Google Does It Again

So this week, as you all know, we gave speeches which rhetorically analyzed advertisements. I found this unit to be especially intriguing, despite the feeling of terror that comes with giving a speech before a class and knowing you will be graded on the speech. Otherwise, this unit has really left me thinking about advertisements in a different way. Yeah, we always see advertisements and we just accept them for what they are, without really analyzing them beyond what is presented before us.
Recently, I've noticed that when I log onto Facebook, along the side there are typically these ridiculous ads about finding a sugar daddy or voting in some type of cutest baby contest. However, I also noticed that with Facebook and some other websites, there are some ads which appear thanks to Google stalking your whole life. I'm guessing Google figured out a way to dominate our internet worlds more than it already does and now, they are strategically placing ads on websites that we visit which are based on some of our searches on Google. At first, I thought it was just a coincidence. But then, I noticed that every time I logged onto Facebook, there were advertisements about sororities or Penn State (which I had repeatedly searched on Google during my first couple weeks in school and some time before I left for college). Initially, I thought "wow, Google has reached an all time low" but then I realized just how ingenious this tactic is.
Typically, when we're flipping through a magazine or even surfing the web, we pay little to no attention to advertisements, unless we see something that catches our eye or something we're interested in. By placing ads on the websites we visit that are "specifically" tailored to our interests, we are far more likely to pay attention to the ad and may even click on it to learn more about what's being advertised. Although it does feel a little uncomfortable that Google manages to use, I'm assuming, your most popular searches to direct ads at you, it is a smart way of getting people to take notice of ads!

"There Can Be Miracles When You Believe"

As many of you may know, this past week, legendary R&B singer Whitney Houston passed away. Having been a huge fan of Houston, I thought I would dedicate this post to her.

Naturally, when any celebrity dies, especially a singer, their music tends to be played again and again on networks such as MTV and Vh1. One of Houston's songs that I heard played this week was "When You Believe", which she collaborated on with Mariah Carey.

Aside from their amazing voices, what makes this song especially moving is the message. The chorus says, "There can be miracles / When you believe / Though hope is frail / It's hard to kill / Who knows what miracles / You can achieve / When you believe somehow you will / You will when you believe..." The song is so encouraging to its listeners; it enables them to believe in themselves because you never know what may happen. The song reminds listeners that miracles are attainable, if you just believe.

This song exemplifies how music acts as a form of rhetoric. Often times, we merely listen to music because the beat is catchy or it's a song performed by one of our favorite artists. However, if we take a second to analyze the music a little bit further, we realize just how rhetorical music really is. Songs almost always have a deeper message for the listener to grasp (well that is, if the music isn't made by Soulja Boy). Here, the song is meant to positively influence and encourage its listeners. Similar to the advertisements we are going to be analyzing, this song portrays a particular message and influences listeners to respond in a particular way. Guess this goes to show how rhetoric can be found in literally everything around us!

P.S. This is one of my favorite Whitney Houston songs and I wanted to share it with you all :)

I'm Sorry!

Chris Brown and Rihanna together some hours prior to the assault
Source: E! Online

So recently in class, we were discussing character in conjunction with ethos. I've always heard the word "character" thrown around here and there but after our discussion (and the textbook reading), I figured I would look the word up just to be certain that I knew it's meaning. According to the New Oxford American Dictionary, character is defined as, "the mental and moral qualities distinctive to an individual; the distinctive nature of something; the quality of being individual, typically in an interesting or unusual way; strength and originality in a person’s nature; a person’s good reputation." I find that often times, a person’s character is largely shaped by the people they choose to surround themselves with and those who they allow to influence them. However, when a person makes a mistake in life, this is when their character is truly questioned. I think overall, there is a serious “gray area” when it comes to mistakes because there is such a broad range in the seriousness of a mistake. Yet, depending on a circumstances, some mistakes can really alter the perception others have of your character. A prime example of someone who suffered serious consequences in the wake of a major mistake was R&B singer Chris Brown.

Rihanna's battered face after the incident
Source: TMZ

Back in 2009, Chris Brown assaulted then girlfriend, R&B singer Rihanna while the two were in a car in Los Angeles, California. Rihanna later released a photograph revealing the physical injuries she endured as a result of the assault, which further sparked public backlash towards Brown. He lost commercial deals, some radio stations refused to play his music and some networks would not air his music videos. The squeaky clean image and reputation Brown once had was gone in an instant. Some months after the incident, Brown recorded a public apology. Although the apology was staged and scripted at best, I believe this incident is a prime example of how someone’s character can be severely tarnished. Today, while many seem to have forgotten about the incident with Brown and Rihanna, some refuse to forgive Brown for what he did. No matter how many public apologies he issues or how much effort he puts into repairing his image, for most, the damage is already done; there is no repairing his tarnished reputation. While, on the one hand, I find it rather shocking that one mistake can result in people having a permanently altered perception of one’s character, I also understand why. Ultimately, Chris Brown knows right from wrong and he definitely knows that assaulting anyone, especially a woman, is wrong on so many levels.

Do you think it’s fair that some people are never given a second chance? Couldn’t one argue that a mistake is a mistake, regardless of its severity, so if we can forgive someone for cheating on a test, for example, we should also be able to forgive that person for cheating on their wife?

"I Believe In 'Love and Basketball'" Podcast!

Blast from the Past- AACS



AACS following our cultural show
Photo taken by Charisma Ricksy

 During my senior year, I was the president of the African-American Cultural Society, otherwise known as AACS. Throughout my years in high school, AACS always had such a bad rep. Each cultural club was expected to give a performance that reflected some aspect of their culture, be it food, music, dancing, etc. AACS, however, always seemed to either cancel their shows at the last minute or throw together a poorly organized show that made a mockery of many well-known stereotypes of African-Americans. During my year as president, however, I was determined to change our reputation! I wanted other students to actually appreciate the African-American culture. I wanted to disprove any beliefs that our club could not "get our stuff together" and that we could actually perform a successful and thought-provoking show. And in February of 2011, we did just that. The members of AACS and the executive board collaborated on an original show that truly changed Hunter College High School's perception, not only of AACS, but also of the experiences of minority students at Hunter. The show sparked a discussion about race unlike any other in Hunter's history and truly made an impact on my schoolmates. I was honored to have been a part of the organization and humbled by the impact our show managed to have on our community.
I mention this story because as we discussed kairos in class, I was reminded of this kairotic moment in my high school career. (I was also reminded of this story because last night, I received an email from the advisor of AACS, Mr. Joffe, and he notified me of some updates regarding the organization.) AACS seized the opportunity to discuss an issue when the "time was right". Granted, we could have continued to wait, as many students have, until something happened. Instead, however, we decided it was best to create this kairotic moment ourselves. Throughout my 13 years at Hunter College Campus Schools (my school also had an elementary school, which I attended as well), the racial imbalance has always been a pressing issue but few have done anything to try to make it better. It's always been the elephant in the room. That is, until AACS decided to address it!
Can you think of a kairotic moment in your life, whether you created it or were a part of it? What impact did that moment have on your life and the lives of those around you? How did that moment make you feel?

Until next time! :)