Who I hope to be.

Dear Beth,

After this course is ended I hope you go into the world with a greater appreciation for the differences that make us all unique. I hope that you never look at another person with anything but compassion and understanding, and that you have learned to not judge a person until you have walked a mile in their moccasins. I hope that you are able to see the reasons people are who they are and understand that it is a complex balance that creates the person before you.

I also hope that you become an ally to those who would call upon you. That you stand up for your beliefs and do not let others tread upon those around you who are unable to speak for themselves. I hope that you celebrate the differences of those around you and cherish those differences for they are what make the colorful world that you love. I hope that you never hesitate to tell someone to let go of their prejudices and stand up against discrimination at every turn.

I hope that you become a role model for the younger girls that you know now and will come to know. That you tell them it is possible to be a strong, sensitive and intelligent woman all at the same time. Help them to know they don’t have to put those around them down to keep themselves afloat. And, when you hopefully become a mother, tell your children about equality. Help them to grow in an environment where differences are wonderful and every person deserves just as much as the next. Give them the same open eyes to view the world that your parents gave you.

This may seem like a heavy bill but I know it is one that you can fill if you so choose. So, go into the world and fill it with understanding and love, never hate.

~Beth

Just tell me already!

Walter Lippmann has a strong opinion on who should be deciding the opinions of the masses. He feels that a small group of intellectuals should be able to make the decisions for the whole. This may be beneficial because the busy public is not able to keep up with all current events and topics. It is just not possible to have enough time to acquire all of he necessary information to make responsible decisions. Also, the general public may not be educated enough to make a conscientious choice. These are legitimate concerns and so he feels that this appointed group of intelligentsia would take it upon themselves to know the appropriate information and be educated enough to make the important decisions that the public are simply ill equipped to sort out.

I think that this agrees with the idea of propaganda presented by Bernays. He felt that propaganda, or attempting to sway the opinion of the masses, was a necessary component of the world. He also agreed that the general public is not intelligent enough to make conscious decisions. In this way propaganda could be used in an attempt to make a clearer path for the public. So that they are not lost in the confusing world but make appropriate and worthwhile decisions. He does not go so far as to say public opinion should be replaced by a small group of intelligentsia, but he does agree that the public is not educated enough to be responsible.

I think that there is some validity in saying that the people do not have enough time to get a firm grasp on the issues that they vote about each election. I also think that this information is often hidden from the public and tactics like emotional displays are instead used to attempt to sway the public. While this may work for some people, it hardly gives the public the opportunity to make the informed decisions that Lipmann and Bernays are hoping will happen. That is the fault of the government. They often skew and blur the lines so that issues are no longer about the facts but more about feeling. I think that the people should still have the opportunity to give their opinion, but I also feel that the government should be required to give the appropriate information so that they can be educated. The public should know a political candidate’s stance on a subject, not what their home life is like. Also, all of the points of legislation should be available, not hidden. This would prevent something like an environmental act to also give money to oil refineries. I think if information was freer flowing and not so obscured the public would be in a position where an informed, competent decision could be possible. In today’s world that simply isn’t possible.

Discrimination in the Ranks

OK so it may have been mere coincidence that we saw the documentary on police brutality this week and now this is one of the top stories on CNN but I don't think so. A new study found that if you are black or Hispanic you are more likely to be searched and arrested when stopped for traffic violations. That's very interesting news the police department didn't want you to hear! Even better this was released by the Justice department who also admit that there are racial issues at hand. Looks like Billy Jackson's not the only one noticing!

CNN Article on Minorities Faring Worse in Traffic Violations

COME SEE OUR DOCUMENTARY!!!!!

We are showing "The Voice of Abuse", featuring abuse survivor Vanessa Ford Taylor, on Tuesday May 8th. This will be at 12:30 p.m. in Muller Theater on the Westminster College Campus. Hopefully this documentary will help to break the stereotypes and social causes of abuse in today's society. Please come and see it!!!

The Status of Our Documentary

So...we have a rough cut!!! And, we have moved our files onto the portable hard drive so now we can work on it in the regular labs!!!! So, things are definetly moving in the right direction. We still need to film some of our transition stuff, like couples holding hands or their feet as they walk, etc. This is just so that its not person to person through the film. With those elements in place, the documentary should be starting to shape up. Hopefully it is going to come across as we hoped and allow for the viewers to see the fundamental problems that are in place within our society and the relationships within to create these power struggles that need not happen at all. I think the hardest part for us has been the editing. With so little experience on the software it has been a real battle. Fortunately, it seems like the bulk of those issues should be taken care of by now. Hopefully, soon our documentary "The Voice of Abuse" will be finished!!!

I hope I don't get kidnapped...

Sunday April 8^th I sat down to watch an evening of T.V. with my family, all happily groggy from our Easter meal. Although primetime television does not begin until 8 pm, my evening started at 7 with America’s Funniest Home videos. This parades the silliest of silly home videos that show some average Americans, but primarily far below average Americans in their every day follies. Then, we continued our support of the discovery channel special, Planet Earth. This ran for two hours and looked at oceans and grasslands. Both contained spectacular views and lots of interesting information. We then switched to Without a Trace. This drama, where a police team searches for a missing person, looked at race relations and the treatment of the lower class. After all of this high quality entertainment I stumbled off to bed.

America’s Funniest Home Videos did not bring any new situations into my life. Yes, I was able to experience other people’s most humiliating moments, but I experience my own most humiliating moments every day. I also think that lower class people tend to be over represented and where I live I am surrounded by people in the lower middle to upper lower class. It really only served to perpetuate many of the stereotypes about Americans. The Discovery Channel special did help me to experience things that I most likely will never experience. While I would like to say one day I will see the caribou migrate or a killer whale feed, its unlikely that even as an environmental scientist I ever will. So, seeing them on T.V. is a chance for me to experience the wilderness in its full glory. Also, I learned many interesting things that I have never heard even in a biology class. (Do you know which biome supports the most number of organisms?) Finally, I watched a group of police search for a lost child. I have never known a missing person but this situation was all too familiar to me. I felt as though I have been through this about a million times.

The type of program may have a big part in whether television is creating a hyper reality or bringing a part of the world in that would otherwise be missing. For instance, I felt as though I had been somewhat involved in a kidnapping even though I’ve never known someone who was kidnapped. And, by the shows that are on every night, it seems like kidnappings are more commonplace than children making it home safe. However, the discovery channel special is bringing places from all over the world that I will never see into my living room. I’m seeing sights that I will probably never get the chance to see in person or may not be able to see. For example, they slowed down a shark attack so it could be seen in detail. That is the only chance I’ll ever have to see that. America’s Funniest Home Videos is a blend between these scenarios. Yes, I am getting to see lives that I would otherwise not see. However, it is only adding to the stupid American stereotype.

Of all shows, I think that the dramas and reality shows create a feeling of hyper-reality. They showcase the world in a way that is not realistic. They create a frenzy feeling like that’s how life is when really, it isn’t. Crime scene analysis isn’t like that in real life. Real people don’t sit around in mansions all day drinking champagne. This is the reality that these shows portray and it only adds to the confusion in the world about what life should be like. Does a mansion mean success? Is money what its all about? Should we all be packing guns to protect ourselves? Is there a good chance that by next week I’ll be kidnapped? Watch primetime television and this may be the feeling you leave with. Choose good programming and you’ll get to see a new side of the world.

How my favorite shows stack up.

I now know that my favorite show is not going anywhere. NUMB3RS, a CBS drama at 10:00 on Fridays had a rating of 7.1/13 shares. This was the highest rated show on the networks for Friday night. To be honest, this sort of suprised me. I watch TV late at night on Friday but I didn't realize so many other people were doing the same thing. I am thankful that I will still have the dynamo mathematician Charlie Epps to adore for a few more years to come. The other show that I watch during the week is Grey's Anatomy which last week had a rating of 14.3/22. This gave it an overall rating of third. So, needless to say, Grey's Anatomy will not be going anywhere for awhile. I also like to watch HGTV, but I was unable to find their ratings. I think that must mean that they're low, but it isn't surprising for such a niche channel. On their site they claim to average about 1. I don't know what my favorite show, house hunters, gets. But, since they show it very often I think that it must be getting pretty good ratings. Hopefully the nielsen ratings will allow my favorite shows to stay on the air for long into the future!