March 15, 2012, by Gael

Clarity and Musings

Hey gang,

So I did it;

• Two 2,500 words submitted on Monday
• Maths Re-test taken on Tuesday
• Dad’s birthday present bought and sent for Wednesday

And before I even knew it – Thursday has rolled round again and it’s time for my weekly blog. Today feels surreal – it’s the first moment I’ve had in days that I don’t feel like I really HAVE to be doing something (I SHOULD) be working on my dissertation, but right now, this morning – I have moments of peace, stress-free clarity. And it gives me the time to reflect a little.

I’m incredibly proud of the Kony essay I submitted on Monday – it’s so current and provided a critique of the power issues relating to something which is dominating worldwide trends – but writing the essay also woke me up to just how saturated and repetitive our society has become – it’s excessively influenced by forms of medium, the power of the press and of social network sites is phenomenal; Kony didn’t only go viral within hours, but as did critique of it – and everyone flocked to whichever bandwagon of information flooded their newsfeeds first… passive consumption is everyday and everywhere – at least this is how it seems to me. Messages that a form of media chooses to convey are immediately absorbed by an audience without question, particularly if they themselves appear to be critiquing something – then the audience feel as if they are themselves involved in critical consumption, when in fact they are absorbing power messages which particular institutions or agencies are choosing to construct.

Ahhhhh – since when did everything become a social construct? Since when did I become such a critical theorist? THIS is what Uni does to you, and third year sociology; I’m proud of how far I’ve come, and my critical and in-depth understanding of certain aspects of sociology and culture – it makes the academic side of these three years worthwhile.

So what next? And I’m talking post graduation as well as the next week…

This week see’s; a draft of my 12,000 word dissertation forming, a visit from my aunt at the weekend (YAY FREE FOOD!), some care-boxes to be made and sent to Australia, and perhaps a confirmation of a job offer. But I also need to start really thinking – what it is that I want post-graduation. It’s time to decide if I want to take the scary, dreamy, gamble of following my heart, or staying sensible, making a little money and postponing it all for eighteen months..decision time!

Have a great week! G xx

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