The Top Ten!

Media Literacy and the Environment Top Ten List

10. Number ten is a quote from Michael Moore at the end of the documentary "The Corporation." He says, "a greedy man would hang himself if he could make a profit from it." This sums up the attitude of people who are single mindedly trying to make more money and it describes the nature of how some CEO’s have no regard for people or the environment.

9. Also from "The Corporation" number nine is about the statistics on the cheap labor conditions in countries where the United States has exported jobs. Nike for example pays their workers in China a very small percentage of the retail value of the product they make. I could not remember the exact amount but the numbers were staggering.

8. Number eight is learning about the beneficial program Democracy Now and how there are alternative and non-biased sources for attaining news. Amy Goodman’s coverage and knowledge about the media cover-up during the beginning of the Iraq war is insightful, as is the rest of her news coverage.

7. "Consuming Kids" the documentary on how children are targets for advertisers is my pick for number seven. There were several disturbing facts I learned from the film, however the one in particular is how companies infiltrate and sponsor personal lives of kids. For example, the sponsored birthday party or advertising in schools and textbooks.

6. Disney takes the number six spot because the company along with its mergers is gigantic and very influential. With all of these popular animated movies it is easy to take advantage of this control and push racist, imperialistic and violent ideas. With Pocahontas, The Jungle Book, and, Tarzan; Disney has basically re-written history and with more success and influence than textbooks in Texas.

5. Number five is learning about the big five media companies, and dissecting their media programs, revenue, and the influence they have. My group investigated Viacom but it was amazing to learn all of the TV stations and radio are controlled by only a few companies. All of the smaller media programs answer to the big five so any message has to be congruent with donors and advertisers.

4. Speaking of the influence advertising and corporations have, the story about the whistle-blowers and the case about hormones and cows was shocking. Fox news completely stopped a story investigating the effects of BGH, a Monsanto hormone and illness in cows. This shows how new stations report the news how ‘they’ want it, or basically how their sponsors and advertisers want it.

3. Bringing the countdown to number three is the statistics on how real journalism and investigative reporting is non-existent. The numbers were unexpected, and it is scary to think about but almost every news publication and television and radio news programs has ties to corporations. There is a spin in which the media communicates, and it is not a trustworthy one.

2. Number two is being media literate and being able to critique and analyze advertising and point out its goals. I learned a lot from "Making of a Literate Mind" along with "Still Killing us Softly 3" from production techniques to the effect certain visuals have on humans limbic system. I viewed hundreds of unacceptable ads with stereotypes about race, gender, affluence, and body type.

1. The number one educational moment in this class was learning about public relations, in particular the information in "Toxic Sludge is Good for you!" I always thought I was being hard on the corporations because they can do some good after all. After reading this I was back on my hate bandwagon. The is infiltration in government by corporations is more than I thought. Even the EPA is an organization compromised by the pr industry and lobbying by corporations.

Three Questions

When is media literacy going to be broadcasted on the airwaves and in mainstream television? I know this would go against profit motives and what media corporations do to protect themselves. Yet, I think this can still happen, people have the right to real news and information without any bias or slant. The public also has the right for a voice in media, like democracy this is something we have created, and we cannot leave the power in the hands only a few.

Why are those protesting an unhealthy lifestyle and large corporate influences not given a voice in media? In this class there was mention of several organizations to fight corporate power and influence such as Adbusters or Project Censored. The readings mentioned several examples of activism from changing McDonalds signs to creating violation tickets for SUVs.

Are middle and high schools going to start teaching media literacy classes? The entire semester I thought about how good it would be for everyone in the public school system to learn what I have. I always want to advocate for environmental studies courses to be offered in high school. Although it is getting worse the public school is one of the more free places from corporate influence and advertising.

Public Service Announcement "Unplug"

After finishing the final edits, creating the PSA made helps me summarize this class, and remember a lot of what I learned. The group chose a very broad topic, to be "unplugged" which is one of the basic messages of this course. The first reading, "Feed" conveys this message the most. That society is plugged into media, electronics and advertising and it has a brainwashing effect. Deciding what props to use in the video, the emotions the actors should be expressing helped understand the concept of unplugging much better. Articles from this class suggest texting, watching a TV or computer screen all day changes our attention efficiency. In other words new generations are having trouble reading books and getting a deep understanding from literature. Their brains are wired for fast advertising and an explosion of images.
Filming the PSA went by fast, our group picked a time after class and we completed it in a little over an hour. Editing was a little more tricky, that took up almost three hours. Since we did filmed a lot of clips the organization was not great, and we had to go through a lot of footage. The flip camera turned out to be a handy tool. Its size is advantageous for filming from different parts of the set, whether it be a corner or from the floor. The film quality did not seem to be lacking either which is good.
The final product looks good, I was a little worried halfway through the editing stages but after we added music and cut the volume on unwanted sound it looked much more professional. We also added slides with educational information that should motivate people to get outside intead of spend the day watching television. I learned more just researching the facts about how long Americans spend on the internet or how many text messages teenagers send a month. I feel good about our PSA, and I think it matches and improves upon the previous ones we viewed. Hopefully the rest of the class feels the same way

Nature Valley and Project Censored

Ad Analysis

As I was scouring the internet I saw some advertisements with some implicit false environmental symbolism or greenwashing. One company that constantly uses the environment to its advantage is Nature Valley. Why not? It says "nature" in the name it must be natural, or straight from the forest as this image implies. The marketing strategy is obvious, it wants people to think they are buying a natural, healthy, and trustworthy product. Looking at the ingredients of these granola bars it is hard to believe they use this kind of advertising campaign because these things are far from natural. It does have granola, but the list of oils and chemicals does not exactly make it seem like this food item was picked from the wilderness. The forest used in the background almost looks like a redwood forest from the pacific northwest. This region has been plagued by some of the worst deforestation and environmentally degrading logging practices. I am not linking Nature Valley to destruction of the redwoods but the imagery is a little ironic.

http://sisterlysavings.net/wp-content/uploads/2009/10/naturevalley.jpg

Activist Websites

After going through some of these sites, project censored was the most interesting to me. This site offers alterative news articles and videos to corporate media, and any messages that resemble propaganda. There are quotes and references that support the sites goals of critiquing journalism and any bias that might exist. The Interviews with co-editors Peter Phillips and Mickey Huff are really interesting, these are two people that know a lot about corruption in the news and are on top of their game. If there was anything critical about the site it would be the lack of organization. If you look at every category it is easy to find what you need though. Project Censored has a good message, maybe they should expand, and add more editors or journalists since I have never heard of them. One cannot really participate with this organization, unless you purchase their literature and guides but looking at the news and articles makes visiting this site worth it.

PSA

Plans fell through to get the filming done this weekend but our story is all set and our group is still in good shape to finish. We just need a few hours to get the filming done, and an hour or so to edit. I think it is good we have not filmed yet since this gives us more time to think about the scenes and the information we will use.

Taking Back Your Own Back Yard

Toxic Sludge Ch. 12:

A democratic system is fair and just and recognizes different voices in all communities. The last few years I have questioned the usefulness of Democracy in the United States. There is no doubt that the engine of corporate America is running on all cylinders with only profit in mind. This has debilitating effects on this vision of democracy. Accepting that the profit motive of business encompasses many people, democracy has a different meaning to me. In a true democracy everyone is on an equal playing field. Despite this, democracy in this country still has a meaning to me because one person still counts as one vote no matter one’s gender, race, or affluence. It is hard to stay true to the one equals one ideal because of propaganda and corporate lobbying, How many of our politicians are bought off by companies? Also the reading suggests that Public Relations campaigns have completely clouded the truth to what is a true democracy and who is looking out for the health of the public.

As corporations are using capitalism to gain power and wealth, the people can use it just as well to take it back. Every time people purchase a product they are voting. Buying hormone-free milk is a choice, and if enough of these choices are made everyday companies will have to change their policy to make money. Greenwashing is not an option when the public is educated enough to deconstruct the PR. Grassroots and NIMBY organizations; derisive label or not, are leading the charge informing the public about the truths of corporate injustice. I completely agree with the quote about the difference between propaganda and education, it fits the narrative well. There is hope in Tylczak’s efforts and grassroots organizations for sure but stimulating this progress is the democratic ideal that everyone can participate and one vote still counts the same.

Observation Experiment

This has been a rare weekend where I was not able to get out for a run, bike, or hike so I was not able to observe in a secluded wilderness location. I chose my 30 minutes away from the world to be on Church St, sitting down with some friends and ‘people watching’. I observed that it was a beautiful day out, and my overall feelings were ones of relaxation and content. I sat in the sun and did not want to move or feel the need to say anything. I observed all different kinds of people, the usual variety on Church St. In the afternoon. High schoolers going to the mall, college kids with their parents, street musicians, and older couples shopping. There was quite a relaxing atmosphere even though this was an urban environment.

My 30 minutes watching television were extremely different. I was sitting down with my girlfriend flipping through the channels, and the entire time I felt anxious, annoyed, and happy that I never watch TV. I was disgusted with every single advertisement, I had to tell my girlfriend every little technique that was used to try and sell a certain product. The conversation turned to the obnoxious world of marketing and environmental atrocity and I was immediately sad. I usually do not mind discussing such things but I was trying to relax and watch some TV. Tiger Woods’ commercial with the voice of his deceased father put me over the edge, I just started laughing because I knew exactly what Nike was thinking when they put this add up. This says I am educated about corporate responsibility and environmental issues but I think for any person TV has to have a negative impact on their brain. Compared to 30 minutes on Church St. This was a completely different scenario.

PSA:

Our group, which plans to produce a visual of being ‘unplugged’ has some good ideas. We have created a storyboard and planned ahead for set selections and actors. We have lots of ideas whether or not they all get into the video might be doubtful. With a little more planning we should be set to shoot soon.

Toxic Sludge is Good for You!

Chapter 8

I have heard about the story of Hugh Kaufmann and the EPA whistle-blowers but this article sheds more light on the corruption of environmental legislation. There is so much conflict of interest between government and corporate bureaucracies. The same thing happened with the tobacco industry, there is this obvious love and marriage between lobby groups and government officials. The list is endless, in one instance the PR firm Powell Tate or had connections to the Reagan and Bush Administrations.

The renaming of sludge by the public relations group is very ironic in the context of this book, and particularly this chapter. The one quote by Rutgers Professor Frank Lutz on the newly coined term is hilarious, "It does have one great virtue, you think of biosolids and your mind goes blank." Some of the other proposed names are simply laughable, "recyclite" as if the stuff is recyclable, and "black gold" this must be the type of gold where only a few make a significant profit.

It is hard to believe that New York City was dumping its waste into the ocean only 20 years ago. It is also unbelievable that it took complaints from the fishing industry to actually change policies. The image of the barge of trash getting pulled around the Atlantic Ocean sticks in my mind when thinking of the sludge situation

The PR campaigns for spreading sludge in rural towns particularly the ones in Texas are ridiculous. How can this group get away with paying off the mayor, giving money to the board of education, and having turkey dinners to convince the public? Their use of "passive" techniques instead of protesting and handing out flyers is smart and impressive but the subtleness is scary.

One really scary point is the last paragraph referring to how far greenwashing can go. I agree that a PR representative would go as far as saying that sewage sludge is so environmentally friendly it might as well be certified organic. This is indicative of greenwashing today and how much the organic label actually means in the market. Media and public relations can change the image of anything, even if it is hazardous as sludge to seem healthy and environmentally friendly.

My question is how twisted and greedy are proponents of land spreading of sludge? And how far are they willing to go to make a profit from exporting New York City’s waste to host towns?

Chapter 9

This chapter does a great job of getting the perspective of anti-environmental groups and public relations campaigns with some good quotes. A good one is by former Interior Secretary James Watt saying "If the troubles from environmentalists cannot be solved in a jury or ballot box, perhaps the cartridge box should be used." Another good one is by Ron Arnold of Wise Use he says, "Our intent is to sue environmental groups whenever there is a legal reason to do so." He went on saying that environmental groups lie, skew data, and are economically harmful. These people should not have any power in this society.

There are so many references to the Greenpeace Guide to Anti-environmental Organizations, I feel I should purchase a copy of this, I am sure there is a list on their website. Anyway, it is interesting because I have never heard of some of these environmental PR groups such as ARCO or the environmental defense fund (EDF). They have clearly had an influence, especially for McDonalds to have risen to be one of the most environmentally friendly businesses. How is that possible?

It was a little disturbing to learn how much funding to the big environmental organizations received from notorious anti-environmental corporations. Corporate sponsors for the World Wildlife Fund, Nature Conservancy, Defenders of Wildlife, and more represent one quarter of the organizations in the Greenpeace guide.

I was never a huge fan of Earth day but it makes sense now because it is corporate public relations scheme. As described in the Good cop/Bad cop section of the chapter earth day helps create a schism in the environmental movement, and convinces people that the planet is healthy and worth celebrating. The one cartoon of the polluted industrial plant putting up an earth day banner explains the situation well. Public relations is everything, one company could be responsible for massive deforestation and unfair labor but if they put "recycle more" banners on their products or business they are fine.

Reiterated from Chapter 8, the issue of greenwashing is important and worse than I thought. Also termed as "Green PR" this form of propaganda has been rampant since Silent Spring was published. PR experts such as Burston-Marsteller, Ketchum, Bruce Harrison, and others are waging an all out war on environmentalists, and with the backing of large corporate clients they usually end up wining. It is amazing but $1 billion is spent by U.S. businesses every year on anti-environmental PR services.

My question is should activists try an focus on education to combat greenwashing and chemical corporations? Or is attacking the PR campaigns and businesses with protests and flyers more effective?

The Corporation

There were certainly a few surprises from the film as well as subjects already covered in this class and others. The data on wages for factory workers in Asia were a little surprising. I already know how profitable outsourcing is for large corporations but the numbers are still staggering to hear. The two college students selling themselves as billboards for advertising was extremely agitating. Not only were they both ignorant on how marketing works and it’s cultural flaws they continued to throw themselves out in the media, conducting interviews and enjoying every minute of it. My one question from the film would be how did American economic policy become so wrapped up in respecting corporations as human beings and giving them so much freedom. I thought the old propaganda scenes were well placed in the film and they did explain the legal history of corporations but there was something missing. I was hopeful after watching and listening to the business people who were able to create a more sustainable corporation. I think more personal businesses that are more sustainable will grow and I hope to be part of one someday. Michael Moore’s quote at the end of the film was very intriguing and true "A greedy man will hang himself if he can make a profit for it." This sums up the documentary for me very nicely.

Letter to President Obama

Dear Mr. President,

For many years I have been told that I live in the greatest country in the world, and I enjoy personal rights in a true democracy. I have also heard that anyone in this country can pull themselves up by their bootstraps and be successful. Our competitive economy combined with democracy allows anyone to do this. What I have been told, is far from the true situation The United States faces. I believe in the American dream and the same ideals as you, however; there is so much degradation of society and the environment it is difficult to stay firm in these beliefs.

It is hard to believe in American democracy when society closely resembles one controlled by the corporation. Yes capitalism is great, it allows people and businesses to pursue greatness without harsh social restrictions. In a corporate state however, one can argue that there are more and harsher restrictions than a communist one. These might be more subtle but they are definitely there. For example, subliminal messages in advertising, changing human behavior to fit consumption, and keeping options limited to a few big corporations. I think The United States is beginning to resemble a corporate state more than a democratic one.

After reading "Culture Jam" by Kalle Lasn I have solidified my opinion and growing concerns more than ever. Lasn has many ideas to revolutionize American media and take power from the corporations and give it back to the American people. Lasn, founder of Adbusters magazine calls forth a generation of "culture jammers" to make American life more authentic. From changing one’s perception of beauty to creating an obsession with branding and icons, corporations are involved in people’s lives too much. Marketing and advertising is rampant whether it is in sports, television, food, fashion, or music. It is interesting to consider the impact corporations play in culture. There is an obesity epidemic in The United States right now and the fast food takeover by large chains is a major cause.

One section of Lasn’s book stands out as being particularly important because it explains the nature of The United States’ economic system. It is a fairly simple system growth depends on increasing one thing, gross domestic product. The problem is that life is not this simple, and GDP does not factor in any externalities, environmental degradation, or social injustice. There is something wrong when a war or an oil spill is considered good for the economy. This growth and consumption needs to be regulated, between the signs of excess pollution and waste this is clearly an unsustainable path. Corporations cannot be given free reign to grow and continue to pollute the earth as well as people’s minds with advertising. There is a branch of economics that considers the environment and uses a better indicator, this should be incorporated in the country’s policy.

I am writing as a concerned citizen for the public’s livelihood and steward to the environment. This letter is not about deforestation and poverty, or Nike and McDonalds. It is about those things but it is important to consider the big societal picture. There is only so much time before American culture withers to microwave meals and corporate-branded schools. Trying to solve the issue of media literacy ad the environment is a hard political battle but something needs to be done about the corporations running the country.

Sincerely,

Paul Smith

Culture Jam II

Culture Jam.
The cover image for this section of the reading shows three young women bearing company logos as tatoos on their arm. I thought the next chapters would focus once more on corporate advertising and consumer connection to images but the reading went much deeper than that. It was very interesting to read about people's corporate connection and obsessions down to the very principles and lifestyle they live.
The first few pages focuses on the girl who makes herself vomit, the man who has distorted his vision of sexual attractivness, and a steroid user. People would not seem to notice but each of these examples is proof that media and bombardment of corporate messages create unhealthy human behaviors.
The section I found most interesting is the "Global Economic Pyramid Scheme." After taking ecological economics it was breathtaking to realize that there is an alternative to conventional economic theory. It is crazy that humans are basing their economic system on a model that needs to continue to grow and that their are no environmental or social limitations to growth. This model also does no account for negative externalities, so there is no price for pollution or environmental injustice. The system is crazy, we are grasping to this ancient statistic called GDP that does not account for anything accept "goods" and "services." It is crazy when oil spills are good for GDP, Wars? good for GDP, meanwhile volunteering and riding your bike to work are terrible. As Lasn explains this is a certain doomsday scenario, that is going to hit much harder than black Tuesday or Friday.
The new activism section is a motivating section to read because it makes one feel guilty for being part of the "slacker" generation. This section also provides guidelines for a culture jammer to follow. My question is what is the best way to convey this message to the masses? Through new activism? Politics? Is personal choices of a few really changing things?

The Corporation.
What stood out the most about this film is the initial definition of "the corporation" as having all the legal rights of a person. This is immediately problematic because the definition is implying that a corporation has the same goals and emotions as a real person and that is far from the truth. As Michael Moore suggests in the film the profit motive and greed turns corporations into wrongdoing. The statistics on Nike's profit and the difference in factory employee revenue to retail price is terrible. I already know how much companies make off from international production especially Wal-Mart. I feel this message is not resonated across the United States enough, and if people knew thing would be different.

Culture Jam

A common theme presented in "Culture Jam" is the disconnection with nature that is present in today's society. Usually a text such as Lasn's would make me feel guilty more than anything but reading it on a deserted beach in the Outer Banks I feel thankful more than anything. I feel thankful because I would not consider myself part of the cult that is brainwashed by mass media images and advertising. This week I have had no access to internet and television, and it feels great. This is the reason for my late posting. Even though I think I am not affected by advertising and misleading information Lasn points out that everyone is affected at some level. This is why being critical of news and information is very important or being "media literate" as the class suggests helps weave out the damaging effects media images. It is sad to think of families not being able to enjoy the beauty and pleasure in nature or the outdoors. It is also scary to think that information overload and desensitization for images changes people's moods and their ability to enjoy things such as natural beauty.
In terms of rapid fire images or "jolts" as described by Lasn it is interesting to read about the channel surfing effect. I would consider myself a channel surfer when I watch television, but this is because I am more disgusted with the images I flip through more than dissatisfied. Commercials, reality television, and non-intelligent shows; which happens to make up most of television are all turn-offs.
Similar to reading the articles on Google and Facebook there is a sense of a changing attitude in humans. Excess time surfing the internet and following chat rooms had changed the human brain in a way that is destructive to society. How can humans fully appreciate the environment when there is a constant bombardment of images from corporations and marketers that are against the ideals of a healthy culture and planet?

March 1st post

"With Friends Like These"

a. Facebook is not only an expanding social networking tool, it is an advertiser’s dream with the neoconservative freedoms of capitalism backing it.

b. I would agree with Hodgkinson that Facebook has become an important part in the market of investors buying shares. It is crazy to fathom the growing numbers of Facebook users, and the amount this business is actually worth. For example buying 0.4 of the share is worth $60 million, that shows how influential it has become to wealthy investors and corporations. I also agree with Hodgkinson’s description of the privacy options on Facebook. There is no doubt that everyone’s information is out there, no matter what the privacy settings are. This article made me go back on my own Facebook page and look through the privacy policy. I am aware of where my information goes but I doubt many kids in high school know that Facebook is more than a tool to chat with friends and look at pictures. I disagree with the point that corporations are benefitting from Facebook selling users’ preferences on their profile. Although I am sure it happens, I do not think most users are going to list their favorite drink, potato chip, or restaurant. Companies would have to go through tons of information to gain insight on consumer habits. I also disagree with Zuckerberg’s tactics of listening to users and helping them find their way into cyber-friendships. I think his goals, and the other original founders are completely oriented to Facebook as a business and only want to help sponsors, corporations, and shareholders.

"Making of a Literate Mind"

This article really examined many of the topics we have been discussing in class. For example, production techniques, and advertising strategies. There is a purpose for advertisers attempting to get us to react to or to have an emotional response to an image. Our brain, and our limbic system will see advertisements and remember them, but the ads are too quick for us to deconstruct or think about them thoughtfully. One point that stood out for me was that media, and corporations have a single goal in mind, and undermining the health and education or children is an acceptable externality. There are countless examples, in the article they mention McDonalds takeover of Sesame Street.

"Still Killing us Softly 3"

1. People are de-humanized in advertising to create a stereotype and grab people’s attention

2. Woman are portrayed in a variety of formats either as sex symbols, as passive, or promoting a body type.

3. Only parts of woman are used in ads for example breasts, promoting the idea that they are present because of their body

4. Ads create and continue gender roles, particularly for children in the Calvin Klein magazine ads

5. Advertising has people chasing a fictitious body type, achievable with certain genetics, maybe?, computer imaging, and starvation. This creates self-esteem and health issues

Kilbourne uses a lot of images and advertisements to present her research. Her sarcastic and humorous tone did not appeal to me but it did not take away from me believing the message. Without a doubt women are stereotyped in advertising and like it said in the ad publication culture and ads are inextricably linked. Although she does mention how men can be victims of this too her presentation focuses on women. She could have made her argument more clear why the image of a women is more profound and debilitating for society.

2/21 reflections

Paul said...

Ad Nauseum
This book is full of "ah-ha" moments for me, and the Subliminal Seduction section was one such moment. Of course the sexuality is more subtle in some ads more than others but I did not realize it could be so rampantly used. I know subliminal advertising is a real thing but this book takes it to another level. One theme from this section would be overkill, a little bit of over-analyzing of ads. That is what makes this interesting though subliminal messages are supposed to make us react subconsciously so my question is if this in depth investigation is really needed? Another theme I found interesting is the one on a smarter consumer. Companies such as Geico have definitely taken advantage with commercials featuring intelligent humor. It is funny how blatant the old advertisements were. A third theme is fro the section down memory hole, about company mascots. Always ironic how a mascot that was originally appealing and selling becomes problematic and hurting business. This not only happens with mascots but other facets of business. My question for section 6 is will I get arrested if I was caught placing "no parking for SUV" signs in a lot? I though that was a brilliant idea.

Twitter
a. There is more to Twitter than 140 character bits of information, it is a social and innovative phenomenon
b. I agree with Johnson that Twitter is a new way to spread information efficiently. The Summize tool makes this very easy. I would also agree with the idea that it takes people's minds off stressing events such as the economy. It serves as a media similar to what the movies serve a purpose as. I disagree that Twitter can evolve into more than what it already is. I can see marginal changes especially if Facebook or Google ends up buying. Other than being a way to spread news or Shaq's daily routine in 140 characters there is not much more Twitter can do. I would also disagree that Twitter makes bad first impressions, at first it appealed to me than after a month or two I stopped following.
c. I am not using Twitter, I did shortly after it became popular last year only because I thought you needed a page to follow people. Now I do not even follow anyone's tweets, and I disposed of my page which was blank anyway; I could never think of anything to tweet about

The Merchants of Cool
1. That people are used as pawns to connect media images to consumer atitudes
2. Images such as female beauty are pervasive
3. Corporate labels create trends and opinions among vulnerable teens "TRL" "Spring Break"
4. Family values become entangled in teen marketing on television "WB"
5. Violent messages do the same as advertising by influencing behavior

Environmental Art

For my Art project I filled a Dasani water bottle with all types of money and coupons. The simpleness makes people form their own metaphor from the project. For me, the money in the bottle represents all of the hidden costs that go with consuming such a project and for Coca-Cola to produce it.

Quick Introduction

Hi, my name is Paul Smith and I am from Utica, New York. I attended a ski academy in east Burke, Vermont my last few years of high school, and now Burlington has been my home the past three years.
One interesting media experience I had over break involved watching an abundance of Anti-drug advertisements on television while in Quebec. Nearly every other commercial was sponsored by the Canadian government who used very strong images to get the message across. I normally do not watch much television but the string of ads in Canada definitely attracted my attention and made me compare it to government ads in the United States. It is always fun to view media in different countries and gain perspective on culture and language.
21st century media has certainly created an ease in which to gain information and transfer ideas. I like how technology has helped with access to media, particularly access to the internet, and newspapers and text being transferred online. While I enjoy reading news online, I realize there is an aspect of media slowly being fazed out such as newsprint. One thing I do not like about 21st century media is the ability to have a cultural influence on so many, particularly children. Between the corporate advertisements, and the technological materialism these influences are creating an unsustainable culture which is harmful to the environment in many ways.
I am not sure about my future, I hope to graduate in a year in a half with a degree in geography and environmental studies. From there the list is long and vague, a career in sustainable development maybe? Architecture? Or maybe even ski coaching.