Communicating Strategically, with Jai

The late and great Tupac Shakur proposed the question, "Is [Are] you a friend or foe?" in his song 1996 song 'Can't C Me.' In a cyber-driven world marked by information overload and digital interconnectivity, the trust that Americans have in mainstream media has become quite an issue. Mainstream media was once a go-to authority that shaped public opinion. Now, the confidence that we once had in those outlets has reached a historic low. In a study conducted by Gallup, nearly 70 percent of American adults say they either do not have very much confidence or none at all in TV, newspaper or radio. This begs the question of what factors have contributed to this drastic change over the years. Is the media for us if it's not by us? Are they a friend or foe? The complexity of the relationship between the media and the public has evolved over time, being molded by differing political views, technological advancements, juicy scandals, fake news and more. These factors ha...

Social media has become a significant part of our lives. It has changed how we communicate with one another, stay connected and disseminate information. The evolution of socials has come a long way in only a short amount of time, starting from simple systems of information-sharing to now more complex structures that are flawlessly intertwined in our everyday routines.  Innovation, adaption and transformation are some of the constant themes that have been seen in the evolution of social media. What started as basic chatrooms, email and bulletin board messaging is now evolving into its own immersive universe... or metaverse as it's been called. Chatrooms and bulletin board systems made their first appearance in the late 70's. These systems were text-based platforms that people would use to converse with one another in real time. These could be seen in early internet services like AOL Instant Messenger and Yahoo Messenger. Users would interact on these databases to share informati...

When I leave the house, my checklist always goes, "Car keys? Check. Phone? Check. Wallet? Check. Phone... Double check." Mobile devices are so essential to our daily lives that it is nearly impossible to function without them effectively. The innovation of cell phones has ultimately shaped our lives and routines around the function of using them. The devices we carry are so powerful that trends from one part of the globe can influence the other.  On May 10, 2023, in Stockholm, Beyonce's Renaissance World Tour began, and the mobile app TikTok went crazy, showcasing the different parts of her performance. The most popular part of her show was her performing the sound "Energy," where she uses the lyrics, "Look around, everybody on mute..." and pauses the song for a moment, then continues singing. When the tour began, no one participated in the moment of silence due to not knowing. As the tour continued, by August 14, on her third night in Atlanta, Georgia...