Class Reflection

I want to start by thanking you, Suzie, for teaching this course; it was a real eye-opener. Prior to this class, I had not been exposed to a lot of the issues with the media. Moreover, I had never truly critically analyzed my relationship with media (particularly advertising and commericals). This class has brought about a complete shift in the way I think about these kinds of things. Our class topics such as the role that television has in shaping society are matters that need more thorough examination. Additionally, the money-hungry crookedness of the people who are running the show was really astounding and worth knowing and discussing. I am very grateful that this class was being taught here at UVM. The way in which I look at commercials and interact with media is now completely different. I feel like I have uncovered a veil and am finally able to see through a lot of the B.S. that the media puts out.

It is often overwhelming to try to truly grasp and think critically about a lot of this stuff. Like, I would like to be out there and active on the front lines, but I am still a college kid and thereby bounded by busy work and limitations. Brooding about, let's call the "Ugliness of America," stresses me out and feels overly powerful and encompassing to the point that I want to run in a corner and forget about it. But, that won't help anything. Ed Abbey once said "sentiment without action is the ruin of the soul;" but yet, it often seems too difficult still.

I'm going to back up a little bit.. Since around the time when I began having realizations that the world isn't all so warm and fuzzy, life for me has completely changed. Since then, I've wanted to expose the hidden truths behind our country's way of living. I have since taken classes that are focused around what one might call counterculture, alternative thinking and awareness spreaders. I have also taken it upon myself to explore nature and to get in touch with it. I have truly thought deeply about the problems of the world and have been dissapointed and angered by the general lack of awareness. "Why aren't we doing anything about this?" I would think. If all of these facts are true, why don't we try to fix the problem? I became so passionate in environmentalism and alternatives to capitalism in a way that could only be so true and right.

The answer to me became clearer in a lot of ways during the course of this class. It seems as though we have all bought into this system because we are entranced and manipulated into it. People feel sentiment all of the time, but rarely move towards action, because it just seems so much easier to flip on the television and forget about it. In turn, corporate America tries its hardest to distract us from thinking about these glaring problems. They pump money into abhorrent Press Releases, they run subversive commercial designed to invoke feelings of self doubt and loneliness, they produce fake, camouflaged local news stories, they advertise in school, they target children, they flash, they jolt, they lie, manipulate and they tell the stories that shape culture. The large majority of America gains their knowledge (particularly when we watch television 5 hours a day. Did you hear about that? ), from media. And when almost all media is owned by 7 corporations that are geared towards profit margins and not towards public needs, there is no wonder why we don't hear about large-scale environmental degradation, negatives impacts of neo-colonialism, social inequity, a widening gap between the rich and poor, or other things of this nature. The answer is that these glaring truths threaten economic growth and the powers that be are trying their damn hardest to hide the ugly truth behind our so-called prosperous and free country.

I don't want to use this word because of its stigmatization, but it seems like its all a big conspiracy. We are all being tricked into putting faith in this system that is set up to fail. Kalle Lasn said it well in Culture Jam. Depression, drug abuse, and obesity are higher than they've ever been before as the growing juggernaut of corporate control infringes closer to controlling culture. Our country may best be marked by fast food and shopping malls, of our gluttonous consumption patterns, and corporate control. Our culture has been sold to us. People work long hours for little wages and spend their free time watching television, and their weekends shopping. The busy-ness of life exacerbates these issues because people need to work and make money, so there is little time to stop and think about the Ugliness of America. And we attain ephemeral, material happiness when we buy something new or watch a cool new television show. Collectively, however, the trends clearly show that as corporations have moved further into our lives, people become marginalized and overall less happy.

I am setting out from college to move into a field that is part of the solution to these problems.

Questions that Im still thinking (and will continue to think) about:
How can the owners of corporations sleep at night?
Why don't we something about this all?
What the best way to go about jamming AmericaTM culture

PSA Experience/Reflection

I enjoyed making my PSA. It went really smoothly and was relatively painless. Our group did a good job of meeting early to shoot and then coming together and editing. I think our end product was an effective public service announcement. I think that our message was clear and easy to pick up on. I also think that our juxtapostion between the dark, dreary "plugged in" scene and the lit bob marley music scenes was pulled off well. And the acting was phenomenal!

I think PSAs are super effective. If people watch so much television, than it is the best medium for reaching the most people. As Kalle Lasn has said, though, it is really difficult to get any kind of anti-consumption message out there; it simply isn't good for business, and all it is is a business. I really enjoyed doing this PSA; I may try to make my own in the future.

Activist Website

I chose the organic consumers association (OCA). The website provides extensive background information explaining the causes that they are fighting. IN addtion, it lists several websites and other resources such as novels to check out for further reading. As far as direct action, the non-profit has links to several online petitions, fighting battles against agribusiness, gmos, and other issues.

I am always skeptical of online activism by way of petition. I feel like the numbers are easier to juke. Like, somehow, someway, somebody could figure out how to sign 20 names on a petition. Or maybe some hacker could sign more. Who knows? I do think that because of this and because it isn't directly signed by people, online petitions aren't as effective as regular petitions. The internet is an amazing tool for exchanging ideas and information, but petition signings aren't its strength, in my opinion.

It does not feel as meaningful, becuase it is a mere click away. I feel like if I was on board with a group of people and we were talking about this stuff all of the time and interacting with possible other members, it would be more effective.

TSIGFY Chapter 9

The PR toolkit is large and diverse. No longer do PRs simply advertise, they utilize several other subversive, under-the-radar tactics. Monsanto published a fear mongering fiction novel about the terrifying life beyond pesticides. Companies fight environmental crisis management with "emotional appeals, scientific misinformation, front groups, extensive mailings to the media and opinion leaders, and the recruitment of doctors and scientists as 'objective' third-party defenders of agrochemicals." (124) They threaten, steal, buy off, lie, and its all just fine (as long as its boosting the economy.) They have even created Community Advisory Panels or CAPs. This technique camouflages company-paid representatives as community members. Perhaps the greatest endorsement a community could get.

PR campaigns shift blame onto individuals rather than systems or society as a whole. There is no talk about systemic issues because it threatens the GDP.

A name change can work wonders in public perception.

This is how evil these people are: "Here is our enemy--the Sierra Club, the Nature Conservancy, the Humane Society." Wow... I am speechless

Green products are becoming trademarked by large corporations. Big green groups soak up environmental money from Green philanthropists and small donors alike, while people voicing for real change get left behind. It is sad that we succumb to these corporate plots to greenwash us. It does give me hope though, that with a little more steam, change can really occur once you get the word out to people. It is just difficult to get the word out.

My question for this chapter would be: When did it become okay to be so goddamn corrupt? How can this fly? It's dismantling our country and these people are laughing their way to the bank. FUCK!

Deconstructing Ads

I chose to deconstruct Sun Chips' new ad campaign.

I first discovered this new ad campaign in a commerical on tv. It featured shots of piles of trash being cleaned up by people with Sun Chips bags. The message being that Sun Chips now has a biodegradeable bag. I was immediately skeptical. First of all, it seems that the commercial may incite people to litter the bag. ("it says its biodegradeable!") Also, the commercial seemed like the prototypical greenwash, where the company claims to be environmentally friendly when their products are in reality part of a industrial megamachine that is systematically devouring the natural world.

This advertisement is an extension of Sun Chips tv commericals. It shows a background of what looks like young people jumping off of a cliff into water. Front and in focus is an attractive, motherly woman smiling at her little Sun Chip. The caption says, "There ar emany ways to help save the planet. Harvest cheddar is one." This is an immediate red flag. Bottom line is that this advertisement is a marketing ploy, not a driver for social movement.

First of all, it is very vague. Help save the planet, how?

There is a hidden tradeoff here. I feel like people will be influenced to buy this product and think to themselves, "oh I did my part, I buy Sun Chips." This is a clear mistake. Sun Chips, like all other processed salty junk food, have hidden trade offs. Their corporation (Frito-Lay) is a large contributor and supporter of big agribusiness. Big agribusiness is arguably at the heart of all environmental issues, not to mention the social issues and health liabilities from eating junky processed foods.

My last thought is that it is the lesser of several evils. At least it is one step in the right direction. Sun Chips is after that niche market. So, I guess, if I am going to buy chips, I'll keep the biodegradeable Sun Chips bag in mind. But, the best thing to do for my health and the health of the planet is to support local, organic foods.

PSA reflection 2

Doing well! Today we shot footage at my house. I am acting. Not frustrated at all, though I think we could've used more outdoor shots. We aren't really assigning tasks to anyone, just doing it all together. It should be great!

Outside/Inside Reflection

I walked down to Centennial Woods to complete my outdoor observation experience. I walked only a little ways in and sat atop a dead log. The log was lying on a pillow of green moss. I sat and looked around. From my wooded perch, I could see a swamp down below, as well as a sunny open field. I decided to do a sensory meditation. I sat indian-style and cupped my hands on my lap. Focusing on breath, I tried to distill my mind from today's batch of stress and obligation. Thoughts slowly faded as I sat motionless, now beneath the log and on the moss. I shut my eyes and focused on what I could hear. I heard several songbird calls, a woodpecker, a crow, and a stream trickling below. The most conspicuous noise however, was that of the cars on East Ave. An Ambulance siren lasted for what seemed like an eternity before fading away, a person driving honks his horn, and a 747 jet flies overhead. I wish I could be further away, I thought. Next, I focused on smell. I could smell the freshly fallen pine needles, the cloud of plants being hit by the sun, and the comforting earthen smell of the woods. I flashbacked several times to hiking in Maine, the smell really triggers it above everything else. I then reopened my eyes and looked around to see the same place, but this time, it seemed more familiar, more comforting.

I began to think, as I often do, about how I benefit from spending time away from the hustle and bustle of life. I begin to feel the world around me. I feel not only the breeze, but the tree cover, the dirt beneath me, the stillness. Things slow down and I can begin to make sense of myself in this world. Thoughts that I have been suppressing or avoiding, are now being extrapolated and thought through. I feel one with the world around me. I relate to and revere the trees, the bugs, the dirt, the moss. ......

I sit down and watch tv. The Simpsons. Homer almost get hits by Marge and runs into the house only to find that the couch is floating in mid air. Da dada dada dadadadadadada (Simpsons Them Song). Boom! Commercial Break. Miller Lite. "Why don't you take your skirt off and order a Miller Lite" Monster Energy Drink Commerical. Enormous Man kicking buildings down after gulping a 5 oz. energy shot. Hyundai Warrantee "you can trust us" car commercial. Followed by Ford F-150, with some misogynist narrator trying to mimic the typical man's stream of consciousness... "The guys we cheated off of in high school are the ones who made this car. We're thinking about pizza theyre thinking about aerodynamics." Snap! back to the show. What a whirlwind of commercials! How can I even begin to think critically about any of this stuff when it is back to back to back. Jolts of buzzwords and lightflashes take ahold of my brain quicker than I can process things.

Watching television is easier than sitting outdoors. I think this may be due to the fact that we are brought up watching tv and sitting outdoors can be thought of as boring. What am I going to do sitting by myself for 30 minutes? That's crazy!

Being outside made it much easier to control the flow of information. Goes without saying i think.

Each experience taught me different things. I can say that I was MUCH happier and more at peace when sitting outdoors.

Television makes people stay inside. It also makes our minds less open to thinking outside of what is easy and comfortable. True knowledge can be found in books, in experience, in nature. Rarely do I watch something that makes me think deeply about myself, but I often have my deepest thoughts when outside, alone, comfortable, and at peace.