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Category: My ELP

Media Bias

How is media bias, bias confirmation, misinformation, and fake news connected?

These 4 things all act as factors of a cycle. Media bias can lead to the publication of fake news which leads to misinformation through bias confirmation. 

Media bias is usually seen in the conflict between the political left and right. With the same information or event, different perspectives will interpret information differently and thus will spread that information forward with their influence. When looking at news sources, this is governed by the company’s values and belief systems, sometimes related to their financial/corporate relationships, that influence what journalists and writers they employ. This in itself is a facet of the confirmation bias since like-minded individuals find each other and so news companies will often congregate groups of people with similar beliefs and opinions. This then influences how they pass on information to their audience– whether they convey information about events, add opinions or analyse, or publish opinion pieces. This creates a media bias where our news sources carry a bias either to or against certain systems, people or beliefs, which influences what kind of information they pass on. Sometimes, when dealing with news sources that are heavily skewed in support of any specific stakeholder, the issue of fake news can come up where journalism becomes a form of opinion projection rather than informational pieces, or where completely untrue stories get published for the sake of viewership. 

Then this leads to bias confirmation through the absorption of media by audiences who will seek out news that matches their pre-existing thinking. This further perpetuates the polarisation of opinion as opinions become stronger the more corresponding content people see, and the bubbles of opinion become larger and more distinct. This leads to misinformation where people acting within a certain bubble of opinion accept one interpretation of reality as the truth and use this to fuel their actions.

How does our discussion on media bias, bias confirmation, misinformation, and fake news connect to any of the two works we have studied?

This idea of almost controlling opinion through the relaying of information through media can be largely seen in the NBC segment on Alex Jones’s Infowars. Not only is the content produced on Infowars largely opinion-based with a strong emotional factor due to the format of spontaneously reacting to articles rather than holistic investigations of events, the host Alex Jones himself is highly unclear about his motives and statements. We see that he easily backtracks from the bold statements he makes on his show by claiming he was ‘playing devil’s advocate’ or simply, saying any side of the argument could be true. By justifying his strong opinions and sometimes inaccurate statements with vague explanations, Alex Jones tries to absolve himself from responsibility for his words. This seems to exemplify the lack of research and true journalism behind Infowars, although arguably my thoughts on this matter also come from a biased source so to truly take a stance either against or for Infowars, I would need to consider information from a variety of sources to corroborate the influence and impact of the show. This idea of changing meaning through interpretation can be seen in the Handmaid’s Tale, where we see a lot of biblical references used with a different purpose– to control the women in society and keep people quiet. Offred mostly talks to others, especially other handmaids, in Biblical lines such as “Blessed be the fruit/May the Lord open”. In a way, the Bible and teachings of Christianity have been used and sometimes twisted to fit a very specific purpose by the Commanders. 

In his TedXTalk on the Confirmation Bias, Avi Gerber discusses how, as an audience, we must consciously make the effort to falsify our views to truly test whether our understanding is unbiased or not. This relates to Anderson Cooper’s Dispatches from the Edge where he tries to show the reader the reality of the wars he covered aside from the few clips being broadcasted on television, specifically he looks for readers to understand the situations on a personal level through stories of the people he interacted with. This implores readers to see the same story from slightly different perspectives even though they are coming from the same source, just in different mediums of content.  

In what ways have two of the works you have studied explored the role of the individual in society, and what conclusions is it possible to draw from these explorations?

Henrik Ibsen’s A Doll’s House and Sophocles’ Antigone both explore the role of the individual in society through the struggle of both plays’ main characters– Nora Helmer and Antigone respectively. A Doll’s House explores individuality and power through the discussion of women’s traditional domestic roles, begging the question of whether a woman’s self-identity can come before the expectations of her duty as a mother and wife. Sophocles discusses the role of individuals in a different context– the conflict between the state and the individual. The clash between Antigone and her uncle King Creon exemplifies two differing perspectives on how the state should be run, particularly in the setting of the ancient Greek city Thebes where the Gods were born and thus religion stands at the highest value. King Creon assumes absolute power over the city, valuing stability and law above all else. Meanwhile, Antigone disobeys Creon’s state decree to not bury Polynices, her brother, as she upholds her religious duties to the Gods and her family above any mortal power. 

From A Doll’s House, we can conclude that Nora’s journey to self-actualisation exemplifies the need for women to have an identity for themselves, outside of their relationship with others. To function in any position, whether a professional career or as a homemaker, women must have the opportunity to understand themselves and experience independence to truly realise their potential and decide what they want from life– a concept that was far ahead of its time when Ibsen published the play in 19th century Norway. In Antigone, the audience is shown the significance of divine power and how an individual’s ego, or hubris, cannot take precedence over common norms that keep the state afloat. 

Reflections for 2023

1. What do your overall attainment marks inform you about your progress in this class?

My overall English attainment marks tell me I’m on the right track. It gives me the confidence that I have the skills to continue doing well, but it is a matter of keeping up the work to maintain that grade. I think I’ve improved since the start of the IB course so the marks are encouraging that my method is helping. However, as we get closer to the final exams, I need to ensure that I continue the effort and not become complacent.

In my HL essay, I found that my feedback mainly centred around balancing micro-analysis with macro-analysis, so I tried to work on this outside of the essay as well in classes. This helped improve my essay but also helped me figure out how to approach micro-analysis (in some degree of spontaneity) when working with new texts which will also benefit me for Paper 1.

2. What do your marks and goals for your approaches to learning inform you about the effort you are putting into your tasks?

One of my main goals throughout IB has been to dedicate time outside of class to revising and practising the skills we learn. I think my ATL marks reflect the same– that I need to focus on consistency so that I can keep up with the course. I do believe I can put more effort into preparing. However, English is a subject that is more skill-based than content-based, and so a lot of times I find myself needing to prioritise other content-heavy subjects during hectic weeks. I try to do my best during class– participating in discussions, getting work done on time and collaborating with my classmates. So, my main focus continues to be extending those efforts outside of class time. In the case of Paper 2, this means reworking the practice essay we wrote before the winter break to make improvements and understand the essay structure better. Additionally, I will consolidate texts by collating quotes, cultural context, authorial context, etc. so that I have a good foundation of evidence ready to use as we practice more Paper 2s.

3. What context may have contributed positively or negatively to the quality of your Paper 2?

Paper 2 did come at a pretty hectic time when regular submissions and tests were happening. So, I would’ve benefitted from being able to focus on English rather than balancing multiple subject assignments. Although I think this is close to the situation I will be in the final exams where you have to jump between subjects as the exams are scattered. So, I think this was a learning opportunity that I need to make the most of the little time I have and focus on the quality of my preparation rather than quantity. A key part of this is using the feedback I receive and my own goal setting to figure out what topics or skills I need to prioritise– at the moment, this is essay structure and micro-analysis.

4. What are the successful elements of your Paper 2 that you will need to remember and retain for the mock exams and the IB exams?

A successful element was being able to finish the essay. I have always struggled with writing under time pressure and so I found that by outlining my essay first with my thesis, thesis strands and evidence, I was in a good spot to begin writing. I didn’t pause as much to figure out what to write next and so I was able to make good use of the time I had.

I also think I did a good job in selecting a range of evidence, not just key quotes. This also assisted me in the macro-micro analysis balance as I was able to provide evidence for both. I tried to make use of the cultural and authorial context we have studied as well to strengthen my argument which was necessary for the prompt I chose about challenging conventional values.

5. What errors or gaps in your Paper 2 will help you focus your revision work for the mock exams and the IB exams?

One big gap was the structure I used to compare and contrast. I analysed the texts separately before creating a linking paragraph which meant that come of my compare & contrast points did not have the same delivery as they were not clearly linked. This is a big focus for my revision work– essay structure. I want to first rework the essay from December to understand how to organise the information better. Then, I’m hoping to improve my planning method so that it complements my essay writing when I’m under time pressure.

I also made some errors when discussing literary and dramatic elements. This is a content error and so I need to revise my dramatic devices so I can ensure I am using technical terms where relevant and to enhance my analysis. This also ties into the authorial and cultural context for evidence.

6. What comments were you given for your Paper 2 and what plan of action might you have moving forward?

The comments I received are mostly on the two issues I discussed above. So, I want to work with the essay I’ve already written so that I can refine my approach for comparative essay writing first, and then focus on the content after that. I’m hoping that once I become more familiarised with the structure and style of writing, I can work on applying that formula to different texts. I will also try to work more with my teacher to get feedback on my revised draft so that I can modify my plan of action accordingly.

7. What would you need to over-learn about our literary texts?

I think a key component I need to over-learn is the evidence from my choice of literary texts. I think if I become very comfortable in knowing what quotes and techniques I can use, then I can practice my writing more frequently and simulate the conditions of the actual Paper 2 format when I’m under time pressure.

8. To consolidate the reflection, what writing and ATL goals might you have for Term 2?

My writing goal is to practice essays under time pressure regularly, around once every two weeks. I will try to mind-map essay responses more frequently and then choose one every 1-2 weeks to properly write out. I also want to continue working on my consistency. Now in the year, there aren’t as many deadlines and tests since it’s more focused on preparing for exams. So, I want to use this time to supplement our preparation in class to consolidate my understanding of the texts, collect evidence and review, and get used to the exam format. This ties into my self-management goal of consistency and accountability.

 

Carol Ann Duffy’s Valentine

We did a short brainstorm and analysis of Carol Ann Duffy’s poem, Valentine. The poem paints a somewhat harsh, but truthful picture of what love is. It is not just expensive gifts and romantic gestures. There are ups and downs, it requires effort. Getting to know someone and falling in love takes time. Just as an onion has layers, so do people. It takes time to peel back the layers to truly understand who a person is and what they are like. The poem may even be interpreted as a warning label– are you ready to love someone and commit to them? The short lines such as ‘Here.’ and ‘Take it.’ create a connection between the speaker and reader. The speaker probes the reader to reflect on whether they understand the reality of love, away from the picturesque ideas of love such as Valentine’s day.

 

Below are some of my notes from our small group discussion.

From this exercise, I realised that I need to work on my close analysis. Especially coming back from the summer, it’s taking me longer to remember poetic devices which support micro-analysis, so I found myself relying on macroanalysis. I want to work on supplementing my understanding of the ‘big idea’ of a text with specific literary elements that provide clear evidence during in-class practice.

Gender Roles and Beauty

Woman’s World, Dispatches from the Edge, and A Thousand Cranes

 

Gender roles and beauty can differ between cultures and societies. In Woman’s World, the reader unpacks a community that closely guards feminine women and masculine men. A Thousand Cranes illustrates how women are pitted against one another to survive in an androcentric setting. Dispatches from the Edge focuses on disaster, and where everyone fits into crises.

 

In Woman’s World, we see the conflict between Roy and the Norma persona. As it is slowly revealed that it is Roy who is Norma, past commentary around Norma’s appearance begins to make sense. During Norma’s first meeting with Mr Hands, a nearby woman in the cafe comes up to Norma and says, “What do you think you look like, dressed up like that? You should be ashamed of yourself.”(p. 66) This initially confuses the audience as Norma is still identified as an autonomous individual. As we learn that Roy is almost living two lives, this quote unveils a greater social commentary about attitudes towards gender expression. Graham Rawle portrays a binary society where queer people aren’t accepted, and Norma is seen as a queer statement. 

 

We see the themes of a binary society throughout all 3 texts. In A Thousand Cranes, the pre-defined role of women creates a competitive environment that prevents any sense of sisterhood. This survival instinct is strong enough to even break the bond between a mother and daughter. We see Mrs Ota prioritising herself and looking out for a potential partner instead of doing so for her daughter Fumiko, saying she “just keeps me company” at events. The lack of a relationship is a larger threatening force in her life than it is for her daughter. We also see that women are expected to look out for the men and their needs. Fumiko was serving Mr Mitani when she was just a young girl when her mother was having an affair with him. She was doing seemingly unimportant jobs, “her best was going out to buy chicken and fish and the like for him”. Even though she didn’t have a very strong relation with Mr Mitani, she was expected to care for him, and this was seen to be the best that women could do at that time. The men got more mainstream jobs due to their greater perceived capabilities, while women’s main priority was to take care of the men in their life and keep up appearances. 

 

The idea of women prioritising the needs of men can be seen in Dispatches from the Edge. As Anderson Cooper describes the sights and disasters he sees, we only get to see men in positions of power. For example, male soldiers, male doctors, male rebels. The only women seen in more mainstream jobs are the nurses, all the other female figures are usually mothers and daughters trying to run the household or care for their family in times of disaster. Cooper also highlights the lack of power women have in crumbling societies, one key example being the objectification and harassment of a Somali woman in the streets. He describes a helpless situation, the woman greatly outnumbered by soldiers who “[laughed] as she tried to fend them off”(p. 114). Even as Cooper witnesses the scene, he really couldn’t help. Women are essentially at the mercy of men, especially in unstable and unsafe disaster zones. They are almost forced to retreat to taking on the domestic role and keeping to their family as the little power they previously had is only worse off in times of uncertainty.

Analysing Jason Leow’s Op-Ed on the Speak Good English Movement

How does the text reflect on shared Singaporean values and identity?

The text is an opinion editorial on Mothership, written by Jason Leow as a response to growing critique over the Speak Good English Movement. Written by the chairman of the movement on a newer online platform, the article appeals to the younger audience of Mothership while the general message goes out to all Singaporeans who use Singlish. Leow reflects on his experience growing up surrounded by various languages and his journey to learn English, to highlight the advantages he gained from knowing Standard English (specifically written English). The opinion editorial aims to clarify the intent behind the Speak Good English Movement by attempting to redeem its image as an Anti-Singlish movement. It reflects on shared Singaporean values by highlighting English’s role in a diverse, multicultural society as a unifying language, and the importance of Standard English and Singlish co-existing rather than being mutually exclusive.

Singapore is a very culturally diverse city with many languages being spoken, although the official languages are Mandarin, Tamil, Malay and English. Leow recognises English as a common language between all the different groups. Paraphrasing past Prime Minister Goh Chok Tong, Leow writes “Between ethnic groups that don’t have a common language, English also serves as the social connector, alongside mother tongues as their respective carriers of culture.”. This is true to some extent. Singapore is a very multicultural and internationally connected country; English not only allows people to communicate with one another but also in several countries around the world. However, when it comes to communicating within Singapore itself, Singaporeans already have an English dialect personal to them– Singlish. As a result, the push for Standard English unifying Singaporeans can feel condescending and neglectful. As Leow recognises, people want to connect, but he then continues to say “the use of good English can be a way to do so”. The disregard for the local dialect is patronising for the Singaporeans who regularly speak Singlish. It makes it seem like the movement’s main goal is to appeal to the western world rather than promote open dialogue and community in Singapore. While English can be a unifying language, the tone of the article seems to disregard the other unifying languages in Singapore. 

The article goes on to discuss the conflict between Singlish and Standard English in the city-state. The movement has been staunchly criticised for being anti-Singlish, a topic discussed above as well. Leow acknowledges that Singlish is a “cultural marker for many Singaporeans”, and states that Singlish is recognised on the movement’s official website as well. The article is focused on Leow’s journey to learning English, and also mentions how hard it is to learn English in his own experience, highlighting how he can read English but still struggles with spoken English. This may resonate with many Singaporeans but still does not fully support the message that the Speak Good English Movement is not anti-Singlish. While it recognises the difficulty of learning Standard English, it still pushes for people to learn it and, uses that struggle as a way to promote the formal dialect– “I have benefitted from being forced to improve my standard of English.”. Standard English may hold a higher ground when it comes to formal and professional settings, but restricting one dialect to a certain situation– Singlish for informal, Standard English for formal– doesn’t seem as inclusive as Leow claims. It once again puts down Singlish as an improper way of communicating when it is an integral part of Singaporean culture and a diverse blend of all the different linguistic influences in the country. The call for the co-existence of the two dialects is undermined. 

The article discusses Singaporean values through the lens of English’s unifying power and the co-existence of Standard English and Singlish. Leow discusses his personal experience of trying to learn English, coming from a linguistically diverse family and attempts to clarify the movement’s intentions. While the main messages of the article are understandable, the text doesn’t fully support them and instead undermines them, exacerbating the negative image of the Speak Good English Movement. The article attempts to send a positive message but is unable to do so convincingly. The importance of Standard English is relevant but appealing to the western world should not come before the needs of the Singaporean community– to be able to freely communicate however they feel comfortable. Singlish is not an improper way of speaking, it is a unique dialect that unifies all Singaporeans, regardless of their mother tongue.

Analysis of John Agard’s “Half-Caste”

How has the author vividly conveyed their feelings about identity?

John Agard writes about racial divisions as he reflects on the external perception and misconceptions of his mixed race. He uses imagery to visualise the true meaning of ‘half-caste’ and reflects on the negative connotation the label has on his identity. 

Agard uses visual imagery to show the relationship between contrasting things, as a way to uncover the literal meaning of ‘half-caste’. In the second stanza, he illustrates Picasso “[mixing] red an green” and asks if that “is a half-caste canvas”. He questions the reader if mixing two colours on a canvas takes away from the value of the canvas as a whole. He also draws attention to Tchaikovsky mixing “a black key wid a white key”, and again asks if that makes it a “half-caste symphony”. Considering the derogatory nature of the label ‘half-caste’, Agard questions whether the mix of the two keys takes away from the beauty of Tchaikovsky’s composition or somehow makes it inferior– which it does not in reality. The indirect reference to the beauty of contrast translates to Agard’s feelings about his mixed racial background. While he is sure of himself, as a human being with a strong identity, British society at the time did not see the same. The significance of the term “half-caste” is highlighted in the second and third stanza, alluding to the negative and inferior light mixed-race people were seen in. 

The most direct challenge to the derogatory term is seen in the fourth stanza, where Agard reflects on his worth as a human being. He suggests that at night, he as a “half-caste human being [casts] half-a-shadow”. This confirms the societal perception of mixed-race people, that they are incomplete or that they have two separate halves of an identity that have no intersection. This is further supported by the last stanza of the poem, reading “an I will tell yu de other half of my story”. Agard implies that he only exists as one side of his background at a time, that his story isn’t cohesive but rather split apart by his two different backgrounds. This is, however, not his perception but that of British society. 

The poem is a challenge to society almost, as Agard questions what the term “half-caste” means and whether it even makes sense. By comparing aspects of Tchaikovsky’s compositions, and Picasso’s art, he draws attention to the oxymoronic nature of being labelled “half-caste”. He essentially asks, how does having two backgrounds result in an identity that is less than a whole? John Agard stands his ground as he deflects the misconceptions about his racial background and affirms his identity, by combatting the “ half-caste” label and its historical significance in British society.   

 

Language and Identity

How does the language we use reflect, define and construct our cultural/social identity and relationships?

Language holds a lot of power and it can solidify our identity, culture, and relationships. It can bring people closer together as it allows us to directly communicate. Living in Singapore and going to an international school, English became my main language and my ability to speak Hindi significantly decreased.

While I can still speak the language, I cannot read or write, and I no longer feel confident having a proper conversation. When I go back home to India, I find it hard to relate and connect to my relatives. I feel unable to properly express myself as my language ability isn’t advanced enough anymore to have the same complex conversations as I would in English. As a result, I take on the role of a tourist more than being a close cousin or niece. My western accent and messy Hindi send a message that I’m out of touch with my culture or that I’m perhaps even “white-washed”. While language is not the only component of my cultural identity, it plays a significant role. I can conform to the cultural norms in behaviour, but my perceived identity somewhat separates me from my relatives, with the most tell-tale sign being my weaker grasp of Hindi.

However, while language can construct and limit relationships and cultural identity, it doesn’t define them.  In an increasingly diverse world, language barriers aren’t as big of obstruction as they used to be. Language definitely plays a big role in our identity, but it doesn’t necessarily define our ability to forge relationships as the world becomes more interconnected and linguistic learning becomes a more integral part of education.

How much of our social identity is reliant upon our language use?

Language can be further categorised into more subsets such as dialect, idiolect and even accent. The link between our social identity and language use becomes much more complex when we consider the precise distinctions. Accents are one of the more apparent features that heavily connects to our social identity. In my case, even if I speak Hindi my western accent indicates to distant family that I’m disconnected in some way. This heavily defines my social identity in the familiar context. In our international school, we tend to see people from all around the world enter with unique accents and the more time they spend here, the more westernised their accent becomes. It becomes a form of assimilation and fitting in. As humans, we judge and make assumptions about people, and language happens to be one of the most apparent characteristics we can scrutinise. The reliance of our social identity on language use varies from person to person, but it plays a very distinct role in our perceived identities.

What do we mean by inclusive/exclusive language?

At its core, exclusive language is any choice of words that can isolate or ostracise people, regardless of intent. Inclusive language is the opposite– vocabulary that addresses everyone without singling people out. Exclusive language means different things to different people as what we find exclusive and inclusive is also impacted by our personal experiences. However, some things are generally considered to be exclusive, and one of the most common examples of this is gendered dialogue. We hear a lot of gendered language with simple things like the human race being called “mankind”, and artificial materials being classed as “man-made”. A vast majority of gendered vocabulary tends to be androcentric, and while these words on their own aren’t so exclusive, the accumulation of male-centred vocabulary is what creates the exclusive connotation. Today, there is an increasing push to use more inclusive language, like gender-neutral nouns that don’t confine titles and classifications.

Exclusive language can also be broader than the specific vocabulary, and more about tone and intent. Something I see more commonly is dialogue that draws attention to someone’s differences as a way to scrutinise and embarrass people. For example, when non-native English speakers are made fun of for mispronouncing English words. I have experienced this quite a bit, especially when I still had an Indian accent before joining UWC.

ELP 1: Identity

Here are my notes and reflections on Hetain Patel’s TedTalk on Identity.

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