The Baywatch Effect

I learned an interesting fact today in my T101 class. The Baywatch effect. Mark explained it better than I will be able to in this entry, but I will attempt. I took away from today's class that the Baywatch effect means that when a certain hit becomes a hit to a majority of viewers most media creators then take that hit and make it their own to make an optimum profit (I hope that sums it up well enough for you Mark). Baywatch was the beginning of this effect, hence "The Baywatch Effect". Now it has come to a more diverse medium that appeals to viewers.

A good example came to my head during Mark's lecture. Cop shows. My dear lovable critical boyfriend brings this topic up a bunch. He complains to me often that all cop shows on t.v. today are the same. I love watching all these cop shows and he makes fun of me for it because he claims that even with their minor differences they are one and all alike. Who would have thought my boyfriend was discussing an actual theory when he complained about his contempt?

It is completely true what he complains about though. Just off of my head I can name these current cop shows: CSI, CSI: NY, CSI: MIAMI, Law & Order, Law & Order: Criminal Intent, Law & Order: SVU, Cold Case, Saving Grace, Cops, TRU t.v., Discovery's Case Files Shows, etc. All these shows start out with someone dying mysteriously (often times including sexual abuse, but I will get to that later) and then follows the investigators until the crime is solved. So why is it such a hype to watch all these variations? The answer is really simple: Money. The creators of the shows want to make money so they look at what is already popular.
Ever since the days of Dragnet and Cagney and Lacey cop shows have been of interest to many viewers. Since then they have evolved to fit the time period they premiere in and to peek on the interests of the new curiosities within the viewers minds. Cop shows may never come to an end as more technological advances are produced and can be brought into the shows meaning continuous money flow for the creators.

Now onto a flip view of what most people appreciate. The cop show parodies. Recently people have taken notice to the abundance of cop shows on the air and have decided to use that with a completely different twist than what has been seen before. Reno 911, according to it's Wikipedia page, was created by Comedy Central in 2003 and is a "mockumentary" parodying the show Cops. It takes situations just like seen on Cops, but almost seems to make them even more real. It is almost completely improvised so it makes it feel realer that what most cop shows are. It makes fun of what cops must do to protect the law. In Cops, there are a lot of drug busts and chases. In Reno 911, there are ridiculous sexual offenders and calls made that show the cops not having any actual authority. It takes Cops and makes it so much more out there.

Another parody I have seen recently was in Forgetting Sarah Marshall. One of the main characters is an actress for a television cop show. In the movie, there are shots taken of the show she is on and it parodies how so many of the cases in the cop shows in real life revolve around sex offenders. It is obvious that the filming of her show is a lot like the filming of the CSI shows. There is emphasis put on the one liners that the actors say and the fact that each murder is somehow connected through sexual intentions. There may be pubic hair found on the victim, or evidence of rape, or some kind of dominatrix act. It completely parodies real investigation shows.

Anyway, I went on a long rant and most likely lost my main topic. This all connects back to the Baywatch effect because people are making money even off of a hit b making fun of the hit. It's a different angle of the Baywatch effect that I feel will be seen much more in the future. I must say, I do love my cop shows, but I also love a good parody as well. Yet again, my optimistic pessimism is coming out. I'll be back soon to reflect on something more that Mark made me think about!

Sincerely,
The Ern

Technology Epidemic or No?

As I've gone to my T101 class the passed couple weeks, my mind has cleared and I have begun to view things a little differently. My instructor, Mark Deuze, tells us that we should come into his class with a clear view on media, meaning we should forget our preconceived opinions and look at media with an open mind. This is a hard thing to do. I often times, in the past, would flip flop back and forth with my view on technology and the media. I would go through a period where the new technologies would amaze me and I would be totally optimistic about their futures, but then after that high a very negative view would hit me even harder than the optimistic outlook. After the optimism I would look more critically at what the technological advances were doing to me. I would start to believe that these advances were making me impersonal and lot in the world. Then it all would flip back again. Mark has changed this for me.

Technology is a beautiful thing. It's amazing what human beings can do now with all the technology that has been created. Medicine alone has advanced so much that the world is beginning to find cures to the most dangerous illnesses. That is a wide view though. The "technology epidemic" that I titled this entry has more to do with what I view on campus at IU. Ever since classes started and I began hearing what Mark has taught us I have seen the way my fellow students treat technology. Cell phones are everywhere. I have yet to meet a student who does not have a cell phone of some kind. Some are more advanced than others, but everyone has at least a basic phone. It does sadden me a little when I see people texting in my classes when they should be focused on the instructor, but that is not the outlook I want to have. I want to be able to compare what campus life was like just ten years ago. I can't imagine that many students would have cell phones. Ten years ago cell phones were just breaking out and it was a luxury then compared to being a necessity now. And yes, cell phones are necessities now. If someone doesn't have a cell phone they are very disconnected from the world.

Wait...? Did I just say disconnected. What happened to all the theories of cell phones, and video games, and computers causing people to become more impersonal. This is where that theory falters. Our world today is so dependent on these new technologies that to be impersonal is to not have a cell phone. So is it really an epidemic to have all these things?

Every person's view is different. I love that there are all these advances, but when does it go too far. I personally think some technologies are a bit ahead of their time. For instance, the Microsoft Milan, the new surface computer, is an awesome way of computing, but is it really worth it all in the end. From what I have heard these new computers are around $10,000 and take up a lot of space. Mark showed us an informational video on it and also a parody on the computer. Check out these videos: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rP5y7yp06n0
and the parody: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CZrr7AZ9nCY

That is just one example of many new technologies that we might not be ready for. I personally agree with the parody on this particular medium. All in all though, people may think that kids are more violent and the human race is becoming impersonal, it really isn't happening. Just look around when you are walking outside. Someone is always on the phone or texting someone that they aren't physically able to be with causing more interaction. There is no epidemic in my opinion. It just advancements that come with change.

Sincerely,
The Ern

And in the beginning...

Welcome readers to Optimistic Pessimism!

I am not a writer. I used to think I was a writer until the wonderful day came that I went to college and took a writing class. I, by no means, failed; I just didn't do as well as I had expected. I technically have started this blog because of a class I am taking now, but I have been wanting to start one for a while.

Now, what is optimistic pessimism. I really have no fucking idea, personally...it's just something I consider a quality of mine. A big quality. I rant on and on about staying optimistic to everyone (mostly my boyfriend), yet I think I am probably the most pessimistic person I know.
The name came to me right before I began this blog because I told a couple people close to me the phrase "This too shall pass". That's a pretty damn optimistic phrase and I sat here and told these people that it's something I live by. In actuality, I wouldn't say I live by - I rely on it. I only think about the phrase when I am going through something tough, which is not at all living by it. I don't think twice about the phrase when I am happily content with my life.


Anyway, I have begun my blog and I hope that you enjoy it. I must warn you that it will probably not exceed too many expectations - meaning it will probably be dull and dry most of the time, but if you are willing to tune in, I will be more than happy to continue writing! On to my endless amount of homework that I have been bitching about for a few days now.

Sincerely,
The Ern