Parasocial Relationships

Long-Distance Relationships

People in long distance relationships are powerful. I won't lie and say that temptation is very hard to ignore. Not that I would ever do anything ever to damage my relationship but I couldn't make my long distance relationship last. I didn't use multiple forms of media with my girlfriend. Maybe it would have been better if I embraced other ideas other than just calling and texting. It was funny how mutual the break up was but wasn't at the same time. We both felt the relationship was difficult to manage even based on how we felt for one another. It was a struggle. We were not in each other lives as much as we used to be. We were physically around each other for a year so I can realize why we couldn't handle being together but being apart. I feel that people who do maintain these long distance relationships should do what they can to be in contact with their opposite. I'm developing into a person who uses social media less but in this case, I would embrace it to have something other than phone calls or messages on my phone to be as close as I can. Communication, I feel, is a key factor in relationships. Maintain constant contact is difficult but if you can be inventive and try different forms you made be a lot closer in your relationship then you ever were. It’s very hard for me to get into social media because I feel that my time is wasted but maybe they could be a great source in long-distance relationships. 

Labeling

When we talked about hipsters in class, I felt I couldn't contribute. I do not think it is alright to label someone based off actions in a moment of time. Also, this random person that people label probably does not care and I don't understand why people even care to label one another. It just seems like people were trying to insult one another for being themselves. I don't know what to take it as. It just felt wrong hearing it, even if it was without the intention to insult or hurt. I try not to assume qualities of a person that haven't spent at least a day with. This makes me wonder how people label me. It seems in class, if you are a person who doesn't act like me, do the things I do, or like what I like, you’re a hipster. Further, if you're a hipster, you're this species below a group of people that needs to be viewed and classified. I guess I overall confused why people come to this in their lives, labeling. Why does it even matter? I wonder if people who called others hipsters would be offended if they were called the same thing. I would prefer no one be labeled. I just see people being offended and left with a level of discomfort. I've learned to not really listen to the negative opinions that people give me.  I can be called whatever after this I guess but at least I'm not concerning myself with other people's qualities or actions. I like being myself. 

Brands

Logos are a great way of marketing. They create a great connection between the consumer and the product or idea. I believe marketing something becomes difficult without there being some visual association with the concept. People need memorable visuals whether images, illustrations, or type. This keeps the consumer in understanding of any activity that the makers of this branding do in the future. I enjoy logos that pull together an overall concept and mimic or speak on their product or idea. These become the most influential because the user cannot help but remember this association. Again, for future marketing, the consumer has a constant reminder if new products come out. Apple for example, continues to keep their products under the same theme. This helps people that do not even notice the logo realize that they are using or seeing an apple product. The Apple logo was first introduced to them and their products continue to support one another. This overall setup is great advice for anyone starting a marketing line of a product. Obama’s phrase “Yes We Can” is pretty much a logo. He used this term repeatedly in his advertisements. His campaign made sure to utilize this phrase in any future activity to help people understand what Obama stands for as well as keep reminding people of this brand to never forget. Anytime the “Yes We Can” phrase was not said, people could not help but to remember this association with any activity that Obama or his campaign was doing.

Commercials

I don't have much respect for commercials that try to relate to you. In general, I do not like commercials at all. TV recently seems even less important for my own personal reasons along with the continuous announce of commercials. I am annoyed whenever I see commercials relate to people because I see them pretending which I feel is true. Commercials might as well focus on their design process and utilize the essentials of appeal to pull the audience in and not trick them with scenarios of personal relations. I am sure people have to think of how to make their product seem worthwhile to the audience but I do not like being tricked. The commercial that happen during Super Bowl XLVIII made by Budweiser called "Puppy Love" does not directly relate to my feelings but still sort of mentions the idea of touching a side that does not seem to matter to the product. I feel that Budweiser's commercial was trying to appeal to everyone seeing this horse and dog relationship. Commercials will always be this way and I know its absurd to ask them to avoid this commercial style because it always happens. I don’t know the actually criteria of the statistics on effectiveness of these commercials but I’m sure they do well in comparison to others. I usually ignore commercials because I know what they are trying to do, sell their product. For me, I feel I only critique them when I see them and break them down completely and see every detail.

Breaking Habits

Before I started taking this class, I noticed my amount of time I spent on technology just for the use of socializing and was annoyed by it. I started by removing the Facebook app from my phone just to not supply myself with another option besides my computer. I realized how I wasted time doing pretty much nothing. I made statuses that didn't do much of anything for anyone. I was sharing information that could be useful in anyway most of the time. I can say that I am obsessed with trying to perfect my work which requires time. I felt that I shouldn't be up as late as 5am through the night still doing work. I eventually realized that I could cut down on my only social media source, Facebook, or just get rid of it entirely. I don’t want to be a statistic that I use social media as much as I should base on my generation because I wasn’t like that before and I was just fine without it. Whether or not I have anything to gain from social media, I don’t want my time going into them. It’s actually nicer not being caught up in my phone and not feeling I need to check my Facebook all the time. I feel my time is in better use now. I don’t oppose people on their choice to use social media at all; this is just how I feel.