M.J. sings for M.E.

Michael Jackson is one of the greatest artists of all time, and one of my personal favorites. In this song, he brings awareness to listener’s ears about some of the questions we should ask on a daily basis. With the corroding earth around us, we forget to think about others living on the planet besides us (e.g. elephants, whales, nature). In the lyrics, nature is referred to as a “womb.” This particular line struck me as the most powerful. Nature is in fact the womb of Mother Earth, nourishing and giving birth to so many new, beautiful things. Mother Earth, through her womb, nurses plants, nests animals, and neglects the harm done upon her by us. As we continue to beat and batter her, she still continues to try to be resilient against our violence and feed our damaging addiction. Yet soon, sooner than hoped for, our Mother Earth will succumb to our abuse and have nothing left to give.

Michael Jackson’s “Earth Song” definitely uses a Sophist approach of rhetoric. Not only are the lyrics geared toward questioning our thoughts and reaching our emotions, but the melody behind the lyrics is soft and sentimental as well. Along with this appeal to emotion, Aristotle’s theory of rhetoric is also seen when looking at the lyrics. Several times personification is used. For example, one line of the lyrics reads “the crying earth, the weeping shores.”

Although this song is not only talking about Mother Earth, but also about war and our survival, the power behind the music MJ sings is enough to open your eyes about all three topics.

..... Hippo?

A hippo. Not the most attractive animal, but I’ll take it.

World Wildlife Fund website named my inner animal a hippo. Should I take offense to this?

I mean, hippos have ugly teeth, a massive nose and big hips.

Although I wouldn’t label the hippo a “sight for sore eyes,” they are usually portrayed as fun-loving and cute, cuddly animals on TV shows and as stuffed animals. So I guess that’s a good thing!

Not only that, but the description of the hippo, on the WWE website, describes them as a people person who also enjoys alone time. This is very true of myself.

However, it also says I’m awkward but have a graceful style. What’s that supposed to mean?!

The site does say I like away time close to water for swimming and other activities. This is also true.

So, I come to the conclusion that I’m okay with being a hippo! Call me a hippo all you want! Sure, I’m awkward, but in the best way possible! Although I wouldn’t say the physical resemblance is there (if you think differently, shut up), I would agree that, like the hippo, I am outgoing but also like alone time.

So, hippo it is!

Marxism In Bed

Advertizing sexual paraphernalia has become popular as there has been growing sex appeal in our population.  There are certain standards, or “effects” if you will, that are more favorable. For example, the newest condom commercial provides both a “fire and ice” effect for men and women’s enjoyment. Concentrating on the “big moment” is what these products are geared toward. Likewise, the KY Intense for Her commercial focuses specifically on her “moment.” To appeal to the female audience, the commercial can be looked at as using Marxist rhetorical strategies. Here are a few of the things I pin pointed.

Who is allowed to speak? The female, obviously! This product is designed specifically for the female’s use and pleasure. She is the experiment and experimenter in the situation and her voice plays a part in the product’s appeal to the consumer, and the consumer’s appeal to the product.

What is being said? This potential addition to the sex lives of women is one that comes with a hell of kick. As the ad portrays, if using this product with your partner, sexual encounters will be rather “climactic” for the woman. Not only this, but this product has the ability to allow a conservative couple to experience intensity outside of their comfort level.

What lies behind the promises being made? Pleasure, intimacy, arousal, intensity…

What actually created the message? The KY Jelly Foundation for Woman and Better Sex (Or just KY)... And unsatisfied women all over.

"Workers of the land, unite!"

As Karl Marx said in his “Manifesto of the Communist Party,” “Workers of all lands, unite!” This is exactly what the TED video on the importance of the relationship between production and consumption depicts. The video explains that at the rate we are consuming and using up the world’s resources we will deplete them at a quicker rate than scientist first anticipated, and that scientists have now proven. To aid in the preservation of what resources we have left, the video proposes that companies buying out the resources work together in production to lower the rate at which resources are being used. However, the video also spells out that the companies, for the most part, are not interested in uniting for the greater good. “You can’t wake a person who’s pretending to sleep.” This line in the video exemplifies how the companies are responding to the suggestion to work together for the greater good. Instead of having the revelation that working together will in the long run help everyone, they are turned off to the idea, not listening and “pretending to sleep.”

I found the video to be very eye opening on my part. Its description of our environmental footprint and the effect we have on the resources of the earth is actually frightening. Although the video offers a seemingly simple solution, get productivity and efficiency up and consumption down, it is obviously in no way that easy. I mean if it was, we wouldn’t be so concerned with the availability of resources tomorrow, but rather just concerned about what we have today. But this is a serious issue and needs to be addressed in an efficient manner. Kenneth E. Boulding said “I would argue, furthermore, that tomorrow is not only very close, but in many respects it is already here. I agree.

http://www.ted.com/talks/lang/eng/jason_clay_how_big_brands_can_save_biodiversity.html