Media Studies Writing Samples
Ex Machina: The History of the Future
Ex Machina transports us to a time when artificial intelligence becomes more human than machine. While this is an eerie concept that is made all the more pertinent by recent advancements in AI such as voice assistants like Siri and Amazon’s Alexa, self-driving cars, and most notably Hanson Robotics’ Sophia who bears a jarring resemblance to Ava, it is actually a tale that begins in antiquity.
Seeing Double: Jacqueline Kennedy Through Media
Jacqueline and John F. Kennedy’s rise to fame aligned with the technological advancement of photography and television that shaped America into a mass-mediated nation in which people’s lives could be consumed. The media was instantly attracted to Jackie’s glowing youthfulness and glamorous style that revolutionized the American female ideal. The media’s proclivity to surveil people’s lives merged private and public spheres, and its obsession with Jackie made her a malleable figure and her identity more fluid.
The Seussian American Dream: Oh, The Places You’ll (Not) Go!
Dr. Seuss’s book Oh, the Places You’ll Go! is hailed as one of the most popular graduation gifts, but despite its colorful illustrations and highly optimistic message, is it really what we want new graduates to enter the world believing? Dr. Seuss’s representation of the American Dream is positive and hopeful, but just like any dream, one must ask if it is realistic and practical. What implications are there for those who are encouraged to invest in this dream but are systemically barred from it?