Thursday, October 19, 2006
People Will Do Anything To Survive
Those words were spoken by Steve Buscemi in The Island.
These days, as seen in Grey’s anatomy, people seek medical help to get them through diseases. People depend on surgeries and medical techniques to save their lives, but sometimes, they fail to realize that medicine can only do so much – that it also has its limitations. People, especially teenagers, give into peer pressure to survive the social world. Just like in John Tucker Must Die, the N93 ad and MTV’s Staying Alive ads, they buy or do things they normally would not just to fit in.
It is the sad truth that even though most people struggle to survive, others have to kill to be able to survive, too. People have to live, cheat and deceive to be able to live. People have to break the rules or the law to live. People even depend on chances that grant them instant money to be able to live.
It is not all negative. People also do good things to be able to live. People help others and others – their own personal heroes – in turn, help them to survive our world. People work for their money and their necessities. It is also nice that some prioritize finding their true selves and achieving their dreams to be able to survive the cruel world and all the confusion.
I learned more about our world – the bittersweet realities - through the media this quarter. With that said, I look forward to the coming quarters and the new things I will learn.
These days, as seen in Grey’s anatomy, people seek medical help to get them through diseases. People depend on surgeries and medical techniques to save their lives, but sometimes, they fail to realize that medicine can only do so much – that it also has its limitations. People, especially teenagers, give into peer pressure to survive the social world. Just like in John Tucker Must Die, the N93 ad and MTV’s Staying Alive ads, they buy or do things they normally would not just to fit in.
It is the sad truth that even though most people struggle to survive, others have to kill to be able to survive, too. People have to live, cheat and deceive to be able to live. People have to break the rules or the law to live. People even depend on chances that grant them instant money to be able to live.
It is not all negative. People also do good things to be able to live. People help others and others – their own personal heroes – in turn, help them to survive our world. People work for their money and their necessities. It is also nice that some prioritize finding their true selves and achieving their dreams to be able to survive the cruel world and all the confusion.
I learned more about our world – the bittersweet realities - through the media this quarter. With that said, I look forward to the coming quarters and the new things I will learn.
Tuesday, October 17, 2006
Magnifico vs Trevor
This was the movie we watched during our retreat. At first, I did not feel like watching it because I was already overcome by my sleepiness. I ended up watching it. I was awakened in the first part of the film.
I have heard that this film had the tendency to be compared to Pay It Forward. I say, in a way, it is like Pay It Forward, but I have a stronger opinion that says otherwise. I think that despite its similarities with Pay It Forward, it is a far better movie. Magnifico, I felt, was more relatable of course, since it is set in our country and we see the same Filipino traditions being upheld. Also, I like Magnifico better because I felt that his actions had no condition whatsoever. Unlike in Pay It Forward, Trevor’s good deeds happened because he had a school assignment to finish. Although his assignment was great – paying a favor forward instead of back really is a great idea – and he did have the emotions and personal background from where his actions stemmed, I wonder if he still would have helped others without the mentality that he had to do it for his school assignment.
Though I have little questions about the films, I can say that I like them both. Not equally, though, since I really do find Magnifico better than Pay It Forward.
I have heard that this film had the tendency to be compared to Pay It Forward. I say, in a way, it is like Pay It Forward, but I have a stronger opinion that says otherwise. I think that despite its similarities with Pay It Forward, it is a far better movie. Magnifico, I felt, was more relatable of course, since it is set in our country and we see the same Filipino traditions being upheld. Also, I like Magnifico better because I felt that his actions had no condition whatsoever. Unlike in Pay It Forward, Trevor’s good deeds happened because he had a school assignment to finish. Although his assignment was great – paying a favor forward instead of back really is a great idea – and he did have the emotions and personal background from where his actions stemmed, I wonder if he still would have helped others without the mentality that he had to do it for his school assignment.
Though I have little questions about the films, I can say that I like them both. Not equally, though, since I really do find Magnifico better than Pay It Forward.
Friday, October 06, 2006
Dare to Dream
Every year, my whole family goes to a bookfair, sometime during August. We get freebies from some of the bookstores and just enjoy all the time we have looking at, picking and buying books at half price. Last year, I opened a bag of freebies and I found this flyer inside.
I would have normally thrown it away, but I thought that it was too nice and inspiring to end up in the bottom of my trash can. I was stricken by the first line: START A BAND. That time, I was really into music so my attention was grabbed immediately. Other than that, the colors, and each of the lines just kept my interest. The more I read through, I was even more convinced to DARE TO DREAM.
The fun and colorful form of the flyer made achieving goals look so easy. Now, a year later, I keep it at home, and I do dare to dream.
I would have normally thrown it away, but I thought that it was too nice and inspiring to end up in the bottom of my trash can. I was stricken by the first line: START A BAND. That time, I was really into music so my attention was grabbed immediately. Other than that, the colors, and each of the lines just kept my interest. The more I read through, I was even more convinced to DARE TO DREAM.
The fun and colorful form of the flyer made achieving goals look so easy. Now, a year later, I keep it at home, and I do dare to dream.
Monday, October 02, 2006
Staying Alive
Everytime I watch MTV, I always see these ads, sometimes more than twice. At first, when I think about it, it is nice that young adults are given reminders once in a while about responsible sex. Although, the more I thought about the ad, I began to realize other messages.
I was able to come up with two false meanings of the ad. One, that it is okay to have sex, even though you are a minor, or you are not married, as long as you use a condom. Two, that everyone is doing it except you. The ads, I have noticed, use two propaganda techniques: plain folks and bandwagon. The ads have regular people, teenagers even, talk. With the lot of teenagers that speak about safe sex, it then seems like it is normal to them and everyone is doing it except the viewer.
Like I said, reminders are great, but I just wish that those reminders and pieces of information that are embedded in the media, especially ads that only most teenagers see, would be stated and delivered in the proper way.
I was able to come up with two false meanings of the ad. One, that it is okay to have sex, even though you are a minor, or you are not married, as long as you use a condom. Two, that everyone is doing it except you. The ads, I have noticed, use two propaganda techniques: plain folks and bandwagon. The ads have regular people, teenagers even, talk. With the lot of teenagers that speak about safe sex, it then seems like it is normal to them and everyone is doing it except the viewer.
Like I said, reminders are great, but I just wish that those reminders and pieces of information that are embedded in the media, especially ads that only most teenagers see, would be stated and delivered in the proper way.
