I will never forgive Reddit for both creating and ruining a succinct framing device for the criticism of media analysis. Yes, sometimes curtains are just blue, but now all criticism of poorly thought out or overcooked media analysis (especially the dogshit prescribed analysis thrown at kids along with school assigned reading) has this long shadow of internet reaction that’s nearly impossible to escape.
It’s not just Reddit. It’s also tumblr and the generation of middle and high schoolers who used it. Also the fault of some English teachers for only teaching deliberate, explicit symbolism but not explaining the concept of zeitgeist and subconscious in relation to art.
#1 thing I think any newly minted socialist society will need will be media literacy classes for all. Instead of telling the students “the curtains are just blue” or “the curtains represent his deep inner sadness” the lesson will be “the curtains may or may not mean many things, depending on the context of the story, and here’s how you can learn to analyse it yourself instead of regurgitating my opinion back at me.”
I will never forgive Reddit for both creating and ruining a succinct framing device for the criticism of media analysis. Yes, sometimes curtains are just blue, but now all criticism of poorly thought out or overcooked media analysis (especially the dogshit prescribed analysis thrown at kids along with school assigned reading) has this long shadow of internet reaction that’s nearly impossible to escape.
It’s not just Reddit. It’s also tumblr and the generation of middle and high schoolers who used it. Also the fault of some English teachers for only teaching deliberate, explicit symbolism but not explaining the concept of zeitgeist and subconscious in relation to art.
#1 thing I think any newly minted socialist society will need will be media literacy classes for all. Instead of telling the students “the curtains are just blue” or “the curtains represent his deep inner sadness” the lesson will be “the curtains may or may not mean many things, depending on the context of the story, and here’s how you can learn to analyse it yourself instead of regurgitating my opinion back at me.”