Gran Torino - Multicultural Communication

Gran Torino is a 2008 American drama film directed and produced by the famous actor Clint Eastwood. Eastwood also plays the main character of the film; the Polish-American former Ford factory worker and Korean War veteran, Walt Kowalski. The film also features a large Hmong American cast, including Bee Vang, playing the role of Walt’s neighbor Thao Vang Lor.

Being set in Detroit, Michigan, Gran Torino is the first modern American film to feature Hmong Americans. They were recruited from Southeast Asia by the US during the Vietnam War, and the first Hmong arrived in America in the 1980s and 90s. In the film, Walt Kowalski comes into conflict with a Hmong family and gang in the neighborhood. He is a miserable and racist man, much due to bitter memories from the Korean War. When he catches Tao trying to steel his 1972 Gran Torino, pressured by his cousin’s gang, the Hmong teenager’s family forces him to do chores for Walt. Eventually, Walt ends up becoming friends with Tao and his family, and learns a lot about their culture. Undoubtedly, he is the one who changes the most throughout the film. Finally, he attempts to protect Tao and his sister from the gang, which sadly includes getting himself killed.

“Why is the film called Gran Torino?” you may ask. Firstly, Gran Torino is the brand of Walt Kowalski’s car. However, there are several deeper reasons as to why the movie was named after it. For instance, the car is the one object that ties Walt, Tao, and his Hmong family together. If Tao had not tried to steal Walt’s Gran Torino, they would never have developed a relationship in the way they did. Furthermore, the car can also be a symbol of Walt’s connection to his past, and a reflection of pride and better times. When he gives the car to Tao in the end of the movie, he somehow transfers these values and beliefs to him.

Walt and Tao

The 1972 Gran Torino

The film deals with many themes, such as aging, violence, family and respect. However, the perhaps most important theme is multiculturalism and culture clash. Walt is a cranky, racist and sometimes downright hostile man, and he does not adapt well in the multicultural neighborhood. He makes it clear from the beginning that he wants nothing to do with the Hmong, whereas Tao and his family truly make an effort to make him feel welcome in their company. As Walt eventually realizes that he is the minority, and spends more and more time with the Hmong, he gradually develops understanding and openness. In this way, Walt is an example of how people can be blinded by prejudice, and consequently overlook the good qualities in people.

How Is Social Media Changing Journalism?

In this video from theatlantic.com, a group of media professionals were asked to discuss how new platforms are transforming radio, TV, print, and digital. Watch and hear their answers! (Link to the website here)

Traditional Media & Social Media

Last Thursday, we watched a TED talk by Markham Nolan in our International English class. One of the main topics of the talk, was how we find news today compared to "earlier days", and the shift in the balance of power from the news organizations to the audience. Prior to the arrival of social media, the audience did not really have any way of affecting news or making a change. Now, we have the opportunity to choose from dozens of social media platforms if we want to express our opinion to the public. Furthermore, the news organizations use social media in their search for news stories. An example from the TED talk, was how an earthquake that traveled between two cities in 60 seconds, was already on the internet 30 seconds later. Therefore, in theory, the whole world had the opportunity to know that an earthquake happened almost instantly.

Another topic that Nolan talked about, was the importance of source criticism. As a result of the prevalence of social media, reliable news stories are now more difficult to find; both for news organizations, and for you and me. The fact that manipulation and photoshopping is now almost common knowledge, has made the search for trustable news even harder. Consequently, journalists have to do more thorough background- and credibility checks before they can use their source. In the TED talk, Markham gave an example of a news story that an unknown YouTube-account had uploaded. The video showed a lightening stroke that hit a back garden, and the journalist was dying to use it. After showing the video, Nolan shared some of the investigative techniques that he and his team used to verify the information.

As we have seen, the relationship between traditional and social media continues to evolve. Some might ask themselves the questions: Will "citizens journalism" take over? Could a social media platform such as Twitter overtake a news organizations like The Times? Will social media simply replace traditional media? However, most people might agree that for now, traditional and social media need each other to function. The press need social media in their search for news stories, whereas social media users need mass media to participate in online discussions and forums. In this article, James Matheson shares his thoughts on the matter.

Visit to the Nobel Peace Center

Last Thursday, the class went to visit the Nobel Peace Center in Oslo. The center is a showcase for the Nobel Peace Prize and the ideals it represents, as well as being an arena for political and cultural reflection. When we arrived, a guide took us on a tour around the building. The main theme was democracy and social media, and through both multimedia, interactive technology and regular exhibitions, we discussed different aspects of this subject. Some of the questions we talked about were; Will social media lead to more democracy? Is Snowden a traitor or a hero? Could social media challenge authorities, and what happens when or if social media replaces traditional mass media? We were also encouraged to participate in the debate about how social media changes society, by answering questions on social media. I found the visit very interesting, and I learnt a lot from it. One of the things that maybe made the strongest impression on me was realizing how all our online activity is stored and analyzed somewhere, and also exactly how much power social media has.

Social Media

Communication has always been an important part of the human life, as well as being essential for developing our society. As long as we can remember, we have used communication of different forms: body language, sign language and verbal language. Today, we have come even further in developing new ways to communicate; by introducing social media and networking. But how exactly do we use social media, and are there only good sides to it?

 

Social media can be defined as “forms of electronic communication (as Web sites for social networking and microblogging) through which users create online communities to share information, ideas, personal messages, and other content (as videos).” (definition from www.merriam-webster.com This phenomenon has become a natural part of most people’s everyday life. Everywhere you look, people are chatting, blogging, commenting on forums, instagramming, tweeting and snapchatting. We can access it at all times by simply logging on to our smartphones, iPads, computers or other electronic devices.

There are several advantages of using social media. Some of the most commonly used sites are Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, YouTube and tumblr, and through these platforms, we can connect with other people and be part of an online community. In addition to this, it allows us to share our thought and ideas, and to keep up with what is happening in the world. According to socialnetworking.procon.org, over 50% of people learn about breaking news on social media.

However, the widespread use of social networking sites can also have negative consequences. When you make an account on a social networking site, all the personal information you add, the things you post, share or like, is stored somewhere. On some platforms, like for example Facebook, your activity on the site is used to build up a picture of you and target you with advertisement. Moreover, if the information falls into the wrong hands, it could have much worse outcomes.

Even though we like to think that social media brings people together, it could be a source of isolation. Many people rather spend time on social networks than going out and having face-to-face interaction. Amongst others, this could lead to both physical, mental and emotional problems. The fact that people can stay in their rooms, and simultaneously spend time on social network (often anonymously), could also cause cyber bullying. Many organizations, such as "End to Cyber Bullying Organization" (ETCB), are constantly working to raise awareness in this particular area.

In conclusion, there are both good and bad sides to social media. However, one thing is for sure: it has come to stay. The best thing we can do is to make sure we are aware of the consequences that social media usage can have, and to use the sites responsibly. 

Welcome to my blog!

My name is Astrid, and I am a student at Sandvika upper secondary school. You have now entered my International English blog, through which I will be posting posts related to the International English subject. This could be everything from the English language to interesting novels, social media, environmental issues and global challenges. I hope you enjoy!