#10

TOXIC SLUDGE IS GOOD FOR YOU:

1. I was shocked that a woman from an environment organization would be advocating for the use of toxic sludge. It was also intersting that her title is "Director of Public Information." We could see her using selling techniques just in this short phone call, as she advocated for another title.
2. It is shocking to learn about organizations that are considered "good" throughout the U.S. Such as the EPA stalling the request for information, and collaborating with "leaders of industries they are supposed to regulate."
3. Sixty thousand toxic substances and chemicals in sludge!!! When I read this I could not believe that anyone could even think to spread this on farms. I believe that almost anyone would be willing to pay a few extra dollars for the sake of their health.
4. It is interesting how the PR industry manipulates ideas through names. For example chaging toxic slude to "biosolids," or the Federation of Sewage Workers changing its name to the Water Environment Federation.
5. I think it is very sad that there is such environmental inequality. The poorest of the poor are always subjected to the worst environmental conditions because they cannot fight off large corporations and organizations. It is shocking and sad how the environment and animals in a wealthy area are protected while the humans of a low-income area are exposed to toxic chemicals.



Questions:
1. What type of person thinks to spread hazardous material where we grow food?!
2. Where, and how often is selective science used?
3. What should we do with the sludge?

#14

Over the course of this semester I have learned an incredible amount about media and how it relates to the functioning of our society. This class has changed the way i view our culture, everything I see on TV, and how I view myself as a member of this society. Although it has made me far more critical of almost everything I see on a daily basis I do not believe this is a bad thing.
I feel that I have become far more critical of everything I see and hear through mainstream media. For example when I see the news I wonder, who paid for that? What are they trying to sell me? What is the full story? and What stories were completely left out?
When I view images in magazines I now take a closer look at the information those images convey. For example, they show me "ideals" in our society, they encourage never-ending consumption, and tell us we are not good enough unleass we consume and meet those ideals.
I have also become more aware of what I am buying. When I purchase a product I consider why I chose that particular one. It is amazing to realize the power advertisements and image have over us. Even with the smallest purchases, for example why do I buy a specific brand of yogurt, is it the color on the outside of this? The feel good images from the TV commercial?
When I buy clothing now I wonder what image this item will give. In a culture that is so image conscious it seems that people are making grand assumptions about my personality simply by the flats I grabbed this morning. Although I believe this is the wrong way to approach people/relationships/life we cannot deny that it happens at every moment of every day.
I have become more aware of the terrible things so many corporations are doing. Yes, I can refrain from buying their products but in that sense I truly am only one person. In order to change we must do more than that, I am only one person but if we work together we can all make a huge differece.

1. Where do we begin?
2. How can we change the laws surrounding corporate practices?
3. How can I change my peers?

#13

Our PSA is finally finished! We chose to do a PSA on legalizing marijuana. We began by each doing some research to get an idea of the direction we wanted to go in. We then decided to film a smoking scene with our information running across the page. Nate and Zach filmed the scene and today we put together the full PSA. Meg, Zach and I worked for a while deciding which part of the footage to use, which facts to put in, and finally chose a song to play in the background.
I believe our PSA gets the point across in a clear and efficient manner. The information is all relevant and easy to understand. I also believe both the music and the background scene are very good and will keep the audience entertained without distracting from the information. I think PSA’s should be used and made far more often. I think this form of communication about issues could be incredibly effective.

#12

PART ONE: AD ANALYSIS

I chose to focus on an advertisement for Pepsi-Cola. When I was deciding on my ad I saw a few that were far more offensive to me and I decided to focus on this ad because I ACTUALLY LIKED IT! I was shocked how much I liked this ad, and even as someone who is aware of green washing and the tricks of the media I found myself liking Pepsi more simply because of the ad.
The commercial begins by showing us Bob Dylan and Will.I.Am in similar attire in side-to-side frames. So from the very beginning we see the technique of testimonial, from not only one, but incredibly popular artists. We then see the Pepsi Refresh symbol (which looks like a recycling symbol) flash before we head into a commercial full of common advertising techniques.
The commercial is full of positive images reminding us of simple and amazing times. We see nostalgia with the images from thirty years ago, followed by images of today. In many ways all the images are very American, or what we would like to think of as American, both the heroic soldiers and the revolutionizing protestors.
Along with all these images of celebrities and those far from normal we also see many who resemble the “plain folk.” So many cultures are represented in this commercial it would be hard for most to not identify with some aspect. The commercial ends with a voice saying, “Every generation refreshes the world.” I think this final line is incredibly important to look at.
While it appears that many people of my generation do not care about social or environmental issues it is clear that on some level we do. Even for those who are not making an effort to fight for change a commercial like this gives any viewer a warm fuzzy feeling about the “change” their generation is making.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rEJFu3QcKW8&feature=related


PART TWO: ACTIVIST WEBSITES

I chose to look at a website called Project Censored: The news that didn’t make the news. This website has many news stories that were not shown in the news or specifically covered up. I absolutely loved the site. It was set up like a typical news site, such as CNN or the NYTimes but with important stories about incredibly important issues. It is unbelievably hard to believe all these things are going on without more protest.
There is a newsletter for those who sign up, and the people from the website have released books. Project censored has been active for 34 years, so it seems that it should be better known. They spread information through their website, Media Freedom Foundations daily news feed, and their facebook fan page (which I became a fan of). I’m not sure how but it seems that the site could do more to be noticed.

#11

Toxic Sludge Is Good For You: Chapter 12

Democracy is defined as “a government in which the supreme power is vested in the people and exercised by them directly or indirectly through a system of representation.” I feel this definition is precisely my idea of democracy, and while it may appear that we have this in the U.S. we actually do not.
Yes, the people have the power to vote but there is so much control and influence over our thoughts that I wonder if it is really us voting anymore? The chapter opens with the quote “The twentieth century has been characterized by three developments of great political importance: the growth of democracy, the growth of corporate power, and the growth of corporate propaganda as a means of protecting corporate power against democracy.”
This chapter discusses the idea of propaganda and from reading the definition it is clear that propaganda is a significant and invasive part of our everyday lives. If we are constantly bombarded with information specifically designed to alter our views and opinions how can we even distinguish which views are our own and which have been affected by propaganda.
The more troubling question is why is all this propaganda necessary? We must be skeptical of the fact that billions of dollars are spent on PR. If a corporation was to act in the interests of its consumers there would be no need to invest in such large amounts of PR. It scares me to consider what is actually going on behind the disguise designed by the PR professionals.
Immediately after defining propaganda the author discusses education. He writes that the purpose of education is to “encourage critical enquiry and to open minds to arguments for and against any particular conclusion, rather than close them to the possibility of any conclusion but one.” I believe education is the ONLY way to reach the true democracy we all dream of, a government in which all voices are heard and respected equally.

Observation Experiment:

For my observation experiment I went down to the waterfront and lay in the grass. I could feel the sun shining on my legs, breeze blowing through my hair and could hear laughter literally everywhere. I observed numerous children, pets, and parents’ enjoying the beautiful weather and the abundance of energy was everywhere.
Although it was not a quite space I found myself incredibly relaxed. As I lay in the sun I found myself dozing off numerous times simply smelling the grass and listening to the happiness around me. I ended up staying there for about an hour an a half, reluctant to head back to reality.
I watched a half hour of golf this morning. The commercials were long, and boring. I sat in my living room silently staring at the box in front of me. I could hear our fridge humming, a bum pushing bottles down the street and some people outside complaining. As I sat there I thought about my time down by the waterfront. Here in front of the television there is no true happiness. There is no laughter or interactions, there is no cool breeze through my hair and the warmth is coming from our obnoxiously loud space heater.
For me watching television is incredibly boring. My thoughts almost disappeared as I stared forward. When I was outside I had so much on my mind but here I literally can think of nothing else. I feel that people get stuck inside in front of the television. We forget how amazing it is to be outside and enjoying real life.

#9

Dear Kalle Lasn,
My name is Morgan Russell; I am a junior at the University of Vermont. I have recently finished reading your book Culture Jam for a class titled Media Literacy and the Environment. I am writing to thank you for the invaluable information you have provided me with.
In your book you spoke of the American dream, a dream filled with money, excitement, power, sex and fame. This dream has been fed to us by these large powerful corporations and while it is clear a large percentage of us will never achieve this dream it “is so seductive that many of us willingly keep on dreaming.”
What shocked me the most is that it is our own inability to let go of this dream that has made us turn over all control and power to the corporations. “We, the people, have lost control. Corporations, these legal fictions that we ourselves created two centuries ago, now have more rights, freedoms, and powers than we do.” It is both sad and frightening to realize that we created something that is now polluting our bodies, minds and planet.
I find our nation wide media obsession sickening in every way. You wrote, “It’s time to admit that chronic TV watching is North America’s number one mental health problem.” For a large portion of Americans life is ruled by what is on TV. It is sad that so many people with huge amounts of potential waste a large part of their life living through a box in their living room. “Real living had been replaces by prepackaged experiences and media-created events.”
Finally I would like to talk about the chapter titled Rage. I am angry about what is happening to my country, and especially since it is primarily happening to my peers. You wrote that “when is springs from a sense of moral affront, it brings profound change…rage drives revolutions.” Revolution is clearly needed and yes individuals can help but I think that for large scale change there needs to be large scale anger about the current state. Your book infuriated me in the best possible way, it taught me a huge amount and I believe that anyone who has the chance to read it would feel the same way.
Best Regards,
Morgan Russell

The Corporation:
Surprise: I was absolutely shocked to learn about water being privatized in Bolivia. I cannot even comprehend how a country or corporation could justify the privatization of the most basic human right/need. Not only did they privatize specific supplies of water but also rainwater! I was also surprised that police would even consider defending their countries decision to privatize water.
Agitation: Falsifying news is not actually against the law!!!
New Info: I was shocked again when I learned of the corporations who continue to do business with countries that are considered enemies and even with terrorists. It is especially shocking that these corporations are ones we see and deal with on a regular basis. The information about IBM, and coca cola/fanta in Nazi Germany is especially disturbing.
Question: Because most large corporations are global how can anyone enforce rule/regulations? Is it completely up to the consumers? How do we change consumption habits?

#8

Culture Jam:

1. I absolutely loved a quote at the beginning of the reading, “Eating is a complex act. It’s loaded with moral, psychological, social, and sexual freight…Food is sin. It’s guilt. It’s joy. We overeat, then we undereat.” (p. 79). I began to think about all the negative ideas and images surrounding food in the United States, it is odd that something that should be considered so amazing has become disgusting for the majority of our country. Lasn goes on to say, “We’ve lost the sacred joy of the feast.” To begin with we are fat, over thirty percent of Americans are obese, the highest rates of any country by far. Our food is often processed, loaded with chemicals and fat, and lacking significant nutritional value.
Overeating is a serious crisis in our country and leads to huge health problems, and while not nearly equal in magnitude under eating is also a problem seen throughout the U.S. Americans are estimated to have the highest rate of eating disorders of any country. As we can see Americans clearly are dealing with many social, emotional and psychological issues around food.
It seems that Americans rarely think of the moral issues surrounding the foods they consume. For example consuming produce grown using pesticides. It is clear from sales that most American citizens do not consider themselves to have a moral responsibility to the earth. Another large moral question surrounding food is whether it is ok to eat meat. Americans eat the most meat per capita of any country. This meat-based diet is contributing to huge amounts of environmental degradation, human hunger and suffering, and of course animal cruelty.
2. “Everything human beings once experienced directly has been turned into a show put on by someone else. Real living had been replaced by prepackaged experiences and media-created events” (p. 101). This quote scares me, partially because it is so true already and because it seems we are headed in this direction faster than ever. People spend obscene amounts of time in front of the screen. It seems we are forgetting how to live in the real world and are increasingly trying to mimic the actions of those on the screen.
“One of the juiciest human target groups is…the ‘emulator.’ Emulators look for products that make them feel like somebody else-someone more important. Since no product can help you fully escape your old identity frustration mounts…” (p. 102). After reading this I began to wonder, why is our country so full of “emulators?” Although I have no knowledge of the subject I came up with a few ideas while considering it. Many people are putting huge amounts of pressure on themselves and their families to be “perfect,” or at least this strange media idea of it. Is it possible that we are always trying to be somebody else because we are not meeting these ideas of perfect? Why is it that so many of us are trying to escape ourselves? I think if people really looked at themselves and figured out what aspects they were trying to escape and why, they could also learn who they are. Rather than continuing to try to escape themselves and become someone else they could finally become who they really are.
3. I found the section on “cool” very interesting. The section starts with the author saying how cool used to be the person who was an individual, nowadays marketers have changed the idea of cool, it is those who are all alike, “that bear the unmistakable stamp of American” who are cool, and not the individual. It is sad that we have made so many people feel that they can only be “cool” if they look and act a certain way.
What is even sadder is that (in my opinion anyway) this idea of cool that dominates our society is NOT COOL. Girls are encouraged to be beautiful above all, we are not encouraged to be nice, or smart or opinionated in any way. Men are often shown that cool is aggressive, loud, and unemotional. “Legitimately cool people instinctively understand that the psychology of subservience-getting corporately seduced-is a chicken-ass way to live.” (p. 114).
4. In the section “We’re Not Academic” the author criticizes “Most academics just ramble. Far too few raise a fist or a voice.” (p. 117). I both agree and disagree with the author here. We certainly cannot underestimate the value of our own consciousness on issues as well as raising awareness in others. Professors should help us understand the various issues and points of view, not tell us exactly what to think or how to act. However, as a student I often find myself frustrated with all the information I am given but I am rarely awarded an answer. We learn about so many things that are wrong but never told how to change them or even pointed in the direction of action.

My question is how can our country change? Is it possible to reverse what has already been done? And if so, how do we begin?


The Corporation:
Everything about this movie is disturbing, fascinating, and truly frightening. Many people are unaware that a corporation has the same legal rights as a person. It was interesting to see how precisely many corporations fit the definition of a psychopath. The movie informed us that corporations are legally obligated to try to make money for their investors. We all know that most corporations are selfish, but this shows that they are literally legally required to be selfish.
One thing that was really interesting to me was the idea that while a company may be doing terrible things and considered evil, those who work for it are not necessarily on the same side. While it is counterintuitive to think someone would work for what they are against it actually makes perfect sense. Corporations hold enormous power, and effect things on a large scale. Therefore by working for this corporation if employees, specifically high up employees can influence small areas of policy it can have an enormous effect. We cannot get rid of corporations so we must work to change them for the better.