This week we were taught the act of noticing; noticing all of the different signs in life that is presented to us so frequently that we don’t seem to take in. A wide range of information can be available to us if we just learn to read the signs and symbols behind some of these things. These was categorised in three different ways: Intentional,, conscious and disciplined noticing.
Linking this back to last week’s reading, it seems strange to me that a generation of hyper attention youth would have so much trouble with processing all of the different information that can quite literally be shoved into their face. As I was taking note of some of the advertisements or information on show just in the area surrounding Fed Square, I was amazed at the level of detail I normally would not take notice of. Here is a list of things I took notice of:
- Grand Prix information
- A wide range of Formula One advertisements
- Lipton Tea stands
- Signs of protest against the treatment of refugees
- Outdoor wi-fi
- Free exhibition at ACMI, Yang Fudong Filmscapes
- Advertising for fed square
- A poem titled ‘Beyond the Bright Black Edge of Nowhere’
- A range of Calvin Klein advertisements
- Car and truck rental
- Thai culture and food festival
- Graffiti with info for ‘quickies’
Looking at that list, it doesn’t seem like there was a lot to it, but a lot of what is listed would have been repeated multiple times. The Grand Prix and Formula One advertising was littered all around Fed Square, in almost every direction. Calvin Klein advertisements, featuring shirtless Biebs of all things, were present in every vertical range possible. You either look at the peak of a building or a bus driving by and there he was, with his smug face. I normally don’t see these things, and just sort of phase them out as ‘white noise’ in my life that don’t really impact me. As a media student, it will be important for me to raise my awareness in the future on these things, as whilst they may not have any real importance in my life, they are an important part of how society functions… not counting random numbers for hook-ups.
One thing in particular that interested me this week with the idea of noticing was the importance of taking note of a person’s body language. The way a person may be sitting, where their eyes may be focused, how they stand whilst in a conversation; all of these can present extremely valuable information about how a person may be feeling. Just observing people in Fed Square lead to some interesting debate in the group. We were talking about a couple’s dynamic, who was comfortable in their surroundings, who was running late and more. Most of us seemed to be in agreement about these signs, so it seems that it is the subtle things that say the most, sometimes.
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