The key to media's hidden codes - Ben Beaton

Britney spears "Piece of me"

WE ARE PUPPETS

News manipulation is a series of related techniques in which media creates an image or argument that favours their own interests. These tactics may include the use of propaganda, and often involve the elimination of information , by persuading other people to stop listening to certain arguments, or by simply turning away attention elsewhere.

There are many types of news manipulation and so many techniques to do it. We’re going to read some of them:

Manipulating Images

There are many examples of how newspapers around the world use Photoshop images in order to influence public opinion. 

Advertising

News can be manipulated in advertisements in several ways, for example, touching up people or through subliminal advertising.

We are going to see a video in which a product such as a perfume is introduced by a woman. Of course, a beautiful woman... But, is she as beautiful as we see on TV?

Subliminal advertising
The receptor of this type of advertisement is not conscious of these promotional messages, such as those played at very low volume or flashed on a screen for less than a second. Its use is considered an unreliable business practice.

Baskin Robbins — This logo, uses the company's initials to advertise its number of ice cream flavors (31).

Tour de France— the Tour de France logo contains a well-integrated biker.

 The not-so-hidden design within this logo conjures up feelings of togetherness and friendship over chips and salsa.

There are millions of examples of this type of advertising. Let’s watch a video to know more about it. 

Now you know that you must not believe all that you listen to. You must believe in yourself and check is something is correct or not. Don’t be innocent! 

I hope you enjoy my post.

BULLYING TEST

Answer this test in your notebook, giving reasons for each question

 

BULLYING TEST

1. If a bully wants your money, you would:

a) fight (quarrel) with him/her.

b) scream and try to run away.

c) give all your money to him/her.

2. If someone bumps into you by accident, you would:

a) hit him/her.

b) give him/her a chance to apologize.

c) sit and cry.

3. If an older person pushes you around when you’re in the bathroom, and threatens you not to tell anybody, and tells you that something bad will happen to you in the contrary case, you would:

a) wait until he goes away, and tell this to a teacher.

b) fight with him.

c) accept this and not tell anyone.

4. If someone comes and shouts at you by using negative and rude words while you are in the dining hall, you would:

a) ignore him/her.

b) shout at him/her, too.

c) tell him/her to calm down.

d) ask an adult for help.

5. If a group of bullies call you bad names or disturb and harass you with swearwords, you would:

a) tell them to go away.

b) respond by using the same kind of words.

c) find an opportunity to  inform an adult about the situation by determining witnesses.

d) ignore.

6. If a friend is being assaulted by bullies, you would;

a) thank God that you’re not in his/her shoes.

b) immediately go to the victim and attack the bully and push him/her.

c) call other children for help.

d) inform an authority or an adult and ask for help.

7. If a person from school comes to you while you are walking in the park on the
weekend and he pushes you around, corners you, he takes your money by
force and runs away, you would:

a) tell the situation to your parents.

b) tell it to your teacher what happened.

c) notify the police/security.

d) follow him/her

8. If your sister or brother always treats you in a tyrannous manner, you would:

a) punch him/her.

b) pour a pailful of water over him/her.

c) make this a current issue when all the family members are together, and open it

 up for discussion to put an end to this bullying.

9. If your teacher treats you badly all the time, you would:

a)  inform your family about the situation.

b)  talk to your teacher or your psychological counsellor about the situation.

c)  inform the school manager about this.

d)  ignore this. 

10. If your parents treat you tyrannously, you would:

a)  talk to your teacher or your psychological counsellor about the situation.

b)  tell it to one of your close relatives (aunt, uncle etc).

c)  not tell it to anyone.

People in politics

SPANISH POLITICIANS

Actually, Spain is famous because of his government but, specially, because of his politicians. Spain is that place were being a politician automatically make you a corrupt and that isn't true, there are good politicians that want the progress of the country more than money.

Also, some voters are stupid because they vote only listening to imposible promises and false  accusations. We have to think by ourself when we are going to vote because then we will chose party that is good to rule our country.

In the last elections, Spanish people elected the PP to rule the country. In my opinion this wasn't a good choice because they have done bad decisions for Spain and they've tried to gain money by corruption ( as I said, not all of them).

Until we are 18 we can't vote but now, we have to study to get the ideas to vote to the correct party and, also, we can protest against the reforms that we think are bad to our country and our people.

 Some people think that they don't have to vote, maybe because they think that all the parties have the same thieves or because one vote doesn't change anything, but that isn't true.

So, if you're tired of the bad politicians, you should vote to the one that you think that can solve more problems and protest when they do something wrong. After all, your vote and your opinion are really important.

Finally, I want to ask you what party is, in your opinion, the best for rule Spain.

Do you feel integrated in politics?

Hi guys!

I could make a post about our politicians, about the economical crisis, about elections, about democracy, about the history of politics... But I want to have a reflexion about politics, about how we, youth, feel politics.

Politics are really important. Politics are the tool to change the world. Sometimes, people are proud of knowing nothing about politics, but as Bertolt said "the worst illiterate is the political illiterate, he doesn’t hear, doesn’t speak, nor participates in the political events. He doesn’t know the cost of life, the price of the bean, of the fish, of the flour, of the rent, of the shoes and of the medicine, all depends on political decisions. The political illiterate is so idiot, because he feels proud of hating politics. But he doesn't know that his politic ignorance is the reason why druggies, abandoned minors and the worst of all bandits who is the corrupt politician and chief of big bussinesses exist."

Our parents and our teachers say that we don't value the right of voting, the right of electing our representatives in the Congress, and I think that's true. Maybe it's because we were born with that right, as we were born with the ease of taking potable water from a tap. But imagine what would happen if one day that tap stops giving water. Imagine for a moment that we don't have the right to open or to close the tap. I think that's the problem, that we don't know how to use politics and we don't know how useful are them.

I like very much politics. I think was born with that taste, as I have born with many other tastes. I like politicians and judges to be fair, to be honest, to be useful... So imagine how dissatisfied I am. I like to watch El Intermedio very much. Here is where I've learnt most of my knowledges about politics, appart from the high-school. The other ones, as for example, what is a right-wing party and left-wing party were learnt from my curiosity.

Do you make to launch any other reflexion? 

How to solve our lifes with no more languages, studies or professional experience

How is possible that young people with low skills reach international agencies in Spain? How can you connect to over a hundred people, whole families, without anything happening? How to pass a law without even knowing the name? How fake academic transcripts are created? How many consultants are needed for a single public position? Why our politicians mess up and then all is forgotten?

Becoming a politician is easier than you think in some countries:

There are many ways to become president, for example, in the United States it's achieved by the power of money. It's a super complex business that requires a good team, a glib tongue and an endless stream of dollars. 


In China, however, is achieved thanks to own merits. We must stand between 85 million to reach the head of the Communist Party administration, climbing from the bottom. But whatever the way to lead a nation each country has its own.


So, how to became president in an easy way?

There are two ways :
 The first: join one of the major political parties. Break your back all day working for them. You can leave your family, your work, but never your political party. Then, go climbing and working in your political party and maybe at last you can become president.

The second: Wait the time of elections and join your friends to create a new political party. You must be social and choose a name that inspires an air of social justice and solidarity. Take it to the streets , appears on TV , newspapers...Meet a sociologist , prepare him the speech that people " want " to hear and then memorize it . Finally , promise everything, whatever comes even if you think it is impossible. And then you will be a president.

If it is not enough, here you have a video with 5 steps to become a successful politician:

'The press and public often pay attention to what politicians say, but less to how well they do what they're supposed to do.'

PEOPLE IN POLITICS

Welcome to Spain, the worst European country in educationational questions!

Sadly, yes. We live in a country whose level in education is as low that, if you look for, you will find hundred of thousand of pages talking about that. Did you know that Finland is the first country in that list in which Spain is the last?

• And if we know the keys to transform our system, why don't we use them?

I can answer to my own question, and I think you too. We are known ase the lost generation but, are we guilty? No, we aren't. In Finland, children start school at the age of 6. But we start it when we are 3. When you are so small and an unknown person take you far from your mum, you cry. So you hate school. When you are seven and you are trying to learn English, you have to understand the meaning of words on their own, not just long and complicated sentences, because when these sentences are in a different way, you aren't able to translate them.

• It is very easy to send books and books of homework but, is this really necessary?

Taking again Finland's example, they think lots of homework are not necessary, as well as those exams in which you have to know all contents of the book. They are sure that reasoning is more important tan memorizing and they agree in which punishment are not necessary: children have to learn to decide what's goo and what's bad.

It is proved that playing, talking and reading is much more effective in little children than those long sheets.

• What happens to teengaers? Are we stupid? Are we a strange kind of human being which only knows how to destroy? Do we have to be locked in classroms (like cages) because we can attack people?

Sorry, we aren't. We have to wake up at half past seven in the morning and we are in school six hours and a half around 200 days a year (with no counting weekends), so it is normal if we are tired every day. Homework and exams doesn't help us. Personally, I don't understand people who think that teenagers are dangerous, r those who believe our brain is not able to think like the one of an adult and we just think in sex, drugs and alcohol. Sorry again, but it is not correct. We have eyes and ears, so we see and listen all the problema of the country. We understand the problems that, in a few years, we are going to suffer. We know what an economic crisis is and we know that the Spanish educational system is not helping to us from going out from the crisis. So, instead of worring about what new punishment could be invented, or how to name courses to make us think that they are working, politicians could start to see and listen to, because they have solutions in front of them. I think it is not so complicated, teenagers are not the only ones who know how to copy other people's ideas.

• Right or left? Does our country need people with a powerful critical sense or disciplined workers? Do we want students with high general culture or specialists who are well prepared to incorporate into the demands of the workplace?

It doesn't mind. We are in a free country and we must have our own ideas, ideologies, religions, ... The only necessary thing is habing really clear what do we want. And, sadly, in Spain, we don't know what to do, what to say, what to think, etc., because those people who should know it, are blind and just know how to criticize.

HOW DO YOU THINK THE EDUCATIONAL SYSTEM MUST BE?