Media Bias Pastiche

For this exercise, we were to identify a news article that contains bias towards a social or political issue and as a result displays a specific ideology. Then rewrite the article demonstrating the use of bias techniques from a different ideology. This is the article I have chosen to re-write: http://www.npr.org/sections/thetwo-way/2015/10/23/451208663/why-hurricane-patricia-cant-be-blamed-on-climate-change

Hurricane Patricia Undeniably Made Worse By Climate Change

Hurricane Patricia—now the strongest hurricane ever measured—is expected to make landfall in Mexico late Friday. According to the latest official forecast from the National Hurricane Center, Manzanillo, a city of 100,000 people, appears to be in Patricia’s direct path.

After seeing the incredible data gathered by hurricane hunter aircraft overnight, a few meteorologists have argued that Patricia could be thought of as a Category 7 hurricane—though the official Saffir-Simpson scale only goes up to 5. Here’s the official description of likely damage from a Category 5 hurricane—like 1992’s Andrew in Florida, and 2013’s Haiyan in the Philippines—suitable for your nightmares.
The original justification for cutting off the scale at 5 is that no human-built structure could withstand winds above its 155 mph threshold. So essentially there was no point in differentiating between storms once the winds were above 155. Right now, Patricia’s core winds are estimated to be 200 mph—with gusts to 250 mph—as strong as the tornado that destroyed Joplin, Missouri, in 2011, but at least 15 times larger in area. Patricia, at its current strength, is close to the theoretical maximum strength for a tropical cyclone on planet Earth. In fact, at one point on Friday morning, Patricia actually went above its maximum potential intensity.

How did Patricia get to be so strong? The answer, quite simply, involves human-caused climate change. Hurricane Patricia is exactly the kind of terrifying storm we can expect to see more frequently in the decades to come. Although there’s no way to know exactly how much climate change is a factor in Patricia’s explosive strengthening, it’s irresponsible, at this point, not to discuss it.

Scientists who study the link between hurricanes and climate change have long predicted, and debated, the trend of stronger tropical cyclones. The latest science seems to have settled on climate change boosting the frequency of the strongest hurricanes, even as total hurricane numbers may remain flat. Basically, storms like Patricia fit closely with these predictions, though they happen so infrequently that it’s almost impossible to definitively prove.

Even though it may not make sense from a wind speed perspective to create new hurricane categories, the fact that super hurricanes like Patricia may be becoming more common and that storm surge is a far deadlier threat anyway means that, from a public warning perspective, it may be time to revise the Saffir-Simpson scale. Patricia has made it clear: Climate change means we need a Category 6.

Practice IOC 2: Munro, Moons Of Jupiter

https://sites.google.com/site/eruditemedia/mp3

Practice IOC: Alice Munro, Boys and Girls

https://sites.google.com/site/eruditemedia/mp3?pli=1

Alice Munro and Women's Literature

These first few lessons of our senior year, reminded me why we study literature. Literature gives an insight into anything, it allows us to obtain a bigger and richer experience with the world. To me, it was always an act of empathy. Whenever I read, I've always imagined what it's like to be someone else. You suddenly have a fuller understanding of lives other than your own. We learn more about those around us, those who come before us and we learn more about ourselves. A quote that's always resonated with me and perfectly captured this is: “A reader lives a thousand lives before he dies. The man who never reads lives only one.”― George R.R. Martin.

While discussing this with our peers, it proved to be a little more difficult than anticipated. There is no strict definition. There were questions such as: Is WL only for woman? Can men write WL? Does WL need to convey feminist messages? Firstly, we looked at how women should be classified as a social group since they've been marginalized and oppressed. For example, it wasn't until the 19th century that female authors were able to publish and even then, it was under a pen name. A lot of their works seemed to share their own personal experiences and struggles from the perspective of being a female specifically. This in turn relates to consciousness-raising, turning the personal into political. This created a new language of theory, one that had been previously been defined by the oppressors. So no, WL is not only for woman, but rather for anyone who reads it. Through immersing the readers into their memories, they are better able to understand their oppression and empathize with woman. In this light, you could argue that women's literature was a tool for feminism. However, Alice Munro herself does not identify as a feminist writer and yet she provides insight into life as a women. With the simplicity of raw truthfulness and subtle symbols, Munro has managed to create a story that allows the reader to converse with the characters and find a new viewpoint on the female identity. So no, WL does not need to convey feminist messages. 

Analytical Exercise

Commentary on Let It Go

Lyrics:

The snow glows white on the mountain tonight

Not a footprint to be seen

A kingdom of isolation,

And it looks like I'm the queen.

The wind is howling like this swirling storm inside

Couldn't keep it in, heaven knows I tried!

Don't let them in, don't let them see

Be the good girl you always have to be

Conceal, don't feel, don't let them know

Well, now they know!

Let it go, let it go

Can't hold it back anymore

Let it go, let it go

Turn away and slam the door!

I don't care

What they're going to say

Let the storm rage on,

The cold never bothered me anyway!

It's funny how some distance

Makes everything seem small

And the fears that once controlled me

Can't get to me at all!

It's time to see what I can do

To test the limits and break through

No right, no wrong, no rules for me I'm free!

Let it go, let it go

I am one with the wind and sky

Let it go, let it go

You'll never see me cry!

Here I stand

And here I'll stay

Let the storm rage on!

My power flurries through the air into the ground

My soul is spiraling in frozen fractals all around

And one thought crystallizes like an icy blast

I'm never going back,

The past is in the past!

Let it go, let it go

When I'll rise like the break of dawn

Let it go, let it go

That perfect girl is gone!

Here I stand

In the light of day

Let the storm rage on,

The cold never bothered me anyway!

Let It Go is everywhere, and it’s not disappearing without a fight. It’s the main reason why the Frozen soundtrack has been the No 1 album in the US for nine weeks and counting – Beyoncé only managed three – and a significant reason why the film became the highest-grossing animated movie of all time. It’s no mystery that Let It Go has become a sensation among our generation now.

Now although this song can be interpreted in many different ways, even as an LGBTQ anthem, I’ll be arguing why this song deserves to be in an anthology of the greatest songs of this century.

Let It Go mainly serves as an aperitif for adolescence. It’s a moment of transition and upheaval which conveys the giddy, reckless buzz of expressing yourself without considering the consequences.

The line "Let the storm rage on" is followed by "The cold never bothered me anyway" - a line worth remembering, as it's said twice, sung in a different style, and is the last line of the song. Now the “cold” could be applied to any problem an individual could be facing. It is a time where feelings are raw, unpredictable, terrifying and new. Elsa however was afraid of her lack of control of her powers and the resulting isolation from other people.

Note, how she turns around and slams shut the doors. This is her way of dealing with her problems. It is also similar to how a lot of adolescents shut people out and bottle their emotions in difficult situations, especially with their loved ones.

Another line in the song that's a self deception is when she says "You'll never see me cry". Both this line and "the cold never bothered me anyway" are the kind of things said by people who are trying to convince themselves. It is studded with the language of refusal: “not”, “couldn’t”, “can’t” (twice), “no” (three times), “never” (four) and “don’t” (five).

Lastly in the matter of lyrics, consider the title of the song itself, "Let It Go", which is sung repeatedly. What is she letting go of? It is obvious, that Elsa lets go all of her restraints, especially with her powers. This is the positive element in the song, and what most listeners unfortunately latch on to, to the exclusion of other elements. It is a jubilant celebration of release for those who have been living in fear or bondage.

But personal empowerment, though good, is fraught with danger, as indicated by the next line: "No right, no wrong, no rules for me” (an ode to moral relativism). She lets go of her sense of right and wrong, of the rules and restrictions that being a "good girl" imposed on her. Now obviously some of the rules may have been constraining but they were also for the safety of her and others. How much of that is she letting go? Only some specific rules? All of it? The entire concept of goodness?

Honestly, anyone could relate to this. In adolescence, it is inevitable when exploring and discovering oneself to have to question everything and take risks and to be confronted with such choices.Who hasn't felt that they could become more powerful if only they let go of other people and their restrictions and morality? Who hasn't felt that there is nothing they could do in certain helpless situations, powerless despite their abilities? And who hasn't felt their soul imperiled by these feelings?

Although I’ve interpreted as more of an aperitif to adolescence, I do believe that it applies to the entire human population, despite age. In the end, this song expresses the uncertainty we have with human nature. It expresses the confusing array of emotions that we’ve all felt when confronted, especially with power.Yes, the song is about empowerment, but there is also tragedy, anger, bitterness, and self-deception in it, in even greater measure. Even though it doesn’t convey an utopian ideal, it does something more. It expresses a phase which many of us have experienced since the beginning of our time, and it teaches us a lesson.

How to Write About Muslims

When writing an article on Muslims, there are rules.

Rule #1: Make sure to use the words 'Terrorists' or 'ISIS' in your title. Other words you can use are 'Jihadi', 'Attacks' or 'Cult'.

Rule #2: All Muslims are the same. If one forces his daughter to wear hijab, they all must. If one beats his wife, it must be because the Qur’an told him to do it. And if one young Muslim woman gets a PhD and then chooses a husband…oh wait, no…that would obviously never happen.

Rule #3: Always assume a Muslim woman needs to be saved, and write accordingly.

Rule #4: Ignore positive examples.

Rule #5: It Is Always the Muslim’s Fault. 

Rule #6: Always be confident that you know everything there is to know about Islam, and that you understand it better than most Muslims do.

Rule #7:  In the unlikely event that you are missing any information regarding Muslims, consult a Muslim spokesperson with whom most Muslims will disagree (because Muslims generally have a poor understanding of their own experiences and cannot be trusted to provide reliable information.)

Rule #8: Everything Muslims do has to do with Islam and Islam alone. Their cultural background and its possible influences in their lives must be ignored.

Rule #9: If culture is mentioned, ensure that it is clear that it is inherently barbaric and violent (especially toward women.)

Rule #10: Always remember that Muslims are not real Canadians (or Americans, British, etc.)

Rule #11: Only Trust Muslim “Reformists.” You can only consider the voices of Ayaan Hirsi Ali, Irshad Manji, Wafa Sultan, and Mona Eltahawy. Theirs are the only valid voices of Muslim women, because they've realized the error of their ways. Never trust a woman wearing hijab – obviously someone put her up to it.

Rule #12: Be as melodramatic as possible. Enhance this through your use of provocative words. For e.g when talking about women, emphasize their abuse. Use words such as 'prisoner' or 'chained'. This wording successfully suggests that the lives of Muslim women are not free, and it is only in death that they can achieve this freedom. Conversely, non-Muslim women have zero constraints in their lives and are always, always free.

Rule #13: Make a few jabs at feminists. Point out how useless feminists are when it comes to Muslim women. They should know that they are supposed to speak for all women, and that all women have exactly the same needs. Any desires to repect and honour women of diverse cultural backgrounds should be seen as incompetence.

Rule #14: Take Every Anecdote As Gospel. It’s important, of course, that whenever you have a negative experience in a Muslim country, you make general, sweeping statements about how that experience is the norm, like “It is well known that the Arabs and Muslims kept and still keep sex slaves” and “A fully ‘covered’ girl-child, anywhere between the ages of 10-15, may still be forced into an arranged marriage, perhaps with her first cousin, perhaps with a man old enough to be her grandfather, and she is not allowed to leave him, not even if he beats her black and blue every single day.”Nevermind the thousands of Muslim women who are waiting until they finish their educations to get married. Nevermind the legal reforms. Obviously, only negative experiences count, because all Muslims are the same!

Bonus marks: Sneak in a reference to Israel, especially when it is completely irrelevant.

Paper 2 Practice

In Things Fall Apart, Achebe indicates that in Igbo cultures, proverbs are the palm oil with which words are eaten. A proverb, is a phrase which briefly yet strikingly expresses some recognized truth or observation about practical life which has been preserved by oral tradition. Achebe makes use of the proverb to provide a 'grammar of values' to which the protagonists can be measured to. Therefore, it reminds the audience of some of the motifs in the novel such as importance of status and the value of achievement; and reiterate themes. In chapter one, the proverb “He who brings kola brings life” is used to show the audience the value and the tradition of passing the kola nut for fellowship and alliance in Igbo culture. Many of the proverbs refer to animals in the bush to make a cultural point. The proverb, "Let the kite perch and let the eagle perch too. If one says no to the other, let his wing break” uses natural imagery to compliment the process of making (or breaking) covenants, in this case between Nwakibie and Okonkwo. Some of the proverbs use local myths or mythical characters to illustrate a point. Nwakibie also uses a proverb to describe his wise and careful attitude toward those who would borrow from him. He says, “Eneke the bird says that since men have learned to shoot without missing, he has learned to fly without perching". Achebe also uses proverbs and sayings to describe his characters especially Okonkwo. He is described by an old man thus: “looking at a king’s mouth one would think he never sucked at his mother’s breast”. Such a proverbial descriptor defines Okonkwo as being proud as a king but also very self supporting and having a quick rise to fame and fortune. The proverb makes his character so much more vivid and alive than any other literary device.

Achebe also includes traditional songs scattered throughout his novel. Many of the songs combines cultural themes and traditions with imagery that helps the reader share the Igbo's vision of their world. In addition, Achebe translates the villagers’ songs into English but leaves Okonkwo’s song in its original language. Since a majority of the village later becomes Christian and colonized, their songs could be written in English to show the “shiftiness” of their hearts and their inevitable surrender to English occupation and rule. However, Okonkwo is never subdued by the English or Christianity so his mind and heart is unreservedly African. Perhaps that is why Achebe leaves his thoughts un-translated.

Myths represent a society's perception of the deepest truths. Myths have their roots in the primitive
folk beliefs of a people or a nation and generally present supernatural episodes as a means of interpreting natural events in order to concretize or particularize a special perception of man
or his cosmic view. Myths tries to explain away the origin of creation, the origin of life and death, and tries to account for natural phenomena and the great forces found in nature. In Things Fall Apart a memorable folk tale is told Ezinma by her mother Ekwefi. It is the story of the birds

and the tortoise who accompanied the birds to a great feast in the sky. The simple tale of Tortoise and the birds is a parallel for the entire novel. It is the story of the sudden rise and fall of Tortoise, just as Things Fall Apart is the story of the rise and fall of Okonkwo. The story says that the birds lent Tortoise their feathers so he could accompany them to the sky. This is similar of the massive communal support given to Okonkwo by his people that enabled him to be Umuofia's proud and imperious emissary on a mission of war to Mbaino where he "was treated with great honour and respect" just as the hosts in the sky took Tortoise "as the king of the birds". After Okonkwo's elevation to membership in the highest decision-making body in the land, he is exiled to Mbanta , abandoned even by his closest friends who took part in destroying his compound. After Tortoise is elevated to the highest place in the sky, he is exiled there abandoned by all the birds, his former friends. Tortoise, finding himself deserted in the sky, sent word to a woman, his wife, to arrange for his survival. This parallels Okonkwo's flight to his maternal land and kin for survival. The folk tale tells us that when Parrot misinstructed Tortoise's family, he fell and "his shell broke into pieces." This reflects Okonkwo's return from exile only to find Umuofia "breaking up and falling apart". Now, the folk tale says that a great medicine man gathered all the bits of shell and stuck them together to give Tortoise his rough "skin." After Okonkwo's suicide, the tribe, though broken, was held together and stuck together by the sheer resilience of collective will, after, according to Obierika, the white man has "put a knife on the things that held us together and we have fallen apart". Tortoise survives, a patchwork of himself, just as Igbo clanship survives.

In many ways, Achebe uses Igbo folk ways to enrich his narrative, to give it form and structure, and from there, to inoculate it with meaning. This is the tradition he has established in the African novel.