What is this media stuff all about? Alright, I’ll tell ya’. [Gabriel McHaffie]

Media life is not a typical “study of our medias.” It is something more. T101’s professor, Mark Deuze, explores media integration with us. While I do not agree with all of Professors Deuze’s philosophies, the class is still an interesting exploration. Is your reality real? Can you change reality? And even: How do you know a city exists? These are all examples of questions asked when examining a life in media. The course becomes about us–humanity as a whole–becoming the media, rather than “solving the problem.” The idea that media as reality is a frequent idea tossed around in T101, but this is where Professor Deuze and myself differentiate. I agree that media are real. Strong emotions are associated with them, and because of those emotions media is real. That isn’t to say they are reality. The media simply try and represent reality. For the sole fact that tasting a hamburger and trying to taste one on a television commercial, shows the reality and the real representation that is where reality and media differentiate. Although the TV commercial’s burger undoubtedly looks more appetizing, it is not reality. It is a real representation, however. Emotions don’t make something a reality, they simply make it real. Emotions contribute to the many phobias in the world. Is an irrational fear that all dogs are evil a reality? No, but it is real. It’s there and it’s how we deal with what is real that makes a reality. All of that being said, the course is an interesting environment to explore our integration with media. It’s a great class, that’s loads of fun, and I believe everyone should take the course because it approaches the media life from a different angle, forcing anyone to think outside the box and interpret how their media affects them.