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YouTube Red and what it means for the Internet

Analyze YouTube's announcement for a paid service as well as what it could mean for the future of the internet and streaming videos. Describe the already announced programs and mention some of the early criticisms it has received so far. How will it impact the free side of YouTube, will quality go up or stay the same? Could this change hurt YouTube as a whole.

  • There are already paid services such as Netflix and Hulu, so some people might be hesitant to buy Youtube Red because of the amount of subscriptions they need to pay for. I also don't know many original series Youtube Red has announced other than 'Scare Pewdiepie', which is created by the creators who made 'The Walking Dead.' – YsabelGo 9 years ago
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Static Archetypes: How do Specific Character Builds in Anime Remain Financially Successful?

Every genre and medium has character archetypes associated with it, but few have as many and ones which appear with as much frequency as anime does. Tsunderes, Kuuderes, Yanderes; not only are many of these staples of almost every airing show nowadays, but the formulas used to create them are nearly identical. Most of the time, characters from different shows could be switched around without anyone noticing. The reason why these characters are so popular in the first place is fairly straight-forward: they play into power fantasies by implying that exterior behavior does not accurately reflect interior feelings. However, after so many reiterations of the same exact thing, the market should start to be frustrated. Anime is a very financially-driven medium, so why is it not considered profitable to put new and creative spin on the tried-and-true archetypes when doing so would almost certainly enhance viewer enjoyment and yield capital return? Shows like the Monogatari series have done exactly this and gotten massively positive results, so why do so many animation studios vie away from any sort of enhancement to the formula?

  • While I'm not a big anime fan, this article would catch my attention. The only thing I would say, would be whoever writes the article should be sure to explain the archetypes so a casual viewer like myself would know which is which. – Austin Bender 9 years ago
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The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde: The Id and Ego in the Novel and Film Adaptation

Deconstruct the representation of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde and its psychological implications. What does this say about the internal battle between moral and physical desires, between duty and desire, between Id and Ego? How do social conventions repress wicked desires in the novel and film? Finally, a more broad question, does Dr. Jekyll represent humankind?

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    From page to theatre and screen, what makes some stories work so well in different formats while other stay confined to one medium ?

    What makes a story get reused over and over again? From The Wizard of Oz to The Lion King and Mary Poppins, whats makes a story so popular and loved that is can be recycled from medium to medium with reboots and sequels? Stories like Charlie and the Chocolate Factory have been made into movies, plays and musicals while others like Star Wars and The Incredibles were left in their original mediums despite being loved by many.

    • I think this is an interesting topic, especially due to the way you approach it. At first, while reading it, everything seemed obvious, until I came to your points about Star Wars and The Incredibles. Why have these ridiculously popular franchises not been introduced in a different medium? Then I did think of what is taking place at Disney with the Jedi Academy. I guess, maybe, this is a more accessible means of representing this franchise? This is a good topic that I would love to read what someone writes about this. – danielle577 9 years ago
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    • This is an interesting topic. In the article, I suggest the writer address the effects of translating big movies, like "Star Wars" and "The Incredibles" to the small stage--play or musical. Some stories work well in different formats. "The Wizard of Oz" can work in different mediums, but technically advanced movies like "Star Wars" and "The Incredibles" rely on special effects and technology to bring the story to life. In the article, you can discuss the challenges of adapting certain movies to a different medium, and how it can or cannot work. – RoderickP 9 years ago
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    • Do not forget that Star Wars actually has a very large expanded universe crossing multiple mediums (though currently no longer canon). Most of this takes place outside of the film saga and includes books, television shows, and video games. You can play Lego versions of the six movies, experience key battles on the front lines in Battlefront and Rogue Squadron games, and even explore the galaxy far away an even longer time ago during the Old Republic era in an MMO and two acclaimed RPGs. Your point still stands, that some are adapted more often than others, and it is still an interesting point to examine. – nsnow 9 years ago
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    • I would also recommend writing about the creators of works that fight or have fought to keep their work out of the theatre or off the big screen. – Austin Bender 9 years ago
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    Korean Art, Design and Culture

    Drawing from an extensive multicultural databases and resources, attempt to comprehensively cover multiple aspects of Korean design from fine art and architecture to product and graphic design.

    • Fantastic topic, it would also be worth considering, talking about Korean performing arts or mentioning what other regions were inspired by older Korean architecture and design. – Austin Bender 9 years ago
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    Soul Man vs. Tropic Thunder- When is blackface okay?

    Analyze the difference between Soul Man (1986), a movie that shows the length people will go to get an education, and Tropic Thunder (2008), a film that features a white actor portraying a stereotypical black soldier. The former is maligned among audiences and critics and has a 14% rating on Rotten Tomatoes. The latter is beloved for its skewering of Hollywood, and netted Robert Downey Jr. and Oscar nomination. Where did Soul Man go wrong, and what did Ben Stiller and company do right?

    • Interesting topic! I would warn you to be wary of contrasting these so starkly, however; RDJ actual did receive some serious flak for Tropic Thunder (http://gokicker.com/2013/10/28/blackface-never-okay/) and there are scholars that hold that blackface is never okay, regardless of the popularity or overall acceptance of the practice under certain circumstances. I don't know where your argument will go with this, but tread carefully. You should hesitate to paint the practice in any positive light, and maybe focus more on the blatant racism plaguing Hollywood and the Academy Awards. – Eden 9 years ago
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    • I don't think this should be limited to just these two films (which are already good places to start). But another film that should probably be spoken about is Spike Lee's Bamboozled. This film features two African-American actors putting on blackface for a television show, which is set up by an African-American writer and the company headed by a white man. This was a satirical approach intended to show the ridiculousness of blackface as well as trying to fight traditional stereotypes of African-American characters (Ie the buck, the coon etc.). I think Tropic Thunder's use of blackface is similarly a piece of satire, but it is used more as a tool to comment on the extremity of method actors. It doesn't really crrate a discourse on blackface itself, however If you really wanted you could try and talk about African-American actors whitefacing, although unfortuneately the oly example of this I can think of is White Chicks, where we also see men dressed (or rather disguised) as women. – Jamie White 9 years ago
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    • Wow, amazing idea. I do agree that the you could expand to more than two films. It is sort of a tightrope kind of article, go too much in one direction and you could potentially offend of a lot of people, but this could end up being one of the most entertaining and informative articles if done right. – Austin Bender 9 years ago
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    The Power of Reflective Writing

    Reflective writing has great power to aid in self discovery, to strongly connect the author and the reader and to transform both. The best reflective writing goes far beyond a brief diary entry and compels careful attention from both the writer and the reader. When done well, both the writing and the reading of it are mindful practices.

    • I think this is a fascinating idea. My worry is that it may prove extraordinarily challenging to discuss the issue without becoming bogged down in academic jargon. Not that it would be impossible or that it wouldn't prove enjoyable, only that delving into such a topic could be somewhat confusing. I'd love to write on this topic, but I fear the only way I could do so is by offering my own personal writings as examples of elements of the broader idea. Is something like that acceptable? If so, I'd totally be down to have this as my first attempt at a published piece. – Bo 9 years ago
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    • Hi Bo, I think your own personal writing is an essential grounding for this kind of reflection. You can see a blog where I have some of my own writing and that of some of my students here: http://bit.ly/MakingMeaningofGettingAway – jaa9n 9 years ago
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    • I love this idea, but when reading your description, I was wondering, what do you believe is "at stake?" This post would benefit from your providing some questions that plague you; something that intrigues someone to see this interesting topic and then decide they want to explore this topic and share their enthusiasm. I agree with what you say here, but what if you ask, "can reflective writing ever be a truthful depiction since it is fueled by emotions?" – danielle577 9 years ago
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    Steven Universe is poised to pave the way to progressive animation on children's networks, but few follow suit.

    Analyze why Steven Universe is a popular show among several age groups. Main reasons being it's progressive and tolerant writing with well rounded characters who actually develop as the show progresses. However, the show keeps getting pushed aside for shows like Teen Titans Go, which has little to nothing to offer in terms of tolerance and character development. Research why this is and what it could mean for the future of animation if Steven Universe fails at the hands of the network.

    • I'm actually currently writing a research paper for a college class related to it, specifically examining what Steven Universe has been able to do that Adventure Time has not, specifically regarding gay relationships (the intended relationship between Marceline and Princess Bubblegum that never came to be). That could be another angle to consider. – JMPetrequin 9 years ago
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    • You might look into the difference in marketing opportunities between SU and other CN shows. With Teen Titans Go, specifically, they have name recognition with the earlier Titans series, and with that they have the ability to sell a butt-load of toys and games. Despite being arguably the worst thing I've seen, TTG makes money /because/ of how dumb it is. It's an easy show with no real continuity between episodes, and because of that it can be picked up at any time. With SU, however--while you can watch and enjoy any individual episode--there is an over-aching plot that can be missed by a casual viewer. The show also can't bank on recognition from previous sources because the show is doing a lot of "new" things that I'm sure CN has no clue how to market. As a side-note: if they could figure out a way to make toys of character that could actually fuse (kinda like the megazords of early Power Ranger toys), they would be awesome! – waltermccoy91 9 years ago
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    American politics and the influence over 'Rock the Kasbah'

    'Rock the Kasbah' (2015) has been in theaters for only a few days, and already, reviews of the film express a lack of interest and the wonderful feeling of being "Murray-ied'. Critics and public viewers alike are unimpressed and can't stand how slowly the film moves through a plot which flat-lined within the first half hour. Through all of the unrest regarding the movie, one critic I have not been seeing is how the movie was loosely based off a riveting and touching documentary "Afghan Star" (2009).

    The film centers around Bill Murray's character, a Hollywood music manager. He goes to Afghanistan with a musician on a U.S.S tour, she ditches him there, and a few bad decisions and wacky circumstances lead him to find a Pashtun woman who is a (surprise) talented singer. Salima (played by Leem Lubany), goes on the Afghan version of 'American Idol', 'Afghan Star'. She risks her life to do so, and a truly inspiring ending is the result; however, this film is dedicated to a real woman, Setara Hussainzada.

    Who is she, you may ask? Hussainzada was a female contestant on the real-life show "Afghan Star" and was the first of four to be eliminated. Her final goodbye was inspiring, she danced freely and without her hijab. She recieved death threats and became a social outcast for her scandaless performance. Lema Sahar, a Pashtun woman, was another contestant on the show and was eliminated after Hussainzada.

    The film takes a beautiful, empowering moment in Afghanistan current culture and white-washes it to the point where a white, male, American is not only the center of the film, but is responsible for Lubany's characters bold demonstration of feminine strength. It can be argued such changes were made to not only get Murray in a film but also to make it more appealing to American audiences, but this is where the problem resides. This film could have been an American take on the stereotype-breaking event of two empowered Afgah women; in the end, the credit was given to a fictional American man. This could have been a movie to celebrate two women who risked thier lives to express themselves without forcing an American in to help 'liberate'. Hussainzada and Sahar did that themselves, but you wouldn't know that from the film they inspired. How is this a reflection of American bias against Afghan people and culture?

    • Thank you! I understand exactly what you are speaking to regarding mainstream acceptance; that these women would not be capable of expressing themselves and their freedom if not for the obligatory white male hero. – Venus Echos 9 years ago
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    The Use of Color Symbolically in Film

    Following its introduction into mass media with The Wizard of Oz, color has played an important role in films, with filmmakers intentionally choosing colors to symbolize different elements in their pieces. Analyze pieces such as The Sixth Sense, which uses color to foreshadow the ending revelation, or Moulin Rogue, which uses color to symbolize the different areas of the city.

    • I think this is a really interesting topic, since it's something we don't normally take notice to right away when watching a movie. I also think it would be worth talking about how films also use complementary colors to help establish relationships between characters too. An example of this might be a couple where a man is wearing an orange tie, and the woman a blue shirt. – BlueJayy 9 years ago
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    • Pleasantville (1998) also uses colour to symbolize change, as the townsfolk either have a sexual awakening or develop an interest in something that evokes a strong emotion. – YsabelGo 9 years ago
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    • This topic is a great one and definitely deserves more discussion! Arguably some of the most visually striking and symbolic uses of color in film have been Stanley Kubrick's infatuation with RED. Seen throughout his films, and having a spectrum of ambiguity, Kubrick fully utilized not only the purpose of color, but the psychological effect it could have on the audience. – luminousgloom 9 years ago
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    • I agree with Luminousgloom. Kubrick's movies are really complex. his movies need careful scrutiny. your topic is rich so need more time and precise information. – Elahe Almasi 9 years ago
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    • This is a really great topic, one made even more interesting, I think, by the use of filters that can subtly enhance or diminish particular colors. In The Secret Life of Walter Mitty, for example, the blues are unbelievably vivid, while the remaining colors are largely unchanged (a lomo like effect). Subtle, almost undetectable changes are a great way to "color" the viewer's experience without perceptually hammering an effect home. – jjmarler 9 years ago
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    The Disney Resurgence

    With so many live-action remakes of classic Disney films, from the recently released (Maleficent, Cinderella, Pan) to the upcoming (The Jungle Book, Beauty and the Beast, Dumbo) which ones work/will work and which won't? Is it possible to recapture the magic of the cartoons, or are some too outdated for a modern audience? What should filmmakers change or keep the same?

    • Something you might want to consider beyond just the Disney aspect is that most of these were stories/folktales before they were produced by Disney. Maybe include something about how much of the original material is lost when it goes from a story to an animated film to a live-action film? Something to consider when there is even older source material. – Connor 9 years ago
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    • I feel like a big reason why Disney is able to pull off making classic, animated films into live-action movies is because of the more recent trends that people have shown interest in. For instance, a lot of the live-action movies Disney is coming out with remain in touch with the original stories created by the Brothers Grimm...meaning that the movies have a darker feel to them. I believe that, currently, society is intrigued by this genre, and that's why Disney is able to take classic films and turn them into live-action remakes. – Dominic Sceski 9 years ago
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    • I think an article like this could really find an audience. It could touch upon the success of Cinderella and the critically panned Pan, but I agree that it could extend far past just Disney. It could also be interesting to be up the resurgence in new animated films. With live action remakes coming out, we're still getting "original" animated films. – Austin Bender 9 years ago
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    • Just a reminder-- Pan is a Warner Brothers film. – Candice Evenson 9 years ago
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    • I wanted to add that there might be a more aesthetically-motivated element behind the recent surge in Disney live-action remakes. Since Alice in Wonderland, one of the first remakes to come out in the 2010s, each of the films have been overflowing with lavish costumes, artwork and special effects. I think that while the beauty of the original 2-D films will never be replaceable, there is a tempting desire for many people to see what the characters and settings would look like transferred to a more realistic medium. Moreover, Disney live-action may not exactly reproduce the concept or appeal of the original, but I feel it certainly has its own kind of magic to share. – ad5na 9 years ago
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    PTSD in Full Metal Panic: Is Sousuke Sagara an Accurate Portrayal?

    Since a new series of Full Metal Panic got announced, I thought it is timely to look at this topic as Sousuke is a popular character and has been subjected to a lot of opinion about whether he is realistic or not. The writer could look at the light novels and anime for how to back up their argument, as well as literature and criteria for PTSD. I would be willing to collaborate with someone on this title (I am busy) I am studying Psychology and have read all of the light novels and seen the anime.

    • If anyone would like to collaborate with me on this please PM me. Thanks for support so far! – Jordan 9 years ago
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    • It would see to me like an obvious no. While I'm certainly no authority, from what I understand PTSD involves nightmares, flashbacks of the traumatic event, and anxiety. Also depression, insomnia, fear, anger, jumpiness, difficulty trusting others... but Sosuke is calm, methodically rational, and trusts his allies with his life (though I haven't read the light novels, so I may be wrong). The only symptom he exhibits regularly is Hyper-vigilance, which is really just a normal part of his character. Most of the time when he pulls his gun too eagerly, it's not because he's paranoid, but because he doesn't understand normal social protocol, and misinterprets people and situations. You can see this when he changes environments. At a high school he's out of place, and his nature would appear to be overly aggressive or paranoid. But on the battle field, his natural environment, his actions are right on point. From what I understand, a PTSD victim would not make a good soldier because they may cave to stress, and cannot accurately assess risks. But Sosuke is the perfect soldier. His quirkiness at a high school isn't a symptom of PTSD, but a symptom of just not knowing any better. – LangsEnd 9 years ago
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    • Yes Langsend, I think you may be correct, although Hypervigilence also comes under high anxiety, jumpiness and difficulty trusting others. Being overly rational could be a defense mechanism (intellectualizing), and since the story doesn't happen from Sousuke's point of view, he may very well have nightmares and flashbacks but we do not see them happen. PTSD affects everyone differently and to my knowledge a lot of soldiers have PTSD but don't seek treatment because they risk loosing their job (I don't think this risk is as bad now but it may depend). Anyway, I think to some extent it becomes a grey area which is why it would be interesting to explore it. Thanks for your feedback! – Jordan 9 years ago
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    Undertale vs. Mass Effect

    Both games incorporate a triple-tiered karma mechanic. What is effective about the approach taken by Undertale, the up-and-coming indie game, and what is effective about the approach taken by Mass Effect, the mega-million dollar franchise? Dozens of other games have written this feature in the past. What prospects does the karma meter have in the future of adventure gaming?

    • Mass Effect is one of the best RPG games there is and i dont know if any game can compare to it – aasteriou 9 years ago
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    • Definitely an interesting topic to think about. Though, the similarities between the karma meters are very slim, especially in the way they're incorporated into the gameplay. – rhainley 9 years ago
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    Pokemon - A Children's Game or An Advanced Strategic and Tactically Driven Game For Experienced Gamers?

    I'm sure that you've all heard it before: "Pokemon? That's a child's game. Call of Duty/Battlefield are adult games!" While I do believe that Pokemon games have started out to be just a game for only a child audience, I can't help but feel that the games have taken a complete shift in audience growth. You will notice many older audiences playing Pokemon and not just playing it but knowing the more complexities of the mechanics within the games that children have no idea nor any concept of. For example, IV's and EV's were something that pretty much were non-existent in the minds of players when Pokemon Red, Blue, and Green Versions were released (as well as Yellow). These new mechanics in the games revolutionized the way players interacted with each other to a whole new level of complexity. Before it used to be "Trade me your level 100 Mewtwo for my level 50 Mew." But nowadays we have players talking like this: "I'll trade you my Shiny Bulbasaur with it's hidden ability for your Ditto with maxed IV's and EV's!" Not only that but with the addition of new battle methods such as double, triple, rotation and even inverse battles the inclusion of these stats affecting IV's and Ev's have driven players to catch multiple of the same Pokemon just to get even one that has at the very least one or two IV/EV's maxed out. Those are the Pokemon that have the best chances of becoming either a wall or sweeper in online battles. So, are these games more children friendly still? Or is Nintendo secretly turning their consumers into full blown tacticians and strategists?

    • I feel that pokemon can appeal to different audiences, which is why it's a popular franchise. You can either enjoy it casually or seriously, so there's no right or wrong way to play it. I know Fire Emblem is also a strategy game, but compared to Pokemon, there is no pressure to EV train if you don't want to. It really depends how seriously the player wants improve their team. – YsabelGo 9 years ago
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    Gilmore Girls: The Return

    It was recently announced that Gilmore Girls will be returning on Netflix. What does this mean for the characters? This is especially important now that Rory and Lorelei are older and the fact that the actor who portrayed Richard Gilmore, Edward Herrmann, has passed. How will the new storyline be different?

    • I wonder what they will do with the grandfather since the actor passed away recently. I am still to this day obsessed with this show, so I would love to read this article reviewing it! – Nof 9 years ago
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    • I never got into the Gilmore Girls...everyone on my FB feed is freaking out about it. This is something they should read. – laiineylaceup 9 years ago
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    • while we do have all these questions about the supposed reboot, what will this article be about? will it be accusations of what could happen based on the past series? or just examine pieces of the show and how amazing it is? – madistyle94 9 years ago
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    • I think that the next four episodes will be great for those who were left with questions, but it might open up some wounds for those who loved the Gilmore Girls series, making them want more. The unfortunate event with the Grandfather passing will be an affect on the revival episodes, but I think that the story line might have a more grim atmosphere in the next four revival episodes. – HannahRd 9 years ago
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    • I think this is a great topic! It will be interesting considering the age differences. We will finally be able to see how the characters, especially Rory, have dealt with the later stages of life. – katiebaker12 9 years ago
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    The Importance of Optimism in Future-Set Movies and TV

    "Although it was on the air for only one season, The Jetsons remains our most popular point of reference when discussing the future." (Matt Novak, smithsonianmag.com)

    Since The Jetsons "promised" us flying cars more than 50 years ago, we continue to refer back to the show as one of the only mainstream depictions of a future with a positive outcome. Granted, cinema in the 60s still included the larger-than-life conflicts (literally) with movies like Mothra vs. Godzilla, 2001: A Space Odyssey and Planet of the Apes, it seemed like the depiction of the Jetsons is the only piece that prevailed in a technologically relevant way. But to pose the question of why The Jetsons has continued to be arguably one of the most influential "science fantasy" cartoon depictions is to pose the question of whether optimistic depictions of future shape the way we innovate and live our lives.

    The day I'm writing this is a date that the 1989 film, Back to the Future, predicted the sorts of technological advancements we will have made, and they were relatively close. A CNN article, "What did 'Back to the Future II' get right?" by Todd Leopold illuminates what was and wasn't correct about the film's predictions ((link)

    However, around the same time as Back to the Future, we were beginning to see movies like Mad Max, depicting a sort of "post-apocalyptic" future, along with movies like The Terminator, The Matrix and Blade Runner depicting a sort of "dystopian" future. In a different way, these were becoming more common and more mainstream, possibly due to the advent of affordable visual effects and digital imaging. Regardless, it seems that the rising generations are growing up with zombies, apocalypses, and a fear of artificial intelligence or government totalitarianism. Maybe it didn't help that The Terminator came out the year that George Orwell warned the world could be approaching a totalitarian system of constant war and surveillance.

    In summation, assuming, for now, that the influence this media has can determine our course of progression and innovation as a world, than should the media industries be sharing a sort of responsibility in reenacting optimistic outcomes in future-set movies and TV?

    • Media, definitely has its own impact on our lives..but assuming everything displayed to be the real future is kind of stupidity..it is a source of entertainment..with people bringing out their fantasies on screen. Media has its fair share of optimism being screened. – reb24 9 years ago
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    • This is definitely a good topic to cover especially with all ''post apocalyptic dystopian society'' story book, movies and Tv shows there are being thrown around. It's getting old and watered down, and frankly plain pessimistic. If media plays such a heavy role in terms of representation, why does it lack such sense of futuristic optimism? – ArianaDeedeen 9 years ago
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    • I like the idea of exploring optimistic, or at the very least honorable themes in film and TV. Nowadays, most stories that are released in both those mediums are really dark and helmed by despicable characters (e.g. Nightcrawler, House of Cards, Gone Girl) and it'd be nice to see an article dealing with themes that, through the power of storytelling, could better people. – August Merz 9 years ago
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    • There is optimism featured in many modern works, but the popular trends tend to focus on pessimistic takes on the future, such as in dystopian universes. The popularity is determined by the audience's desires. Would more widely reported positive news events rather than constant tragedy shift the demand of media to focus on the optimistic? – sarahdoner 9 years ago
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    • I'm not very well versed on the Star Trek universe, but I always saw it as an optimistic portrayal of the future. As far as reenacting solely, or mostly, optimistic outcomes, I think that might be exactly what could propel us into an Orwellian type situation (attitude policy of control by propaganda, misinformation, denial of truth, and manipulation of the past). – TrevorNewsome 9 years ago
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    • Watching/ researching the movie Interstellar might help forward your argument a little. The story line is particularly interesting because an optimistic outcome prevails for the future of humanity, but only after a global travesty and near-apocalyptic events. Perhaps it is a reflection on how society feels hopeless about our future today that the movie's positive outcome was from sheer luck and after much loss. – rnoelw 9 years ago
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    • Love the idea. I would probably steer away from the notion that it is media's responsibility to show us a better future, though. The dystopian outlook in films will only die down once they stop making money, a responsibility held by the viewers. – Austin Bender 9 years ago
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    Kung Pow And Hidden Messages

    Attempt to find deeper meanings hidden within the movie Kung Pow. Explore these messages and how they are relevant to the plot or the real world. Look at other movies Kung Pow references and how the stereotypical hero story is warped.

    • If you are meaning the satirical comedy movie Kung Pow, I wonder how there can be a more serious tone to write about. Even the idea of the movie is impossible to take seriously, in a good way. But, if there are deeper meanings, maybe it would be better to write about the strong impact of humor within the movie compared to hidden messages relating to the real world. – cwinegargarrett 9 years ago
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    Gendered Humor

    Analyze the theory or cultural understanding and/or gender ideology that women aren’t funny and the idea that when women use "men’s humor" they are judged as being profane. Also, explore who men and women have used humor to degrading women and desensitize audiences to serious topics such as rape, sexual assault, etc. Why are categories of humor based on gender? What about just calling it human humor?

    • Make sure to edit this and take out "thing" after "funny." It is not needed. Great topic. – Diego Santoyo 9 years ago
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    • Personally unaffected by the ideas first expressed in this topic, it will never be quite possible to have "human humor" because we have a society which doesn't differentiate gender and sex. There will never not be gender based humor because men will never understand menstruating and women will never achieve the slap-stick of getting kicked in the balls. – Slaidey 9 years ago
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    • Great topic! I'd love to see, if you can, explore how genderless comedy can become prevalent. There are many comedians who use gender to propel themselves and it just does not work. However, gender can play a huge role in informing on gender inequality. The Colbert Report and The Daily Show actually did a decent job with this without being derogatory or perpetuating harmful ideologies (like Tosh.0...) – AriadneDeLaMans 9 years ago
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    “World Literature” in a Time of Globalization

    “World literature” is a term often referred to in academic settings to include writing from around the world and from different times that may feature varied perspectives based on these factors. However, in a time of high-speed internet and global interconnections and interdependencies, what does this term actually mean? For instance, does it refer to literature from different parts of the world, or from different “worlds”, or from different worldly perspectives? What is generally meant by the term "literature" and what should it mean?

    Also, with such an emphasis on “literature” in a written form (often translated into English) and with the usual exclusion of more traditional storytelling mean such as oral stories, does the concept of world literature in any way actually represent the “world” and different forms of literature and storytelling?

    • Books such as "Shantaram" and "Life of Pi" would be interesting for this topic of globalized literature as they both are told from the voice of a diasporic narrative. "Shantaram" is told from the perspective of an Australian living in the slums of Bombay and working with the criminal underworld. "Life of Pi" is told from the perspective of a person from India that is now located in Canada. – 50caliburlexicon 9 years ago
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    • I think this is a very interesting idea especially if you were to take a look at how the publishing industry ultimately controls our idea of 'World literature.' A lot of the big powerhouse publishers in the US and UK actually stray away from translating literature, especially literature placed outside of the Western World, such as that from the Middle East or remote parts of Asia. Unfortunately, the publishers don't believe in a lot of 'world literature' because statistically these titles don't sell as much. They're going so far as to remove the translator's name from the cover page because they believe it will help them sell more of this 'world literature,' but translation is a whole other issue. I think there is a lot of exploration with this topic though! – eegibson 9 years ago
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    Is the Western coming back?

    In the past decade, there have been some quality Westerns released such as No Country for Old Men, There Will Be Blood, and Django Unchained, as well as solid remakes of 3:10 to Yuma and True Grit. There is also the upcoming Bone Tomahawk to look forward to, and obviously the highly anticipated Hateful Eight. Eastwood's Unforgiven in 1991 was considered by many to the the "eulogy" for the Western genre and a fitting end at that, however it can be said that there has been a resurgence of sorts since then. As one of the most recognizable and classic genres, is the Western is making a legitimate comeback? Or will it die out again by say, 2020?

    • Good topic, but make sure to check for grammar/typos. – Diego Santoyo 9 years ago
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    • Most of the more recent Westerns do not serve as a stereotypical Western so the resurgence is potentially due to innovation in the genre. Perhaps you should include how they've evolved from, say, Stagecoach or Unforgiven. – cbazil 9 years ago
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    • This is a good question and could lead to a great article. You could make an argument that the Western is coming back, or this could just be a limited spike in Westerns. It could also be worth mentioning sub-categories like Space Westerns and Western hybrids which adapt many elements but are often not seen by critics and fans as a "true Western" – Austin Bender 9 years ago
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