Something that I have yet to get over is how has this great country of ours gotten to this place where our people are bought and sold? Our country was established to free people from the reign of a monarchy and now that has been replaced with the reign of a corporate monarchy.
I know this is a near to impossible question to really answer but, how can we fix the self esteem of the people? Since apparently it is so low that we believe that what we have is never good enough.
Finally, how do we get media literacy education in our school systems? I mean come on. I am sure our schools can do without a pottery class, or weight training. Let's replace those slots with something worthwhile like learning about the history of American media.
Monday, May 3, 2010
Top Ten List
#10 Learning how to set up and efficiently run a blog. This was something that I would have never thought myself capable of doing so I am grad I now have a little more techno knowledge. Maybe I will use this again in my future endeavors, but then again maybe I would like to stay far away from computers.
#9 That we are all being watched on-line. Every account we set up or purchase we make is dually noted by someone wanting to sell something. This was a really creepy realization.
#8 Hip-hop music was really made popular in the 90's to sell merchandise. Like in that Sprite concert in "Merchants of Cool." Their images are tough, but they are really just a bunch of sell-outs.
#7 Students are being marketed to while in school. I can't believe that text books are being used to sell products. I actually argued this issue with my dad, who is a 3rd grade teacher, and he said there is no way that is going on in his classroom. I told him to look closely.
#6 The association between a consumers loyalty to a product and a members loyalty to their cult. I wish this wasn't a valid observation but unfortunately it was a reoccurring theme in so much that we learned in this class. It's all brainwashing.
#5 MTV has labeled it's most valued consumers as "Mooks," and "Mid-drifts." This is something I can really ID with since I was an MTV viewer during the height of this craze. I proudly will never allow this channel to grace my television screen again.
#4 Corporations are treated as individuals by law. This realization about knocked my socks off. The real unfortunate fact of the matter however is that where humans are severely punished for the bad things they do corporations many times get off with only a slap on the wrist.
#3 Women are treated like products in advertisements. I had never noticed before that almost every commercial or magazine advertisement that contains a woman portrays her as a body, or a bitch.
#2 Even more eye opening than #3 is that boys too are harmfully marketed too. In "Tough Guise," the staggering amount of male induced violence or murder is really upsetting. This belief that "real" men don't show emotions is so damn destructive. I thought that women were the real big victims of advertisements and image, but men are really suffering.
#1 That I have the power to filter what I see and believe. This was the most empowering thing for me and thanks to my introduction into media literacy I now know when to be a skeptic. It's funny how this little bit of knowledge has really flooded into my life. I have been constantly preaching the good word to my family and friends. Most importantly I now can see how important it is that all children and parents are taught how to filter this crap.
#9 That we are all being watched on-line. Every account we set up or purchase we make is dually noted by someone wanting to sell something. This was a really creepy realization.
#8 Hip-hop music was really made popular in the 90's to sell merchandise. Like in that Sprite concert in "Merchants of Cool." Their images are tough, but they are really just a bunch of sell-outs.
#7 Students are being marketed to while in school. I can't believe that text books are being used to sell products. I actually argued this issue with my dad, who is a 3rd grade teacher, and he said there is no way that is going on in his classroom. I told him to look closely.
#6 The association between a consumers loyalty to a product and a members loyalty to their cult. I wish this wasn't a valid observation but unfortunately it was a reoccurring theme in so much that we learned in this class. It's all brainwashing.
#5 MTV has labeled it's most valued consumers as "Mooks," and "Mid-drifts." This is something I can really ID with since I was an MTV viewer during the height of this craze. I proudly will never allow this channel to grace my television screen again.
#4 Corporations are treated as individuals by law. This realization about knocked my socks off. The real unfortunate fact of the matter however is that where humans are severely punished for the bad things they do corporations many times get off with only a slap on the wrist.
#3 Women are treated like products in advertisements. I had never noticed before that almost every commercial or magazine advertisement that contains a woman portrays her as a body, or a bitch.
#2 Even more eye opening than #3 is that boys too are harmfully marketed too. In "Tough Guise," the staggering amount of male induced violence or murder is really upsetting. This belief that "real" men don't show emotions is so damn destructive. I thought that women were the real big victims of advertisements and image, but men are really suffering.
#1 That I have the power to filter what I see and believe. This was the most empowering thing for me and thanks to my introduction into media literacy I now know when to be a skeptic. It's funny how this little bit of knowledge has really flooded into my life. I have been constantly preaching the good word to my family and friends. Most importantly I now can see how important it is that all children and parents are taught how to filter this crap.
Sunday, April 25, 2010
PSA Reflection
Choosing the PSA topic of texting and cellphone use while driving was a no brainer. This is a serious pet peeve of mine. Lucky for me my other two PSA partners felt just as passionate about the issue as myself. So when we first got together to brain storm the message and layout we all agreed that we wanted both a strong pointed message and that none of us wanted to be seen on film. With those two things as our driving force we ventured into the on-line video clip realm.
By utilizing what was already on Youtube we found and edited many short clips into one solid PSA message. Our first attempt at the PSA was a little bit off topic and far fetched so we had a take two. Really thank god for Trevor who was our technology man. He was familiar with the imovie system and seemed to navigate it with ease. I know only how to write and research on my computer so without him we would have been in trouble.
Although I do feel that the work load was a little off center, with Trevor doing all of the editing, I think it balanced out for the most part in the end. What we have now is a beautifully synthesized message. The music, the imagery, and the timing all blend well together to send an emotional and powerful message. Don't drive and text. Hang up your phone. As a tool for environmental activism I think this is highly affective. A good PSA can be a sensory experience that leaves you thinking about the topic long after the 60 seconds are up.
By utilizing what was already on Youtube we found and edited many short clips into one solid PSA message. Our first attempt at the PSA was a little bit off topic and far fetched so we had a take two. Really thank god for Trevor who was our technology man. He was familiar with the imovie system and seemed to navigate it with ease. I know only how to write and research on my computer so without him we would have been in trouble.
Although I do feel that the work load was a little off center, with Trevor doing all of the editing, I think it balanced out for the most part in the end. What we have now is a beautifully synthesized message. The music, the imagery, and the timing all blend well together to send an emotional and powerful message. Don't drive and text. Hang up your phone. As a tool for environmental activism I think this is highly affective. A good PSA can be a sensory experience that leaves you thinking about the topic long after the 60 seconds are up.
Saturday, April 17, 2010
YES magazine
YES magazine
One of the most stand-out things regarding the YES magazine website is that there are no advertisements. I understand that this is part of their mission statement but I am amazed to see that they follow through with it. This site is also very user friendly and isn't cluttered up with too much information. I was really surprised to see Gustavo Esteva's face on the front page. He directs the UVM Oaxaca semester and is a very inspiring individual.
This too is one of YES magazines said missions. To provide motivation and inspiration to readers to go out and say "yes." What I really love about this site is that everything is sectioned up by: Peace & Justice, People Power, Happiness, New Economy, and the Planet. Really these should always be the most important things highlighted in life. I especially like the Happiness category. To be able to read articles about everyday people taking action really puts some fire under the old butt. I think on-line activism can work and has shown to work in the past. Although nothing beats a face to face encounter when making a point, changes have been made through internet action. I trace the success of on-line decent back to the popularity of Howard Dean's campaign in 2004.
With all that aside I find no fault with this website and their mission as of yet. I mean they even make mention of Wendell Berry and provide links to TED talks which are my new addiction. What is so stand out about a site like this one is the positive action based approach to current events. YES magazine doesn't just lament the woes of our modern times but gives the reader a wonderful list of resources for change. This is actually a pretty exiting find for me since I have always followed liberal news websites like Huffingtonpost which has become too commercialized and filled with smutty news.
One of the most stand-out things regarding the YES magazine website is that there are no advertisements. I understand that this is part of their mission statement but I am amazed to see that they follow through with it. This site is also very user friendly and isn't cluttered up with too much information. I was really surprised to see Gustavo Esteva's face on the front page. He directs the UVM Oaxaca semester and is a very inspiring individual.
This too is one of YES magazines said missions. To provide motivation and inspiration to readers to go out and say "yes." What I really love about this site is that everything is sectioned up by: Peace & Justice, People Power, Happiness, New Economy, and the Planet. Really these should always be the most important things highlighted in life. I especially like the Happiness category. To be able to read articles about everyday people taking action really puts some fire under the old butt. I think on-line activism can work and has shown to work in the past. Although nothing beats a face to face encounter when making a point, changes have been made through internet action. I trace the success of on-line decent back to the popularity of Howard Dean's campaign in 2004.
With all that aside I find no fault with this website and their mission as of yet. I mean they even make mention of Wendell Berry and provide links to TED talks which are my new addiction. What is so stand out about a site like this one is the positive action based approach to current events. YES magazine doesn't just lament the woes of our modern times but gives the reader a wonderful list of resources for change. This is actually a pretty exiting find for me since I have always followed liberal news websites like Huffingtonpost which has become too commercialized and filled with smutty news.
"Green" Hanes
I came across this internet advertisement on the site treehugger.com which I intentionally chose because I knew that it would be a prime location for some false corporate sentimentality. The group in question is the Hanes company, which helps to plunder the world with it's chemical hungry cotton fields, and extra sweaty sweat-shops.
This particular corporation must have a really well paid marketing and PR group.
So I clicked the adorable image of the little girl holding a tree seedling and it took me to their "green" site. On this site is their most recent commercial advertisement which also stars a bunch of cute little kids. It is apparent that young parents are being targeted with this advertisement. Well, either that or maybe they are targeting unmarried late twenties- early thirties men?
Whoever the target is the message that is being sent is that if you don't buy and wear the new "eco-friendly" line of Hanes clothing you are a bad person and you will be destroying the future for all the cute little kids in the ad. There is also a real black/ white, either/or message as well with the two main characters. The one guy is wearing all of the Hanes eco-line where as the other antagonist is wearing just some regular clothes. Also interesting to note is that the villain looks a little unshaven and disheveled where as the other guy looks cleaned up and put together.
The judgments being made all come from the point of view of these small children. The unfortunate thing is that this commercial is pretty entertaining even though it is sending the message to consume more.
http://www.hanesgreen.com/
This particular corporation must have a really well paid marketing and PR group.
So I clicked the adorable image of the little girl holding a tree seedling and it took me to their "green" site. On this site is their most recent commercial advertisement which also stars a bunch of cute little kids. It is apparent that young parents are being targeted with this advertisement. Well, either that or maybe they are targeting unmarried late twenties- early thirties men?
Whoever the target is the message that is being sent is that if you don't buy and wear the new "eco-friendly" line of Hanes clothing you are a bad person and you will be destroying the future for all the cute little kids in the ad. There is also a real black/ white, either/or message as well with the two main characters. The one guy is wearing all of the Hanes eco-line where as the other antagonist is wearing just some regular clothes. Also interesting to note is that the villain looks a little unshaven and disheveled where as the other guy looks cleaned up and put together.
The judgments being made all come from the point of view of these small children. The unfortunate thing is that this commercial is pretty entertaining even though it is sending the message to consume more.
http://www.hanesgreen.com/
Sunday, April 11, 2010
30 minutes
Watching TV has become almost unbearable. The only thing I ever watch is LOST, and now I watch it a day later on-line so I can skip some of the commercials. When the blasted thing is on it just emits such terrible energy. So I would say that the 30 minutes with the TV was easier, but more painful that my experience outdoors. Now as for the flow of information I would have to say that both were equally as hard. I have a tough time decompressing my mind when I am outdoors unless I am doing physical labor. To just sit and observe makes my mind wander, which doesn't really happen when the TV is on. In fact I don't really think at all.
Commercials make absolutely no sense anymore, or maybe that is because I don't watch enough TV? In all honesty I mostly spent the entire 30 minutes flipping through channels because nothing really interested me. I'm not gonna lie. It was horrific. Being outdoors on the other hand I was able to watch the always comical backyard squirrels strategizing how to get more food. This for me is much more interesting than some crappy television sitcom with a laugh track. Also while outside I was able to closely examine all of the new signs of spring. It is plain to see where my biased lies. Mother nature is my keeper.
Commercials make absolutely no sense anymore, or maybe that is because I don't watch enough TV? In all honesty I mostly spent the entire 30 minutes flipping through channels because nothing really interested me. I'm not gonna lie. It was horrific. Being outdoors on the other hand I was able to watch the always comical backyard squirrels strategizing how to get more food. This for me is much more interesting than some crappy television sitcom with a laugh track. Also while outside I was able to closely examine all of the new signs of spring. It is plain to see where my biased lies. Mother nature is my keeper.
Democracy for Sale
Democracy for me means the freedom and the power to voice beliefs, concerns, and out right objections. Democracy can also be used as a protective blanket which should nurture us, as democratic followers, in our endeavors. However the comfort and easy I had originally felt with democracy has slowly dissipated. Maybe this was due to the two elections prior to this one and the corruption that ensued, or maybe it is just an outcome of being further educated.
Unfortunately what I have uncovered during these formative years has lead me to become skeptical of democracy. Politicians can be bought and sold, and with that democracy can be bought and sold. Corporations now have more power then the politicians who were elected into office to uphold democracy. News from Washington D.C. seems to be filtered through PR firms before it even hits our households. Democracy is being filtered. Democracy is for sale.
However this corrupted democracy is only the pen and paper democracy. What still may remain untainted is individual democracy. We as individuals have the right to choose what we alone can buy, consume, and believe. We have NIMBY power, and that has not yet been taken from us. I, as a democratic being can choose not to buy poisoned foods, watch T.V., or broadcast logos all over my body. I alone can tell my small community to watch out for the deadly grasp of corporate consumerism. I alone can revolt against what corporations want me to be, and by doing so F*%^ up the system just a little bit.
This is where the hope for the future lies. No longer in the pen and paper government run democracy but in each of us as independent minds. Regretfully many people wont pick up arms and join this revolution because many people will remain plugged into the corporate system. This will become a struggle of survival of the fittest, and I pledge to be one of the fittest. Corporations will have no control over my life and my democracy.
Unfortunately what I have uncovered during these formative years has lead me to become skeptical of democracy. Politicians can be bought and sold, and with that democracy can be bought and sold. Corporations now have more power then the politicians who were elected into office to uphold democracy. News from Washington D.C. seems to be filtered through PR firms before it even hits our households. Democracy is being filtered. Democracy is for sale.
However this corrupted democracy is only the pen and paper democracy. What still may remain untainted is individual democracy. We as individuals have the right to choose what we alone can buy, consume, and believe. We have NIMBY power, and that has not yet been taken from us. I, as a democratic being can choose not to buy poisoned foods, watch T.V., or broadcast logos all over my body. I alone can tell my small community to watch out for the deadly grasp of corporate consumerism. I alone can revolt against what corporations want me to be, and by doing so F*%^ up the system just a little bit.
This is where the hope for the future lies. No longer in the pen and paper government run democracy but in each of us as independent minds. Regretfully many people wont pick up arms and join this revolution because many people will remain plugged into the corporate system. This will become a struggle of survival of the fittest, and I pledge to be one of the fittest. Corporations will have no control over my life and my democracy.