Divya Durgavarjhula

wisco ‘25

[Divya Durgavarjhula @divya_d626]

the spiral of silence‼️ #UWJ201 #303

[Divya Durgavarjhula @divya_d626]

@MeganBarbGordon It definitely is important to know the ways in which they try to manipulate/persuade us because, otherwise, we put ourselves at risk for spending money and time in the wrong places. #UWJ201 #303

[Divya Durgavarjhula @divya_d626]

@MasonHolcombe I believe someone can persuade with emotion, since emotion is actually an important factor when making decisions. I think it only crosses the line into manipulation when the emotions are too forced or based on false pretenses. #UWJ201 #303

[Divya Durgavarjhula @divya_d626]

#UWJ201 In our discussion, we talked about how designer brands and “elite” companies do not advertise to the common public like regular companies. Would it be good for these companies if they started doing regular ads, or would it make them seem less exclusive? #303

[Divya Durgavarjhula @divya_d626]

@Noayamashiro7 Biased algorithms and processes are definitely noticeable in other mediums of media since a lot of media focuses on revenue. By directing focus towards how these racial biases impact certain groups negatively, we can move towards a safer media environment. #UWJ201 #303

[Divya Durgavarjhula @divya_d626]

@MadisonHaering I believe that TV news will never completely disappear since it’s been around for so long, and there will always be people who prefer it. However, I do believe it will continue to become less popular since social media keeps evolving. #UWJ201 #303

[Divya Durgavarjhula @divya_d626]

In our discussion, we talked about including social scientists in creating social media algorithms. I believe that it’s hard to predict specific problems when writing user-based algorithms, so should they be included in the process, or as quality control? #UWJ201 #303

[Divya Durgavarjhula @divya_d626]

@mike_pat_hall Some level of polarization will exist since people naturally have different opinions on issues. This is positive since debate is healthy for a democracy. However, modern polarization gets in the way of real issue coverage and effective policy, which is negative. #UWJ201 #303

[Divya Durgavarjhula @divya_d626]

@sofdlv The internet, especially social media, has definitely made my polarization more extreme at times. Although I try to avoid it, it’s almost impossible to completely avoid seeing media that confirms my opinions or supports my political affiliations. #UWJ201 #303

[Divya Durgavarjhula @divya_d626]

The Ezra Klein reading discussed a study where exposing democrats and republicans to tweets from the other party made them more, not less, polarized. This brings up the question: can echo chambers ever truly be solved, or are they just too ingrained into our minds? #UWJ201 #303

[Divya Durgavarjhula @divya_d626]

@ttforpresident It does reduce their negative impact to some extent, but I don’t think its possible to really stop these people who want to cause harm. If they are banned from one platform, they will just move to another, whether it’s another social media app or just real life. #UWJ201 #303

[Divya Durgavarjhula @divya_d626]

@CateTarr Although the fact that corporations own a lot of TV stations and news outlets is harmful for issue coverage, I don’t believe the government would help by stepping in. It might just transfer the power from one small group of people to another. #UWJ201 #303

[Divya Durgavarjhula @divya_d626]

In the #UWJ201 lecture, we discussed how media is concentrated in a few big corporations, which limits issue coverage and uniqueness in messages, as seen with the Sinclair example. How does this affect the voices of groups such as women/LGBTQ+/ethnic minorities in US media? #303

[Divya Durgavarjhula @divya_d626]

In reading 4, Deaven mentioned how north/downtown Chicago was more covered by the media than the west/south sides in 2020. I feel that this is paralleled in the U.S. as a whole. Does this contradict Curran’s point that one of journalism’s functions is to represent? #UWJ201 #303

[Divya Durgavarjhula @divya_d626]

@RachelUmland2 It’s definitely true that journalism can misrepresent certain communities, especially when they are not the ones primarily in charge. This means that people in control of the media may end up being spokespeople for minority groups, which can be harmful. #UWJ201 #303

[Divya Durgavarjhula @divya_d626]

@CeceBabat Although the people can scrutinize and debate independently, I believe that people usually question information only after they have heard someone else question it. Therefore, I believe that scrutinizing/debating in journalism is just as important as informing. #UWJ201 #303

[Divya Durgavarjhula @divya_d626]

@jasperlindseyy I also find this surprising since the modern-day political environment is pretty polarized. Hopefully, this data means that more people are adopting increasingly diverse media diets, which can combat the spiral of silence. #UWJ201 #303

[Divya Durgavarjhula @divya_d626]

@FIONAHATCH04 To some extent, it does depend on individual personality. However, I believe that every individual, whether they’re a confident extrovert or a sheltered introvert, instinctively tries to avoid social isolation, so no one is truly immune to the spiral of silence. #UWJ201 #303

[Divya Durgavarjhula @divya_d626]

Reading 1 mentioned how the spiral of silence can be beneficial. For example, when homophobic people feel unwelcome and don’t speak their minds, the LGBTQ community has more freedom of expression. Is the spiral of silence essential for social progress sometimes? #UWJ201 #303

[Divya Durgavarjhula @divya_d626]

@Sclark978 As a result of that common misconception, women in politics are usually more scrutinized by the media if they say something even slightly wrong. This is why women usually don’t like to speak on political issues unless they really know what they’re talking about. #UWJ201 #303