Dec. 10th: Fear Itself

This past Saturday was the anniversary of “a date that will live in infamy.” 72 years ago, Pearl Harbor was attacked, launching the country into a war that, to that point, we had avoided.

Now, as we reflect on the events of December 7^th, 1941, I can’t help but remember another famous statement by Franklin Delano Roosevelt, this time one eight years earlier on his inauguration for his first term as president. He boldly stated that “the only thing we have to fear is fear itself.” This came at a time when living in America was a potentially terrifying notion. The Great Depression raged and a country in need of some courage was able to put their fear at bay by the words of their newly elected president.

American culture today is not that different. Our society is based almost entirely on fear. We go through every day in a perpetual state of discomfort and unease.

We fear what we do not know. Between homophobia, Islamaphobia, and even our fear of foreign cultures, we are trained to be scared of people who are different from ourselves.

We fear that, simply by their existence, organizations such as the Traditionalist Youth movement will become the norm. It doesn’t matter that their opinions and ideals are a tiny minority, the fact that they exist terrifies us.

We also fear being judged. An inordinate amount of time is spent worrying about what others think of us. We worry that we will be shamed, analyzed, critiqued, laughed at. We don’t want others to judge us, therefore we start campaigns against slut-shaming, gay bashing, and all other forms of criticism. While none of those things are acceptable in the society in which we live, they receive far too much of our attention, because of our constant fear that they will become our tags.

The result of these campaigns, though, is not less fear: it is more. We become afraid to say anything for fear that someone will be offended. We lose ownership of our own actions because we are so afraid of the ways that our behavior will be received by others.

The bottom line is that we all will be judged. We all will be put in situations that make us uncomfortable, force us to interact with different ideas and different kinds of people. Rather than retreating, then, and avoiding these situations, we have the opportunity to reflect on what makes us scared and actually do something about it.

During the Great Depression, fear was an incredibly real and contagious notion. That same concept of fear is no less real today. The difference is that the thing we fear most is ourselves. We are afraid to be who we are because we are worried that others will not take it well .We are afraid that, if we are who we are ,someone else, some “other,” will step in and attempt to take our identity away.

So what can we do? How can we avoid the crippling fear that permeates our lives? The answer comes in the form of information. We are most afraid when we are at our most ignorant. By learning about others and learning about ourselves, we can be less susceptible to the fear that has become culturally normal.

The fear in the aftermath of the Great Depression and World War II was followed by an era of great American growth and learning. America can learn just as significantly today from the fears and strength of our past.

December 4th: Polar Pops

One of the most successful advertising campaigns of all time just got a whole lot bigger.

Introduced for the first time as early as the 1920s, the polar bear has been a mainstay in Coca-Cola’s advertising campaigns. The ads spun off into a campaign with the World Wildlife Fund to help protect the bears, creating something of a symbiotic relationship between the advertisers and the furry friends that have helped to launch the company into the hearts of billions of people around the globe. Through the over 80 years of polar bear-based Coke ads, the animation and characterization has changed and developed, advancing as technology allows. Now, they are ready to take yet another step forward in the hopes of selling their iconic brand.

A short, six minute movie has been produced, featuring the Coca-Cola polar bears. Yes, that is how they are introduced. At first glance, it would be totally reasonable to believe that it is simply a children’s movie with polar bears as the protagonist, but within moments, Coke removes all doubt of their stamp on the film.

This is a brilliant move on the part of the Coca-Cola Company for several reasons. The timing is also pretty well scripted. The film trailers were featured in new releases such as the Hunger Games, which hit theaters just a few days after Coke announced their intentions to donate their advertising budget for the coming period to disaster relief in the Philippines. While donating their money in such a public way is definitely doing good work for the world, it is also a form of free advertising. The money that Coke sent to the Philippines also helped to create a positive media buzz that can’t hurt Coke’s bottom line. Having a six minute advertising movie can’t hurt their case.

It is also interesting to note the target audience for the short film. The expectation is not that older media consumers will stumble upon this film. The most significant demographic for this movie is children, who will seek out some screen time with their new favorite white friends. I’m sure there will be stuffed animals, t-shirts, and other merchandise running in parallel to the movie and even further infiltration into our homes. What this does is get children hooked on a brand before they are trained to understand the complexity of advertising and how it affects them. By getting them while they’re young, Coke is maximizing their ad profits, because they have the potential to create a connection with the individuals who will be their target audience not only now, but for the rest of their lives.

As one of the most innovative advertising companies in the world, Coca-Cola continues to find new ways to get their names out there and into the homes of consumers. Without analysis or thought, it can leave consumers completely at the mercy of the corporation.

Nov. 25th: Not Even Politics

For the fourth time in a month, President Barack Obama will have to go back to the drawing board to come up with a nominee for the Federal Appeals Court. The Senate rejected Robert L. Wilkins’ nomination, marking the third time that they have turned down an Obama administration selection to fill one of the vacancies on the court. Republicans in the Senate were forthcoming about their reasoning for the rejection: Wilkins is a liberal which will skew the ideology of the court to the left.

One of the perks of being President is the ability to decide the ideological trajectory of various government agencies, the court being the most significant. Yet again, we see the G.O.P taking all of Obama’s power away, rendering him virtually impotent.

This is just another example from a presidency that, in the scope of history, will likely come to be known for its political conflict across party lines. The Republicans in both the Senate and the House have made the decision to make Obama’s presidency as difficult as possible, no matter what they have to block to accomplish it.

In the aftermath of the government shutdown debacle, you would think that Congress would be on its best behavior. That doesn't appear to be the case. There seems to be this notion that Barack Obama’s presidency is just a tough time and that we, as America, are going to “ride it out.”

That isn’t the way government works, or at least isn’t the way it SHOULD work. We cannot waste the next three years. With so many government officials focusing so heavily on their upcoming elections, we need to leave the off-years to actually allow those elected officials to do their jobs, to allow the governors to actually govern.

While Congress does have the technical power to deny a president the ability to install a candidate to a particular vacancy, it does not mean that it needs to be used early and often. The checks and balances set up by the Constitution are meant to prevent a specific group or individual from abusing their power, installing under-qualified or nepotistic candidates. It is not an example of nepotism to install an individual of similar ideological background, yet the Republicans feel as though they can use that as the only grounds for refusal to approve.

It is totally understandable for different political parties to get into conflict about issues. The actual substance of what is being debated, and the conceptual pieces that make up government deliberation. It is not, on the other hand, the right of the politicians, Republican or Democrat, to shut down the government simply because a politicians cannot find it within him or herself to find a way to get along with the other party.

While the government shutdown has technically ended, behavior like this from the Republicans proves that governing is not occurring. For the political system to think it is acceptable to bide their time until there can be some kind of shift based on elections is not only wasting their time in office, but also wasting my time, as a citizen.

This country is in desperate need of governing right now. It is no longer acceptable, then, for those trusted with that task to continue to use their positions for petty argument, rather than bold and significant social and political analysis and, in some cases, reform.

Nov. 18: It's All Greek to Me

An article in the IDS last week, “Another Drunken Saturday,” has received a lot of attention for being inflammatory toward the Greek system. It wasn’t. This will be.

A gross example of obstruction of justice occurred last week. Here are the facts.

An article ran in the IDS detailing the Saturday morning of an Indiana University student. The student was under-age and a member of a sorority. The article showed her consumption of alcohol, both within the context of fraternities and also at family tailgates.

Here is the reaction. The Greek system responded with a twitter campaign, meant to show the great things that members of the fraternities and sororities across campus do, both for one another and for the university as a whole.

The problem is that the members of the Greek system decided to make the article about them, rather than about the social issue that the writer raises. Drinking culture is deeply ingrained in the IU community. Anyone who goes here knows that drinking is not only popular, but in many cases is a social expectation.  An exposé meant to shed light on the situation of excessive drinking, both underage and otherwise, is something that was not only well done by the writer, but also incredibly important and necessary for the community as a whole, not just the Greek community.

Indiana University has focused an incredible amount of attention in recent weeks to the way alcohol is handled on campus, especially in response to two freshmen who, earlier in the semester, died, seemingly from alcohol related incidences. The Greek system has been very responsive to this, attempting to limit the amount of hard alcohol permitted at their parties, and other self-imposed restrictions. But their biggest opportunity to come out looking like they cared about the safety of not only their people but also the college as a whole resulted in a sad dropping of the ball.

Instead of accepting the article for what it was, the Greek community decided that it was a personal attack. The IDS was accused of being anti-Greek. While the Opinions staff has had something of a history of coming out against fraternity and sorority life, the news and features departments don’t really have the vehicles with which to be overtly biased. This argument blames the newspaper, rather than the reaction to it.

It is also important to note the distinction between the Greek system and its members. When saying that there is a drinking problem within the Greek system, that does not automatically infer that every member of every house is a raging alcoholic. It simply means that, as a collective body, the organization as a whole does not do nearly enough to promote healthy and safe alcohol consumption.

All too common this week has been the notion of “I know tons of really great people in the Greek system.” By saying this, people are not helping to dissuade the stereotype. It is, rather, perpetuating the notion that those two things are mutually exclusive, which was never addressed. Whether they would like to believe it or not, drinking is most definitely a piece of what fraternities and sororities do. It is not who they are, though. Instead of jumping to remind everyone of that, the organization should own up, appreciate what the article was trying to say, and do what it can to help the university improve.

The newspaper article last week had the potential to open a lot of eyes to the scary drinking activities that go too far on this campus. It had the opportunity to raise awareness of just how wide-spread an issue this is. It had the chance to cause a very real change for the better in the way we understand drinking on our campus. Instead, it was turned into an opportunity for hurt feelings and hostility.

Members of the Greek system are extremely embarrassed after the article. And they should be. But they are embarrassed for the wrong reasons.

Nov. 17: Double Coverage

Since 2010, my blog, the Zoot Perspective, has been not only a posting site, but also a classroom. I have been able to work on my ability to write, to explore different topics that are important to me, and to navigate my ability to create a logical argument. Throughout those 4 years, I have gone through streaks of intense posting, periods of lackluster performance, and times when I needed to be pushed for my best work. Now comes an opportunity to take my blogging and my communications skills to a whole new level.

As a telecommunications major, I have had the opportunity to learn how media impacts our lives, and the ways in which we choose to interact with those media. I am prepared to revamp the Zoot Perspective in two unique and equally important ways.

First of all, the growth of Twitter has driven me to expand my blogging to the world of micro-blogging. Many of my readers also follow my personal twitter account, but as of today, there will now be a specific account meant for the Zoot Perspective. By following @ZootPerspective , you will have the opportunity to catch not only the publicity for my content, but also updates on my thought process and often times my inspiration. This will allow me to have access to smaller, more frequent posts throughout the week, not just one large post at a time.

One of the most important points of discussion in the world of telecommunications right now is the notion of audience segmentation. It is quite popular, for example, for television shows and movies to think long and hard about their target audience, and work hard to ensure that the content they are providing is tailored to that group. I believe that audience analysis and targeting is important, which is why, as of today, my blog will be splitting into two. While I will continue to write a weekly piece for the Zoot Perspective, I am starting a new blog specifically catered to my sports following.

My writing originated, in many ways, as the Sports Editor of my high school newspaper. In fact, the very first blog I attempted was a blog analyzing the Chicago Cubs (I only made it to one post. If my ninth grade self could see me now.)  It was that passion for sports writing that has so often been the inspiration for pieces throughout my years on the Zoot Perspective. I have come to realize, though, that I seemed to have developed two audiences. One audience wants to read my content about the sporting world, while the other wants only to view my social analysis and criticism pieces. That being said, I am making the concerted effort to keep up with both.

The title of the new blog is “The Left Fielder.” The name comes from the popular notion that things that surprise us come from “out of left field.” I want to have my sports blog focus on the elements of sports that make us feel, that make us think. Those pieces are what make sports so important to our everyday lives, and make them so transcendent in our culture. That being said, I, as the Left Fielder, want to be able to field the issues that come up, and shed light onto those cases in sports that elicit the most intense feelings and reactions. “The Left Fielder” will also have its own twitter account, @ZPLeftFielder. This twitter account will focus on both reposting important sports news pieces as well as commenting on them.

I have to admit that I am learning. There may be bumps in the road. It will take me time to find a balance between the two media outlets, and the ways in which I interact with each of them. But it is in that pursuit that my education continues. I’m going to learn how to balance two different accounts. I’m going to learn what should be posted from @ZootPerspective and what should be from my personal account. I’m going to learn what are the important issues that need to be shared on more than one platform, and those that don’t need sharing at all. I mentioned in a blog post from earlier this year that this blog is about my learning, my growing. I want my audience to grow with me as I develop my understanding of social media and the way they impact our lives. I want to learn how to build the ZP Media Conglomerate to become a comprehensive and meaningful source for my readers.

Here is the link to the first post from the ZP: http://zpleftfielder.blogspot.com/2013/11/opening-drive.html  Left Fielder. Read, enjoy, and feel free to comment with your feedback.

So let’s play ball.

Nov. 13th: A Seasonal Veteran

To celebrate Veteran’s Day this past weekend, the National Football League pulled out all the stops. Players wore camouflage gear, fans wore camouflage hats and t-shirts, and several players used a simple salute in their touchdown dances.

Salute to Service day, as it was known, was the NFL’s opportunity to commemorate those who have served our country and fought to allow us to play and watch football. Unfortunately, that notion was lost in the publicity and marketing of the event.

If you want to buy a hat, similar to the one worn by your favorite players, showing your favorite team’s logo on a camouflage backdrop, the price is $5 higher than if you were to buy the generic one. The same goes for jerseys, t-shirts, and anything else the NFL can get their hands on. Unfortunately, the only thing hidden by the camouflage gear was the intention and meaning of the holiday itself.

The reality is that Veterans Day has turned into a gimmick, rather than a legitimate opportunity to pay respects that are owed to the proud men and women who have given so much to each and every one of us who lives in this nation.

That isn’t to say that all celebrations of the holiday were selfish. There were several pregame ceremonies, both in the NFL as well as in the National Hockey League that honored soldiers and their families. This was, though, such a small part of the otherwise commercialized holiday.

The “holiday” didn’t stop just at the sports world. Many stores had Veteran’s Day sales, offering free shipping and discounts on their items storewide and site-wide throughout the weekend. Nothing says thank you to all of those who have forfeited years of their life to dedicate to this country quite like being able to buy your too-expensive camouflage hat at a discounted price!

Every day, we as Americans get the opportunity to live our lives because of the dedication of those who, over the past 250 years, have committed themselves to fighting for what is right. That fight has come in a multitude of forms. Some have used a gun to stand up to a bitter enemy, others have taken up the pen to fight against those who try to weaken us from within. Veteran’s Day is meant to be a moment, a 24 hour period, where we are able to reflect not only on the contributions that others have made to America, but also to think of the ways each of us can honor those individuals. While Veteran’s Day is specifically focused on those who have served in the United States Armed forces, it is also important to note that those sacrifices for this country come in a great many other forms.

So while we may choose to make the day one of touchdowns and sales, there are a multitude of ways, many far more meaningful, that we can commemorate and celebrate those who were willing to fight for our right to survive.

Thank you to all who serve and who continue to serve, so that we may continue to live our lives in peace.

November 7th: If you build it...

Since I was 12 years old, I’ve known that I want to be a rabbi. Never has that desire been stronger than it was this weekend.

This weekend I attended an undergraduate conference at Hebrew Union College, Jewish Institute of Religion. HUC offers this conference both as a recruiting opportunity as well as a chance for learning and community building for all Jewish college students. 21 students from 11 different schools came together to discuss what it means to build community and how to accomplish it.

The most amazing part of this gathering was the intensity of the conversations we held. Topics included all different facets of what it means to be Jewish and what it means to be college students. We were sharing our opinions, our experiences, and our hopes for the future. It was an incredible opportunity to come together and learn from one another.

It was like nothing that we see in the rest of the world. There was openness; a willingness to participate that was something totally new. Everyone there was there for the right reasons, and the conversations flowed freely.

Some of the participants this weekend were rabbinic hopefuls, but there were those who were there just for the opportunity to experience their Judaism in a new way. To have a variety of different individuals with very different goals made the conversation all the more interesting. From the engineer to the musician, everyone brought their best to the table and were part of what made the community whole.

The theme of the weekend was focused on creating community. We analyzed what aspects of community are important to us and how we can best facilitate the construction of them. Not only did we talk about communities, but we developed one of our own. We had the opportunity to understand how a collection of individuals comes together, and seeing it in action allowed each of us to take our experiences back to our schools, our homes, and our congregations to use what we have learned to help develop our own communities.

We also had the opportunity to hear from several different HUC students about their own trajectory that sent them to study to be rabbis. It was so interesting to hear from each of these individuals, and it truly gave perspective on the multitude of very different routes that got them to this point. From those who are freshly out of their undergraduate experience to those who are seeking a second career, it gave an interesting insight into the different kinds of classmates that I, as a hopeful student, might encounter.

One comment that a certain HUC student made that really stuck with me was when she was discussing her rationale for making Judaism a career. She said that, as she grew up, she loved all of the pieces of what Judaism had to offer. She said that, by becoming a rabbi, she would get to experience all of the thing she loved about her religion as a job.

I was taught growing up to never work hard. I was taught that, if you enjoy what you’re doing, you won’t have to “work,” so much as get paid to do what you love. Hearing this student, just a  few years older than I am, talking about her passion in a way that was so reflective of my own, really set me in the right direction. It is my dream to be able to take my passion for people, scholarship, and leadership and create a truly meaningful career out of it.