Monday, October 30, 2017

Dyscreenotopia

Beware. They are everywhere. Movies, TV, video games, cell phones, gas station pumps, highways. classrooms, lobbies, kids toys and more. I’m talking about screens.
We live in a world of dyscreenotopia. While they inform us and entertain us, they also intend to manipulate us and seduce us and make us believe that what we only want is what really need.
The screens are full of action, color, sound, beautiful people, cute cartoon characters, all grabbing for our attention. And that would not necessarily be all bad. But how do we assess this visual flood; how do we take it on with a critical eye.
The truth is, we usually don’t. In a world that is increasingly visual, we get no training in the visual language. We don’t know how to interpret these images for ourselves. We don’t learn how to deconstruct them for the intent beneath the message. We don’t get how we are being manipulated. We can’t discern. 
And in most cases, that’s just fine with the makers.

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