Jenkins Introduction and Chapter 4
Henry Jenkins is an American Media Scholar and Professor of Communication, Cinematic Arts,and Journalism at USC. He recieved his PHd in Communication Arts at UWM. Jenkins focuses on how individuals in contemporary culture combine numerous different media sources. He suggests that media convergence be understood as a cultural process, rather than technologically. Jenkins research also includes the field of video game studies.
Convergence culture is “where old and new media collide, where grassroots and corporate media intersect, where the power of the media producer and the power of the media consumer interact in unpredictable ways”, as well as the relationship between three concepts-media convergence, participatory culture, and collective intelligence.(2). Overall, Media convergence is a world where all worlds (technological, social, cultural) collide and can be explored by all. It is shaped by peoples differing perspectives and unique experiences to various media, melted together by both grassroots and mainstream media sources. Convergence also alters the relationship between existing technologies, industries, markets, genres, and audiences. Jenkins states that it is our participatory nature that keeps media convergence alive. Through the use if colective intelligence we are able to create new ideas out of old and reworked concepts, so the continuation of these concepts can be reworked into even more creative and new ideologies. Jenkins warns of the dangers of media convergence moving to quickly, stating “ old paradigms are breaking down faster than the newones are emerging”. Moving to quickly doesn’t give time for reflection on the current state of media technology and dismantles companies before they get a chance to fully develop. Jenkins specifically discusses how the delivery system of media is converging and convergence elements are both compatiable and mismatched socially, culturally, and physically.
Overall, Jenkins’s perspective can be stated in this paragraph, “We are entering an era of prolonged transition and transformation in the way media operates. Convergence describes the process by which we will sort through those options. There will be no magical black box that puts everything in order again. Media producers will only find their way through their current problems by renegotiating their relationship with their consumers. Audiences, empowered
by these new technologies, occupying a space at the intersection between old and new media, are demanding the right to participate within the culture”.
In Chapter 4 Jenkins uses Star Wars as an example of media convergence and advancement. Star Wars is a great example of media convergence and exemplifies the ideology of a participatory culture. Without the Star Wars participatory culture, the legend of Star Wars would not exist. The way Star Wars fans intereact with movie is very diverse. Fans re-create and parody movies on the internet , are inspired to produce new media based on the movie, hold conventions, and have developed a collector’s market that thrives in-store and through the internet. Through the use of the internet visibility of fan culture is more prominent than ever (131).
Chapter 4 restates that the current moment of media change is reaffirming the right of everyday people to actively contribute to their culture, a culture that encourages broad participation (shaped by socio-cultural protocols), grassroots creativity, and a bartering or gift economy. Everyone's a participant but participants may have different degrees of status and influence.
When it comes to dealing with the intersection between corporate and grassroots modes of convergence,neither produces or consumers will the have answers.
Jenkins says consumers can achieve balance by accepting and actively promoting some basic distinctions between media. Media producers can gain greater loyalty and more compliance to legitimate concerns if they court the allegiance of fans. Future media will be place more emphasis on the consumer than ever before thus the participatory nature of the consumer is essential for the thiving of media. To me this means we will be in control of the content we are marketed by how we respond to it, this can have both negative and positive consequences.
Overall, Jenkins looks at DIY craft as an essential aspect of participatory culture, he encourages it yet warns of both the negative and positive aspects it has on culture, society, the consumer and big business.
Midterm Project Progress
So, I have been making slow but steady progress with my project. The most I have accomplished so far is the gathering of materials. The other day I went to Michaels Craft Store and purchased meltable glycerine as well as shea butter soap. I added a new scent, “Pearberry”, to my collection of scents and picked out sum soft glitter for my soap. I also stopped by American Science and Surplus (cafty odds n ends type store) and picked out some glass bottles and soap molds. I still am working on picking out the exact recipes I want to use, I have few ideas but want to do some more research.
Wendell Berry, is a man of many talents. He is a farmer, poet, activist, and critic, known for his many writings on sustainability and resourcefulness in the natural world. In this essay he proposes that agriculture shouldn't be dealt with as an industry. Berry focuses on the fact that we treat agriculture as an “industry” where the materials that are non living versus a true agricultural perspective where we are dealing with living and breathing things . Berry states that farmers who don’t farm on the basis of just making money are more nurturing, and are less likely to rape the land of its resources (industry). Agricultural farms are workplaces and homes, so things are cared for with greater detail, thus farming for agriculture serves purpose and has a direct connection to the farmer, and serves as the farmers craft. Berry denies the perspective that the soul purpose of agriculture should be to export and make money, and believes growing for consumption as well as sustainability (food, shelter, fuel etc). Berry believe agricultural farming helps diversify local farming, increase local employment, and is environmentally friendly (125).
We cannot see the true value of agriculture in a free market because agricultural productivity has no direct or stable relation to value (126), which he blamed on the fact that humans live artificially. The American market is also hard to work in as the costs and loss of agriculture are constantly overlooked and the price to run a farm at the governments rate are pricey. Good American farmers are thrifty and that is how production and money are made. Berry states a common misconception of the agri-business is that there are too many farms, an ideology I am unfamiliar with and can’t really explain. Farmers are constantly being driven towards industry which results in the loss of handwork. Also there is the belief that that farm work is often mislabeling as hard unrewarding work, which effects the ideology that agriculture has to be co-dependent on industry.
Overall Berry stresses less emphasis on agriculture as a industrial and capitalistic process. He encourages people to look at the multidimensional resourcefulness of agriculture, “from the topsoil to the dinner table and beyond”, to encourage sustainability and survival. He wasn’t specific on what political movements have formed his ideologies but did compare farming our current way of farming to how commercial farms were established in communist Soviet Union.
Harriet Fasenfast was Born and raised in the Bronx, but now resides in Oregon. she is a firm believer in the economic resourcefulness of using the qualities of the garden within the home. She teaches classes on food preservation and organic home economics at place called Preserve and and is a published author inspired by the works of Berry Wendell. Her book, householders guide to the universe, is a cookbook based on resource and sustainability. This book was formed when her small business was forced to make changes due to the globalization of the American work market. As a result she was forced to be a multi-faceted preserver and found a new home in the natural world more than the industrial. Fasenfast is a firm believer that the earth calls the shots, thus if the earth is sick we will all suffer in one way or another. She believes we are all being fooled by an market based economy. From her works and beliefs she redefines the term “householding”, stating, “Householding is in form and function the foundation for a home-based economy because it is in our homes, gardens, and Communities that the work needs to be done” . Overall, Fasenfast promotes a move away from a consumer culture and toward a culture of producers. It is a reclaiming of skills that were once common among people who lived in simpler times.
I feel that both Wendell and Fasenfast are really inspiring and offer a new ideology that everyone should take into consideration. Both uphold my ideas on resource and sustainability and offer more inspiration for the foundation of my project. I look forward to reading more from both since I’m feeling the need to move away from the ideology of large scale consumerism and globalization.
