Photoshop Hand
I honestly don't know what our nation is coming too, but I am sadly starting to accept the chaos since this new term has begun with our 'social media' president. I found another article of fake news dealing with the so-called Photoshop of the president's hand. It's the updated article since this took place January 27 "No, the White House didn't Photoshop an image of the president's hand" (Phillip Bump, 2017). I wanted to narrow my topic down for my term paper - so I felt this would appeal more to my audience and I could focus more on the method being used.
New York Observer writer, Dana Schwartz, claimed to notice something during one of Trump's interviews on ABC News that aired that week. She noticed that one of the photos made his hand appear larger. This observation of course took place on Twitter and then others chimed in, creating more chaos. However, it is later explained that this is not the photo on the wall - explaining the difference in size. It is the actual photo that was taken. Duh! Schwartz has since deleted the tweets, in the article and are now replaced by screenshots.
I understand, we don't like this man. I'm no fan of him either, but we have more serious things happening in the world than what Trump does or does not do to make himself look better. Fake News should not have gone this far or created a whole brand for itself. We have soldiers dying in Iraq and bombings in other countries.
But I am stuck on what the actual method part is that corresponds with the article, assuming it is one we learned in class. I feel this plays on Fantasy Theme which is the insight into the worldview of groups. In fantasy you have the interpretation of events, constructed to reflect values, often be derived from stereotypes, and rely on "stock characters". But this is applying fantasy to real life situations, which is that most of America has been convinced to take Trump as a joke. The White House and Government have always been very secretive and I believe that is too keep us safe: better to know less than too much in certain situations. Therefore, we are already on edge in what to exactly believe - but to actually start creating our mindset to believe that nothing is real or genuine anymore is becoming ludicrous. President Trump is not the devil, that man has to be ready to do at least one thing right for this country - so let's stop putting our energy into how big his hand is in a photo and to what he is trying to do for us as Americans.
I am ready to start becoming my own hero, if there is nothing else left or I feel I can't trust my president. Trying to help America little by little to create something big is the answer.
New York Observer writer, Dana Schwartz, claimed to notice something during one of Trump's interviews on ABC News that aired that week. She noticed that one of the photos made his hand appear larger. This observation of course took place on Twitter and then others chimed in, creating more chaos. However, it is later explained that this is not the photo on the wall - explaining the difference in size. It is the actual photo that was taken. Duh! Schwartz has since deleted the tweets, in the article and are now replaced by screenshots.
I understand, we don't like this man. I'm no fan of him either, but we have more serious things happening in the world than what Trump does or does not do to make himself look better. Fake News should not have gone this far or created a whole brand for itself. We have soldiers dying in Iraq and bombings in other countries.
But I am stuck on what the actual method part is that corresponds with the article, assuming it is one we learned in class. I feel this plays on Fantasy Theme which is the insight into the worldview of groups. In fantasy you have the interpretation of events, constructed to reflect values, often be derived from stereotypes, and rely on "stock characters". But this is applying fantasy to real life situations, which is that most of America has been convinced to take Trump as a joke. The White House and Government have always been very secretive and I believe that is too keep us safe: better to know less than too much in certain situations. Therefore, we are already on edge in what to exactly believe - but to actually start creating our mindset to believe that nothing is real or genuine anymore is becoming ludicrous. President Trump is not the devil, that man has to be ready to do at least one thing right for this country - so let's stop putting our energy into how big his hand is in a photo and to what he is trying to do for us as Americans.
I am ready to start becoming my own hero, if there is nothing else left or I feel I can't trust my president. Trying to help America little by little to create something big is the answer.
Yikes, I had not heard of this. And, I really thought that the silly controversy regarding the size of the president's hands - which grew out of an eye-rolling effort by Sen. Marco Rubio to "play in Trump's arena" during the debates - was long gone from public attention. Of course, in the age of the Internet meme, these sorts of things never really go away completely.
ReplyDeleteYour paper is meant to focus on propaganda designed to influence public opinion. You, and many other citizens, are rightfully concerned about the capacity of this president to fulfill the responsibilities of the office entrusted to him. He is, to say the least, unconventional. I might suggest, however, that it is through a constant barrage of propaganda - from both sides - that the population views him and his performance. News outlets that are supposed to be objective purveyors of facts and information have evolved into partisan outlets designed to play to the base emotions of their respective audience. Facts are replaced with interpretation; information is sacrificed for spectacle; debate is supplanted by partisan talking heads spouting urgent warnings and fear-mongering.
The size of this person's hands, as much as the choices of that person's wardrobe or the tone of whichever person's voice, isn't relevant to anything important in the political arena. Sometimes, personal issues can become quite relevant as indicators of any person's character or judgment. Often, public debates over what IS relevant come to dominate the news. Did it matter that Bill Clinton, or Newt Gingrich, had multiple affairs? Does it matter what Chelsea Clinton, or Ivanka Trump, do for a living? Does it matter what any politician said two, three, five, or twenty years ago? Is it important that both Hillary Clinton and Barack Obama stated that marriage was an institution between one man and one woman until May, 2012? Does changing one's mind make one a hypocrite?
For our class, your assignment is to choose and then analyze a particular artifact. Here, you have been asked to select a piece of propaganda to serve as the artifact. The article from the New York Observer (please cite your sources) appears to be appropriate. However, be mindful of simply looking at a collection of tweets or a series of reports focusing on the president's hand size - as those would be multiple artifacts from multiple sources - which would be a much more involved and complex bit of criticism. Once you have found your particular artifact, choose which particular method you will apply - and remember that each method is designed to provide a different kind of insight into the rhetoric.
I really appreciate, and applaud, your inclination to become your "own hero" regarding your own political views. I hope this comment helps you with your work. I will be available tomorrow between 9-11 in case you would like to discuss your progress.
Who knew that a picture of a hand would raise so much attention? Personally Trump is many things, but to try and make your hand look bigger in an photo - that is taking it a bit far.
DeleteConventional is a good way to put it, and I am not one that is much into politics. However, trusting who is leading my country is a prime thing in my life. You are right though, these are supposed to be trusted news outlets that our starting to follow the crowd and fall into the trap of this president's team "Fake News". Which I am still trying to understand why this is even a known thing. This article was somewhat hard to find though, I think " Fake News" is starting to die down.
The political arena should be focusing on what we are going to do to help this country, instead of appealing to Trump's celebrity. I believe we change our minds everyday though, it is important to experience change - not making one a hypocrite. With politicians it is a little more confusing because they are truly held accountable for everything they say, while it is recorded.
I am a bit confused in what you meant by analyzing tweets or a series of reports, isn't that basically the article? I still want to stick with Fantasy Theme, I feel it is the right theory for the direction I am going into for my term paper.
Thank you for the commentary! Always a great help into developing my paper more, but once I get a better outline into where I am going with the paper I will. Thanks again.