You Want Non-Verbal Cues?

Here's one.

Do you really need me to explain how they're communicating non verbally in a linear model their lack of basic necessities? Do you really need me to point out how despite that, their eyes (Oculesics. Yes I've been listening in class) still reflect a fierce hope for the future?

Few months ago my old box style TV broke down and my parents got a shiny new 42 inch wonder of technology, polished, slim, and incredibly sexy. Last week I was at a Best Denki and there on the Television aisle was EVEN sexier, slimmer TVs. That we can not only produce such a marvellous piece to technology, but improve on it in a matter of months is a testament of how far we've come as humans.

What struck me even harder was that the same global system we're living in that has produced these marvellous inventions, is also allowing millions of children die from starvation and curable disease each year.

That while watching Hamilton do his victory lap on our roads about 2 hours ago in another hallmark of mankind's mechanical ability I realised that the same system pays people with the ability to humour us ridiculous excess, while the starving kids get nothing.

That because of pop culture (which has given us The Beatles, Tarantino, MTV, Pink leggings, leg spreading Divas, Flight of the Conchords and everything in between), a certain rapper snatching the mic from a certain singer is more important news then how many children are being saved. Or not.

The mere fact that I'm typing this in a comfortable chair, sending it over a network so abtract and complex it's probably humankind's greatest achievement, while the kids are still dying puts me at a rare loss for words.

The same way our parents got carried away by the marvels of Industrialization and subsequently plundered the planet of it's natural resources, they're also plundering the lives of millions of unfortunate souls. The former has caused global warming, which is rapidly gaining the attention and resources it needs, while the poverty issue is often swept to the back of our collective consciousness. If the poor are left to continue in their downward spiral, one day we'll have another mess on our hands.

While much is already being done, it must be said that with our tremendous resources and knowledge (much in excess of sustaining ourselves) we do not have any excuse to let anymore children die.

My old DVD player just broke down.

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Suggested Listening (Do Not Comment/Grade)

before you read the post below this.

I wrote it listening to this, and it's beautiful so y'all might as well fall in love too.

Botak, so what?

Botak, so what? is an article that introduces us to Ethan Tan and alopecia universalis, the rare condition he suffers from which causes him to lose all his hair. It goes on to show how his family helps him handle the emotional stress that comes with his inability to look like everyone else.

The social construct of today's society associates several negative connotations with a bald head, and it is natural for humans to fear what we don't understand. Therefore one can't exactly blame the people who stigmatize Ethan due to his condition.

But because our thinking is largely shaped by our language, by simply introducing the mainstream public to the term alopecia universalis, by putting a face to the enemy, it allows people to finally have a starting point to understand Ethan and others affected by this condition from and realise that there really isn't anything wrong with them.

To grow up with such a distinct physical difference (non-verbal communication cue), One can imagine people who meet him gathering a negative first impression, creating a filter from which to assess all further interactions with and leap frogging to an unsound conclusion. With social acceptance that much more difficult a thing to achieve, it is so easy to allow Ethan to be ostracized and slump into having a negative perception of society. His family however rallies behind him, making sure he keeps a positive outlook and proactively helping his teachers in school understand the problem for example, to help him assimilate into new schools easily (as if it's not hard enough even with hair).

Reading this article, the take home message is that people affected by the condition are perfectly normal, and given the right emotional support we can help them overcome the social stigma.

However, I think more importantly we should try and understand that with the media and ultimately society's fascination with a perfect face and body, we tend to forget that in the game of life some just aren't born with a beautiful hand, but beneath their not so chiseled features lies someone who simply wants to fit in, just like you.

Pajama Parties. What's Not to Like?

Many advertisements for consumer goods aim at making us insecure about our attractiveness or social acceptability, and then offer a remedy for this feeling in the form of a product. This is a common strategy for selling mouthwash, toothpaste, chewing gum, clothing, and even automobiles.

Living in a city drenched in ads, I believe we have been bombarded by so many variations of this formula, we have developed a certain skepticism towards it. This creates a very high level psychological noise that advertisers have to penetrate in order to get their desired message across. Here, I use an ad for Coca Cola to examine how this formula is executed and its outcomes.

To persuade its target audience, young adult males aged 18-28 to drink Coke Zero, the advertisers use the headline "Zero sugar, real Coke taste. Now, everything is possible."

Implying that making a drink taste like real coke with zero sugar seemed impossible. But now that they've achieved it, it seems everything else is possible.

The ethos of the ad uses girls that match the typical prototype of everything most guys look for on face value in females. Slim, young, attractive faces, giggly, flawless skin, healthy and sexy. This connects with the primal desires of their target audience, and keeps their eyeballs on the screen. The protagonist on the other hand looks good but not unrealistically gorgeous. This allows the target audience to relate better to the scenario and narrative put forth and ultimately lets them put themselves in his shoes.

Using pathos, the the ad generates feelings of happiness. Using imagery of the fun of a pillow fight, the feathers around to amplify the innocent bliss surrounding the situation, and the ecstatic expressions of the ladies evokes positive emotions from the audience. The music chosen has a fun but mischievous vibe to it. Also, when our protagonist enters the room, it fades out like an Old Western, referencing Cowboys who have heroic traits assigned to their prototype. These heroic traits are transferred onto our protagonist and the male target audience.

Logically, Coke Zero tastes like real coke, with zero sugar, so guys can stay trim. This also means they can drink and enjoy it more without the guilt trips and need to exercise.

While rehashing the formula and going head on against the psychological noise barrier would be suicidal, Coca Cola attempts to bypass it with sexual references and weak humor.

Whether we accept the narrative or not, the slight association that's subconsciously formed affects the collective representation of reality of young adult male tribes, pushing not only sales of the beverage, but also their expectations in women into stratospheric heights. The ad also rides on and puts forth other feminist social phenomenon like the increasing objectification of women, and the unrealistic benchmark for beauty only possible through heavy make up and plastic surgery (Both becoming increasingly accepted into social norms).

However, even with a weak attempt, with enough of these ads bombarding the masses and associating Coke Zero to social desirability and acceptance, the next time we're in a cafe not knowing what to get, and the girls at the opposite table are giggly and bubbly, chances are we're not going to say Pepsi.

Opening quote cited from: http://www.calstatela.edu/faculty/jgarret/3waypers.htm

Not Much of a Cypher

But yeah welcome. Spelling error intended.

Blast off!

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