Crowds and Their Leaders "To know the art of impressing the imagination of crowds is to know the art of governing them." - Le Bon
All good leaders know how to captivate his or her audience. They have the power to motivate and influence a crowd to achieve great things. This power could be abused to produce great evil or it could be used to accomplish great good. Hitler was a great leader who abused this power. Before Hitler had any real power he started mesmerizing the small crowd he preached to. At that time Hitler was poor and was jealous of the many successful Jewish businessmen living in Germany. He started preaching his message to a small crowd and slowly he gained support. After he gained power over Germany he started spreading his message of hate through propaganda and through mass gatherings. Le Bon also stated that crowds are stupid. This was true in the case of Nazi Germany. Hitler brainwashed his audience so well, that even though immoral acts were committed no one questioned his decisions. Although leaders can influence crowds negatively they also have the power to influence a crowd positively. For example a priest or minister can influence his congregation to accomplish many good deeds. Other world icons such as Mahatma Gandhi and Mother Teresa have made significant positive differences in the world.
THE IMITATION GAME - "CAN MACHINES THINK?" In the article "Computing Machinery and Intelligence" by A.M. Turing we learn about how the "imitation game" was used to trick human and to prove that communication will never be the same with new inventions like the computer. The results of this experiment were quit alarming. For human to be unable to tell who they are speaking, human or machine is disturbing. Although the test shows how human communication skills have been weakened by the advancements in technology, it also shows the evolution of man, as a computer is only as smart as the human who made it. In the movie I, Robot we see what can happen if a man-made machine out smarts humans.
CCB #1 "Because all media... are extensions of man that cause deep and lasting changes in him and transform his environment." - McLuhan
Throughout history humans have been communicating. Over time, new methods of communication were invented which improved the lives of human beings. Different forms of communication have been used and evolved through out the years from pictures to words and signs to actions. Cavemen communicated with each other with pictures drawn on walls with animal blood and through actions. As humans evolved so did the methods of communication. We started to use speech, making words and languages. Pictures were still used; however they started to become more complex expressing many ideas and emotions. Speech was very useful as ideas could be expressed more clearly. The creation of language helped evolve drawing pictures into writing words. This is significant to history as many historical documents and laws have been written down in hard copy. As cultures changed humans started using these words to make songs where the artist conveyed his/her thoughts and feelings through music. Because of the evolution of cultures, different styles of speech have risen, from formal to slang. Communication has also changed with our economy. Communication evolved from drawing pictures on walls to writing ideas on papers to typing ideas on papers and finally communicating “electronically”. The inventions of new methods of communicating have helped the evolution of communication. Inventions like telegraphs, telephones, radio, television and computers have benefited society as messages can be sent with ease all around the world within a matter of seconds. The internet has also helped the evolution of communication. Because of the global aspect of the internet ideas can be shared faster than ever before benefiting the human race.
CCB #2
"A dog could not have the thought 'perphaps it will rain tomorrow'" - Wittgenstein
I believe this statement is false. Mr. Wittgenstein is arguing that 'since animals lack language they lack consciousness.' Just because animals can not speak a language us humans can not understand does not mean they lack complete consciousness. "A dog could not have the thought 'perphaps it will rain tomorrow.'" This could not be more untrue. Dogs and other animals in general do have the power to think it will rain tomorrow. If you have ever been around a dog before it rains or we have a storm they act up and start squealing. This is the dogs way of communicating to humans that a storm is coming. Guide dogs for the blind are another example of dogs communicating to humans without speaking a human language. Another example would be police dogs used to find drugs, missing people, or bring down armed suspects.
Here we see the dog start to "act up" when he/she smells the drugs. So therefore, it is wrong to say dogs and other animals lack complete consciousness because they lack language.
"A dog could not have the thought 'perphaps it will rain tomorrow'" - Wittgenstein
I believe this statement is false. Mr. Wittgenstein is arguing that 'since animals lack language they lack consciousness.' Just because animals can not speak a language us humans can not understand does not mean they lack complete consciousness. "A dog could not have the thought 'perphaps it will rain tomorrow.'" This could not be more untrue. Dogs and other animals in general do have the power to think it will rain tomorrow. If you have ever been around a dog before it rains or we have a storm they act up and start squealing. This is the dogs way of communicating to humans that a storm is coming. Guide dogs for the blind are another example of dogs communicating to humans without speaking a human language. Another example would be police dogs used to find drugs, missing people, or bring down armed suspects.
Here we see the dog start to "act up" when he/she smells the drugs. So therefore, it is wrong to say dogs and other animals lack complete consciousness because they lack language.
"Because all media... are extensions of man that cause deep and lasting changes in him and transform his environment." - McLuhan
Throughout history humans have been communicating. Over time, new methods of communication were invented which improved the lives of human beings. Different forms of communication have been used and evolved through out the years from pictures to words and signs to actions. Cavemen communicated with each other with pictures drawn on walls with animal blood and through actions. As humans evolved so did the methods of communication. We started to use speech, making words and languages. Pictures were still used; however they started to become more complex expressing many ideas and emotions. Speech was very useful as ideas could be expressed more clearly. The creation of language helped evolve drawing pictures into writing words. This is significant to history as many historical documents and laws have been written down in hard copy. As cultures changed humans started using these words to make songs where the artist conveyed his/her thoughts and feelings through music. Because of the evolution of cultures, different styles of speech have risen, from formal to slang. Communication has also changed with our economy. Communication evolved from drawing pictures on walls to writing ideas on papers to typing ideas on papers and finally communicating “electronically”. The inventions of new methods of communicating have helped the evolution of communication. Inventions like telegraphs, telephones, radio, television and computers have benefited society as messages can be sent with ease all around the world within a matter of seconds. The internet has also helped the evolution of communication. Because of the global aspect of the internet ideas can be shared faster than ever before benefiting the human race.
In the fast-paced and media-influenced world we are living in today it is extremely important to analyze communication. Through studying and analyzing communication we can better understand how humans tend to communicate. Communication is a vital part to a human’s life and everyday humans interact with different forms of communication. Speech is the most commonly used method of communicating. It can be used to deliver a message directly or hidden in metaphor or analogy. Speech is also directly linked to other forms of communication such as tone of voice, language used, facial expressions, eye contact, and hand gestures. By the end of the 19th century new communication technologies were being developed, with the invention of the telephone and the radio humans were able to communicate with each other faster than ever before. The television has had a dramatic effect on our society as it can broadcast all sorts of messages. Now in the 21st century everything is done electronically. Messages can be sent via the internet using web sites, forums, blogs, email and instant messaging programs. Ideas and messages can be shared between people at the opposite end of the world within a matter of seconds. Unfortunately, there is no one to control messages and media put out on the internet. People are easily seduced by messages and media they are exposed to. By studying communications we can become aware of such messages and media. The internet also takes away the interpersonal aspect of communicating between two or more people and therefore weakening the traditional communicating skills. By properly understanding communication, one can use these forms of communications to their advantage.
