Fads are a killer and I do my best to stay away from them if I can. It kills me when someone just wants to do stuff or buy things because everyone else is doing it or because it's the popular thing. For me, as I mentioned in class, I remember when the Livestrong bracelets came out to support cancer. They were so popular. It seemed as if everyone was wearing them as a fad. It was annoying. I admit I ended up wearing one myself, but it was because my father bought some for the family because he was into biking and actually cared about the cause the bracelets supported. The killer after that was the fact that everybody else was in the market of making those same kind of rubber bracelets. At one point I my-self started wearing the ones that said CTR on them. I haven't worn one in a long time though and I probably wont go back wearing one again unless it's for a pretty good reason.
We really need to stop letting mass media and major companies decide what we should wear or how we should act. When it comes down to it I will make the decisions on the cloths I will wear. I like Old Navy cloths because they are comfortable to me and they are sold at a pretty descent price. I'm the kind of guy who does his best to not spend a lot on clothing unless it's athletic wear. Even then I try to buy sports attire on sale.
Thursday, March 26, 2009
Friday, March 13, 2009
THEY are EVERYWHERE!!
I'm not an IKEA follower but I do like its furniture. My mom has it all over her home and I'll probably have some of my own. It was interesting when we talked about how we can consider ourselves a certain brand or type of furniture shoppers. You could almost say that we are what we buy. I like Adidas more than I like Nike. If it were up to me I would buy everything Adidas sports wise and for some of my casual wear. It's not that I hate Nike, I just never really fell their way like I did with Adidas. It might have to do with the fact that I love soccer and I always felt like they were more of a soccer company and now I just like their stuff a lot.
It's so sick to realize that we see so many advertisements a day. In the video it was like 3,000 a day in 1999 and I'm pretty sure it is way more than that today. And I wonder how much of it we actually remember. I know that there are certain adds that I remember. The thing is that they are usually the ones I see either on a daily bases or they really made me laugh.
Also, I drove up to Kearns this past Saturday and I tried to look at all the adds on billboards and of the ones I looked at there was only one black person. The interesting part was that It was an ad for BYU football. You would think there would have at least been another advertisement with people of minority colors on some of the billboards. Because we know that there are more than just white people here.
I really thought it was annoying that they were picking kids to take pictures of in the video we watched that didn't represent me at all. Yeah, I watched TRL, but I think it was mainly for the music. Such a long time ago and I didn't know much then either. But i felt like they picked kids that they thought represented my age group at the time, just ridiculous. I've never had tattoos or spiked my hair. I was never one to go to concerts or be all hyped up about following the crowd. I'm still not that way. I've done my best to not follow the crowd. I tried to avoid Abercrombie and Fitch. I was just fine wearing Old Navy and didn't feel like spending a lot of money to wear clothes that looked the same as other more expensive name brands. I was fine in cheaper clothes that looked just as good.
I just hope that I can avoid being changed by advertising. I don't want to be labeled as someone who follows the crowd or whatever is popular. It makes no sense to let someone control what I do, say, act, or what I wear or listen to. And I'm not a Mooke, violent and carefree and it's ridiculous that the media feels that it's okay to advertise to my generation that that's what is OK to show us. They don't know me and they shouldn't assume to know me. The funny thing is that they only know some of me and it's that part that probably gets me to watch the shows I watch and listen to the music I watch. Weird huh? It also stinks that the media turned girls into or defined them as Midriffs, girls who are sexually active or should look sexy. A 13-year-old girl should never make herself look older than she is. It just doesn't seem right or normal. The same goes for boys the same age. We need to just learn to be ourselves and be happy. People wonder why we are the way we are, and it's probably because we are letting the media tells us who we are. That's not nor right and it should never be that way. It's our responsibility to tell them who we are. We need to take control. We have to tell them what we think is cool.
It's so sick to realize that we see so many advertisements a day. In the video it was like 3,000 a day in 1999 and I'm pretty sure it is way more than that today. And I wonder how much of it we actually remember. I know that there are certain adds that I remember. The thing is that they are usually the ones I see either on a daily bases or they really made me laugh.
Also, I drove up to Kearns this past Saturday and I tried to look at all the adds on billboards and of the ones I looked at there was only one black person. The interesting part was that It was an ad for BYU football. You would think there would have at least been another advertisement with people of minority colors on some of the billboards. Because we know that there are more than just white people here.
I really thought it was annoying that they were picking kids to take pictures of in the video we watched that didn't represent me at all. Yeah, I watched TRL, but I think it was mainly for the music. Such a long time ago and I didn't know much then either. But i felt like they picked kids that they thought represented my age group at the time, just ridiculous. I've never had tattoos or spiked my hair. I was never one to go to concerts or be all hyped up about following the crowd. I'm still not that way. I've done my best to not follow the crowd. I tried to avoid Abercrombie and Fitch. I was just fine wearing Old Navy and didn't feel like spending a lot of money to wear clothes that looked the same as other more expensive name brands. I was fine in cheaper clothes that looked just as good.
I just hope that I can avoid being changed by advertising. I don't want to be labeled as someone who follows the crowd or whatever is popular. It makes no sense to let someone control what I do, say, act, or what I wear or listen to. And I'm not a Mooke, violent and carefree and it's ridiculous that the media feels that it's okay to advertise to my generation that that's what is OK to show us. They don't know me and they shouldn't assume to know me. The funny thing is that they only know some of me and it's that part that probably gets me to watch the shows I watch and listen to the music I watch. Weird huh? It also stinks that the media turned girls into or defined them as Midriffs, girls who are sexually active or should look sexy. A 13-year-old girl should never make herself look older than she is. It just doesn't seem right or normal. The same goes for boys the same age. We need to just learn to be ourselves and be happy. People wonder why we are the way we are, and it's probably because we are letting the media tells us who we are. That's not nor right and it should never be that way. It's our responsibility to tell them who we are. We need to take control. We have to tell them what we think is cool.
Thursday, March 5, 2009
I'm talking about "IT" again!!
So what are we going to do about the problem we have with racism? Is it going to go away? It seems like it may not any time soon. It feels like we in society keep perpetuating the problem of racism. I've said it before and I'll say it again, let it go and then we will be better people than we were before. Don't forget racism or don't put it on the back burner, but why do we still allow racism to control us and who we are?
We had a very interesting talk in class about the different shows we see on TV and how TV is portrayed in a completely white world. I didn't make the comment in class but I think the region you live in in the United States might make a difference as to what shows are being played and at what time. I'm probably wrong. I do realize there are not as many black TV shows as whites TV shows but it has improved dramatically in the past few years. We began to talk about the "token" people of minorities that they have on white TV shows and it goes both ways. I thought about it in class. The shows that I have seen where the family's are of a minority race seem to have a token white person on the show. It's kinda interesting. I don't have a problem with it, but i just thought it was something to mention. And I also wanted to mention all the famous black actors or actors of other minority backgrounds that are being more recognized in the movie and TV world. I like Will Smith and I have never had a problem with him being black. I don't care about the color of his skin. I just like the movie he has been in and I use to enjoy watching the Fresh Prince of Bel-Air. And I think Bill Cosby is hilarious. He does a good job of making jokes not about racism but just about life and the funny things that happen in it.
Like I mentioned before, I think that racism today can stem from a lack of education and the world around us. The more we become educated both school wise and street wise the better off we will be. The world needs to use its common sense better. I need to use common sense even more my self. I hope I can be better.
We had a very interesting talk in class about the different shows we see on TV and how TV is portrayed in a completely white world. I didn't make the comment in class but I think the region you live in in the United States might make a difference as to what shows are being played and at what time. I'm probably wrong. I do realize there are not as many black TV shows as whites TV shows but it has improved dramatically in the past few years. We began to talk about the "token" people of minorities that they have on white TV shows and it goes both ways. I thought about it in class. The shows that I have seen where the family's are of a minority race seem to have a token white person on the show. It's kinda interesting. I don't have a problem with it, but i just thought it was something to mention. And I also wanted to mention all the famous black actors or actors of other minority backgrounds that are being more recognized in the movie and TV world. I like Will Smith and I have never had a problem with him being black. I don't care about the color of his skin. I just like the movie he has been in and I use to enjoy watching the Fresh Prince of Bel-Air. And I think Bill Cosby is hilarious. He does a good job of making jokes not about racism but just about life and the funny things that happen in it.
Like I mentioned before, I think that racism today can stem from a lack of education and the world around us. The more we become educated both school wise and street wise the better off we will be. The world needs to use its common sense better. I need to use common sense even more my self. I hope I can be better.
Friday, February 27, 2009
Not My Kids!
I don't care what people say but I'm going to do my best to make sure my kids aren't subjected to the dirty stuff represented in the Hip Hop video we watched in class. I'm going to do my best to sensor what they watch, read, see, or listen to while they are living under mine and my future wife's roof. I know I wont always be able to control what happens as soon as they leave the house or grow up and move on, but I hope that I can teach them correct principles to be able to govern them selves to make the right choices.
I'm great full for the education I've received, making it possible for me to determine what right choices I've need to make. I'm glad that I've been given the ability to see more than what some Hip Hop videos supposedly have to offer. I will admit that I use to listen to some of the music that was in the video we watched and I will say that it didn't make me a better person. I've become a better person since removing that type of music from my life. Some people might say that I turned out just fine having listened to the type of music I did or making the mistakes I made growing up. I'm not blaming my younger self problems on music, but it can have an affect on a person. Maybe I got lucky. Not everyone is going to be lucky like I feel I am and turn out okay. I'm not saying I'm perfect, but I do love my life and where I am in it. I still listen to Hip Hop, but not on the scale portrayed in the video. That stuff in my opinion if filth. It doesn't do anyone any good. Yeah it may have a good beat, but the lyrics can represent so many wrong things with our society. No matter what anyone says, music like that is more than just the beat. In all genres of music its more than whats in the beat. There is so much more to music than the beat that moves your body.
Like I mentioned in class I think that having a good education helps a person learn what they must do treat others with respect. With a good education you can determine that humans are more than just flesh and bone or just an object. You learn of the joy of a good friendship, the beauty of art, the joys of music that will hopefully not defile the brain, the peace that if you work hard you can do so much good with your life.
It may be true to say that you are what you listen to. I hope the music on my blog can portray a little of who I am. Remember I'm not perfect and I can still improve on the type of music I listen to. I'm still trying to become a better person.
I'm great full for the education I've received, making it possible for me to determine what right choices I've need to make. I'm glad that I've been given the ability to see more than what some Hip Hop videos supposedly have to offer. I will admit that I use to listen to some of the music that was in the video we watched and I will say that it didn't make me a better person. I've become a better person since removing that type of music from my life. Some people might say that I turned out just fine having listened to the type of music I did or making the mistakes I made growing up. I'm not blaming my younger self problems on music, but it can have an affect on a person. Maybe I got lucky. Not everyone is going to be lucky like I feel I am and turn out okay. I'm not saying I'm perfect, but I do love my life and where I am in it. I still listen to Hip Hop, but not on the scale portrayed in the video. That stuff in my opinion if filth. It doesn't do anyone any good. Yeah it may have a good beat, but the lyrics can represent so many wrong things with our society. No matter what anyone says, music like that is more than just the beat. In all genres of music its more than whats in the beat. There is so much more to music than the beat that moves your body.
Like I mentioned in class I think that having a good education helps a person learn what they must do treat others with respect. With a good education you can determine that humans are more than just flesh and bone or just an object. You learn of the joy of a good friendship, the beauty of art, the joys of music that will hopefully not defile the brain, the peace that if you work hard you can do so much good with your life.
It may be true to say that you are what you listen to. I hope the music on my blog can portray a little of who I am. Remember I'm not perfect and I can still improve on the type of music I listen to. I'm still trying to become a better person.
Friday, February 20, 2009
When will "IT" go Away?
Why does it have to be this way? When are we going to decide to remember the past and learn from it and then let it go? I hate racism. Nothing good comes from it. It helps no one and everyone who chooses to be racist is ruining themselves. I saw portions of it on my mission in South Africa and it was never good. I remember one time when one of my mission companions, who is black, called me racist in jest, but it still bugged me a little. He and I grew to get along well and became good friends. Sometimes we still talk. I loved and still love the people of South Africa. They taught me so much, and we did not sit there and talk about race all the time. We talked about what we enjoyed and loved as individual humans. The people that became my friends in South Africa did not care what color my skin was and I did not care what color their skin was.
Like I mentioned in class it still feels like racism exist because people would rather dwell on the past and use it to there advantage in any argument they make. I can not be blamed for what my parents or grand parents did and so it is the same for what our ancestors may have done. I'm not them. My parents and grandparents are in no way racist. I am my own individual and I am making my own choices. If someone wants to get mad at me, make sure I caused the problem and not some body else. I hope to the best of my ability that I haven't offended anyone with this post.
I know I'm not perfect and I judge wrongly sometimes. It's part of being human, but I do my best to become better. I try to overcome being judgmental and learn so that I can better myself and those around me. I don't feel like I have grown up in a racist society but I know that racism exist in our society. My only hope is that the next generation learns from our mistakes and remembers them but does not dwell on them.
Like I mentioned in class it still feels like racism exist because people would rather dwell on the past and use it to there advantage in any argument they make. I can not be blamed for what my parents or grand parents did and so it is the same for what our ancestors may have done. I'm not them. My parents and grandparents are in no way racist. I am my own individual and I am making my own choices. If someone wants to get mad at me, make sure I caused the problem and not some body else. I hope to the best of my ability that I haven't offended anyone with this post.
I know I'm not perfect and I judge wrongly sometimes. It's part of being human, but I do my best to become better. I try to overcome being judgmental and learn so that I can better myself and those around me. I don't feel like I have grown up in a racist society but I know that racism exist in our society. My only hope is that the next generation learns from our mistakes and remembers them but does not dwell on them.
Thursday, February 12, 2009
Disappointed
Can I just tell you how disappointed I am in Under Armour. I really didn't like that ad that we saw in class. I don't think that they should have ever gone that way in their advertising. Under Armour gear has always in my opinion been an athletic or active wear. It almost makes it seem like if you wear their underwear you are interested in being sexually active. Not to say that's what they are going for, but I mean come on, that's just ridiculous. As I'm writing this blog my friend says, "Wait your not interested in being sexually active if your wearing Under Armour? That's what I thought."
Of course he was joking but that just proves how ridiculous the ad is.
I feel the same way about Axe body spray. Why can't a guy just walk around smelling good just to impress the ladies or just to get a complement? Why do I have feel like that if I'm going to wear Axe that I'm asking woman to come after me sexually? I enjoy wearing Axe because i think it does make me smell nice and I also enjoy the compliments that I get form the opposite sex. If any of you have seen the new commercial for Axe's new body spray, Dark Temptation, then you can understand why it's annoying what they do. It's kind of a disturbing commercial. The spray turns the guy into chocolate and the women are fawning all over him. At one point in the commercial one of the girls takes a bite out of the man's chocolate back side. Weird! Check out their web site to read what they have to say about their Axe body spray. If you click on the web site, then click on the body spray section and read what it says.
http://www.theaxeeffect.com/axeproducts.html
Their commercials also demean woman. It makes them seem like just an object. The woman are always flocking to the guy like he is the last man on earth. A friend of mine made a comment that also makes it seem like the women can be controlled simply by a smell. The Dark Temptation commercial also says that it's as tempting to woman just as much as chocolate is to woman. And I'm pretty sure that not all woman "love" chocolate.
Of course he was joking but that just proves how ridiculous the ad is.
I feel the same way about Axe body spray. Why can't a guy just walk around smelling good just to impress the ladies or just to get a complement? Why do I have feel like that if I'm going to wear Axe that I'm asking woman to come after me sexually? I enjoy wearing Axe because i think it does make me smell nice and I also enjoy the compliments that I get form the opposite sex. If any of you have seen the new commercial for Axe's new body spray, Dark Temptation, then you can understand why it's annoying what they do. It's kind of a disturbing commercial. The spray turns the guy into chocolate and the women are fawning all over him. At one point in the commercial one of the girls takes a bite out of the man's chocolate back side. Weird! Check out their web site to read what they have to say about their Axe body spray. If you click on the web site, then click on the body spray section and read what it says.
http://www.theaxeeffect.com/axeproducts.html
Their commercials also demean woman. It makes them seem like just an object. The woman are always flocking to the guy like he is the last man on earth. A friend of mine made a comment that also makes it seem like the women can be controlled simply by a smell. The Dark Temptation commercial also says that it's as tempting to woman just as much as chocolate is to woman. And I'm pretty sure that not all woman "love" chocolate.
Friday, February 6, 2009
Yes Sir!
I guess I never really cared to much about whether or not I have been called a boy in the past, but the more I think about I appreciate being referred to as a man, but I don't think I'll be to offended at this time in my life to be called a boy. When we look at colleges sports and how media refers to team they don't call them the boys football team or the girls soccer team. They refer to them as the MEN'S football team or the WOMEN'S soccer team. I wonder what kind of guff a reporter would get for calling the UVU or BYU woman's soccer teams girls soccer teams. You might almost think of it as disrespectful because they are at a higher stage of life and have moved on past being girls. I do my best to refer to my girlfriends as ladies when i say hello or goodbye to them in groups. It does seem more respectful and I've just gotten used to saying it. I do however find my self using "guys" in the plural sense when referring to a group of men and women together. I guess I can't think of a better term at the moment. Does anyone out there have a good one for me to use when refering to men and women in a group?
And I'll tell you right now that I don't mind being called Sir. But for men it seems more distinguished and it makes you feel more important. It seems quite the opposite for women. It almost seems that most woman don't like being called Mam because it denotes being older than they really are. It almost seems like that's the way society has caused it to be used. To almost denote a negative context. I wonder how it got that way. I don't think I have ever used the term mam in a negative way, that I know of. But I also don't go around calling all woman, mam.
And I'll tell you right now that I don't mind being called Sir. But for men it seems more distinguished and it makes you feel more important. It seems quite the opposite for women. It almost seems that most woman don't like being called Mam because it denotes being older than they really are. It almost seems like that's the way society has caused it to be used. To almost denote a negative context. I wonder how it got that way. I don't think I have ever used the term mam in a negative way, that I know of. But I also don't go around calling all woman, mam.
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