In the not so distant past, the resources to spread information were only made available to professionals, such as journalists, doctors, lawyers, professors. A distinction was made between the “educated” and the “uneducated” ie those who know, and those who need to be taught. In turn, a power relationship was created.
The elites therefore can set agendas, and diseminate ideas to the masses which create knowledge, construct consciousness, and even more profound, set the tone for how we experience the world in our bodies. Furthermore, the implications of this top down approach to mass media, are that knowledge is only for the educated/elites who are superior to the masses. It created a reliance, and trust upon those who "know" by those who "do not know."
In recent years, with the emergence of internet media outlets such as You Tube, various personal blog sites, social networking sites, news aggregating web sites, and discussion boards, a new phenomenon has emgerged. Mass amateurization has changed this top down approach because the resources to produce media are now not only accessible to an elite few, but to the masses. The masses now create and produce knowledge and culture, and have a medium to express themselves to each other and to elites. We can now talk back.
Mass amateurization has taken the existing structure and turned it up side down. Now, the public is able to produce and disseminate knowledge and information. People can express their opinions to a wide audience, and the audience can answer back. Instead of having media as the opinion leader/ teacher, and the masses as the receivers/audience, there now exists a public conversation.
As a result, oppressed peoples have access to the web, and can now talk back to the mainstream and voice their opinions or rejection of dominant ideology. Anyone can create a blog or a You Tube video, for little to no cost, regardless of age, all that is needed is a computer.
An example of this is the video called “A Girl Like Me” produced by Kiri Davis, who at the time was 16 years old. In this short film, she interviews various young African American girls about ideals of beauty, identity and belonging, and the impact that main stream media, society and culture have had on them.
The elites therefore can set agendas, and diseminate ideas to the masses which create knowledge, construct consciousness, and even more profound, set the tone for how we experience the world in our bodies. Furthermore, the implications of this top down approach to mass media, are that knowledge is only for the educated/elites who are superior to the masses. It created a reliance, and trust upon those who "know" by those who "do not know."
In recent years, with the emergence of internet media outlets such as You Tube, various personal blog sites, social networking sites, news aggregating web sites, and discussion boards, a new phenomenon has emgerged. Mass amateurization has changed this top down approach because the resources to produce media are now not only accessible to an elite few, but to the masses. The masses now create and produce knowledge and culture, and have a medium to express themselves to each other and to elites. We can now talk back.
Mass amateurization has taken the existing structure and turned it up side down. Now, the public is able to produce and disseminate knowledge and information. People can express their opinions to a wide audience, and the audience can answer back. Instead of having media as the opinion leader/ teacher, and the masses as the receivers/audience, there now exists a public conversation.
As a result, oppressed peoples have access to the web, and can now talk back to the mainstream and voice their opinions or rejection of dominant ideology. Anyone can create a blog or a You Tube video, for little to no cost, regardless of age, all that is needed is a computer.
An example of this is the video called “A Girl Like Me” produced by Kiri Davis, who at the time was 16 years old. In this short film, she interviews various young African American girls about ideals of beauty, identity and belonging, and the impact that main stream media, society and culture have had on them.
Indeed mainstream ideas of beauty and femininity, and the premium placed on whitness, and thinness in American society have negative affects on the self-esteem and identity of not only women of color, but all women. Ideals set forth such as these:
Tell women that if they do not look like this, they are not beautiful, or desirable.
This young girl addresses issues such as these in her film, and won a Reel Works Teen Filmmaking Winner of the Diversity Award. This film is a great example of how mass amateurization gives marginalized folks a medium to express themselves, and talk back to the dominant ideologies.
While I am not sure what affect mass amateurization will have on media professionals in the future, I do know that one of the most important positive affects of it is the conversation it has created with the public. The result of mass amateurization is that we now have a space where our consciousness, feelings, commonalities and humanity can come together. Mass amateurization is important for marginalized and oppressed people to, as bell hooks says “talk back from the margins” and actually have a voice.
While I am not sure what affect mass amateurization will have on media professionals in the future, I do know that one of the most important positive affects of it is the conversation it has created with the public. The result of mass amateurization is that we now have a space where our consciousness, feelings, commonalities and humanity can come together. Mass amateurization is important for marginalized and oppressed people to, as bell hooks says “talk back from the margins” and actually have a voice.
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