BLOG #6

 After I briefly browsed these websites, I found that each country hides a lot of information that is not good for its own country. All major media outlets are biased towards their own country. I read a piece about China warning the US to use balloon reconnaissance in Chinese territory. It contains the speeches of Chinese officials at the press conference, which obviously will not appear in the mainstream media in the United States.

in 2001, a US surveillance plane collided with a Chinese plane off the coast of Hainan Island in the South China Sea. The collision killed the Chinese pilot and forced the American plane to land in Chinese territory. This information was also reported in China, and it was a very important diplomatic event at that time. China has accused a U.S. reconnaissance plane (the U.S. Navy EP-3 electronic intelligence reconnaissance plane) of deliberately crashing into a Chinese J-8II fighter jet. The United States said that the collision was caused by the loss of control of the Chinese fighter jets. As for the U.S. plane landing on Chinese territory without permission, the U.S. side stated that another fighter jet took him to that airport. In the end, the United States did not apologize positively, and China returned the American pilot and plane.

Obviously, news that is unfavorable to the country and that will shake the power of the country will not be allowed to be published by the mainstream media. Mainstream media has greater influence, more readers, and higher trust. Like many scenes in movies, the boss tells you not to pursue this matter anymore, and you want to be a partner of justice. The result is that you harm yourself and those around you.

I can often find some very interesting information on these unknown websites, which let me know more about the things in the whole world. Nowadays, the publication rate of international news around the world is getting lower and lower. People can only see the good things in their own country, but they don't know the real history and the real process of many things.

Diffusion of Innovations

Diffusion theory, also known as innovation diffusion theory, is a theory of the spread of innovations, ideas, and technologies through one or more cultures. The theory has been widely studied by sociologists, psychologists, and anthropologists. Diffusion theory states that there are many qualities in different people that lead them to accept or not accept an innovation.

For example, Nokia used to be the number one mobile phone brand in the world for 14 consecutive years. At the same time as the rise of smart phones, they underestimated the future of smart phones. Now the emphasis is on innovation rather than following the development of the industry. So they fail. 

The fall of Nokia actually represents the end of an era. It's not just the rise of the smartphone. The word innovation is deeply engraved in the minds of the new generation. The rise of Apple is the beginning of a new era. Within three days, sales of the second-generation iPhone 3G exceeded 1 million.

I had an Apple mp3 in the early days, which I could use to listen to songs and watch some stored videos. I didn't get one when the first iPhone came out in 2007, and my family still has Nokia's and Samsung's. When the second iPhone was released, my father and mother bought the latest iPhone, and that was when the iPhone wave started. I remember getting my very first ipad at the time, although it's a relic now. 

Why didn't my family choose to buy the first iPhone? In fact, the biggest reason is that it is more expensive. And most people were still using push-button phones at the time. People are used to this method of operation, and sudden innovation makes it difficult for people to adapt to a new era. (at least for my parents' generation) As times change, people are gradually brave enough to try new things.

And there are pros and cons to this phenomenon. The birth of the Apple mobile phone allows people to take clearer photos, makes people's privacy more secure, and improves people's experience and quality of life. The accompanying disadvantage is that the positioning of the mobile phone and the tracking of the software make people's lives completely transparent, like a rotten fruit that looks fresh from the outside, but the inside has long since rotted.

link: The Brief History of Smartphones (thoughtco.com)

EOTO MEDIASPHERE---MSM

 MSM means Mainstream media, used to refer collectively to the various large mass news media that influence many people and both reflect and shape prevailing currents of thought.

• corporate media
• establish media 
• state media

In the US, the "Big Five"(Five mainstream media)

• Comcast
• The Walt Disney Company
• News Corp/FOX corporation
• Warner Bros. discovery
• Paramount Global

A person's perception of reality is the result of their beliefs, and in today's social situation a lot of beliefs are shaped in some way from the mainstream media. Because the unknown is scary, you will easily believe the judgment of a mainstream media. 

The media is not perfect, they are also artificial conclusions. If a media is biased, the basic rights of the people will be compromised. For example, in some countries, most of the news media releases positive news, but can a country really be so perfect? Are various government departments really fair and just? is this real? Or is it that the real behind-the-scenes man has already fled to live abroad with a large amount of wealth. Obviously, media reports are not necessarily false, but they can cover up some unknown parts. Make people blind to the real reality.

For example, former President Trump, every time the media meets or interviews, he always talks about China. From the Chinese point of view, this is a hostile expression, and many Chinese media and some social networking sites can easily see these videos. From the perspective of the United States, whether China, as a developing country, will pose a threat to the United States. My point is, seriously? In today's society, finance, trade, and healthy competition can promote development. Everyone can be said to be inseparable. I think suppression and sanctions are wrong in themselves. For the people of the United States, this will cause people to misinterpret it too much. If they have not been to China, they will default to China as a bad place. This is just a show of ignorance.

According to statistics, the ratio of international news in each country is getting lower and lower. This will cause people to derail from the world. (Americans broadly agree which news outlets are in mainstream media | Pew Research Center)

New York Times(newspaper)

 Although paper newspapers are not as popular as they once were, many families still subscribe to a daily newspaper. The more well-known newspaper is the New York Times.

Founded as "New York Daily Times" in 1851, September 18, published by the New York company. It also a producer of popular podcasts, such as "The Daily".

（first newspaper of New York times）

 

Founded by journalist and politician Henry Jarvis Raymond and former banker George Jones, the Times was initially published by Raymond, Jones & Company. The New York Times to avoid sensationalism and report the news in a restrained and objective fashion.

At that time, it attracted many intellectuals because of its noble character. But in the subsequent competition in New York City, Noble did not play any role. The Times raised prices, but still lost $1,000 a week.

Until Adolph Simon Ochs bought The Times in 1896, With the help of Carr Van Anda, an editor he hired from the New York Sun. The news focused more on comprehensive reporting of daily news, and the fiction section of the newspaper was removed, becoming a Sunday magazine section. And set the price back to a penny.

In April 1912, the sinking of the Titanic, an original and comprehensive report in The Times, captivated many readers. and then two world wars, The Times still reported current events, Enhanced The Times' world news reputation.

In 1972, The publication of the “Pentagon Papers” brought the Times a Pulitzer Prize.

Later in the 1970s, Arthur Ochs Sulzberger overhauls the newspaper's organizational structure and staff, and uses satellite transmissions to regional printing houses for national editions.

In 1995 launching an online edition and employing color photography in its print edition in 1997.

In 2005, a subscription service called TimesSelect.(A fee is required). Closed after two years, all news is open to the public. In 2006, The Times launched an electronic version, Times Reader, where subscribers can download the current print edition. 

In 2011, The New York Times instituted a subscription plan for its digital edition, limiting free access to content.

It can be seen from this period of history that the historical experience of The Times is still full of risks. Because the world is changing. To survive and keep their readers, they made many decisions. Although this decision may not be correct, the Times has always been brave enough to try. This has created a newspaper with worldwide influence. 

As I said at the beginning, paper newspapers are far less subscribed than they used to be. The emergence of mobile computers allows people to get what they want to know more quickly. And it's easier to find the section you need. The Times jumped at the business opportunity.

Links: History | The New York Times Company (nytco.com)

SCOTUS

 The Supreme Court of the United States (SCOTUS) is the highest court in the federal judiciary of the United States. It has ultimate appellate jurisdiction over all U.S. federal court cases, and over state court cases that involve a point of U.S. Constitutional or federal law. The court holds the power of judicial review, Invalidate statutes that violate constitutional provisions. It also has the power to repeal presidential directives.

I think this is an institution that protects the country and the constitution, and makes the final judgment when the constitution is questioned and threatened. And the impeachment trial of the president. It is a legal institution that maintains order in America.

Many Supreme Court justices are different. This surprised me a bit.

• Chief justice John Marshall——He defined the relationship between the judiciary and the rest of government in a tenure of more than 34 years.
• chief justice Charles Evans Hughes——Wrote landmark opinion on free of expression and press

Judges are nominated for office by the President of the United States but must be approved by Congress before taking office. Once judges are approved, they are eligible to serve on the Supreme Court for life. Unlike members of Congress or the president, Supreme Court justices don't have to run for office. This is also very surprising to me. Life tenure and no need to run for office, this kind of treatment even surpasses that of the president.

links:

•  Supreme Court - HISTORY
• The 5 Things You Should Know About the Supreme Court (informationstation.org)

Eight Values of Free Expression

  Eight Values of Free Expression

• Discovery of Truth
• Participation in Self-Government
• Stable Change ("Safety Valve")
• Individual Self-Fulfillment (Self-Actualization)
• Check on Governmental Power
• Promote Tolerance
• Promote Innovation
• Protect Dissent

What resonates with me the most is the first point, Discovery of Truth. This value was first suggested by Milton, who first suggested that when truth and falsehood are allowed to freely grapple, truth will win out. 

I grew up in China. There are many cultural differences between China and the United States, different laws, and different government management systems. In China, freedom of speech does not exist. When you pollute the government or the president of the country, the police have the right to arrest you. Similar to disturbing the peace.

The issue of Hong Kong independence remains a very important issue. The Chinese government rejected people's protests and demonstrations, and even suppressed the crowds by the police. I will not comment on this event. But in the United States, marches and protests are allowed, and people even gather in front of the White House to express their protests.

                                                               

The Hong Kong independence movement, the war in Ukraine, these are all happening. These things cannot judge its correctness. Everyone has their own considerations and judgments. As a Chinese, I hope my country can be unified without the possibility of internal division. But as a bystander, I will judge the benefits and risks before evaluating these cases.

The question is whether people can protest, whether they can have their own opinions. No matter what the final result is, nothing can limit a person's thoughts and opinions. This is like the tiger in the forest and the tiger in the zoo. As time goes by, the tiger in the zoo will slowly lose its wildness. Tigers will definitely miss that freedom, the forest, the vastness without limits. But is there really any benefit to being in a zoo? of course not. They don't have to worry about food, there is no risk of being killed, and they have a dedicated medical team. Offspring are more likely to survive.

Links:Why is freedom of speech important? (pacificlegal.org)

Privacy, Online & Off

 The Internet is undoubtedly an essential part of modern life, it brings endless benefits, but it also comes with some risks. In recent years, Internet fraud and telephone fraud have become a very hot topic in China. As well as some information you post on social software, the information in a photo is far beyond your imagination. Your identity information, monthly income, and address all have the risk of privacy being violated.

What I feel the most is that I registered certain information online or in some places, including my mobile phone number. Since then, I have frequently received some harassing calls, and even calls from overseas. Although I never answer those harassing calls, Ren has had a terrible impact on my life. (I receive at least 10 harassing calls or text messages a day). Even more troubling, through my phone number, my parents' phone numbers were leaked as well, and they received similar content as I did. The content I registered is a community or a web page needed for some work, and there is a high probability that they use my privacy to gain benefits.

In China, there is now a mobile app called "National Anti-Fraud App" 国家反诈中心_百度百科 (baidu.com). It is a state-founded application, run by the police, and a dedicated agency has been set up.  What it does is there is a system of logging suspicious numbers that anyone can report in real time in the app. When the official confirms that the call is risky, when you receive a fraudulent call, it will remind you that this is a suspicious number, or that this number has been reported by many people recently. And after you find out that you have been defrauded, you can directly file a case in the app, which can help you solve these problems more quickly. 

For ourselves, avoid disclosing important information about yourself in public. The part of the photo related to the address can be mosaiced. Do not register your personal information in suspicious webpages; websites; applications. When these situations happen to us, don't panic, you can ask the police for help.