I have learned a great deal in this class about many aspects of the media, including advertising, corporate power, public relations, social networking, and various media sources. For my top ten list, however, I’d like to focus on some of the bigger picture, activist tools that I’ve found:
10) "5 Questions to Ask About a Media Message". Perhaps the most important thing someone could come away with is to ask questions. As I remember reading, democratic societies encourage their citizens to think and analyze their problems and ask tough questions about them. It’s important to reflect on what people are trying to tell you and why they're saying it. Be a skeptic.
9) "How to be a Media Activist- 10 Actions You Can Take". I really liked the activism proposed in these ten actions because they are things that everyone can do, with some extremely simple and others requiring more effort. These actions provide a wide range of opportunities for action that can greatly change the media environment around us.
8) "29 Persuasive Techniques". These techniques are a great tool to see how people may be attempting to persuade you (consciously or not). It’s great to be able to break down an advertisement or campaign by seeing through its fake attempts to convince without providing real substance or solutions
7) 5 Questions from "The Making of a Media Literate Mind". I really like how this article provides simple ways for breaking down the media around us and understanding how we’re being influenced. Asking these five questions is a great way to see the big picture of media and its impacts.
6) The Five Memes. I found the Five Memes to be particularly important because they show the major or root problems that we face. Fixing just any one would turn society upside down and vastly improve the way we function, benefitting individuals, communities, and the environment. I see these as the big goals that activists should have their eye on in the present and near future.
5) Spontaneity. Kalle Lasn suggests to live in the moment and not get caught up in the “spectacle”. I think it’s important to occasionally analyze your life and routines and think about why you do what you do. I think we often just go through our lives habitually. Why are you going to McDonald’s? Why are you buying that iPad? When you look at it from that perspective, you can make the decision that you want to make and do what you want to do with your time and life, not what others are persuading you that you should.
4) Education. This follows the belief that an informed public will do the right thing, which is something that I strongly believe to be true. I think that the main reason that there is so much wrong with the world is that people don’t fully understand the problems and their root causes. For example, climate legislation is on the table without a huge majority of Americans even believing in it. Imagine what we could do if everyone fully understood the causes and consequences.
3) Activism. This is coupled with education in that people need to apply their knowledge to their lives and the world around them. They need to see that they watch too much TV, have newspapers full of PR news releases, and how advertising attempts to influence their lives.
2) Activism. As it says in ‘Culture Jam’, “Sentiment without action is the ruin of the soul”. I believe that it’s important for people to be involved citizens and get involved with issues, or at least to work for one cause that they are passionate about. Imagine if everyone had just one cause that they supported when and how they could and then friends and communities supported these causes. The world would be a truly changed and democratic place.
1) Optimism. To paraphrase another quote, “If life sucks, then fix a small corner of it”. There is no point to moping around as the world burns. I think there will always be ways to make the world a better place and make people’s lives better. This is why it’s important to keep fighting the fight and trying to change things. I believe the book had some mention of how any victory is very rewarding and how it brings encouragement to others.
Questions
After this course, I have a lot to think about. This new knowledge has really changed my perspective and altered how I think I should go about my future work in the world. Before this class, I knew I wanted to get into “communications” in a way that I could work to better connect people to understanding the problems in the world and how to act upon them. Now I understand the flaws in our media and government much more thoroughly and believe that biggest solutions will be found as a byproduct of solving these media problems. Now I am trying to apply what I learned to how I want to use it in my own life and plans for activism and a career.
My first question is: What do I know? I’m trying to assess what I know, what I’ve learned from this course, and trying to break (or condense) it into categories and key points.
My second is: What I can do with this information? I want to figure out the many options for activism that are possible and what it is that I want to try to change. I know there are many various ways to try to make a difference and I want to further determine which tools I would like to use and what goals I want to have.
Lastly, I want to know: Who can help me? I have started to look at some more of the resources from that previous blog post, where we analyzed one site. I want to utilize all the support I can in whatever goals I determine for myself, because I know there are many other people and organizations out there who are working on a similar cause or willing to help with whatever mine may be.
Tuesday, May 4, 2010
Sunday, April 25, 2010
PSA
I felt that the PSA was a meaningful and enjoyable learning experience. It is not that common that students get to share a meaningful message with society and even more rare that they get to use the video medium to do so. I thought that the whole process was kind of fun and went fairly smoothly. It was nice to just focus on one simple message and try to get it across effectively. I thought we came up with a straightforward storyline and gave the audience one clear persuasive message. It’s always difficult to coordinate group efforts, but once we got together, the filming and editing sessions were pretty fun. I think our educational message may have been very simple, but I think that one easy message is the best objective for a one minute PSA. We tell the audience something important and back it up with facts. In this sense, our message is also very clear, with the focus on the goal objective of unplugging. We worked hard to get the best scenes with regard to props, setting, lighting, and actions within the shot. For example, we tried multiple camera angles, adjusted lighting to change the mood, and allowed Pete to utilize his natural acting abilities. We also made sure that the text was simple, readable, and factual. The music was also added to contribute to the mood and better draw the audience’s attention. We created this video so that the audience would be interested and come away with an important message. In fact, we hope that they will act upon this message by being aware of how plugged in they are and perhaps strive to become a bit less connected. Overall, I would say it was a very thoroughly done project, perhaps even professional. I think video PSA’s are certainly an effective form of activism, especially in an age where YouTube videos are all the rage. One minute sometimes is all it takes to raise the level of awareness. This new experience with video makes me much more comfortable using it in the future and it is something that I am inspired to experiment with further.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ejk0lMISleQ
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ejk0lMISleQ
Saturday, April 17, 2010
Advertisement, Grist, PSA
"Green Ad"
http://www.facebook.com/futurefriendly?utm_source=NA&utm_medium=banner&utm_campaign=futurefriendly
I found a very interesting advertisement by Tide which simply had a picture of a bottle of Tide with green letters saying “Join the Future Friendly Challenge”. The link went to a Facebook fan page for Future Friendly (social media=marketing). To me, this was a very thinly veiled attempt to drum up some positive publicity for Tide. The main propaganda techniques were “diversion” and “warm fuzzies”. The campaign has nothing to do with the product and its impacts and instead focuses on Proctor and Gamble’s “feel good” clean water campaign. In essence, Future Friendly is just a way to draw people in to all the ‘good work” that P & G is doing in the world and thus slyly convince people to use their products. They are trying to portray themselves to consumers as do-gooders who value helping others, not raking in big profits for themselves. Most people would admire an effort to help those in the developing world get fresh water and Tide is using this philanthropic image as their marketing tool. My question: what are P & G's corporate impacts on water quality. “By signing up for the Future Friendly Challenge you will receive conservation tips, expert advice, exclusive offers and Challenge updates. You’ll also learn more about the lives touched by fresh water in the developing world through the Children’s Safe Drinking Water.” What stuck out to me in this quotes is “exclusive offers”. Not only will get some info on water conservation and some nice news updates on P & G’s corporate social responsibility, you will receive advertising!
Grist
I chose to analyze the website, Grist. Grist fulfills its mission for change by providing news on environmental issues with a humorous, often sarcastic tone. They make light of the many problems we face, which perhaps help us handle them, rather than become too depressed to deal with them (which has undoubtedly happened to every environmentalist at times). Despite the silliness of the site, the news covers important national and international issues and addresses and analyzes many points of conflict/debate in the environmental field. It does a good job of providing meaningful journalism by probing for root causes of problems, different impacts, and analyzing different potential and chosen actions. I would say it plays an important role in informing the public and promoting environmental activism, while also serving to entertainment and lighten the mood. I think online activism can make a difference, though I have doubts about whether it can create change on its own. As far as informing people, it can definitely go a long way in filling that niche. The site is not especially interactive, though comments can be left by readers and they can join the discussion this way. They also welcome reader contributions to their content. Grist’s mission statement says that they make “lemonade out of the current climate apocalypse”, as well as use their “Clarity-o-Meter to draw out the real meaning behind green stories, and to connect big issues like climate change to daily life”. As far as this mission goes, I feel that they are doing an exceptional job.
PSA
Progress has somewhat stalled due to communication breakdown. Plans to film on Friday fell through, but that will have to be done this week. We should have all of our text completed by next class and hopefully will do the filming then or afterward so we can get to editing.
http://www.facebook.com/futurefriendly?utm_source=NA&utm_medium=banner&utm_campaign=futurefriendly
I found a very interesting advertisement by Tide which simply had a picture of a bottle of Tide with green letters saying “Join the Future Friendly Challenge”. The link went to a Facebook fan page for Future Friendly (social media=marketing). To me, this was a very thinly veiled attempt to drum up some positive publicity for Tide. The main propaganda techniques were “diversion” and “warm fuzzies”. The campaign has nothing to do with the product and its impacts and instead focuses on Proctor and Gamble’s “feel good” clean water campaign. In essence, Future Friendly is just a way to draw people in to all the ‘good work” that P & G is doing in the world and thus slyly convince people to use their products. They are trying to portray themselves to consumers as do-gooders who value helping others, not raking in big profits for themselves. Most people would admire an effort to help those in the developing world get fresh water and Tide is using this philanthropic image as their marketing tool. My question: what are P & G's corporate impacts on water quality. “By signing up for the Future Friendly Challenge you will receive conservation tips, expert advice, exclusive offers and Challenge updates. You’ll also learn more about the lives touched by fresh water in the developing world through the Children’s Safe Drinking Water.” What stuck out to me in this quotes is “exclusive offers”. Not only will get some info on water conservation and some nice news updates on P & G’s corporate social responsibility, you will receive advertising!
Grist
I chose to analyze the website, Grist. Grist fulfills its mission for change by providing news on environmental issues with a humorous, often sarcastic tone. They make light of the many problems we face, which perhaps help us handle them, rather than become too depressed to deal with them (which has undoubtedly happened to every environmentalist at times). Despite the silliness of the site, the news covers important national and international issues and addresses and analyzes many points of conflict/debate in the environmental field. It does a good job of providing meaningful journalism by probing for root causes of problems, different impacts, and analyzing different potential and chosen actions. I would say it plays an important role in informing the public and promoting environmental activism, while also serving to entertainment and lighten the mood. I think online activism can make a difference, though I have doubts about whether it can create change on its own. As far as informing people, it can definitely go a long way in filling that niche. The site is not especially interactive, though comments can be left by readers and they can join the discussion this way. They also welcome reader contributions to their content. Grist’s mission statement says that they make “lemonade out of the current climate apocalypse”, as well as use their “Clarity-o-Meter to draw out the real meaning behind green stories, and to connect big issues like climate change to daily life”. As far as this mission goes, I feel that they are doing an exceptional job.
PSA
Progress has somewhat stalled due to communication breakdown. Plans to film on Friday fell through, but that will have to be done this week. We should have all of our text completed by next class and hopefully will do the filming then or afterward so we can get to editing.
Sunday, April 11, 2010
Toxic Sludge, Outside vs. TV, PSA
Toxic Sludge
I think the opening quote really shows how significant corporate power has become and how big of a role propaganda plays in allowing this to happen. It shows that without these billions of dollars being thrown into public relations, corporate power would not even resemble the monstrosity that it is today. Democracy to me means the active involvement of citizens in their government. For most people, this means voting. For true democratic citizens, this means fighting for a cause, whether that’s helping a candidate win election or fighting the creation of a landfill in your town. Democracy is about people working for the improvement of society by influencing the government’s actions from a local to international level. Without this pressure, the government has no reason to do anything besides follow the interests of corporate power and influence, which they have a tendency to do currently. As the article stated, citizens must keep a “constant vigilance”. The unchecked power of the public relations industry to secretly influence public opinion is certainly a barrier to true democracy. Currently, we are a nation excepting propaganda for news, while what we need is objective reporting that shows the issues and facts, allowing people to draw their own conclusions. I believe that the solution for true democracy may lie in the repossession of the media by the citizens. I think citizens should exercise their democratic rights by simply getting involved. I think the best way is to pick a fight and latch onto it. A citizen who is passionate, focused, and informed can be a powerful force. In a truly democratic country, everyone is involved with the government’s actions. The news informs us of the possible problems in our society and the politicians are directed by the citizens to act on these issues or their jobs will be at stake. The government, corporations and the media are controlled by the people. The hope is that people everywhere are making change for the better. Everyday, someone is out there working to fix a problem in society and sometimes the good guys win. My role is acting as an informed, involved citizen. My goal is to work to gradually become more and more involved in issues that I care about. I have been doing well at informing myself on these issues. I have signed a few petitions and even occasionally written to the press or elected officials. Now, I plan to step up my efforts to the next level by either getting more involved with many issues or committing to work on one problem (or both). It may be tough and depressing work, but I think that taking part in the fight is really what matters and any victory will be a great reward and lead to the encouragement of others to join the battle which will make it all worthwhile.
Select Observations:
TV
-a bit tenser than outside
-angry at commercials- lack content, blatant manipulations attempts, propaganda techniques, wonder if there's actually a show on this channel or if it's just commercials
-feel controlled and alone
-feel sluggish, eyes glaze,
-look at watch and out window
-consider stupidity of the actual show's content
Outside
-feel good, noticeable mood improvement
-calm, peaceful, free
-optimistic- it's hard to feel down when you're sitting in the sun
-consider that some people rarely experience this in any way
-notice the wind, sun, clouds, trees swaying, etc.- appreciation for nature's beauty
-see people having fun, family and friends interacting
-time to think deep thoughts
PSA
In my PSA group, we have decided on our topic and worked out a storyboard that seems like it will be very effective in portraying our message of "unplug". Our group seems to be working well together and the project has been progressing smoothly. Next time, we plan to begin filming and perhaps then we should divide some responsibilities such as editing, adding music, research for text, etc. So next class, I plan to do some filming and determine the exact text of the video.
I think the opening quote really shows how significant corporate power has become and how big of a role propaganda plays in allowing this to happen. It shows that without these billions of dollars being thrown into public relations, corporate power would not even resemble the monstrosity that it is today. Democracy to me means the active involvement of citizens in their government. For most people, this means voting. For true democratic citizens, this means fighting for a cause, whether that’s helping a candidate win election or fighting the creation of a landfill in your town. Democracy is about people working for the improvement of society by influencing the government’s actions from a local to international level. Without this pressure, the government has no reason to do anything besides follow the interests of corporate power and influence, which they have a tendency to do currently. As the article stated, citizens must keep a “constant vigilance”. The unchecked power of the public relations industry to secretly influence public opinion is certainly a barrier to true democracy. Currently, we are a nation excepting propaganda for news, while what we need is objective reporting that shows the issues and facts, allowing people to draw their own conclusions. I believe that the solution for true democracy may lie in the repossession of the media by the citizens. I think citizens should exercise their democratic rights by simply getting involved. I think the best way is to pick a fight and latch onto it. A citizen who is passionate, focused, and informed can be a powerful force. In a truly democratic country, everyone is involved with the government’s actions. The news informs us of the possible problems in our society and the politicians are directed by the citizens to act on these issues or their jobs will be at stake. The government, corporations and the media are controlled by the people. The hope is that people everywhere are making change for the better. Everyday, someone is out there working to fix a problem in society and sometimes the good guys win. My role is acting as an informed, involved citizen. My goal is to work to gradually become more and more involved in issues that I care about. I have been doing well at informing myself on these issues. I have signed a few petitions and even occasionally written to the press or elected officials. Now, I plan to step up my efforts to the next level by either getting more involved with many issues or committing to work on one problem (or both). It may be tough and depressing work, but I think that taking part in the fight is really what matters and any victory will be a great reward and lead to the encouragement of others to join the battle which will make it all worthwhile.
Select Observations:
TV
-a bit tenser than outside
-angry at commercials- lack content, blatant manipulations attempts, propaganda techniques, wonder if there's actually a show on this channel or if it's just commercials
-feel controlled and alone
-feel sluggish, eyes glaze,
-look at watch and out window
-consider stupidity of the actual show's content
Outside
-feel good, noticeable mood improvement
-calm, peaceful, free
-optimistic- it's hard to feel down when you're sitting in the sun
-consider that some people rarely experience this in any way
-notice the wind, sun, clouds, trees swaying, etc.- appreciation for nature's beauty
-see people having fun, family and friends interacting
-time to think deep thoughts
PSA
In my PSA group, we have decided on our topic and worked out a storyboard that seems like it will be very effective in portraying our message of "unplug". Our group seems to be working well together and the project has been progressing smoothly. Next time, we plan to begin filming and perhaps then we should divide some responsibilities such as editing, adding music, research for text, etc. So next class, I plan to do some filming and determine the exact text of the video.
Sunday, April 4, 2010
"Toxic Sludge is Good for You"
My PSA ideas:
Group: Ben, Pete, Paul
My concept idea is to make a PSA to remind people how plugged in they are and to occasionally separate themselves from it all or cut down on their screen time. My goal is to portray this in a humorous way and end with some strong facts regarding the amounts of time that people are plugged in. I envision a bunch of people gradually coming over sitting on a bench and being totally plugged in and isolated, on Facebook, ipods, websurfing, texting, etc. This would be alternating with scenes of people interacting and having fun or perhaps the people on the bench leaving to live in the real world. From what I saw in the past PSA’s, I think a focus on timing and a good background song will also be important.
Chapter 8
I raced yesterday at Tufts U., where the river is highly polluted due to raw sewage entering it...
1. The work of the PR groups in communities really bothers me. They are so sly that they think they can just infiltrate into neighborhoods and manipulate people’s opinions, and even attempt to “buy out” a community with a few donations.
2. I think the entanglement of the businesses/interest groups and the government agencies was very clear in this article, such as with the reclassification of the sludge from hazardous to Class A fertilizer.
3. I was reminded of how this misleading PR really impacts people when the article described the “casualties” of this pro-sludge policy. It’s not fun to think about, but it’s important to remember that in these political battles that the quality of many human lives are often at stake.
4. I think the thoroughness of the evidence against the use of toxic sludge was made very clear throughout the chapter. Despite the clear evidence of toxins and pathogens, the PR people continue to push their product.
5. Lastly, I was very disturbed that all this PR work has started to convince large scale food buyers that sludge-grown is safe. For me, this just represented how much PR can erode the facts if left unchecked.
My question is…if we can’t even trust the EPA to be putting out reliable information, who can we trust?
Chapter 9
1.It was very creepy to hear that “best PR goes by unnoticed”. I think there is a definite problem in that we no longer know what is news and what is propaganda, and that unfortunately it’s often the latter.
2.I was intrigued by the good cop, bad cop approach of corporations towards environmental organizations. This made their relationship much more clear to me, and how they always seem to have links to environmental organizations, but still be fighting to protect themselves from penalty for their many methods of destroying the environment. The corporations get to cloak themselves in green, while still polluting, and it works!
3.I liked the AMP formula for action. It reminded me that change can not be made by one group of people, but rather it needs many groups to play roles in activism, media, and politics to achieve a common goal.
4.I was given a new perspective by the line about companies trying to say the opposite of what is perceived of them (we think “they don’t care = they say “we care”). This served as a good reminder to analyze the PR efforts of any corporation more thoroughly.
5.I had heard of the Keep America Beautiful campaign and I was disturbed to realize it was just a bunch of corporations trying to make us focus on ourselves as the source of environmental damage, rather than the polluting corporations.
My question is… how do we get these big “corporate” environmental organizations back on track with supporting activism?
Group: Ben, Pete, Paul
My concept idea is to make a PSA to remind people how plugged in they are and to occasionally separate themselves from it all or cut down on their screen time. My goal is to portray this in a humorous way and end with some strong facts regarding the amounts of time that people are plugged in. I envision a bunch of people gradually coming over sitting on a bench and being totally plugged in and isolated, on Facebook, ipods, websurfing, texting, etc. This would be alternating with scenes of people interacting and having fun or perhaps the people on the bench leaving to live in the real world. From what I saw in the past PSA’s, I think a focus on timing and a good background song will also be important.
Chapter 8
I raced yesterday at Tufts U., where the river is highly polluted due to raw sewage entering it...
1. The work of the PR groups in communities really bothers me. They are so sly that they think they can just infiltrate into neighborhoods and manipulate people’s opinions, and even attempt to “buy out” a community with a few donations.
2. I think the entanglement of the businesses/interest groups and the government agencies was very clear in this article, such as with the reclassification of the sludge from hazardous to Class A fertilizer.
3. I was reminded of how this misleading PR really impacts people when the article described the “casualties” of this pro-sludge policy. It’s not fun to think about, but it’s important to remember that in these political battles that the quality of many human lives are often at stake.
4. I think the thoroughness of the evidence against the use of toxic sludge was made very clear throughout the chapter. Despite the clear evidence of toxins and pathogens, the PR people continue to push their product.
5. Lastly, I was very disturbed that all this PR work has started to convince large scale food buyers that sludge-grown is safe. For me, this just represented how much PR can erode the facts if left unchecked.
My question is…if we can’t even trust the EPA to be putting out reliable information, who can we trust?
Chapter 9
1.It was very creepy to hear that “best PR goes by unnoticed”. I think there is a definite problem in that we no longer know what is news and what is propaganda, and that unfortunately it’s often the latter.
2.I was intrigued by the good cop, bad cop approach of corporations towards environmental organizations. This made their relationship much more clear to me, and how they always seem to have links to environmental organizations, but still be fighting to protect themselves from penalty for their many methods of destroying the environment. The corporations get to cloak themselves in green, while still polluting, and it works!
3.I liked the AMP formula for action. It reminded me that change can not be made by one group of people, but rather it needs many groups to play roles in activism, media, and politics to achieve a common goal.
4.I was given a new perspective by the line about companies trying to say the opposite of what is perceived of them (we think “they don’t care = they say “we care”). This served as a good reminder to analyze the PR efforts of any corporation more thoroughly.
5.I had heard of the Keep America Beautiful campaign and I was disturbed to realize it was just a bunch of corporations trying to make us focus on ourselves as the source of environmental damage, rather than the polluting corporations.
My question is… how do we get these big “corporate” environmental organizations back on track with supporting activism?
Sunday, March 28, 2010
Culture Jam Part 3, The Corporation Part 2
Culture Jam Letter
I decided to write a letter to President Obama on the "true cost meme" by providing a basic logical argument for sound economics and bringing about effective change.
Dear President Obama,
You came to Washington with an ultimatum for change. As a university student and supporter, I strongly believe that you are committed to this initiative and are doing your best to achieve it. You are clearly aware that this is a country with many problems left to be solved and are intent on addressing as many as you can while in office. I applaud your efforts and understand the extreme difficulties of the position that you have earned. I write to you to simply suggest an avenue for profound change that you have yet to propose.
During your presidency, the economy has been a major problem that has gotten in the way of all your other efforts. It’s clear that there are many issues with our economic process and I suggest a large action to address this rather than small regulatory changes. You focus on growing our economy, but our economy has long been growing without improving our standard of living. I suggest that you address the issue of valuing economic development over continuing growth. Your economic advisors believe that growth is the only answer, while that simply just means more spending, not better lives for Americans.
Your chief economic advisor, Larry Summers, has said that he perceived no limits to growth in the future. I would like to remind you that economics is not grounded in the real world. New resources will not magically appear when we run out of our current ones. Our economy encourages us to “shop ‘til you drop” rather than conserving our resources and living meaningful lives. Accumulating more stuff may lead to an expanding GDP, but not a better America. If you want your presidency to stop encouraging excessive consumerism, you should consider a change in policy.
I would like to introduce you to ecological economics. It’s not some kind of hippy economics, but rather a system that makes sense, compared to our absurd, disconnected economics today. It values positive change in our environment, economy, and society, while devaluing damage, providing an accurate depiction of how to improve as a nation, rather than just attempting to grow out of our problems. Instead of the inaccurate measure of the GDP, the Gross Progress Index actually shows our progress as a nation. Finally, the economy would reflect progressive aspirations for the country, rather than endless spending and exploited resources.
You have the power to change America by even just beginning to accept this new form of economics that makes sense to the average American. It’s the kind of economics that doesn’t make the GDP rise when there’s an oil spill or a new cancer diagnosis. It's the kind of economics that America can trust and understand. I believe at this point in time most citizens have doubt in the economic system and would like to see it changed to a more logical system. Please meet with an ecological economist and at least hear them out. Their proposals will lead to a rational economy and a brighter future.
Sincerely,
Ben Carlson
The Corporation
Surprise: The surprise for me was the revelation that in this country broadcasting entirely fake news is not illegal. The instance of the Fox rBGH segment was ridiculous. I think this one example of manipulation of the news by sponsors shows how much we need truly free media. It’s a good reminder of how much our regular news sources might be leaving out or falsifying to suit the needs of their sponsors.
Agitation: My agitation was in the segment on business with the Nazi’s. The involvement of companies, such as GM, IBM, and Coca-Cola was despicable. I think it was a great reminder that corporations are, by nature, not our friends. As the film said the CEO may be nice and even develop some social responsibility, but it is very rare that a corporation has a positive impact on the world, simply because of the way it functions. Profits matter above all else. Corporations must controlled and regulated by us, because when allowed to do as they please they reward themselves at considerable cost to others.
Learning: I guess the main thing that I learned from the film is that the corporations are the “high priests” of the world. I think everyone knows that many corporations are big and powerful, but to realize that they really control the world is quite eye-opening. They are global entities, causing problems around the world in order to increase profits. I think most people either don’t realize that corporations are so powerful or exactly understand why that’s such a problem.
Hopeful? I did think that the film tried very hard to end on a high note. I especially liked Michael Moore’s bit about corporations selling the rope to hang them. The film was overall very dark and showed the world in a way that people don’t usually see it. It exposed the immense power of the corporation and how that is damaging. The ending was necessary to bring about some sense of optimism that we can get things back to the way they’re meant to be. It won’t be easy, but it’s not impossible and that’s why I think it’s worth the fight. Besides, just attempting to bring down corporate America and consumer culture seems to be a pretty exciting endeavor to me.
How Use Info?
I will use the information from this film in my own life by examining the way corporations affect us in what I see around me. I have learned to be very skeptical of corporate power and recognize its control around the world. I will be recognize and analyze my own involvement with corporations and their impact on myself and others. When I see the instances of corporate abuse and control, I will share my views around me who may not have the same perspective or knowledge as me. I will also continue to learn about these issues and how to become involved in the fight for power over the corporation.
I decided to write a letter to President Obama on the "true cost meme" by providing a basic logical argument for sound economics and bringing about effective change.
Dear President Obama,
You came to Washington with an ultimatum for change. As a university student and supporter, I strongly believe that you are committed to this initiative and are doing your best to achieve it. You are clearly aware that this is a country with many problems left to be solved and are intent on addressing as many as you can while in office. I applaud your efforts and understand the extreme difficulties of the position that you have earned. I write to you to simply suggest an avenue for profound change that you have yet to propose.
During your presidency, the economy has been a major problem that has gotten in the way of all your other efforts. It’s clear that there are many issues with our economic process and I suggest a large action to address this rather than small regulatory changes. You focus on growing our economy, but our economy has long been growing without improving our standard of living. I suggest that you address the issue of valuing economic development over continuing growth. Your economic advisors believe that growth is the only answer, while that simply just means more spending, not better lives for Americans.
Your chief economic advisor, Larry Summers, has said that he perceived no limits to growth in the future. I would like to remind you that economics is not grounded in the real world. New resources will not magically appear when we run out of our current ones. Our economy encourages us to “shop ‘til you drop” rather than conserving our resources and living meaningful lives. Accumulating more stuff may lead to an expanding GDP, but not a better America. If you want your presidency to stop encouraging excessive consumerism, you should consider a change in policy.
I would like to introduce you to ecological economics. It’s not some kind of hippy economics, but rather a system that makes sense, compared to our absurd, disconnected economics today. It values positive change in our environment, economy, and society, while devaluing damage, providing an accurate depiction of how to improve as a nation, rather than just attempting to grow out of our problems. Instead of the inaccurate measure of the GDP, the Gross Progress Index actually shows our progress as a nation. Finally, the economy would reflect progressive aspirations for the country, rather than endless spending and exploited resources.
You have the power to change America by even just beginning to accept this new form of economics that makes sense to the average American. It’s the kind of economics that doesn’t make the GDP rise when there’s an oil spill or a new cancer diagnosis. It's the kind of economics that America can trust and understand. I believe at this point in time most citizens have doubt in the economic system and would like to see it changed to a more logical system. Please meet with an ecological economist and at least hear them out. Their proposals will lead to a rational economy and a brighter future.
Sincerely,
Ben Carlson
The Corporation
Surprise: The surprise for me was the revelation that in this country broadcasting entirely fake news is not illegal. The instance of the Fox rBGH segment was ridiculous. I think this one example of manipulation of the news by sponsors shows how much we need truly free media. It’s a good reminder of how much our regular news sources might be leaving out or falsifying to suit the needs of their sponsors.
Agitation: My agitation was in the segment on business with the Nazi’s. The involvement of companies, such as GM, IBM, and Coca-Cola was despicable. I think it was a great reminder that corporations are, by nature, not our friends. As the film said the CEO may be nice and even develop some social responsibility, but it is very rare that a corporation has a positive impact on the world, simply because of the way it functions. Profits matter above all else. Corporations must controlled and regulated by us, because when allowed to do as they please they reward themselves at considerable cost to others.
Learning: I guess the main thing that I learned from the film is that the corporations are the “high priests” of the world. I think everyone knows that many corporations are big and powerful, but to realize that they really control the world is quite eye-opening. They are global entities, causing problems around the world in order to increase profits. I think most people either don’t realize that corporations are so powerful or exactly understand why that’s such a problem.
Hopeful? I did think that the film tried very hard to end on a high note. I especially liked Michael Moore’s bit about corporations selling the rope to hang them. The film was overall very dark and showed the world in a way that people don’t usually see it. It exposed the immense power of the corporation and how that is damaging. The ending was necessary to bring about some sense of optimism that we can get things back to the way they’re meant to be. It won’t be easy, but it’s not impossible and that’s why I think it’s worth the fight. Besides, just attempting to bring down corporate America and consumer culture seems to be a pretty exciting endeavor to me.
How Use Info?
I will use the information from this film in my own life by examining the way corporations affect us in what I see around me. I have learned to be very skeptical of corporate power and recognize its control around the world. I will be recognize and analyze my own involvement with corporations and their impact on myself and others. When I see the instances of corporate abuse and control, I will share my views around me who may not have the same perspective or knowledge as me. I will also continue to learn about these issues and how to become involved in the fight for power over the corporation.
Sunday, March 21, 2010
The Corporation Part 1, Culture Jam Part 2
"The Corporation"
I think people aren’t familiar with the history of corporations rise to power. They just see it the way it is today and accept that that’s the way things are. Corporations have amassed huge amounts of power over time in the name of providing people with jobs and helping the economy. Don’t mess with business, that affects people's jobs and lives. What started as a more efficient way of doing business and increasing production has evolved in what might be a logical path to privatization, manipulative marketing, externalizing costs, inequality, law breaking, and manufactured wants. AAarggh! It’s time for the corporation to lose its "humanity', since it has thoroughly demonstrated its lack of responsibility through its psychopathic action. There are many outrageous crimes against society that have become commonplace from big biz. Maybe the discontent can be brought to a point of action.
"Culture Jam"
1.I have come to realize that this book is exposing the net causes of the problems in the world that I worry about. It’s bringing together my fragmented knowledge to show the big picture. I always feel the need to trace problems back to the source and now I feel like I’m finally getting to the real, direct causes and solutions. It is looking to change the big picture so that all these issues and problems can be solved as a byproduct of this massive cultural change. It’s even broken down into the five memes that would totally turn society on its head, in a good way. So many problems would be immediately on the fast track being solved. Forget being an environmentalist, culture jamming may be the way to the real progress I want to see.
2.“Sentiment without action is the ruin of the soul”. This line really struck me, because I feel like I’m amassing all this knowledge and frustration without doing anything with it. I just feel the need to take action, wishing I could just step in boxing ring and throw some punches to solve the problems and release the frustration. So I resolve to start doing small things. Quitting Facebook definitely feels good (and my persuasive speech for my public speaking class is on the same topic). So maybe that’s my start, and I'll work on figuring out step two.
3.Spontaneity. This was a new idea for me, fighting the “spectacle” through spontaneous action. This method for salvation used by Truman and the Buddha must be worth considering. It’s a bit abstract and I’m not sure I totally grasp it. I guess its about living in the moment, breaking out of the trance, and acting freely, not as the spectacle want you to.
4.I liked the line about if life sucks, then fix a corner of it. This phrase really reminded me of how pointless it is to be pessimistic or cynical. Things might be bad, but they can always be made better. I think this is the kind of attitude I will need to keep if I’m going to be working in the environmental field to remind myself that it’s not an effort in vain.
5. I also found the line interesting about "we will wreck this world" and rebuilding on the rubble of our old culture. It's clear, we need massive changes, but at times the book started to take a destructive tone. It reminds me of "Fight Club", where they essentially resort to terrorism to make their changes in society. I think the author doesn't really mean physical destruction and ruin, but more that the changes will totally destroy our corporate and consumer dominated culture.
My question is, how does this fit into politics? Culture jamming could be a whole political platform. Culture jammers have lost faith in the left, so who do they go to?
I think people aren’t familiar with the history of corporations rise to power. They just see it the way it is today and accept that that’s the way things are. Corporations have amassed huge amounts of power over time in the name of providing people with jobs and helping the economy. Don’t mess with business, that affects people's jobs and lives. What started as a more efficient way of doing business and increasing production has evolved in what might be a logical path to privatization, manipulative marketing, externalizing costs, inequality, law breaking, and manufactured wants. AAarggh! It’s time for the corporation to lose its "humanity', since it has thoroughly demonstrated its lack of responsibility through its psychopathic action. There are many outrageous crimes against society that have become commonplace from big biz. Maybe the discontent can be brought to a point of action.
"Culture Jam"
1.I have come to realize that this book is exposing the net causes of the problems in the world that I worry about. It’s bringing together my fragmented knowledge to show the big picture. I always feel the need to trace problems back to the source and now I feel like I’m finally getting to the real, direct causes and solutions. It is looking to change the big picture so that all these issues and problems can be solved as a byproduct of this massive cultural change. It’s even broken down into the five memes that would totally turn society on its head, in a good way. So many problems would be immediately on the fast track being solved. Forget being an environmentalist, culture jamming may be the way to the real progress I want to see.
2.“Sentiment without action is the ruin of the soul”. This line really struck me, because I feel like I’m amassing all this knowledge and frustration without doing anything with it. I just feel the need to take action, wishing I could just step in boxing ring and throw some punches to solve the problems and release the frustration. So I resolve to start doing small things. Quitting Facebook definitely feels good (and my persuasive speech for my public speaking class is on the same topic). So maybe that’s my start, and I'll work on figuring out step two.
3.Spontaneity. This was a new idea for me, fighting the “spectacle” through spontaneous action. This method for salvation used by Truman and the Buddha must be worth considering. It’s a bit abstract and I’m not sure I totally grasp it. I guess its about living in the moment, breaking out of the trance, and acting freely, not as the spectacle want you to.
4.I liked the line about if life sucks, then fix a corner of it. This phrase really reminded me of how pointless it is to be pessimistic or cynical. Things might be bad, but they can always be made better. I think this is the kind of attitude I will need to keep if I’m going to be working in the environmental field to remind myself that it’s not an effort in vain.
5. I also found the line interesting about "we will wreck this world" and rebuilding on the rubble of our old culture. It's clear, we need massive changes, but at times the book started to take a destructive tone. It reminds me of "Fight Club", where they essentially resort to terrorism to make their changes in society. I think the author doesn't really mean physical destruction and ruin, but more that the changes will totally destroy our corporate and consumer dominated culture.
My question is, how does this fit into politics? Culture jamming could be a whole political platform. Culture jammers have lost faith in the left, so who do they go to?
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