Ariff Fitri

I need a horse.

[arifffitriii]

That's not Black Mirror or Westworld. That's China.

China has been compared to episodes of Black Mirror, Westworld, and more dystopian sci-fi futuristic movies/series/books (whatever u can think of) because of their social credit system.

What is the social credit sytem? The Social Credit System is a national credit rating and blacklist being developed by the government of the People's Republic of China.

"by its wide definition, is a set of databases and initiatives that monitor and assess the trustworthiness of individuals, companies, and government entities. Each entry is given a social credit score, with a reward for those who have a high rating and punishments for those with low scores."

China’s social credit system gives individuals, businesses, and government entities a credit score based on their trustworthiness.

The goal of the social credit system is to make it easier for people and businesses to make fully-informed business decisions. A high social credit score will be an indicator that a party can be trusted in a business context.

The system began with a focus on financial creditworthiness, similar to credit scores used in western countries, and moved on to include compliance and legal violations.

Here's the good thing. First n foremost, It obviously promotes good behavior in a variety of instances. People who commit a heroic act are most likely going to be rewarded. Not only that, but It could also potentially make China a safer place to live and work. Donating blood or positively influencing one's neighborhood are some examples of good deeds which may increase each citizen’s positive effect on society.

The bad thing is... Citizens' are being monitored 24/7 with video surveillance and social media. So it is pretty invasive which significantly give individual and companies less privacy. Since it is a system so there is a possibility for some algorithmic mistakes and mis-scoring.

Misconceptions

There are a lot of misconceptions about the social system. One myth/misconception that I myself believe is a dystopian, Black Mirror-like world where the government uses futuristic technology to track and analyze citizens’ behaviors and rate them according to their political loyalty.

But in reality, not many people care about these scores, since participation is voluntary and having a low score in itself does not bring any major negative consequences, according to researchers.

[arifffitriii]

The Game is Afoot

Unfortunately, gaming communities are shifting toward monetization and away from the play. The good thing is I learn more about the economy here.

Just like other entertainments, gaming has also been "ruin" by monetization. or possibly made better?

Back then it was usually just one-time purchase games. But now they have Downloadable Content (DLC) and In-game purchases like in-game items/accessories and in-game pass/season pass. This make it more "expensive" to own a video game.

Although sometimes the game is free, they probably will have an in-game purchase which allow player to spend money on them. The current famous game is Valorant. the game are known for selling overpriced premium looking skins and emptying players wallet.

CSGO Skins & NFT.

as a player of Counter Strike: Global Offensive (CSGO) ive always been attracted by their gun skin. for you who might not know, CSGO is a FPS game, and it has a very unique marketplace within the game.

CSGO pretty much show me the concept of virtual goods and product life cycle, which now known well with NFTs. CSGO is known for its expensive in-game skins which change the appearance of the weapons. There's really a lot to unpack if someone wanted to learn about the game's virtual goods.

CSGO skins have been compared to NFTs for quite some time now, especially among the gaming community on Twitter and Reddit. In a way, the hype on NFT is formed by CSGO skins.

both CSGO skins and NFT are digital objects with real-world value. People who have it is the owner (kinda not at the same time). People believed NFTs are unique because of the ownership system. NFT owners believed that they are the only ones who own that specific image but actually they just own the hash for the image.

One more thing about CSGO skins and NFTs is their uniqueness. Although CSGO skins kinda all look the same, they all have a very different Float value which basically is the different skin types each displaying more wear and damage on the weapon. Usually the better the skin condition the more expensive the skin.

NFTs' uniqueness is usually in their backgrounds, facial expressions clothing, and more.

The NFT community could probably learn a thing or two from CSGO skins, but the massive differences in value and ownership keep the concepts distinctly different.

[arifffitriii]

What the Fan! (?)

I'm kinda a fan of everything. Not a big fan of any particular celeb. I like a few but I definitely won't consider myself a fan of one. Even for movies/tv shows, it's hard for me to decide my fav one. And as for the football team, I've decided to not stick with any to avoid being heartbroken by losses. I also watched a lot of wrestling (WWE), MMA, boxing, and some F1, not to forget video games.

In this blog, I will share my experience of falling out of love with the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU)

Fallen Out Of Love (FOOL) I've fallen out of love with the MCU. Well actually maybe I'm just tired of it. you know, waiting for the movie after movie, shows after the show, and project after another is kinda tiring. Obviously, MCU has been INSANELY DOMINANT with their franchise.

Their movies/series has been part a big part of my life. The first Iron Man movie was released when I was 6 years old. I remember watching CA:WS when I was on holiday at KL and Endgame on my SPM year. Basically, MCU were always been part of my decades of living.

MCU takes the advantage of the franchise universe. Maximizing crossovers, listening to fans with complete storytelling. Some franchises have tried to copy the MCU formula when it was "hot". and I still think as a fan MCU really nailed it when it comes to the consistency of the film (except for some) but overall most of them are solid movies.

Too many connections also made them tiring. One thing that are the best about MCU are the possible crossovers. Which now it kinda backfires them bcs there are soo many of them. Too many threads of story make it tiring too focus on characters. Im tired of going into marvel movies needing to prepare like its an exam.

Part Of The Journey Is The End.

MCU has UNDENIABLY produced some really good films across the decades. They've made a huge impact on pop culture and on the fans (me) with memories that I never forget.

There's been a conversation about this on Twitter among the MCU fandom, about superhero fatigue, which can probly be overcome by telling fresh, original stories.

[arifffitriii]

Comfort Crowd.

community in times of need

there’s a time when you need answers but you don’t have them. but others might. 

Crowdsourcing is the process of obtaining information with the help of the community/people online (or can be offline). especially in times of need crowdsourcing can benefit not just the individual but also the community.

Mid 2021, there was a campaign/protest where Malaysians put a white flag outside their house, as a signal that they are in need of food and other essentials. Some families who don’t have any white flags use a white cloth so that neighbors can help them.

around that time kitajaga.com were kinda going viral on Twitter. So I check them out. Kitajaga.com is an app/platform to help other people in need. After you make an account there are two options “Saya perlu bantuan” (I need help) and “Saya ingin bantu” (I can help). This allows Malaysians who are in need and the ones who are able to help to connect with each other rather than just using Twitter or Fb for help.

This is one example of crowdsourcing that I’m personally proud of (although it’s not my app) because it’s heart-warming to see Malaysians helping each other out. and it really shows that in times of need social media actually benefit the communities.

Crowdfunding (a type of crowdsourcing) is a way of raising money. Whether it is for personal use/ project/ business or for fun. 

Spider-Man: Lotus. Last year, I have found an interesting fan film project on Twitter. The poster looks so nice that the 1st time I saw it, I thought it might be an actual movie from another franchise. Later on, I figured that it was a non-profit project. So I dig up more and found their Indiegogo account .and wow I was very impressed by their concept images and teaser. If I have money I would probably donate some to them huhu.

So I follow their director on Twitter so I can keep up to date on the film’s progress (although I didn’t donate anything). Since I’m into Marvel and filmmaking the fan film really excites me. I was following the project progress pretty close. But then there are a few months of nothing on twitter. like no updates/posting whatsoever. but I don’t really mind it that much.

Turns out there was some controversial thing going on.  “The project was canceled due to some wildly racist comments allegedly made by both the director Gavin J. Konop and Peter Parker actor Warden Wayne. These comments were vile, and they made the rounds online in the form of leaked DMs and that’s when everything fell apart”

I was very sad tbh. Obv the fans are mad and the crew is as well. Their budget on Indiegogo was over $25000 and the VFX was so impressive. Simply unfortunate that ppl/fans won’t be seeing this movie.TT

[arifffitriii]

I Took Advice From the Internet

Imagine this right, I sleep that night with a headache. I woke up the next morning still with a headache and also a sore throat. And I’m worryingly getting hotter (temperature-wise). So the first thing I did that day was to Google my symptom. The first search result shows me the answer. I couldn’t bother scrolling more down because there are too many complicated medical terms. So I took advice from the internet, turns out I just need some rest and drink enough water.

But anyway, you get what I’m trying to say. and you most likely have done the same thing. Googling symptoms and taking advice from the internet has been normalized today. At some point, some people would probably go to see the doctor just for a second opinion, because they already diagnosed themself on the internet. 

Although, finding/googling health information online isn't always harmful because it occasionally can point you in the right direction. But the thing is, the more you do research, you’ll find more complex medical terms and identify a serious illness that you may or may not have and it can cause unnecessary stress which then affects your mental health. Basically being paranoid.

"just drink HOT water laa and expose yourself to SUN then you can’t get covid lehh”

if it couldn’t be more obvious, social media is being used to share knowledge, especially during the time of the covid pandemic. Unfortunately, information about COVID is not the only thing that spread around, fake news and stupid/funny rumors were also being shared. I don’t wanna throw shades at anyone but, thanks to aunties and uncles in Malaysia the fake rumors spread across Malaysia smoothly like butter, like a criminal undercover, especially on their favorite platform, Fesbuk. The fake news was also helped spread by Parent-Teacher Association and the Kampung/Resident area Wassap group.

Some highlights of the funny rumor include: 

Special military helicopters will spray pesticide from the sky all over the country tonight, so please stay indoors. (one of the funniest rumors I’ve heard)

Vaccinated people contain a microchip and can emit Bluetooth signals. (my personal favorite)

Coronavirus pandemic will slow in the summer due to the heat.

Drinking hot water fights the coronavirus (spoiler alert: u will burn your tongue)

A good diet can prevent coronavirus (they just want u to be healthy)

To conclude, just don’t rely so much on news from social media (particularly  Fesbuk and Wassap), especially for public health issues. No matter who sends it to you just make sure to do a fact-check. and go check a more trustworthy source. okay bye.

[arifffitriii]

Rethinking the way of protest/activism.

Protesting is the expression of disapproval of or objection to something (Oxford Languages).

What happens in a protest is usually people will gather and come together to voice out and express their opinions about social issues publicly. This can include bringing awareness, sharing information about injustice, and even connecting people who share the same passion.

Primarily, protests are physically held to demand change. But now with social media...people are doing it online.

How's the activist use social media? In my last blog, I talk about Fahmi Reza a Malaysian graphic artist who is also a political activist. Fahmi is a really great example of an activist that has accomplished and gain a lot of people's attention online. Fahmi is well known for using cartoons and satirical graphics to express himself politically.

Particularly, his work depicting Najib Razak as a Clown. Which then start a hashtag movement #KitaSemuaPenghasut. The hashtag is still being used till these days especially now that Malaysia are approaching the next general elections. Not only that, people would also use #KerajaanGagal and #DengkiKe along with it.

There's also another famous influencer who is way more aggressive on social commentating called Namewee. Namewee is a Youtuber, singer, rapper and filmaker. Namewee has gained widespread recognition since he release a very very controversial song titled "Negarakuku", particularly among the younger urban generation.

Not just that he's also not scared to speak his mind and express his beliefs through music, writing, or movies. The only things that are stopping him are the rules and regulations of the platform. The only restriction for him is whatever YouTube disallows.

Although he got a lot of controversial videos, he still pushes the message of peaceful Malaysia emphasizing racial harmony and religious differences.

Have I participated in any online protests?

I'm not sure...probably have. The first thing I remember protesting online was #ReleaseTheSnyderCut. I don't even know if this is considered protesting or not. But yeah, #ReleaseTheSnyderCut was a protest where fans demand Warner Bros. release Zack Snyder’s version of Justice League. The protests worked, then Warner Bros. confirmed the movie's release date on HBO. This is (from what I can remember) my first time protesting online.

I've been on social media for quite some time but I rarely post/repost/share anything. So tweeting/retweeting makes me feel that I have the "power" to change certain things(in a way).

[arifffitriii]

Politics: A Bag Full of Tricks

I never really liked politics, cause its a bag full of tricks, just a bunch of classics with bad ethics, discussing tactics for demographics. and confusing conflicts either international or domestics,

Above is my minimal and very low-effort attempt at making a poem/quote about politics. Additionally, with the right beat, it'll make decent rap song lyrics.

As I said, I was never really interested in politics. It's not a topic youth like me would casually speak about. Especially coming from a family that doesn't really talk about this kinda stuff openly. Sure, my friends do talk about it, but I'm usually out of the conversation. Around 2017, when I just got my new phone at that time I also started using Twitter. I discover that Twitter discuss the topics of politics in a different way. Different in a good way. It's way way way more interesting than reading/watching squabble's of the uncles and aunties in Facebook. One page in particular that I was pulled into was Fahmi Reza's. Fahmi Reza or known on Twitter as @kuasasiswa is a Malaysian political activist, graphic designer, street artist and documentary filmmaker who uses art to protest against corruption in Malaysia. At that time he was known for selling #KitaSemuaPenghasut (“We are all instigators”) shirts.

How does Malaysian take his satirical art? I've seen the art before but i didnt really care who did it. My initial take was it was low-key funny and high-key creative. I always love visual art, so to see something so serious and intense like politics, from a "playful" and "cheeky" type of way is quite interesting. Also because Malaysian (myself) rarely see something or someone who dare to do something as crazy as what he does. Bravely criticizing the government and corrupt politicians publicly. and personally, I kinda feel like he connects a lot of people together. Especially the younger generation, who bought the T-shirts that he sell and some even draw the art themselves and proudly show it on their social media.

Does this satirical art or meme provide a useful way of understanding politics?

tbh, Yes it does. Memes are being used widely among youth. In a political matter, I think the messages is way more clear when meme are being used. Whether the politician are doing a good or bad job. Younger generations, in my opinion, lack the attention span to swallow down "traditional" political content. This type of content have the power to motivate and inspire people. Fahmi for instant, successfully raise awareness and wake people up to take action and promote changes.

That pretty much sums up my blog for this week. Below is some screenshots of Fahmi Reza's Kelas Demokrasi (Democracy class) on TikTok Live where he teach his viewers about Malaysia general election and how to vote.

[arifffitriii]

"bL0gGinG is d3Ad" says the Ipad Kid.

Is blogging dead? Some might say the act of sharing your personal opinions/comments on the “cloud” (also known as blogging), is 6 feet deep under the Internet’s graveyard. Although my high school friends would probably laugh at me for having a blog in 2022, personally I still think that blogging is still alive and healthy. In other words, RELEVANT.

Blooging? Blagging? Blogging? What’s that? Although I found it an inherently funny word, the word blog is just a shorter version of the word “weblog”. So basically, when you’re blogging you’re just uploading new material to your own website page for your friends(if u have one) or community.

Blog? i only know Vlog...yea, it's pretty much the same thing just in a different form. In blogs, we write the content and text but in vlogs the content is in video form~.

There’s no way Blogging is better than on TikTok and Instagram…right? Welp, it’s a no-brainer who’s gonna win if we put blogging sites like WordPress and Tumblr Vs trendy, popular social media apps like Instagram and TikTok.

Blogs has been around longer than vlogging, and it used to be other's source of information...but now a blog would receive a lesser number of visitors. But a vlog will get way more numbers in terms of view an reach especially when they can post it on TikTok and Instagram.

Why i think blogging is relevant at this era? 1 thing. Flexibility. As in the flexibility of the length of information that can be given in flexible duration. Reels and TikTok have their own limit in terms of length and duration, but fortunatelyyyy blogs can be either short or long form depending on the topic. So they can put more information in the blogs.

Not just that, Reels and TikTok obviously only support video format whereas blogs can have everything. Text, images and even videos. So i guess it can be used by people a lot more effectively.

If blogging isn’t relevant then what is? You.