Week 12: Ad Breakdown & Activism Sites

Part 1: Ad Breakdown

I decided to use ads for products which I use, and consider to be eco-friendly, and then go a bit further and try to find out what the true nature of the product is. I chose Irish Spring soap which has an eco-labeling on the back of the box which says it is considered eco-friendly, and its ad on the internet shows the pristine "Irish" environment, the crystal spring and lush greenery. Of course, the entire ad and image being sold to you is that of fresh natural processes, the wonder of life, the perfection of nature being equated to the fresh, perfect feeling you will receive upon using the product.

I used the Organic Consumers Association website to try and figure out what is actually in my bar of soap, and as most would assume the label eco-friendly couldn't be farther from the truth. According the links from the website, my bar of soap contains 1 & 4 Dioxane's which have both been linked to cancer and to developmental/reproductive toxicity. The idea that advertising and connecting the consumer with one or more forms of environmental brainwashing with absolutely no regulation as to the validity of the marketing, can get me to use a soap which is potentially poisoning me, is a mortifying fact.

Week 11: The End of "Toxic Sludge" & The Search for the "Good" in America

Chapter 12 "Toxic Sludge":

In the opening for this final chapter, in a book which I thoroughly enjoyed and highly recommend, is a poignant statement of fact as to the devices of PR and its development in America. As I have read I reached a plateau of emotions, having ridden the wave from fear, to sadness, to hopeless, to numb, and I can honestly say that my final feeling is hopeful having read the final chapter. It is important to understand that in order to create change, even in its simplest forms, first one must know the truth. The fact that it shocks you, or makes you sick, is a sign that you need to step up and make something happen. For me, the story of Lynn Tylczak and her minor league defense against corporate PR being a success, is a major victory for the little guy, and in all seriousness we are all the little guy. Anyone can make something happen, its ideas, and emotion, and anger, and perseverance that builds momentum for any cause, and that all it takes is a spark, that first truth.

Now I didn't really want to sit down and detail my perfect world, because I felt like I had come so far in working away from feeling beaten, and that visualizing my Utopia would only drag me down (in that it would be so far from reality). But when you think about it, for me at least, my Utopia is a conscious America, one that knows the facts, can decipher the propaganda from the reality, and stand to make things of the highest quality for everyone. I guess I just wish everyone read this book, and "Feed", and Bill Mckibbens work, and David McCullough, people working in the system to feed the truth to whoever will listen. I'm hopeful, and not afraid.

Observing Two Sides of America:

Lone Rock Point: I sat at Lone Rock Point as I have many times before, my legs dangling over the edge of one particularly steep drop, and as sat there I realized that to me the importance of the natural world is clarity. To be out in nature, the air, the water, the growth, both its destructive power and its creation of new life, I don't feel separated, but connected. Nature isn't trying to sell you something, and I'm not trying to be simple about it, but really nature doesn't ask anything of you, it exists on a plane unlike that of humanity, because it doesn't need us, but it still struggles to coexist. I think that for me nature is about clarity, honesty, the order of things, and finally it's about knowing who you are, and you are of nature; Humanity is imbibed with all that that nature is, all the good, a history of great successes, and to realize that you must give yourself up to the natural world even if its for 30 minutes.

Televised America: So I spent 30 minutes in front of the television, knowing full well I would be experiencing a variety of flashes and colors, catch-phrases and sales pitches, and a slice of how corporate America sees the American people. I chose not to flip channels, imagining the experience would be disorienting enough, and as I watched I focused on the manner in which, we the American people are perceived on television, how we are represented. And from what I gathered the American is oversexed, unintelligent, loud, vulgar, forceful, and egotistical. Not melodious, beautiful, sensitive or creative, understanding or intelligent, but rather senseless "boobs," but then again that's why its called the "boob-tube." I'm glad I don't have to do this experiment everyday.

Week 10: Chapter 8&9 "Toxic Sludge is Good for You"

Chapter 8

1) The number of chemicals in sewage sludge and the manner in which these companies use words like "biosolids" to define the sludge when in reality it sits and poisons the environment for generations.

2) The idea that cities dumps tons of toxins and chemicals into their waterways for years is ridiculous to try to comprehend. What kind of limited brain power does it take to think that was a good idea? All I could think of was the Cuyahoga River fire in 1969, and how it took 6 foot high flames on a river to get Ohio from polluting their waterways.

3) Toxic sludge being called an organic by companies with no scientific or logistical data for the title. Straight up lies! But no one calling them out on it? Where is the help?

4) The shipping of toxic sludge across the country? Cost-Effective? Logical? Not really, but out of site, out of mind, that's been our policy for generations.

5) I loved the section about the "greasing" of mayors and other public officials by companies needed a place for their toxic waste. The idea that all it takes is a little cash in hand, and a publicly elected representative will allow someone to plop 50 tons of sludge on your town. So wrong.

Question: When are we going to get some serious legislation and protection from the government? Some officials with pride, morals, consciences?

Chapter 9

1) As stated in "The Corporation," the news is what the company who owns the broadcast says it is. So I was not shocked by the thought that only 40% of news is broadcast unedited, I actually thought it would be more like 20%.

2) The topic of companies altering their names so that the public might not quite understand what the company is or does. It made me think of all the companies you think are small organics, Annie's, even Vermont Bread Co., all owned by major conglomerates. Check this website out, it has a great chart of the companies connected to a number of my old favorites http://www.certifiedorganic.bc.ca/rcbtoa/services/corporate-ownership.html.

3)Earth Day sponsored by McDonald's? Ridiculous!

4) The title organic, or green becoming an exploited marketing strategy where consumers have no idea the true nature of the branded green products background. When are we going to get some strict regulation, and blatant/clear icons for registered green products?

5) Are we the problem?

Week 9: Letter to Lasn & Coporation (Part Deux)

Part 1:

Dear Mr. Lasn,

I am writing you because I have just finished reading your book "Culture Jam," and I have a few topics which I would like to bring up that I connected with, as well as a few that I found to be a bit foreign. I am currently a student at the University of Vermont, and I am an Environmental Studies major, who has spent many semesters toiling within the realms of consumerism and media marketing (I worked for a food & beverage consultant for two years), and I found your book like that of William McDonough's "Cradle to Cradle," to be an experience in new methods of thinking.

On that note, I find that the most inspiring topic you discuss is that of our disconnection with the natural world, through media inspired internalization and commercialization of natural experiences. The means by which corporation's use media and the environment to sell things, to as they put it "create an experience" with their product, I find to be one of the most haunting facets of your novel.

I have a few disagreements with the manner in which you develop and portray your ideas, and I found that even though you state in your book that "someone has gotten into our brains. Now the most important task on the agenda is to evict them and recover our sanity," but other than pointing out certain aspects of media's influence in our lives you fail to really delve into how to beat the system. Perhaps the honest answer is that there is no straight answer, I understand your book to be that moment of realization for the reader, rather than the blueprints for a revolution.

You, like McDonough, question the manner in which the industrial age gave birth to the domination and removal of nature from the American psyche, but where McDonough gives examples as to the manners in which people are tearing down the old system with new designs and models for the future, I felt with your book that I was only finding a means in which to fear what I already knew existed. I need some positivity, some means by which I can stop disconnecting completely, and instead connect and dissent, to create change rather than dissolve defeated.

Cheers,

Pete Moseley

Part Deux:

The end of the Corporation I found to be just as scaring as the first half. If I had to state in one word or phrase why I found the second part horrifying I'd have to say I'd put down, "Competitive Intelligence Professional." What the Hell! So freaky. "The Death of Birth."
I loved the battle between the news crew and the Fox studios over what was news, and who controlled it. But I hate that they lost, same with the loss of control over life, the idea that we have so much life that's patented in our country makes me sick to my stomach.
Probably one of my top five documentaries I have seen in the last year. Up there with Food INC and the likes.

Week 8: Culture Jam Continued & "THE CORPORATION"

Culture Jam & Final Thoughts

1) First I'd like to say that the entire time I was reading this book I found myself questioning every purchase I have made and its connection to media placement, or peer influence, and it can be pretty scary not quite knowing the difference between your personal preference and that preference which has been sold to you. The idea that the American consumer is really a Manchurian consumer, is a pretty difficult pill to swallow.

2) Also the story Lasn told about the neighbor who slowly transformed from a very open and outgoing person to a reserved, net addict was certainly an example in its extreme. However there are many forms of this addiction, and in some ways everyone who uses the internet has some attachment or connection to one or many of the nets many facets. I knew a kid who had destroyed his computer, when he "woke up" and realized that he was spending all of his time on chat rooms, and online games, and was missing important things in reality. He was very much like the woman described in Lasn's book, not knowing they forgot to eat, not showering so as not to disconnect. VERY SCARY.

3) Now that I am on the subject of connection and disconnection, I'd like to mention that I don't think there is a way to disconnect completely know that the media world has become some kind of omnipresent entity. Would disconnecting be considered anti-social? Can these MUD's or multi user domains, be considered social environments, or is it simply a veil? Security in the multiverse should be considered at all times, you are never truly alone. You have no way of knowing, if where you are surfing, who you are speaking to, what you are looking at, is private anymore, and who or what is watching and for what reason.

4) I found the section on selling an experience, creating emotion, especially the section on Princess Diana, and how the mass public who lacked any real care for the British Royal family, thought that Diana's death was the greatest loss in our lifetime. The idea that she sold an experience to the public even today seems vile to discuss, but in reality I don't think my family knew anything of Diana other than her media stories, and for some reason I do remember them being incredibly distraught at her death, as if a loss in the family. Very Strange.

5) Lastly, "MOST OF OUR ENVIRONMENTAL SOLUTIONS ARE RED HERRINGS." The idea that we are expending all this energy doing little things for the environment, recycling and such when the only way to effect real environmental change is to attack the source of the pollution, waste, and so on. Lasn wants you to rise up, and acknowledge that you cannot create change sitting at home.

The Corporation:

-the idea that the corporation was a subordinate to the people, but that it developed the thirst for more power, the need to absorb and spread. If you can't deprive a person life liberty and the pursuit of happiness (14th Amendment), well then that applies to a corporation as well, opening the floodgates for exploitation of people, places, and things.

-limited liability explains a lot, jeez.

-designed to think about stock holders, not about stake holders (the community), the idea that we created these corporate persons who now have the right to control and destroy as they please.

Week 7: Culture Jam

After reading the beginning to the book "Culture Jam" by Lasn, I found that I do agree in almost all respects with his views on advertisements, corporations, and societies general disconnection with nature. However, it is with these sorts of topics, which I start to find myself spiraling into the same sort of general social pessimism every time I am confronted with the dark facts of the world around us. The nature of our current society, and the cogs which turn the wheels within corporate AmericaTM, are working below the surface yet surround us, strangling our ability to manage our lives without influence at all turns, and it is this knowledge which breeds my pessimism.


However, I did think that Lasn made a number of quality points in the space of nearly 40 pages, his view on our disconnection from nature, surfing the television as a means of brain numbing, and the general fact that our everyday lives are managed by strangers (to an extent.) I think the best way in which he presented his point, other that the quote where he discussed the Earth as kin rather than an item to be used, was the quote, "When you cut off arterial blood to an organ, the organ dies. When you cut the flow of nature into people's lives, their spirit dies."

Week 6: Facebook & Media Minds

Facebook Article

1)Thesis: Facebook and the like are destroying peoples ability to make human connections.

2)Observations:
I think it is important to understand the aspect of Facebook that is most dangerous is that it follows our most deep seeded social requirements, our thirst as human beings for social interaction, however with Facebook the connects made are simply superficial, the virtual world interaction. Thiel makes reference to the sad fact that instead of dancing, drinking, and having fun with friends people end up surrounding themselves within this media environment so as to stay connected when in reality there is no connection at all. I also found that Thiel's argument on the terms of Facebook's privacy profile, and its connection to big brother falls directly into my feelings on Facebook. I spent two years off Facebook when I found out in an email, that although I had deactivated my account, that in cyberspace it was still in existence, floating in the ether.
I disagree with the terms in which he discusses the future of Facebook and its destructive capacity on the social connectedness of the future. I also disagreed with the way in which he wrote the article, very accusatory and it seemed less intelligent and more crackpot the further you moved down the article.

"Making of a Media Literate Mind"
I really liked the premise of corporate story telling, and its ability to shape the consumer and cultural marketplace. I also agreed with the mindless absorbtion discussion, in terms of readily available media in all facets finding ways to seep into our consciousness.

Killing Us Softly 3
1) Ovulen 21 "Works the way a woman thinks... By weekdays, not "cycle days'"
2) 3000 ads per day, and 3 years of life spent watching tv commercials
3) Women as objects/things, less than human = inevitable violence
4) Sell more than things, but an image
5) Does your husband wish you had larger breasts?
6) The more you subtract, the more you add.