Better Than The Wheel?

The sun is high and two men inch along the nature trail on a hot summer’s day. They are surrounded by trees, bushes, and mountains, leaving no sign of civilization in a forty mile radius. The two men continue to walk in what appears to be the middle of a jungle, perhaps the Amazon. They have no source of protection but a backpack full of food, rope, and other miscellaneous things that would leave them completely defenseless to any animal or predator. Ten minutes ago they saw alligators, heard mountain lions, and almost disturbed a treacherous wasp nest. So far they are lucky, but how far will their luck go? The two men continue to walk until the leading man falls to the ground, clutching his ankle and screaming in pain. He just stepped onto a poisonous snake and the snake retaliated in its most natural way. The other man calmly takes out his cell phone and starts texting. Instead of calling 911 or helping his friend with aid, he continues to text. “What are you doing?” I yell toward the television, “why on earth would you be texting when your friend is screaming in pain?” After a minute of more texting, the man finally looks up and gives the other man step by step instructions to remediate the poisonous snake bite. While I thought the man was being insensitive and oblivious to his friend, he was actually searching the internet with his phone, finding the type of snake that bit his friend, and relaying information for a cure, all in a nonchalant manner! While this episodic scene can only happen in the wilderness, it goes to show the usefulness of technology in any situation. Without the friend’s cell phone, there would be no way for him to get help, let alone, save his friend. I have come to learn that technology not only helps us become more efficient in everyday life, but technology also helps us become more intelligent for all social situations.

Due to today’s advances in technology, information is easily accessible at our fingertips. If I wanted to know how to cook a delicious chicken pot pie, I can just Google for the recipe online. If I wanted to know the proper way to say “hello” in Mandarin Chinese, all I would have to do is log onto the internet and ask away. With the internet, we are able to connect to a worldwide community. We can ask questions and get different answers from people all over the world, giving us an immediate access to intellectual diversity. While we have so much information on the internet, however, some people despise the benefits of this new technology. Author of Cyberhood vs. Neighborhood, John Barlow talks about why he feels the internet is not considered a diversified community. “There is not much human diversity in cyberspace, which is populated, as near as I can tell, by white males under 50 with plenty of computer terminal time, great typing skills, high math SATs, strongly held opinions on just about everything, and an excruciating face-to-face shyness, especially with the opposite sex” (pg. 346). According to Barlow, we are communicating with the same group of people, therefore, not allowing us to interact with a real community. I feel Barlow jumped to conclusions with this statement. The cyberspace the internet provides is more diverse than ever with computers so affordable that almost everyone has one in their household. Even if they don’t, they can access the internet free at a local library. With so many people from all over the world connected, we are interacting with a diverse community. For example, there was one time where I was assigned an essay addressing an ethical business situation. While I had a perfect argument for my essay, I wanted to check if other people agreed with me. As a result, I posted my essay in a forum where people all over the world had access to my position on the topic. Immediately, I was contacted by someone in Japan that had a counterargument that never crossed my mind. While my ethical solution focused solely for people within the United States, it did not seem to work with the people in Japan. This is because I did not take into account the cultural differences of both countries. Because of the internet, I was able to see an issue from more than one point of view. Because of the technology that gave us the internet, I was able to connect with a diverse community that gave me intellectual insight to help me find a way to develop a perfect solution in an imperfect world. Just as Barlow stated himself, “diversity is as essential to healthy community as it is to healthy ecosystems” (pg. 346). I guess no community will ever be healthier than that found on the web. As the technology helps us connect with others, it also helps us connect with ourselves.

While we are able to learn more about each other through the web, the technology of the internet also enables us to learn more about who we are. To know what we like and dislike, we have to experiment. No one can explain the sensation of eating a black pepper. No matter how good the explanation is, the only proper way to know what eating a black pepper is like is to actually eat it. We learn through experience and the internet is our window of opportunity. However, some people might consider experimenting through the internet as a disorder. The author of Culture Jam, Kalle Lasn has come up with the term MUDs, or Multiple-User Domains, to classify the people Lasn feels should be diagnosed with a psychological dissociative disorder. On page 44, Lasn talks about a man who suffers from MUD. “In each MUD he is a different person: a teenage girl, a history professor, a dog, an Arthurian knight, a cyborg and William S. Burroughs. In none of them is he actually himself. Yet each persona has come to feel as real to him as his “real” self.” While Lasn feels that this man might have a disorder that developed through the internet, I feel this man is learning about himself through this new technology. It might not be realistic to become a dog, of course, but through this man’s fantasizing of a dog, he learns about his real self using the internet as a tool for self discovery. Rebecca Blood, the author of Weblogs: A History and Perspective, agrees that the internet is a means of learning about oneself. “First, I discovered my own interests. I thought I knew what I was interested in, but after linking stories for a few months I could see that I was much more interested in science, archaeology, and issues of injustice than I had realized. More importantly, I began to value more highly my own point of view. In composing my link text every day I carefully considered my own opinions and idea, and I began to feel that my perspective was unique and important” (pg 403). Not only has the internet helped Rebecca find her true calling, but the internet helped her hone personal skills. She became more confident in herself and her abilities. Rebecca continues to support the claim that the internet is a means of self discovery through her experience with a blogger. Through the community the internet provides, the blogger was “met with friendly voices, he may gain more confidence in his view of the world; he may begin to experiment with longer forms of writing, to play with haiku, or to begin a creative project—one that he would have dismissed as being inconsequential or doubted he could complete only a few months before” (pg. 404). While the internet can help us find out who we are, it can also help us with personal problems.

While the internet has the ability to bring us information we desire, the internet can also give us a “family of information” to help us prepare for the unexpected. Being in a family is a learning experience. We learn from each other and teach one another, the unique interaction that makes siblings so great. What if we extend our immediate family to more than just blood relatives? According to Kalle Lasn, the author already has a colleague that accomplished this through the internet. “Her mild curiosity about this new world grew into a full-fledged addiction. Day and night she jumped in and out of conversations with strangers on one topic or another. These strangers, who may or may not use their real names or genders, who may or may not tell the truth, came to seem almost like friends. She knew some of them as if they were family” (pg. 43). Lasn considers her friend’s relationship with others on the internet as unauthentic. The same mindset is true with Barlow as he states “prana” is missing from the internet. “Prana being the Hindu term for both breath and spirit” (pg. 346). However, both of these authors might not realize how the internet community can act as a family. In Barlow’s article, he continues by elaborating on a tragic experience he had with a loved one that eventually counter-argues his assertion. His lover died unexpectedly and he had no one else to go to but the internet. In a forum, he wrote a eulogy for his loved one and was immediately found with global support. “Over the nest several months I received almost a megabyte of electronic mail from all over the planet…They told me of their own tragedies and what they had done to survive them. As humans have since words were first uttered, we shared the second most common human experience, death…Those strangers, who had no arms to put around my shoulders, no eyes to weep with mine, nevertheless saw me through. As neighbors do” (pg. 349). Here Barlow shows that the internet can be a place of community, a “family” where one can go for support. This family was able to give Barlow the information he needed to cope and move on. Through other “relatives’” advice in the internet community, he was able to learn from their experiences to help him overcome his own.

Technology has made everyday obligations into easy tasks. It has made information easily accessible, learning about ourselves effortless and fun, and even gives a helping hand in times of need. Technology is breaking down the brick walls and bringing everyone together. Who needs family reunions when we can see family members through a computer screen the in comforts of our own homes. The vacation spot that is thousand of miles away is now only a click away. While technology improves every hour of every day, I can only image what we are capable of in the years to come.

Personal Response

This topic seemed very troubling to me. The essay prompt asks to synthesize my ideas about technology and the authors' in relation to culture. The author's essay's, however, do not address the topic of technology with culture. Instead, they just talked about technology and its effects in their lives. I am afraid I was not able to answer the essay prompt because of this. All I did was address the importance of technology in today's society and try and incorporate the authors' ideas.

For my in class essay, I honestly don't know how I did. I felt rushed and it was very hard for me to get a good jumping point because I did not fully understand the topic. I tried working my best to make a clear thesis with supporting paragraphs. I also worked on I^3 with quotations.

Personal Response

Without a doubt, after reading the modules and following the class exercises, I have so much more confidence that my introductions bring the readers in and clearly describes what the essay will be about. I am also a lot more confident in my body paragraphs. Following the DSS and PIE, my body paragraphs not only prove my point, but also in a manner with back up facts. Every writing assignment, I am become more efficient with my writing as I only include the important sentences.

I also learned a lot about advertisement. While I initially thought Hennessy's advertisement was just showing various pictures with handsome models, there are actually underlying messages in all pictures. Advertisements approach the work in a meticulous and insidious manner to attract more consumers without the consumers even realizing it.

The Thirst Quencher

Walking through the library, I scanned the shelves full of magazines. I had an hour until my next class so I thought it would be a good time to catch up on leisure reading. I picked up an issue of GQ and flipped its pages. I saw pictures of men posing for different styles of clothing, an exclusive article with famous talk show host Jay Leno, and an ad for cologne that had a paragraph description on why it will change your life. Nothing seemed worth my attention so I decided to move on to the next magazine. As I returned the issue back onto the shelf, I had a quick glance of the back cover. I saw a series of three pictures that seemed to capture a party. A sense of curiosity filled inside me as I built up unanswered questions. There was no description of the product or even a sentence. All I saw was the word Hennessy and I was hooked. “Over the past century, the American marketplace has grown increasingly congested as more and more products have entered into the frenzied competition after the public’s dollars” (pg. 74). With so much money invested towards advertising, marketers have perfected the understanding of the American psyche and “have discovered the softest points of entrée, the places where their messages have the greatest likelihood of getting by consumers’ defenses.” Without a doubt, Hennessy’s mysterious ad attracted me. It might have been the simplicity of the description, or even, the lack of it. In this advertisement, I learned that Hennessy assimilated to the cliché “less is more.” With less clutter and less words, Hennessy not only targets itself to men as an exquisite alcoholic beverage, but a product that can ensure all emotional needs of men.

Through the use of emotional appeals, Hennessy’s advertisement connects with the male consumers by depicting itself as a product that can provide the needs of all men; the need for prominence. By creating a particular environment, Hennessy’s ad not only portrays how the product can ensure prestige, but also a way to attain high social class. Hennessy carefully handpicks its models to illustrate this sense of eminence. In the ad, all four males are wearing formal attire, something that someone would wear to a business meeting. There are vests, neckties, and jackets with visible handkerchiefs in the front pockets. Hennessy attains a high class vibe by associating itself with first class accessories, such as formal clothes. In this ad, Hennessy also utilizes a lavished living room to emphasize prestige. Jib Fowles knew exactly what Hennessy was trying to achieve as he explained in his Advertising’s Fifteen Basic Appeals. “Many ads picture the trappings of high position…a book-lined study in the setting for Dewar’s 12, and Lenox China is displayed in a dining room chock full of antiques.” Hennessy follows suit as the four men hold their glasses of cognac while sitting on plush, leather seats. Of course, this immaculate scene would not be complete without a dust-free glass table placed in front of the men with an antique, Roman numeral clock in the background. While the environment Hennessy creates is important in its attempt to establish affluence, the literal, immediate setting of the Hennessy glass is equally important. The ad situates the bottle of Hennessy by complementing itself with exquisite hor’dourves. We don’t see popcorn or pretzels, but rather, luscious olives and nuts. These are the same snacks associated with first class drinks such as wines. This advertisement shows that Hennessy not only enables the power to bring about prestige, but the drink itself is a world class beverage that needs to be situated the same way other world class drinks are consumed. Hennessy shows that when you drink its product, you are not just consuming cognac, but you are drinking a wealthy lifestyle.

Another way Hennessy appeals to male consumers is by providing a way for men to escape. Every now and then, males need to take a break from social obligations and “depart his everyday life for a more carefree experience, preferably with the product in hand” (pg. 85). To portray itself as a product that ensures freedom, Hennessy carefully uses its male models to compose a scene that illustrates a sense of escape. Sometimes, freedom for men is a place where they are able to be themselves, a place where there are no women. Hennessy captures this nuance by using four males in its advertisement instead of the concoction of both males and females. By creating a scene with only men, there is an immediate sense of comfort. There is no sexual tension, no obligation to impress women, just relaxation among the men. This feeling of relaxation is immediately apparent through the facial expressions and body language of the models. The first picture frame shows the men smiling and conversing, a snapshot of the men rejuvenating themselves from prior obligations. To reiterate the fact that Hennessy is a means of escape, particularly from women, the ad uses a lot of masculine colors. Since women are usually associated with bright colors, Hennessy wanted to make sure their product leaves a lasting male impression. All the colors used in the three frames of the advertisement are various shades of black, brown, and grey. The use of these darker colors accentuates masculinity and diverges from any hint of feministic characteristics; or in other words, an escape from women. Hennessy also sells itself as a beverage that ensures freedom for men by choosing a living room as the setting for its advertisement. For men, a living room acts as a safe heaven to fulfill their interests. Whether it is to hang out, play cards, or watch a game, the living room finds itself as the appropriate venue. In the entire ad, the men are only situated in the living room, emphasizing the sense of refuge among men. In fact, the décor of the living room once again emphasizes the theme of escape from women. Not only is the living room full of masculine colors, but in the background hangs two pictures of boxers, very masculine pieces of furniture. Masculinity and freedom continues to be a theme of Hennessy as the second picture shows the men consumed in boxing, their facial expressions focused on the game with even one man posing in the stance of a boxer. In the end, Hennessy ensures that when you drink its product, the only thing that matters is you and nothing else.

Hennessy also attracts the male demographic through emotional appeal by utilizing men’s need for affiliation. Humans are born as social animals, we need others to help us better understand ourselves and our surroundings. More specifically, we need each other because relationships are inherently who we are. “According to Henry Murray, the need for affiliation consists of desires ‘to draw near and enjoyably cooperate or reciprocate with another; to please and win affection of another; to adhere and remain loyal to a friend’” (pg. 79). With this ad, Hennessy has tapped into men’s subconscious need for friendship as it connotes the drink’s ability to spawn social festivities while being versatile in different social situations. In the first picture frame, we are introduced with a social setting in which all four men are conversing happily. One man is laughing, two are “acting out a scene”, and the fourth is enjoying the moment. Hennessy is capturing the camaraderie among a fun group of guys, an epitomic desire for a male consumer. Nothing is better than hanging out with your closest friends while discussing your favorite interests. Of course, this scene would never happen without the glass of Hennessy in everyone’s hand. The juxtaposition of the drink in the hand is the advertisement’s insidious technique to underscore the social effects of Hennessy and its guarantee to do the same for the consumer. Another way Hennessy implicitly distinguishes itself as product that provides affiliation is by the articulation of the pictures. Interestingly, if we look closely at the first frame, the only object in clear focus is the glowing drink. Similar to the actual composition of this picture, the atmosphere of any social gathering may become a bit “out of focus”. Hennessy is trying to show that while a party may be fun or reckless, we can “clearly see” what started it all. What ever way the party develops, Hennessy should be the distinctive factor in the burgeoning fun. In the second picture frame, Hennessy not only fulfills the men’s need for affiliation, but also shows the drink’s versatility within social situations. In this picture, all four men are presenting various facial expressions to illustrate different social moods. While one pair of men attentively watches television, the other pair converses over a serious subject. In this one picture, we see two different social situations, four unique facial expressions, but all men consuming one special drink that brings them together: Hennessy.

Just like the product Hennessy is trying to sell, its advertisement is versatile. Hennessy’s advertisement appeals to men because it not only ensures a product that can provide in multiple facets, but the ad itself is unique. It is like a picture book where you follow a story and see its development. There is no descriptive paragraph to read, only pictures. The advertisement is easy, simple, and comprehendible. Sometimes less is more and don’t let this advertisement’s lack of description fool you. As they say, a picture is worth a thousand words. In Hennessy’s ad, they have three pictures.