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.
Monday, April 5, 2010
Toxic Sludge
Chapter 8:
1-The vast list of chemicals, bacteria, and toxins found in this sludge, or "biosolid,"is staggering. What I really love is the hard sell that the WEF is trying to make to the American people. Selling it as a "nutrient-rich, organic by-product," well that's just priceless. No wonder there has been so many food recalls.
2-It is disturbing too me that the motive behind the spreading of this waste by-product on farmland was just came down to it being a cheaper option. Really? Is human health that low on the list of priorities?
3-Now the most upsetting thing for me is to know that these "biosolids" are already being spread all across America. California fruit orchards are fertilized with this stuff,but didn't the WEF say not to place this junk near food sources?
4-I can't believe that the ICPABUMWSLRBP is an acronym that exists.
5-The vendor in Islip, NY who died within a year of coming in contact with this sludge. So sad.
My question is: How can the EPA legally be in support of this sludge disposal?
Chapter 9:
1-In the introduction by Mark Dowie, he says that 40% of all news comes to us unedited from a PR firm. Between this statement and that from "The Corporation" which basically showed the corrupting of the first amendment by news outlets I am done with journalists.
2-The E. Bruce Harrison Company refers to the issue of the environment as being just some minor complexity to be worked through.
3-PR person Kathleen (scumbag) Marquardt has chosen the Sierra Club, Nature Conservancy, and Humane Society as her enemies. She goes on to call the Humane Society a "radical animal rights cult." This woman is making tons of money lying to people for corporations. Shame.
4-It is chilling to discover that many of the large environmental organizations have been corrupted by greed. They have been bought out by some of these bad guy corporations, and their non-profit status is paying employees large sums of money.
5-Monsanto's SWAT PR stunt. Spraying inner city neighborhoods with Round-Up is just another sign of environmental injustice.
My question is: Why has our government not stepped into monitor these corporate PR blitzes?
1-The vast list of chemicals, bacteria, and toxins found in this sludge, or "biosolid,"is staggering. What I really love is the hard sell that the WEF is trying to make to the American people. Selling it as a "nutrient-rich, organic by-product," well that's just priceless. No wonder there has been so many food recalls.
2-It is disturbing too me that the motive behind the spreading of this waste by-product on farmland was just came down to it being a cheaper option. Really? Is human health that low on the list of priorities?
3-Now the most upsetting thing for me is to know that these "biosolids" are already being spread all across America. California fruit orchards are fertilized with this stuff,but didn't the WEF say not to place this junk near food sources?
4-I can't believe that the ICPABUMWSLRBP is an acronym that exists.
5-The vendor in Islip, NY who died within a year of coming in contact with this sludge. So sad.
My question is: How can the EPA legally be in support of this sludge disposal?
Chapter 9:
1-In the introduction by Mark Dowie, he says that 40% of all news comes to us unedited from a PR firm. Between this statement and that from "The Corporation" which basically showed the corrupting of the first amendment by news outlets I am done with journalists.
2-The E. Bruce Harrison Company refers to the issue of the environment as being just some minor complexity to be worked through.
3-PR person Kathleen (scumbag) Marquardt has chosen the Sierra Club, Nature Conservancy, and Humane Society as her enemies. She goes on to call the Humane Society a "radical animal rights cult." This woman is making tons of money lying to people for corporations. Shame.
4-It is chilling to discover that many of the large environmental organizations have been corrupted by greed. They have been bought out by some of these bad guy corporations, and their non-profit status is paying employees large sums of money.
5-Monsanto's SWAT PR stunt. Spraying inner city neighborhoods with Round-Up is just another sign of environmental injustice.
My question is: Why has our government not stepped into monitor these corporate PR blitzes?
Sunday, March 28, 2010
"The Corporation" The End
The documentary "The Corporation" was chillingly brilliant. I have been referencing for the past couple of day. Although not at all a light film it was necessary to watch. For me I was most surprised by the fact that a corporation could buy a countries water supply. I guess this portion of the movie both surprised and agitated me. But what was so uplifting, which there as very little of in this movie, was that the people of Bolivia stood up against their government and this giant corporation. They worked against all odds to end the monopoly over their water. How in the hell can water that comes from the sky be commodified? This scares the crap out of me. Now what I never new before watching this film was that a corporation has the same rights under law as an individual. So why aren't they also held to the same standards if they break these laws?
Now what really surprised me was that reporters for FOX news were legally hushed when they wanted to report on Monsanto's BGH dealings in Florida. First of all I was surprised that anyone working for FOX actually wanted to report real news. What really got me was how much media and corporations are in bed with each other. The press seems to be living with a constant gag order imposed. That doesn't make me feel very secure.
Overall this film did offer somewhat of a positive outlook. I for one am feel even more empowered to not consume. It can be my own little protest.
Now what really surprised me was that reporters for FOX news were legally hushed when they wanted to report on Monsanto's BGH dealings in Florida. First of all I was surprised that anyone working for FOX actually wanted to report real news. What really got me was how much media and corporations are in bed with each other. The press seems to be living with a constant gag order imposed. That doesn't make me feel very secure.
Overall this film did offer somewhat of a positive outlook. I for one am feel even more empowered to not consume. It can be my own little protest.
Letter
Dear President Obama,
I write you this letter on the pretext of what you said during your presidential campaign wasn't a lie. The passionate pleas to the American people that you so eloquently delivered during your campaign provided me, and many others across the country, with this sense of "Hope." You gave off the swagger of a man who blazes his own trail, not lead by corporate incentives and media driven politicking, and that is the President that I voted for.
We have come across a big problem though, Mr. President, and that is media conglomeration and gigantic corporations seem to undermine your very power as a national leader. How can Monsanto or Rupert Murdoch control so much in our day to day life? Not only are corporations filtering and controlling news, food, and our mental clarity but their powers reach far beyond our borders. The very fabric of our society rests in the palm of these people's hands. And yet, we didn't elect them. We elected you.
Author and activist Kalle Lasn in his book Culture Jam, calls these organizations a "global communications cartel," which is to say that they are a producing a negative influence over our people. Young girls, and boys are growing up with convoluted images of what a human body should look. They are being desensitized to violence and murder. This all in the name of commerce. Mr. President these corporations aren't even abiding by our first amendment rights. They are manufacturing the news and disregarding the rights of man to voice decent. You as a community organizing and believer of the inherent rights of man must understand that what is transpiring here must be stopped.
It has come to my attention that corporations are held held by law under the same standards as individuals. Since this is the case then it they too should be punished like individuals. To pull from Lasn's book again he argues that each shareholder of a corporation should be made accountable for any environmental, economic, or human losses. However as things stand now these corporations lose next to nothing when they do something that for an average individual would be breaking the law. Lasn's solution, and one that you should agree with, is to hold slap these shareholders with corporate liability laws that stop repeat offenders, and prevent law breakers from having anything to do with the government.
The last thing we should be worried about in this new era of "hope," and "change,"are corporations trying to undermine our government. It is imperative for us as a country to begin to practice consumption restraint, or "voluntary simplicity." This could both protect us from harmful corporate venture capitalists and bring our country into the Green Revolution. Mr. President we need your help in defending these corporate monsters and help positively influence our future as a nation.
I write you this letter on the pretext of what you said during your presidential campaign wasn't a lie. The passionate pleas to the American people that you so eloquently delivered during your campaign provided me, and many others across the country, with this sense of "Hope." You gave off the swagger of a man who blazes his own trail, not lead by corporate incentives and media driven politicking, and that is the President that I voted for.
We have come across a big problem though, Mr. President, and that is media conglomeration and gigantic corporations seem to undermine your very power as a national leader. How can Monsanto or Rupert Murdoch control so much in our day to day life? Not only are corporations filtering and controlling news, food, and our mental clarity but their powers reach far beyond our borders. The very fabric of our society rests in the palm of these people's hands. And yet, we didn't elect them. We elected you.
Author and activist Kalle Lasn in his book Culture Jam, calls these organizations a "global communications cartel," which is to say that they are a producing a negative influence over our people. Young girls, and boys are growing up with convoluted images of what a human body should look. They are being desensitized to violence and murder. This all in the name of commerce. Mr. President these corporations aren't even abiding by our first amendment rights. They are manufacturing the news and disregarding the rights of man to voice decent. You as a community organizing and believer of the inherent rights of man must understand that what is transpiring here must be stopped.
It has come to my attention that corporations are held held by law under the same standards as individuals. Since this is the case then it they too should be punished like individuals. To pull from Lasn's book again he argues that each shareholder of a corporation should be made accountable for any environmental, economic, or human losses. However as things stand now these corporations lose next to nothing when they do something that for an average individual would be breaking the law. Lasn's solution, and one that you should agree with, is to hold slap these shareholders with corporate liability laws that stop repeat offenders, and prevent law breakers from having anything to do with the government.
The last thing we should be worried about in this new era of "hope," and "change,"are corporations trying to undermine our government. It is imperative for us as a country to begin to practice consumption restraint, or "voluntary simplicity." This could both protect us from harmful corporate venture capitalists and bring our country into the Green Revolution. Mr. President we need your help in defending these corporate monsters and help positively influence our future as a nation.
Saturday, March 20, 2010
Those Damn Corporations.
I have to be honest and say that I myself new very little about corporations. Well, except that they are controlling our lives.
Now I see that they hold the same rights a individuals? I don't understand how that ever flew in a court of law, but I guess it did. It's kind of like calling the Washington Mutual building in New York a human being. What these laws really seem to be doing is protecting these giant companies from holding anyone person accountable for wrongful actions.
In the movie stock traders were portrayed as being completely detached from the realities outside of the stock floor. This is troubling too me, and further reiterates my belief that if your making tons of money you gotta be selling your soul to the devil. I have friends who work in finances in NYC and I have always found that they are in fact truly detachment from what they do at work verses what they believe during the weekends. Kind of like that CEO of Shell who believed in doing good things for the world, but once in his work place he became blinded by dollar signs.
People don't want to know what they are doing or supporting is bad. That is probably why most people wouldn't choose to watch this movie, because they don't want to be burdened with the guilt. Reality is a hard pill to swallow.
Now I see that they hold the same rights a individuals? I don't understand how that ever flew in a court of law, but I guess it did. It's kind of like calling the Washington Mutual building in New York a human being. What these laws really seem to be doing is protecting these giant companies from holding anyone person accountable for wrongful actions.
In the movie stock traders were portrayed as being completely detached from the realities outside of the stock floor. This is troubling too me, and further reiterates my belief that if your making tons of money you gotta be selling your soul to the devil. I have friends who work in finances in NYC and I have always found that they are in fact truly detachment from what they do at work verses what they believe during the weekends. Kind of like that CEO of Shell who believed in doing good things for the world, but once in his work place he became blinded by dollar signs.
People don't want to know what they are doing or supporting is bad. That is probably why most people wouldn't choose to watch this movie, because they don't want to be burdened with the guilt. Reality is a hard pill to swallow.
Still Culture Jamming
Culture Jams
1)"When a girl starts feeling like a pig it's very easy to convince herself that she is."(pg.78) The issue of body image is frighteningly truthful. I myself was someone who used media as a mirror for what I should look like. I remember, like the characters that Lasn describes, looking through the pages of People magazine and Seventeen comparing myself to all of the models and celebrities. I was always too fat and my hair too bland that I tried diet pills and dyed my hair starting at a very young age. Even now as an adult and in a loving relationship I find my old body complex coming back to haunt me. At least I didn't develop a true eating disorder like many of my friends did.
2) Lasn complains of the loss of food sensuality. Packaged, branded, and processed foods have replaced real foods. Butter, and I mean real butter is something that our society has been conditioned to scorn. However, this was a food item that was considered a luxury for many of our ancestors. Butter, dare I say it IS sexy, and we as media manipulated Americans instead see it as artery hardening, waistline plumping gobs of evil. While we are convinced that devouring synthetic alternatives like margarine is just fine. We have our heads on backwards.
3) I just really loved all that Lasn had to say in the chapter entitled,"Your Corporate Connection." The whole portion in which he mourned the loss of community at the hands of the auto industry. Can't agree more. He says that our love for cars has made, "the beating heart of community hard to find." I was just thinking about this today as I road my bike all over the Champlain Islands. Why aren't things closer together so we could walk or ride our bikes to get things? Well because the auto industry wouldn't make money off of us.
4)In the section called, "Ecological Economics," Lasn further backs up my previously mentioned sentiment regarding cars. Walking and riding a bike doesn't contribute to our GDP so expansionists don't have any interest in it. These expansionists/economists believe that we should create as much wealth as possible which will then allow people to endeavor into a life of ecological awareness. Really out of touch.
5)The Situationists are a group that I had never heard about prior to reading this book. Although their mission is a bit too radical for my taste I do like that they promote non-conformity to consumer culture. They also, and I really like this, believe that culture should spread in a lateral direction as apposed to a vertical direction.
My question is without being categorized as "radical" or an "extremist," how do we remove ourselves from medias grasp? Especially in a world that is run by technology?
1)"When a girl starts feeling like a pig it's very easy to convince herself that she is."(pg.78) The issue of body image is frighteningly truthful. I myself was someone who used media as a mirror for what I should look like. I remember, like the characters that Lasn describes, looking through the pages of People magazine and Seventeen comparing myself to all of the models and celebrities. I was always too fat and my hair too bland that I tried diet pills and dyed my hair starting at a very young age. Even now as an adult and in a loving relationship I find my old body complex coming back to haunt me. At least I didn't develop a true eating disorder like many of my friends did.
2) Lasn complains of the loss of food sensuality. Packaged, branded, and processed foods have replaced real foods. Butter, and I mean real butter is something that our society has been conditioned to scorn. However, this was a food item that was considered a luxury for many of our ancestors. Butter, dare I say it IS sexy, and we as media manipulated Americans instead see it as artery hardening, waistline plumping gobs of evil. While we are convinced that devouring synthetic alternatives like margarine is just fine. We have our heads on backwards.
3) I just really loved all that Lasn had to say in the chapter entitled,"Your Corporate Connection." The whole portion in which he mourned the loss of community at the hands of the auto industry. Can't agree more. He says that our love for cars has made, "the beating heart of community hard to find." I was just thinking about this today as I road my bike all over the Champlain Islands. Why aren't things closer together so we could walk or ride our bikes to get things? Well because the auto industry wouldn't make money off of us.
4)In the section called, "Ecological Economics," Lasn further backs up my previously mentioned sentiment regarding cars. Walking and riding a bike doesn't contribute to our GDP so expansionists don't have any interest in it. These expansionists/economists believe that we should create as much wealth as possible which will then allow people to endeavor into a life of ecological awareness. Really out of touch.
5)The Situationists are a group that I had never heard about prior to reading this book. Although their mission is a bit too radical for my taste I do like that they promote non-conformity to consumer culture. They also, and I really like this, believe that culture should spread in a lateral direction as apposed to a vertical direction.
My question is without being categorized as "radical" or an "extremist," how do we remove ourselves from medias grasp? Especially in a world that is run by technology?
Tuesday, March 16, 2010
Culture Jam
After reading this first installment of Culture Jam I find myself begrudgingly writing this blog entry. It is just one more way for me to be attached to this dreaded computer. My problem becomes that once I am on-line writing I hop around to all sorts of other sites and by the time I am done I have wasted hours. The internet is a cruel addiction, and one that I am ill equipped to fight.
With that mini rant aside I will talk about my impressions of this book. Regrettably I agree with most all that Kalle Lasn has to say about media being the equivalent to the darkside. It's scary and I feel lucky that I am only addicted to the internet and not T.V. as well. I thought about my mom, my sister, and my boyfriends entire family when I read about the turn off your T.V. week. These people in my life come to a stand still after work when they tune into primetime television.
My mother could do so much more with herself if only she could skip a couple episodes of 24. Maybe read a book, learn to knit, or just have some silence. It really drives me crazy when I go home to visit and that television is blasting. It's all just crap.
In the book he brings up the obsession and problems linked with constant white noise. I used to only be able to sleep and/or study when the radio was playing or a sleep machine was on. I always linked this to my being ADD, but maybe all this media stimulation created a learning disability in me? My mind always needs some sort of input overload to be jump started and noise was always my go to.
Lasn's observations on noise made me really consider whether or not I have ever really experienced silence. Maybe at night in the woods I have experience some form of silence? The whole thing just makes me want move somewhere off the grid.
With that mini rant aside I will talk about my impressions of this book. Regrettably I agree with most all that Kalle Lasn has to say about media being the equivalent to the darkside. It's scary and I feel lucky that I am only addicted to the internet and not T.V. as well. I thought about my mom, my sister, and my boyfriends entire family when I read about the turn off your T.V. week. These people in my life come to a stand still after work when they tune into primetime television.
My mother could do so much more with herself if only she could skip a couple episodes of 24. Maybe read a book, learn to knit, or just have some silence. It really drives me crazy when I go home to visit and that television is blasting. It's all just crap.
In the book he brings up the obsession and problems linked with constant white noise. I used to only be able to sleep and/or study when the radio was playing or a sleep machine was on. I always linked this to my being ADD, but maybe all this media stimulation created a learning disability in me? My mind always needs some sort of input overload to be jump started and noise was always my go to.
Lasn's observations on noise made me really consider whether or not I have ever really experienced silence. Maybe at night in the woods I have experience some form of silence? The whole thing just makes me want move somewhere off the grid.
Tuesday, March 2, 2010
Homework #6
1)
a)Facebook is destroying the human experience.
b)There are many things that I can agree with Tom Hodgkinson on and one of them is when he compares Facebook to 1984's "Big Brother." I mean nothing can be truly deleted. Or, the fact that now Facebook has made it so all of your friends information is no longer private. Yikes. Then he goes on to explain Facebook's uber advertising abilities. We all know that what you put on your Facebook page will end up being sold back to you. It really is brilliant.
What I don't agree with however is Hodgkinson's armageddon like beliefs in the power of Facebook. I think it too is a fad that will extinguish with time. Maybe new and faster sites will emerge to replace it, but Facebook will not be the downfall of mankind. Then he goes on to ostracize the founders of Facebook which I don't really agree with. These guys maybe a little greedy and taking part in something I care very little about, but they are entitled to their successes. It's the American Dream.
2)
a) "Little to tell and everything to sell."Is one of the most poignant remarks of Rob Willaims's article. He dove into much of the stuff that we have already discussed in class about creating a consumer with brand loyalty. However it is interesting to be able to look at advertisements now, which can fall under all sorts of categories, and trace them back to their point of origin. I really due believe that people must be made media literate in order for them to have the ability to dissect ads in this healthy way.
It's funny that after about a quarter of the way through this semester my viewpoint of media has so changed. I used to think that religion was the worlds largest brain washing evil doer, but it turns out that consumer advertisers are far worse.
3)
a) Five observations:
1- Marketers only focus on specific parts of the female body. Example being women's butts and our obsession with breasts.
2- Women are presented as docile and submissive creatures. Men on the other hand are rowdy and virile.
3- Women must always fight to become the most beautiful they can. Really if you market anything to women that promises them they'll lose weight or look younger they probably will buy it.
4- Men are not manipulated like women are in the world of advertising. Kilbourne uses the example of male underwear models and women underwear models. What is missing for the men are the suggestive words.
5- Advertisements really only cater to the heterosexual couple. This has probably changed dramatically since 1999 since homosexuality has begun to be more excepted in day to day life.
This film was quite eye opening. My boyfriend actually watched it with me and found it very jarring as well. There is a part of me that felt like some of her accusations (or persuasive techniques) were a little hyper sensitive, however I totally got her point. She did overemphasize certain text to help her argument.
I could easily see myself as a young girl looking at these advertisements and critically comparing myself to them.
a)Facebook is destroying the human experience.
b)There are many things that I can agree with Tom Hodgkinson on and one of them is when he compares Facebook to 1984's "Big Brother." I mean nothing can be truly deleted. Or, the fact that now Facebook has made it so all of your friends information is no longer private. Yikes. Then he goes on to explain Facebook's uber advertising abilities. We all know that what you put on your Facebook page will end up being sold back to you. It really is brilliant.
What I don't agree with however is Hodgkinson's armageddon like beliefs in the power of Facebook. I think it too is a fad that will extinguish with time. Maybe new and faster sites will emerge to replace it, but Facebook will not be the downfall of mankind. Then he goes on to ostracize the founders of Facebook which I don't really agree with. These guys maybe a little greedy and taking part in something I care very little about, but they are entitled to their successes. It's the American Dream.
2)
a) "Little to tell and everything to sell."Is one of the most poignant remarks of Rob Willaims's article. He dove into much of the stuff that we have already discussed in class about creating a consumer with brand loyalty. However it is interesting to be able to look at advertisements now, which can fall under all sorts of categories, and trace them back to their point of origin. I really due believe that people must be made media literate in order for them to have the ability to dissect ads in this healthy way.
It's funny that after about a quarter of the way through this semester my viewpoint of media has so changed. I used to think that religion was the worlds largest brain washing evil doer, but it turns out that consumer advertisers are far worse.
3)
a) Five observations:
1- Marketers only focus on specific parts of the female body. Example being women's butts and our obsession with breasts.
2- Women are presented as docile and submissive creatures. Men on the other hand are rowdy and virile.
3- Women must always fight to become the most beautiful they can. Really if you market anything to women that promises them they'll lose weight or look younger they probably will buy it.
4- Men are not manipulated like women are in the world of advertising. Kilbourne uses the example of male underwear models and women underwear models. What is missing for the men are the suggestive words.
5- Advertisements really only cater to the heterosexual couple. This has probably changed dramatically since 1999 since homosexuality has begun to be more excepted in day to day life.
This film was quite eye opening. My boyfriend actually watched it with me and found it very jarring as well. There is a part of me that felt like some of her accusations (or persuasive techniques) were a little hyper sensitive, however I totally got her point. She did overemphasize certain text to help her argument.
I could easily see myself as a young girl looking at these advertisements and critically comparing myself to them.
Sunday, February 21, 2010
Homework #5
#1
Before I get to my observations of the book "Ad Nauseum," I must say that I really enjoyed every chapter. Truly informative.
Now in the chapter entitled "Subliminal Seduction," the author describes the eye catching techniques that are used by advertisers to lure in readers. Using the same color that is placed behind an article headline and placing it behind a neighboring ad to suggest a connection. This causes the reader to drawl a subconscious mental link. Since I am already on the subject of the subconscious I have to mention the theories of Wilson Bryan Key. How could you not bring him up? I mean all of his suggested sexual undertones were both frightening and fascinating. The orgy in a plate of clams was a really entertaining observation. Now the way in which the advertising companies were able to flip this negative attention around to work in their favor was brilliant. They do say that all publicity is good publicity.
In the chapter about Sir Jon Hargrave who pranked everyone in the industry it was amazing to discover the carelessness of credit card companies. This man was able to open an account under the name Barack Obama with no questions asked. There is something wrong with that. Which leads me to ask a couple of questions.
My first question is how is it possible that a person can so easily have access to credit? Who is regulating this?
My second question is along the same lines as my first one but instead I ask who regulates the medical advertisements? Is there no one that checks that pharmaceutical companies aren't making bogus claims?
#2
a)Twitter can ease the burdens of communication.
b)I do find myself in agreement with Johnson over the ease of communication that is created through Twitter. When talking on the phone or writing an e-mail it can become too time consuming in this fast paced world. Now when you need an instant response you can simply 'tweet' someone. Also I am in agreement with Johnson when he brings up the benefits of advertising on Twitter. Technological advances have changed advertsing in a big way. Entrepeneurs don't have to pay for advertising anymore. With Twitter and Facebook you can easily expand your consumer outreach.
Now where I differ from Johnson is that I don't personally see the merits of being plugged into cyber space at all times. People are communicating more but is the face to face form of communication lacking? Also, why do we need to be more engrossed in celebrities lives? I'm not sure that I feel the same way that Johnson does about gaining a personal connection with celeb. I just think it gives people a false sense of reality.
c)I am not a Twitter user so my relationship is strictly second hand. In fact I'm not really sure that I will ever become a Tweet-head. Facebook is about my breaking point with technology and even that is starting to bore me.
5 things from "The Merchants of Cool:"
1)Marketers pay kids to give them the inside scoop on "cool" things.
2)Hip-hop became a major vehicle in the selling of products to teens.
3)Tom Green is a "mook." Finally I know what made him famous.
4)Family friendly WB was won out by teen sexuality.
5) The Insane Clown Posse is anti-mainstream. Teen resistance movement to appose the MTV teen.
Before I get to my observations of the book "Ad Nauseum," I must say that I really enjoyed every chapter. Truly informative.
Now in the chapter entitled "Subliminal Seduction," the author describes the eye catching techniques that are used by advertisers to lure in readers. Using the same color that is placed behind an article headline and placing it behind a neighboring ad to suggest a connection. This causes the reader to drawl a subconscious mental link. Since I am already on the subject of the subconscious I have to mention the theories of Wilson Bryan Key. How could you not bring him up? I mean all of his suggested sexual undertones were both frightening and fascinating. The orgy in a plate of clams was a really entertaining observation. Now the way in which the advertising companies were able to flip this negative attention around to work in their favor was brilliant. They do say that all publicity is good publicity.
In the chapter about Sir Jon Hargrave who pranked everyone in the industry it was amazing to discover the carelessness of credit card companies. This man was able to open an account under the name Barack Obama with no questions asked. There is something wrong with that. Which leads me to ask a couple of questions.
My first question is how is it possible that a person can so easily have access to credit? Who is regulating this?
My second question is along the same lines as my first one but instead I ask who regulates the medical advertisements? Is there no one that checks that pharmaceutical companies aren't making bogus claims?
#2
a)Twitter can ease the burdens of communication.
b)I do find myself in agreement with Johnson over the ease of communication that is created through Twitter. When talking on the phone or writing an e-mail it can become too time consuming in this fast paced world. Now when you need an instant response you can simply 'tweet' someone. Also I am in agreement with Johnson when he brings up the benefits of advertising on Twitter. Technological advances have changed advertsing in a big way. Entrepeneurs don't have to pay for advertising anymore. With Twitter and Facebook you can easily expand your consumer outreach.
Now where I differ from Johnson is that I don't personally see the merits of being plugged into cyber space at all times. People are communicating more but is the face to face form of communication lacking? Also, why do we need to be more engrossed in celebrities lives? I'm not sure that I feel the same way that Johnson does about gaining a personal connection with celeb. I just think it gives people a false sense of reality.
c)I am not a Twitter user so my relationship is strictly second hand. In fact I'm not really sure that I will ever become a Tweet-head. Facebook is about my breaking point with technology and even that is starting to bore me.
5 things from "The Merchants of Cool:"
1)Marketers pay kids to give them the inside scoop on "cool" things.
2)Hip-hop became a major vehicle in the selling of products to teens.
3)Tom Green is a "mook." Finally I know what made him famous.
4)Family friendly WB was won out by teen sexuality.
5) The Insane Clown Posse is anti-mainstream. Teen resistance movement to appose the MTV teen.
Monday, February 15, 2010
Homework # 4?
#1
The identification of oneself with a particular brand or product. This is a theme that keeps appearing throughout our examination of the media. In "Ad Nauseum," the chapter which covers magazines and who their readers are provides insight into the inner marketing machine. Jane magazine claims that their readers are, "20-something front row influencers." Where do they come up with this stuff? I read Jane magazine when I was an uncomfortable adolescent. At 20-something I would never think of picking up such teenie bopper tripe. But these advertisers believe what they say is true. That their customers can be summed up in a quick blurb.
One of the biggest culprits of this belief is Song airlines whom, in"The Persuaders," claimed that their employees lived, breathed, and slept Song. How does a person live, breath, and sleep a product? I totally understand if a person who is mentally unstable, like the gentleman who loved Ariel the animated mermaid, identifies with a product but everyday people? I would hope that most of us are better than that.
It is Possible that this association between humans and a product or brand comes from the ever emerging realism of advertising. In the Chapter entitled "How Do Kids Read Commercials," the author asked a bunch of teenage students what they thought about some of the commercials they watch, and many of them had a hard time differentiating fact from fiction. I remember even being fooled into thinking that some commercials were really public service announcements. It's an effective marketing approach and it catches many people off guard. We witnessed this in class with that cell phone ad. It looked so much like something official, but in the end was just some brilliant marketers work.
#2
a) Human's evolutionary success maybe found in the technologies we develop.
b) The two examples where I agree with Cascio are when he says that technologies are advancing at a rate that could allow for artificial intelligence in the not too distant future. He call this "You+," which is both creepy and fascinating. Also I find that I can quasi agree with Cascio's assumption that our "technologically induced ADD" maybe just our brains beginning to evolve into something with more load bearing capacity. We do have a lot of information coming our way and I do feel that my mental space is growing thin.
Where I find fault in Cascio's piece is when he claims that when our technology speeds up and advances so will we. What about those people who weren't born with a computer in their hands? I still can't efficiently use EXCEL, or god forbid, Skype. I think people who are freshman in college now could easily adapt to large technology shifts, but those who are a decade or two older maybe lost. Cascio then goes on later to talk about mentally enhancing drugs like Adderall, and Ritalin stating that some people may not see the use of these drugs as cheating. I have a real problem when people are abusing performance enhancing drugs, which Adderall and Ritalin are, in school. In my eyes this is equivalent to a competitive athlete on steroids and is most certainly cheating.
#3
a) The concept that we become immune to the influence of advertisement. Like a cockroach? I think one woman said.
b) It was interesting to learn the approach that Andy Spade made when tackling the marketing for "Song." The whole what a product means rather than what it does.
3) The connection between cult behavior and product loyalty.
4) I didn't realize that so much human research is done to promote one product.
5) Advertisers and marketers believe that brands can define a person. Or that a person can identify themselves with a brand.
The identification of oneself with a particular brand or product. This is a theme that keeps appearing throughout our examination of the media. In "Ad Nauseum," the chapter which covers magazines and who their readers are provides insight into the inner marketing machine. Jane magazine claims that their readers are, "20-something front row influencers." Where do they come up with this stuff? I read Jane magazine when I was an uncomfortable adolescent. At 20-something I would never think of picking up such teenie bopper tripe. But these advertisers believe what they say is true. That their customers can be summed up in a quick blurb.
One of the biggest culprits of this belief is Song airlines whom, in"The Persuaders," claimed that their employees lived, breathed, and slept Song. How does a person live, breath, and sleep a product? I totally understand if a person who is mentally unstable, like the gentleman who loved Ariel the animated mermaid, identifies with a product but everyday people? I would hope that most of us are better than that.
It is Possible that this association between humans and a product or brand comes from the ever emerging realism of advertising. In the Chapter entitled "How Do Kids Read Commercials," the author asked a bunch of teenage students what they thought about some of the commercials they watch, and many of them had a hard time differentiating fact from fiction. I remember even being fooled into thinking that some commercials were really public service announcements. It's an effective marketing approach and it catches many people off guard. We witnessed this in class with that cell phone ad. It looked so much like something official, but in the end was just some brilliant marketers work.
#2
a) Human's evolutionary success maybe found in the technologies we develop.
b) The two examples where I agree with Cascio are when he says that technologies are advancing at a rate that could allow for artificial intelligence in the not too distant future. He call this "You+," which is both creepy and fascinating. Also I find that I can quasi agree with Cascio's assumption that our "technologically induced ADD" maybe just our brains beginning to evolve into something with more load bearing capacity. We do have a lot of information coming our way and I do feel that my mental space is growing thin.
Where I find fault in Cascio's piece is when he claims that when our technology speeds up and advances so will we. What about those people who weren't born with a computer in their hands? I still can't efficiently use EXCEL, or god forbid, Skype. I think people who are freshman in college now could easily adapt to large technology shifts, but those who are a decade or two older maybe lost. Cascio then goes on later to talk about mentally enhancing drugs like Adderall, and Ritalin stating that some people may not see the use of these drugs as cheating. I have a real problem when people are abusing performance enhancing drugs, which Adderall and Ritalin are, in school. In my eyes this is equivalent to a competitive athlete on steroids and is most certainly cheating.
#3
a) The concept that we become immune to the influence of advertisement. Like a cockroach? I think one woman said.
b) It was interesting to learn the approach that Andy Spade made when tackling the marketing for "Song." The whole what a product means rather than what it does.
3) The connection between cult behavior and product loyalty.
4) I didn't realize that so much human research is done to promote one product.
5) Advertisers and marketers believe that brands can define a person. Or that a person can identify themselves with a brand.
Sunday, February 14, 2010
Friday, February 12, 2010
Media Art Piece
This speaks to my feelings about what is happening to the dairy industry in Vermont, as well as what is occurring nationwide. Domination and control of the small farm by the giant corporations. Cabot is not Vermont!
Friday, February 5, 2010
Music of The Night
Music was always a dynamic component of my household growing up. My father was a musician through the 60's and 70's, and my mother a ballerina. So for us music was always a topic of discussion and source for creative release. In the early years I remember sitting on the sofa listening to my dad's records and discussing the brilliance of groups like the Doobie Brothers, YES, and Chicago.
These rock groups are my childhood, my family, and basically define a great part of me. Not only was the layering of sounds something that my sister and I relished, but the album covers themselves were something we marveled at. I remember how my sister and I would go through the records and pick out our favorite covers. I always picked "Court of The Crimson King,"by King Crimson, but YES "Tales of the Topographic Ocean" was a close second.
Album covers made statements of who the band was and where they wanted to take you. In later years during my adolescences tapes became the coveted medium. We made mixed tapes which were, at least for me, a way to convey a message or express who I was. Music did change for me a little bit the older that I got. Pop culture did have some effect on my musical taste, but I think that is all part of growing up and changing.
When your a teenager you don't want to identify too much with your parents. For me I found teen rebellion in listening to Nirvana, and Pearl Jam. My father's musical influence was still there but I wouldn't know that until I became an adult and moved away. This brought music to a whole new level for me. Once out of the nest I began to turn to music to feel comforted and safe. When I missed home I would listen to those old albums and it was like my dad was with me.
When I go home to visit now and the whole family is together I love nothing more than to play some of the old hits. This past Christmas my dad's bestfriend and former band-mate came over and to hear them talk, laugh, and reminisce was the best gift I could have gotten. Music was their lives, and it has shaped who they now are. This I can truly identify with.
-Sarah Heusner
These rock groups are my childhood, my family, and basically define a great part of me. Not only was the layering of sounds something that my sister and I relished, but the album covers themselves were something we marveled at. I remember how my sister and I would go through the records and pick out our favorite covers. I always picked "Court of The Crimson King,"by King Crimson, but YES "Tales of the Topographic Ocean" was a close second.
Album covers made statements of who the band was and where they wanted to take you. In later years during my adolescences tapes became the coveted medium. We made mixed tapes which were, at least for me, a way to convey a message or express who I was. Music did change for me a little bit the older that I got. Pop culture did have some effect on my musical taste, but I think that is all part of growing up and changing.
When your a teenager you don't want to identify too much with your parents. For me I found teen rebellion in listening to Nirvana, and Pearl Jam. My father's musical influence was still there but I wouldn't know that until I became an adult and moved away. This brought music to a whole new level for me. Once out of the nest I began to turn to music to feel comforted and safe. When I missed home I would listen to those old albums and it was like my dad was with me.
When I go home to visit now and the whole family is together I love nothing more than to play some of the old hits. This past Christmas my dad's bestfriend and former band-mate came over and to hear them talk, laugh, and reminisce was the best gift I could have gotten. Music was their lives, and it has shaped who they now are. This I can truly identify with.
-Sarah Heusner