Week 6: Agenda setting and framing

Title: Rise in social deviance, plans made to counteract the problem in response.

      A country's future depends on its youth, but the youth depend on the elderly as role models in many areas, including ethics and education. However, in the case of our country, Country "X", the future may not be as bright as it is at the present. This is due to the behaviour of the country's younger generation at this time. Currently, they are best described as 'social deviants' who run amok in the streets doing criminal activities. The Ministry of Health has shown concern related to this matter. They believe that the main cause behind such deviants lie within the older citizens of the country. The older citizen's behaviour consisting of spitting and urinating in public brings a negative influence to the younger generation, who believe it as a cultural norm.

   The resulting behaviour will cause the image and the economy of Country"X" to be viewed negatively. Foreign companies will seem less likely to invest in a country which cannot curb this kind of behaviour, affecting the counry's economy. In order to combat this problem, the government plans to start public education immediately to deal with social deviants. This is done by the development of schools to produce a higher educated population to solve the problem. This also brings a positive benefit of attracting investors and improving the country's economy.....

Prioity as national agenda: -Older citizens spitting and urinating in public places.
                                            -The younger ones think it is a cultural norm.
                                            -lack of education likely cause of this.
                                            -affects government.

                                            -Government plans to start public education.
                                             -with public education, more educated people
                                             -more educated people, less chance of doing the negative behaviour
                                             -investors get more confident and invest

                                            -Public survey
                                            -with public education, the educated ones can educate the old people
                                            -less likely for people spitting and urinating in public
                                            -educated people can boost economy
                                            -encourages foreign investment

Week 5: Dramatism

The chosen topic for the essay shall be Dramatism. For the purposes of the blog, this entry shall only state the summary of the entry:

 Kenneth Burke defines dramatism as a concept. This concept explains about the motivation of human beings through the analysis of drama. It also analyses language and thought as modes of action rather than to convey information.(3) In simpler terms, dramatism involves communication and the communicator acts as if he or she was in a drama, hence the term. The communicator tries to reach to the audience to gain acceptence on his or her views.(2) This forms an attempt to convince the 'audience' via the actions performed by the comunicator, much like how an actual drama plays out.

The main course of dramatism only apply to people as they have the ability to perform action. An action is something done to a person on purpose in a way of their voluntary behaviour. This is different from motion, which contains neither meaning or purpose. In this sense, as explained by Littlejohn(2002) only people have actions, objects and animals have only motion.(1) Actions can be either animalistic or symbolic.(3)

These actions deal with thought. In one of Burke's books, "Grammar of Motives" (1945), basic forms of thought can be made prevalent through use of motives which are a product of rheotherical action. Motives deal with how people understand and respond to certain events(1)

A pentad is used to analyse the motives in a symbolic action. The pentad mainly concerns about the act, scene, agent, agency, purpose and later, attitude. Act describes whatever action took place. Agent describes who or what performed the action. Scene describes the location of the act. Agency describes the means employed. Purpose descibes why the act took place. Attitude describes the manner the action was performed.(1,3)

                                                                                                                             (277 words)
References:

1. Cohrs, B. (2002). Kenneth Burke's Dramatism. Accessed 15/2/2012. Website: http://zimmer.csufresno.edu/~johnca/spch100/5-3-burke.htm

2. Dramatism-small group communication context. Accessed 15/2/2012. Website: http://www.uky.edu/~drlane/capstone/group/drama.html

3.Notes: Kenneth Burke on Rhetoric, pt. 2. Accessed 17/2/2012. Website: http://bradley.bradley.edu/~ell/burke2.html

Lesson on Semiotics (week 4):

Introduction:
The topic of choice for this assignment is semiotics, also known as the study of signs. In this topic, I shall write about the semiotics behind our national flag, the flag of Brunei Darussalam.

(picture and description of flag referenced from http://www.flags-flags-flags.org.uk/brunei-flag.htm)

Denotation:

The denotation of this flag could be summarised as a yellow flag with two diagonal bands of black and white parallelograms with a red emblem in the center above the two parallelograms, with the white parallelogram on top and the black one at the bottom.

(picture of emblem taken from http://www.information.gov.bn/VER2/content/view/594/188/1/9/. Description of emblem compiled from the 'references' section)

The emblem is described as a swallow-tailed flag on a winged column with an upturned crescent above a scroll and flanked by two upright hands. The crescent contains an inscription, in Arabic, the national slogan of Brunei which means "Always render service by God's guidance".

Significance:

The flag and umbrellas both stand for the Royal Regalias since the creation of the crest. The wings of four symbolises the protection of justice, tranquility, peace and prosperity.The hands represent the Government's pledge to promote welfare, peace and prosperity. The crescent represent Islam, the official religion in Brunei. The inscription on the crest reads "Brunei Darussalam" meaning "the Abode of Peace" in Arabic.

The colours also play a symbolic role. The colours yellow, white and black represent those of the Sultan, Pengiran Bendahara and the Pengiran Pemancha respectively.

Etiquette:

There is a certain etiquette to be maintained while hoisting the flag.(1) Faliure to do so implies disrespect for the country unless otherwise stated. The United Nations uses flags in Alphabetical order to ensure there is no precedence of one country's flag over another country's flag.

The flag must should never be flown above or below another country's flag, as this implies inferiority or superiority over another country's flag. During international events, the Brunei flag is carried as a sign of participation by the representative. This  The flag is hoisted during the singing of the national aanthem during school assemblies, National Day, His Majesty's birthday celebration or other special events.

 The flag must not be dragged along the ground. Worn or tattered flags should be replaced and burned privately and carefully. The flag must be carefully placed in the right position whenever they are hoisted. The flag should be placed in the middle of the bonnet in the case of cars. In government buildings or premises, the Brunei flag should be flown from sunrise to sunset or during office hours. Flags on an buildings and homes should be hoisted throughout the day according to authority on special occasions, such as His Majesty's birthday and National Day. The flag must not be used in such a way that it can be easily damaged. The flag must be hoisted first before any other flag and lowered once every other flag has been lowered. The Brunei flag must not contain or is present in markings and designs. (2,3) In such cases, this would imply vandalism and disrespect for the flag, and by extension, the country.

The position of how the flag is hoisted also brings different meanings. For the purpose of convenience, both the denotation and the meaning will be stated. A half-hoisted or half-masted flag is used to signify grief or mourning. It is done by first hoisting the flag fully upwards, then lowered halfway. A disteress signal is indicated by flying the Brunei flag upside down. (2,3)The examples shown above are cases where the flag is hoisted fully.

Conclusion:

As seen, country flags carry no small amount of significance. From colours to insignias, they carry a lot of meaning. They represent a country's identity, history and uniqueness. It can be seen as a sign of culture and that it represents the face of its representative country and people.

References:
1. http://www.flags-flags-flags.org.uk/brunei-flag.htm, accessed 2 February 2012

2. http://www.information.gov.bn/VER2/content/view/594/188/1/9/, accessed 2 February 2012

3. http://www.information.gov.bn/VER2/content/view/594/188/1/4/, accessed 3 February 2012

Day 2,

Getting the hang of using blogger. A hectic day today. Otherwise, nothing much.

Updating soon....

Introduction

Well, looks like the blog has just been completed.

There is not much for me to type at the moment.

updating soon....