Neil Postman’s “Reach Out and Elect Someone” discusses how commercials use emotional appeals and “not tests of truth.” Commercials deal with what is wrong about the buyer, not about what is right about a product. Commercials make it seem like all problems can be solved instantly. They sell solutions instead of presenting questions or problems. Political campaign commercials do the same thing. They deal with what is wrong with the nation, this ties into how the potential president could fix these problems.
This is shown through the “First Obama Presidential Ad.” In this commercial, is starts off by asking if we participate in politics of cynicism or politics of hope. It then says to replace fear with hope. This shows what is wrong with people in our nation-that they are fearful. It then presents a solution- replacing the fear with hope. It then deals with Obama’s ways to replace fear with hope, through giving everyone the opportunity to get jobs that pay living wages, that no one should be bankrupt when they get sick, that everyone should have access to decent healthcare, that every school should be adequately funded, and that every child should have the opportunity to learn ad go to college, even if they don’t have a lot of money. Obama then puts his arm around a smiling little girl and bends down so he is on her eye level. Obama positions himself on her eye level to show that he is not talking down to her and that he respects her. This scene lasts a few seconds on the screen to emphasize the emotional appeal to make the image stick in the audiences’ heads. The commercial then says how he believes every citizen should retire with dignity and respect. As this is being said, he is hugging a smiling senior citizen. This image is shown very slowly so it stays on the screen for a while. This shows the emotional appeal that sticks in the viewers’ heads. The commercial ends with the line, “We can make the right choices with challenges that face us.” “Believe Again” then flashes across the screen as Obama shakes hands with someone smiling. This shows the solution to challenges that people face. The solution is to make the right choice by electing Obama as President.
Clearly Obama cannot give everyone the opportunity to get jobs that pay living wages, or to give everyone the access to decent healthcare, or give everyone the opportunity to go to college, etc. He is just stating things that appeal to viewers. These are things that people would like, whether they are all realistic or not. If Obama became President, would everyones’ fear really be replaced with hope? Obviously not. He is just trying to appeal emotionally to the viewers, so these images stick in their heads when they are voting for President.
The link to this commercial is here:
http://http://youtube.com/watch?v=UPy7RnHwvmA&feature=related
Monday, January 28, 2008
Friday, January 25, 2008
The Age of Show Business
I never really thought about it, but television does have a bias. After reading "The Age of Show Business," I completely agree that television is used mainly for entertainment. Television can be used as a bookstand, as a lamp, or for other purposes. However, people do not usually turn on the television for that purpose. Personally, I only watch the television for a form of entertainment. Even if I watch the news, I watch it when I am not doing anything and have spare time and need entertainment.
I also never really thought about how television is different in other countries. Some countries use television to direct government and policies and some use it as a radio. It's crazy how so many people watch television and become so obsessed with reality shows and the characters in them, when in other countries, they use television for government.
Lastly, I never really thought about television as being a threat to society. However, after reading "The Age of Show Business," I completely agree that it is a threat to society. It really does make everything presented on the television as entertaining. People don't take what they say on the news seriously because everything presented on the television is fun and entertaining. For example, they do not show boring things on the news because people would not watch it. They put on the news and television programs what will attract the most viewers, regardless if it is serious or not.
I also never really thought about how television is different in other countries. Some countries use television to direct government and policies and some use it as a radio. It's crazy how so many people watch television and become so obsessed with reality shows and the characters in them, when in other countries, they use television for government.
Lastly, I never really thought about television as being a threat to society. However, after reading "The Age of Show Business," I completely agree that it is a threat to society. It really does make everything presented on the television as entertaining. People don't take what they say on the news seriously because everything presented on the television is fun and entertaining. For example, they do not show boring things on the news because people would not watch it. They put on the news and television programs what will attract the most viewers, regardless if it is serious or not.
Wednesday, January 23, 2008
The Peek-a-Boo World
I found The Peek-a-Boo World to be very interesting. I thought that Neil Postman pointed out some things that are common sense, but I have never actually thought of. First off, I never really thought of the television as displaying a bunch of irrelevant information, also known as context-free information. It is extremely true though because there are numerous times when I watch the news and hear about things going on in different places in the world, but don't affect me. Thus, I do not pay too much attention to these news headlines and do not change my routine from these news articles. The only time I might ever use the information I heard would be to stir up a conversation. The reason why the news and other television channels put out so much jumbled, disconnected information is because there is a wide variety of people who view it and its purpose is for entertainment. Thus, context-free information is information that is irrelevant and doesn't affect peoples' actions. Its purpose is to serve as entertainment. This irrelevant information is found in the Peek-a-Boo World, which is a world of electronic technologies that contains information that is irrelevant and does not require us to think or do anything. The purpose of these mediums are for entertainment. Thus, television serves its purpose for me in that I watch it for entertainment. I rarely ever will use any of the information I come across through the television in my daily routine or life. The only time I will probably ever use it will be in a conversation.
The fact that the television displays so much information that is not relevant to everyone made me think of the Jack Johnson song “The News.” In this song, Jack Johnson says “Why don't the newscasters cry when they read about people who die?” This made me think that maybe the newscasters don’t cry when they read about people who die because that information is irrelevant to them. It doesn’t affect them personally.
The fact that the television displays so much information that is not relevant to everyone made me think of the Jack Johnson song “The News.” In this song, Jack Johnson says “Why don't the newscasters cry when they read about people who die?” This made me think that maybe the newscasters don’t cry when they read about people who die because that information is irrelevant to them. It doesn’t affect them personally.
Sunday, January 13, 2008
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