Media Messages & Critical Pedagogy #2

The "good" ad that I found is a FedEx advertisement. The company is very simply conveying that they get quality items from the seller to the buyer. There is no hidden meaning that suggests one race or culture is superior to another. In fact, you could even assume that the hands in the upper part of the ad are "working" hands, and the piece is being passed from the "working" hands to the consumer's hands. The ad is very simple, and to the point without and hidden meanings or degrading suggestions.

The message belongs to the FedEx corporation, and they are the company that paid for it to be reproduced and distributed.

The "text" of the message suggests that FedEx can successfully get your prized possessions from point A to point B. The "subtext" could be that one pair of hands are the "working" hands, and the other pair are the consumer's hands. The "tools of persuasion" being used could be human nature. The ad does a good job of separating the corporation from the experience that we as consumers  have. The hands in the image give the company a much more personable feel.

I stumbled upon a very interesting article that explored the different levels of pay within the FedEx company-apparently only FedEx Express pays what is considered a "living wage." The article can be accessed here. It goes on to unearth the pay inequality that many FedEx drivers face. Many FedEx employees do not have benefits, health insurance, or a 401k. The article suggests that this particular business model is what helps them to prosper.

Media Messages & Critical Pedagogy

In my opinion, the deconstructions of both the Qwest and the Alltel commercials are quite accurate. Both commercials portray mixed methods of persuasion and an abundance of racial stereotypes.

The Alltel commercial seeks to inform listeners that a middle class white family can save money at the expense of degrading other cultures and races. For example, the scene in which the daughter's room is rented out to a latino group and their chicken send the message that the latino group is beneath the white suburban family. While the speaker does give an informative deconstruction, her tone could be misconstrued as being almost aggressive.

From a consumerist standpoint, the Alltel ad is very misleading as they fail to mention the difference in plans and prices. The speaker goes on to explore the cell phone plans which have additional taxes and fees, and could in all honesty end up costing you more than your current cell phone provider.

As for the Qwest commercial, the commercial implies that connectivity is everywhere when you utilize their service, and the company prides themselves on this value. However, their track record speaks for itself when you discover that connectivity in more rural areas is virtually nonexistent.

By providing disenfranchised students with the tools to successfully decode media messages with racial stereotypes, we are enabling them to peacefully fight back against these poor excuses for commercials. All students will benefit from learning how to successfully decode and deconstruct media messages by learning how to distinguish the various social problems that exist within society. Knowledge is Power. By knowing, we can ensure that the future generations do not use persuasive, consumerist media to mock at different cultures and people.


To conclude, I feel that both of these commercials are classic examples of the typical, persuasive media that we are presented with on a daily basis. It's sad to say that seeing these racial stereotypes wasn't the least bit alarming, as we as consumers are numb after seeing countless media that rejects the idea that poking fun at other cultures might be abnormal.

By teaching media deconstruction, we will disrupt current systems of banking education by changing how we educate our youth. Currently, I feel that our education system is designed to churn out graduates to work in a particular sector or industry-students are taught to think how corporations want them to think. Media deconstruction is merely one example of how we can create a generation of independent thinkers that work not for corporations, but for the people.

My Digital Story

My digital story summarizes a relationship that consumed over 3 years of my life, and forced me to look deep within myself in order to find the strength to leave. I feel that the topic of my digital story is something that many people can relate to-it forces you to question the path that you're going down. Throughout those years, I learned that you possess the power to make your own decisions and only you can decide when it is time to call it quits.

It's filled with emotional paradigms such as love and loss, and betrayal and forgiveness. I hope to inspire others in a similar situation to discover the courage and strength that lies deep inside of them, and to head toward the light at the end of the tunnel...


Raise Awareness of a Social Problem

I think I covered this topic somewhat in my summary, but the goal of my digital story is to ultimately empower others going through a similar situation. It exposes the reality that the person sitting next to you could have a home life that is far less than perfect. There is truly more than meets the eye.

Build Self-Esteem

More than anything, I want my story to be seen as a triumph. When I was in this situation, it was comforting to know that I wasn't the only one-other peoples' stories provided me with the hope that I needed to keep going. I want my story to be that hope for other people-I want them to know that they are never alone.

Create an alternative to a stereotype typically portrayed in mainstream media.

I think that the stereotype typically portrayed in mainstream media is the classic "damsel in distress." However, that isn't an accurate description-some people can keep things hidden so well that you'd never know what was actually going on. Just because something catastrophic is going on, doesn't mean everything else is falling a part. Sometimes, people will excel at every other area of their lives because it is the only control or normalcy that they will experience. 


-I'm not quite sure what field I plan to be in, and I don't have a content area like many of you. However I desire to be involved in education, whether it be higher education or designing curriculum for k-12, and it's evident how digital storytelling can support learning in every teaching context. 

When a student creates a digital story, they take ownership of their work because it is personal to them. Incorporating technological tools also increases intrinsic motivation because students today are digital natives-it bridges the gap between their actual life and school.