large reason why the US got involved in the vietnam war. 


If there's one thing you should take away from this is that propaganda is everywhere, even the places you don't expect. It's in the food we eat, the things we watch, and the people who lead us. Is that such a bad thing though? Some forms of propaganda are certainly harmful such as warmongering. Other's though, may not be such an issue. Modern day public relations and advertising are forms of propaganda and they benefit society. In the end, as long as you're doing it in an honest way and without harmful intentions, propaganda isn't all bad.

Friday, February 14, 2025

Blog Post #6

 The wired telegraph is among one of the most import inventions in the history of human communication. The reason it was so revolutionary was because this was the first technology that allowed humans to send messages over a long distance. It transformed communication in a profound way. This device was perfected and popularized by Samuel Morse in 1832. The first message sent using the telegraph was "What hath God wrought." 



    Shortly after it was revealed to the public, work began on this technology's infrastructure. In 1843, Samuel Morse build a telegraph wire from Washington D.C. to Baltimore. It was later extended to New York. By 1864, there were over 44k miles of wires. By 1866, there were 100k+. This building laid the groundwork for the brand new technology that would soon sweep the nation. 





For the first stretch of its existence, the use of the wired telegraph was very limited. This would change many years after its invention. The Communications Act of 1934 established the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) and consolidated federal regulation of radio, telegraph, and telephone. The act's goals included making communication services available to all Americans at reasonable rates. This meant that the use of the telegraphy became much more readily accessible to the general public. Starting in 1934, the use of the telegraph saw unprecedented rate.




The telegraph had many consequences that were unpredictable, some positive and some negative. Some major impacts of the telegraph included: faster messaging, improved news, contributed to world peace, made news papers obsolete, and helped encourage the idea of instant messaging. This was a stark contrast to the previous world of sending letters that could take weeks, if not months, to be delivered to their intended recipients. We can't forget about the negative impacts of the telegraph though, some of these included the spread of potential misinformation, miscommunication through morse code, and the disruption of the environment from telegraph line construction. Many of these issues we still see in some form today. 





The wired telegraph was a groundbreaking invention that forever changed the way humans communicate. By enabling near-instantaneous messaging over long distances, it laid the foundation for the rapid exchange of information that we now take for granted. While its influence eventually faded with the rise of more advanced technologies, its impact can still be felt in modern communication systems. The telegraph not only revolutionized news, business, and global relations but also introduced challenges that echo in today’s digital age. Though it may no longer be in widespread use, its legacy lives on in the instant nature of our world today.

 


Blog Post #4

    The prospect of using a pigeon to deliver our messages seems comical and absurd through our modern lens. At one point, however, this method was one of the most viable strategies in its day. The exact date of the first use of the carrier pigeon is unknown, the first instances were likely in ancient Egypt. According to the Royal Pigeon Racing Association, "Racing pigeons are descended from the Rock Dove, and the earliest recorded reference to the use of messenger pigeons comes from Ramses III (c1200 BC) when they were used to convey news between cities regarding the flood state of the Nile." This technology was revolutionary at its time because, it was the fastest way to convey a message over a large distance. 

    Moving along further in history, we get to the Roman empire. The carrier pigeon continued to be very useful. The typical way of getting a message to someone at the time was sending someone to hand-deliver it. The use of these pigeons meant that letters didn't have to be transported this way anymore. This advancement allowed for faster and more efficient communication, especially for military and governmental purposes. Roman leaders and generals used pigeons to relay important messages across their vast empire, allowing quick coordination of troops. This method was especially valuable in times of war, as it provided a reliable way to send urgent information without relying on slow-moving messengers on foot or horseback. The use of carrier pigeons in Rome laid the foundation for their continued importance in communication throughout history.

    So where did these pigeons go from there? These birds were very popular in the middle east. This is how the RPRA puts it: "Carrier pigeons were held in very high esteem in the Arab world, and were called "The Kings Angels." Clearly, the Arab people had a certain fondness for these feathered beings. Around this time, these pigeons were being used not only to deliver messages, but also to deliver goods, help with war efforts, and in religious ceremonies.  


    In a more modern world, we turn our attention toward western Europe (more specifically Britain and France). With the invention of the postal system, messages sent by pigeon became much more rare. Instead of being used to send messages, pigeons were made to race. There was an exception to the rule though: both world wars. According to our article, "The British royal family began to keep pigeons in the late nineteenth century, and pigeon racing became a sport of the masses in the early 1900’s. Pigeons were used extensively as message carriers by armies on both sides during World War 1  and World War 2." .These birds played a vital role in military communication, often delivering critical messages when other forms of communication failed. Their ability to fly long distances, navigate accurately, and avoid enemy interception made them invaluable assets on the battlefield. 

  While the days of relying on pigeons for communication are long behind us, their historical significance cannot be overlooked. These remarkable birds played a crucial role in shaping how messages were delivered across vast distances, from ancient Egypt to the battlefields of the world wars. Though they have since been replaced by modern technology, their legacy lives on in racing and historical accounts.

 

Saturday, January 25, 2025

Blog #2

In the modern age, the supreme court is very powerful as it is responsible for judicial review and interpreting the constitution. Watching  professor Smith's videos on this subject showed me that his wasn't always the case though. I learned that In the early days of our nation, the supreme court had little to no power if any at all. This wouldn't last very long however. In the year 1801, John Marshall was appointed Chief Justice. It was through Marshall that the court's prestige was created and the supreme court we know today was born. Furthermore, the videos about the supreme court discussed the process of new justices joining the court. It was a bit shocking to learn that the American people basically have no say in this decision. The justices are nominated by presidents and in many cases, serve much longer than that president is in office. 

So how did he do that? Marshall set the precedent that is known today as Judicial review. This was done in the 1803 case Marbury v. Madison. Judicial review is the most important function of the supreme court in modern America. It's defined as the power of the court to review all actions of all branches of government and deem them constitutional or not. Another key takeaway for the supreme court is that they are the highest court in the land. This means that this is the final destination for cases that get appealed to higher courts. 
This video completely changed my perspective on the supreme court. Firstly, it humanized those who served in the supreme court. These people are individuals and citizens just like everyone else. That adds a level of difficulty to what they do and brings me a newfound sense of respect for them. Additionally, the videos talked about the complexity of decision making. These aren't easy or simple decisions that can be made on a whim. They require critical thinking, knowledge, and a strong moral compass. Ultimately, the supreme court's massive impact on our society (which has been made much more apparent to me now) has shaped the nation we live in. This court is extremely influential and the decisions that it makes can have massive ramifications for our personal lives.

Thursday, January 23, 2025

Blog Post #3


     I believe the eight values of free expression are very valuable virtues for the American people to possess. This is a set of rules that, if adhered to, are sure to produce a better America with a more prosperous people. The reason for this is that our constitution is built on the ideals of freedom and justice. Of all of the values listed, I consider Promoting Innovation and Protecting dissent to be the most relevant to modern events. In an increasingly technologically advanced world, censorship has been present in different forms of media. These attempts at controlling narratives are more detrimental to the American people than they are beneficial. Today, we'll examine the dissent this has caused in the modern world and how some people are turning things around by incorporating free speech into innovation.

    Innovation is in our DNA. From the discovery of fire to the invention of the flat screen TV, humans trend toward progress in the field of technology. According to the article 'Eight Values of Free Expression,' this ideal is important because "A community in which free speech is valued and protected is likely to be a more energized, creative, interesting society as its citizens actively fulfill themselves in many diverse and interesting ways." While there is certainly division in modern day America, the voices of the people have never been more widespread than they are now. This has lead to the transformation of speech in the public sphere as we know it. We can see this in effect today. The change in ownership of the popular social media platform twitter had massive ramifications for free speech in the modern world. The modern version of the platform, X, has very little to no censorship. Although people have varying opinions about the platforms' current state, one thing that you cannot deny is that X has had a profound impact on the exchange of information and ideas online. It has allowed unprecedented access to the thoughts and ideas of people you would have never known otherwise. 

    Have you ever held a strongly rooted opinion that you felt you couldn't express? That's a frustrating feeling. Unfortunately, bitter feelings toward government and prominent institutions have caused tragedies to occur in the past. That's why it's so important as Americans to believe in and support protecting dissent. As our previously mentioned article so elegantly stated, "Our system is not supposed to be one of mob rule. The First Amendment protects minority views, no matter how unpopular. You have a strongly protected right to disagree with the government — and everyone else. In fact, it is your patriotic duty to criticize the government." As American citizens, we shouldn't have a negative attitude towards peaceful protests or criticism against the government. These are important aspects of our right to freedom of speech. Dissent and protest have played a prominent role in recent American discussion. The most recent case of this that I can think of is the new incumbent president of the USA. Many people disagree with the decision America has made to elect Donald Trump her president. Despite these feelings, their voices and opinions are protected under the first amendment. This is ultimately a good thing as, if that contingent of people had their voices silenced, it would ultimately lead to more division within our nation. 

Wednesday, January 22, 2025

Blog Post #1

 My Top 5 Sources of News:


#1 Instagram



As I'm sure you're already well aware, Instagram is a very popular social media platform owned by Meta. There are many pages on this platform that post news related pictures and videos. For younger generations, this is one of the first places that news is viewed. It's very convenient as news articles can pop up on your screen right after any number of entertaining videos. In short, we would've been scrolling anyway. In addition to simply hearing the news, Instagram allows us to hear prominent influencer's opinions on the topic. I believe this is an overall net positive, as it makes contemporary events more engaging to younger audiences.



#2 Youtube
Whatever Instagram offers in the form of influencer opinion, Youtube doubles or even triples that. Many creators post long-form content discussing events that otherwise would only be discussed on news channels. This allows viewers to hear a variety of nuanced takes from people from all parts of the political spectrum. This causes me to believe that Youtube is also a great source of news and an a very viable way to understand modern issues. Like all other forms of technology however, Youtube is a tool. You have the option to hear exactly what you would like. It's up to the individual user to make sure they hear arguments from both sides instead of turning their algorithm into an echo chamber.



#3 Google News
In my experience, Google News is the closest that people my age will get to willingly watching or reading the news. Of all news sources, it's the easiest to access. When you search recent events, articles from google news will be the first thing that you see. This search engine compiles both conservative and liberal sources in order to give you the most bi-partisan information possible. This is very useful as it allows you to learn about recent world events with just the click of a few buttons. Whether or not I get far past the headlines or not... well that's a different story. 




#4 Twitter/X
Yes, this app is useful for something other than funny quotes from your favorite artist. Similarly to Instagram, Twitter is home to a multitude of different news channels that update their followers on breaking news. In addition to these news channels, we have the unprecedented ability to see the thoughts of political figures in real time as they tweet out to mass audiences. This has had some never before seen consequences, both good and bad. Like other platforms, you can find the opinions of both sides of the political spectrum. At the same time however, this sometimes leads to hateful discourse between those with differing political views. 




#5 Snapchat
While I wouldn't say I get my news from this platform in the more traditional sense, it is still useful in a variety of ways. The biggest component of this app that I would like to highlight is its 'stories' feature. Stories are posts made by users in which they update their friends on what's going on in their lives and the things that are important to them. It was the first social media platform to include this feature. I think it is very important because, while it may not be the first place you get your news, it allows you to see people you know discussing topics in a way you may not have thought of before. This has its pros and cons but ultimately, it allows the people you know to see where you stand and your thoughts about current events.