Blog #6 - Peer Review EOTO Topic - Telephones

 Telephones - EOTO Presentation Reflection

While listening to my peers discuss various forms of media, I found the presentation on the history and development of telephones to be most interesting. I use my iPhone every single day, but I never really take the time to think about how telephones came to be. Now I use my phone for communication, entertainment, schoolwork, my career, keeping in touch with family, and so much more. However, telephones were originally invented purely for direct communication.

Telephones were invented with the idea of creating "talking telegraphs". Telegraphs were used to send important messages across different areas of the country. Telephones were different from telegraphs in many ways, even though their uses were similar. Telegraphs took weeks, and telephones were able to relay messages instantaneously.

Antonio Meucci and Alexander Graham Bell both pioneered the invention of the telephone. Alexander Graham Bell is often acknowledged as the sole inventor of the telephone, but without the influence and ingenuity of Meucci, modern telephones would not exist as we know them today.

Overall, telephones have revolutionized communications technology across the globe. From the invention of the first "talking telegraph" to the smartphones of today, the development of telephones is truly a marvel of invention.

Blog #5 - Anti-War - Role of Dissent

 Anti-War and the Role of Dissent

The role of dissent and the First Amendment in politics and war is quite prominent. Under the First Amendment, each and every American has the right to voice their opinions on political practices and on the government's actions. However, this is not always granted equally in privately owned domains like social media sites. Even Google, which is meant to be a place for all information and viewpoints to coexist, has become increasingly and obviously geared toward certain opinions. 

This all ties into government censoring and specifics of First Amendment protection in the media and in political movements. There are many opinions about all government actions, but certain voices seem to get buried under those that either the government, Google, or other popular media outlets acknowledge/support.

The website Antiwar.com, for example, focuses on the views of antiwar supporters that are not typically shown by the media. This could be due to a couple of reasons. First, the government wants to keep its favored policies and actions in the spotlight of the media. War is a very emotionally-charged topic that has perhaps a greater chance of inciting violence or protest. To keep relative peace between political parties, voters, and general citizens of the US, the government might try its best to put sources like the antiwar page tucked neatly under the radar within media consumption.

Similar views appear on sites like The American Conservative. It is not easy to find such direct and strong voices for these viewpoints, which again points to the censorship done by the media in conjunction with the government. Media outlets and search engines want to show what is best for their reputation and what will produce the most revenue. To do this, they project an image of whatever views are favored and suppress those that are in contrast.

Blog Post #4 - EOTO - Newspapers

EOTO: The History and Impact of Newspapers

The history of newspapers and their development in our society has changed drastically since the time of their first use. Newspapers are an incredibly important form of communication, and their impact within the United States of America is particularly intriguing. 

The very first newspaper in the world was created in the year 1605 in Strasbourg. Now, defining this as a newspaper is not exactly the same as we see newspapers today. Strasbourg had a periodically published and distributed record of local events and information that was distributed on paper. The first newspapers to be widely recognized by historians were called "newsletters" because they were distributed in the form of letters to the public. These early letters contained information and general happenings from town courts to local shops. Newsletters were designed to spread information and gossip from all areas of one town, or multiple towns within a certain radius. These primitive newspapers eventually became circulated in greater volume and within larger areas as young men moved to larger cities to start their careers and brought back local newsletters to share with their families in rural communities. This was very common in populated areas of England and Scotland and newspapers were distributed as early as 1588 with irregular schedules. 

In America, the first recorded newspaper was the "Boston News-Letter". However, many historians concur other newspapers existed prior to the Boston News-Letter but were shut down by the British government after their first issues were published. The village post office was known by residents to be a place for gossip and the exchanging of new information. Because of this, it was only natural for a newspaper to start there. The newsletter was providing the same function that the town discussions did, just in a more organized manner. 

In today's media, newspapers take on many new and different forms. Towns and communities no longer have one possible source of news made by a singular journalist or group of journalists. Now, large corporations, non-profits, government agencies, community blogs, and personal social media influencers all compete with journalists and newspapers in the distribution of current events and information. This concept is further described by the author David Ryfe in his research article titled "The Ontology of Journalism". Ryfe claims that journalism is no longer meant to simply inform. He argues that journalism and most other forms of relaying information tend to focus on both explaining and interpreting the information for their audience. 

Overall, the invention of newspapers changed the way we communicate in many ways. First, it allowed local events to be known in greater areas. Newspapers gave people the opportunity to learn more about their community, their country, and the world. Second, newspapers gave individuals the right to information without government interference. Published news became a source of information that did not have to be approved by the government first. In addition, whether the news is subjective or not, it is a way for people to decide how they feel and how they will respond to new information and recent major events. In the end, I think that the invention of newspapers benefitted our society's ability to communicate with each other about things that are happening in our world today. 

Blog Post #3 - Free Expression

Eight Values of Free Expression 

The Eight Values of Free Expression are essential in maintaining a free society in the United States. The values that resonate with me the most are "Individual Self-Fulfillment" and the "Promotion of Innovation". These two values have significantly impacted my development and way of life.

The value of "Individual Self-fulfillment" is particularly in my life because it allows me to seek out my passions and interests and find others who share similar ones. For example, I danced competitively at Rising Star Dance Academy back in Minnesota for 15 years. As an adolescent, I developed an interest in dancing, and the value of "Individual Self-fulfillment" allowed me to act on that interest and promote it to others. I now consider the art of dance as a critical aspect of my life and my personality, and sharing that value with fellow dancers from across the country is something I am forever grateful for. 

The value "Promotion of Innovation" is another value that I greatly appreciate in my life. The process of getting my degree in Strategic Communications has shown me the power and influence that innovative and creative thinking has on our society and our world. Free Speech allows creative minds, inventors, innovators, artists, and so many more people to use their own methods to express ideas, create change, and impact the community around them.

Even though the two aforementioned values are particularly important to me, all eight values of free expression are relevant and beneficial. The value I think might be most pertinent to the function of society as a whole is the "Check on Governmental Power". Checks and balances are crucial in maintaining an ethical, well-run, values-based government. Though there is great discomfort and disapproval about our current government, this can be a good thing. When the press, the general public, or organized political groups do not agree with government actions, we have the ability to state our grievances and enact change where we see fit. 

All of these values can be seen in action in our society today. The values that promote free speech and free thinking are seen within the work of comedians, artists, dancers, singers, public speakers, activists, and really any individual that chooses to express themselves in a public manner. An example of free speech and government disapproval working together is displayed in today's "Defund the Police" movement. This movement is centered around the desire for law enforcement that behaves differently and more effectively in society. Free expression allows supporters of the "Defund the Police" movement to openly criticize the current government actions and ask for change within the system. 

One theory called the "Marketplace of Ideas" can also be seen and related to real-world events. This marketplace describes the freedom of opinion, expressing ideas, and fighting for personal opinions and values. All over social media platforms such as Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, etc., political and personal ideology is openly and passionately expressed. While this often leads to conflict and division within our country and between political parties, it also is a necessary evil. When someone without a strong opinion wants to understand the argument for multiple sides of an issue, the "Marketplace of Ideas" allows them to examine any and all opinions and thoughts that each sector of the population holds. 

Overall, the Eight Values of Free Expression are very important and necessary in the lives of Americans today. They can be seen at work in past cases and events, as well as happenings of today.