Earlier
this evening I went to the UEA to watch some of the shorts put on by the Minotaur
Theatre Company. As much as I enjoyed the performances and thought every piece
to be entertaining, I couldn’t help but leave the Drama Studio disheartened.
In
the final play, four female characters were sat in a living room after going to
a house party. One of the girls was depicted notably more ditzy than the rest.
Upon her making a dumb remark, her friend replies with “God, and you’re taking
a degree” to which a third party adds “Well to be fair, it is a Media degree.”
The
dialogue, though intended to humour the performance, made many of us in the
crowd boo. It got me thinking, too; is
Media worth studying?
Of
course it is. When I say it got me thinking, I don’t mean the line made me
question my taking the subject. It just saddens me that in a world in which
technological evolution is so evident, people still bash those who wish to
study and understand the life around them.
I
thought that the attitude of the character is, unfortunately, the attitude of
lots of others, which is also worrying. I chose Media Studies both as a GCSE
and an A-level as it informs those taking it so well on endless topics.
Studying it for the last two years has academically placed me at an advantage
on more than one occasion. For example, the gender representation course we looked
at in particular depth in Year 10 helped me when sitting English assessments
and exams in which representation, of women especially, were relevant in texts
we studied i.e. Steinbeck’s Of Mice and
Men.
English
aside, Media so conveniently closely links to subjects such as Theatre Studies
and Philosophy and Ethics and Sociology, all of which I am either currently
taking or have taken.
I
just thought I’d share the annoying fact that one of my favourite subjects is
constantly being degraded, often by those not even taking it. In my opinion,
the only thing here that deserves being knocked are the people who maintain
such outdated views. It wouldn’t matter as much should they not access all
these wonderful new technologies only to slate them; it makes me all the more
angry and sad that the ones who overlook and dismiss Media to be a subject for
those not so intellectually capable are also the ones who rely on others' Media-orientated
inventions on a daily basis.
In
other words, Media IS worth studying.
I absolutely agree, arguing the importance of Media is fast becoming a necessity.
ReplyDeleteHaving not heard of the plan the government are imposing until reading your comment, it came as quite a shock - both Media Studies and Drama act as two GCSE qualifications of mine, two qualifications of which I am proud of. That means that when I speak of Media Studies and Drama being difficult courses to achieve highly in, I speak from firsthand experience.
In Year 9 I would, as I'm sure many others would also, be greater inclined to opt for more 'academic' subjects to study further, subjects I felt future employers and systems could recognise as being important and relevant achievements.
To reiterate my original point, Media benefits such an array of professional and social concepts that it must surely soon be recognised as a subject involving challenging and important criteria.
If people begin to lose interest in taking Media Studies, albeit as a GCSE, an A-level or a university degree, employment will start to suffer; Media contributes, sometimes subtly, sometimes not so, to virtually all jobs nowadays. Seeing as Cameron is a former PR man, he should surely know this.
Besides, if you're supposed to enjoy the subjects you study, why should that enjoyment be compromised by the fact that what you're enjoying studying isn't so widely acknowledged?
Unfortunately the attitudes you encountered in the performance by the Minotaur theatre performance are familiar, This is a display of ignorance. You may be interest to know that English Literature was once considered not a proper subject to study at university until about the 1920's. Note that so called masculine subjects like maths and science, Latin and Greek are regarded as being more difficult and having more status than so called feminine subjects like English and art subjects. I suggest you write to the theatre company in question and include your excellent comments and explain why you are appalled at their prejudice!
ReplyDeleteThe prejudice is not only about media studies but also the despicable representation of women (one of whom is dizzy/silly) who are represented in their play as stupid and thus reinforcing negative traditional female stereotype. Write to them and express your distaste. They are on face book, or email them.
Wow! This has been a very interesting read! lol
ReplyDeleteThank you, Nature! I'm glad you found the post interesting.
ReplyDelete