Intelligent Consumers, part 1

Now that I've gotten you to admit that you absolutely love to read, it's important that we keep in mind the importance of being an Intelligent Consumer.

A consumer, to review, is just anyone that uses or takes in anything. You do it on an everyday bases, as much as you breathe. You're doing it now. Consuming, I mean. Well, breathing too, but that's not the point I'm trying to make. Continue doing both.

It is incredibly important that you understand what you are consuming. We may be lax when it comes to watching what we eat, but we cannot afford to be as such with what we read, hear, or watch. It is so easy to be influenced into doing something you don't want to do, without even knowing it. Which brings me to my next point.

Because media is incredibly influential, there are many who choose to manipulate what we are presented with to have us believe certain values. As such, I will try to dedicate a post every now and again to calling out any offenders of our trust and innocence.

Today's transgression comes in the form of conspiracy theories and radical fanatics that would have you believe you've become a disciple of satan, simply by pouring a bucket of ice over your head in the name of charity.

http://news.yahoo.com/ice-bucket-challenge-satanic-ritual-explains-troubled-writer-183406572.html#

In the article yahoo links to, Selena Owens claims that the summer trend of posting instagram videos of people performing the Ice Bucket Challenge is in ways a pronunciation of anti-christian sentiment. The article continues, citing televangelist Anita Fuentes a her source, that there are key components of this purported ritual that give it away, including, "a water baptism" akin to the cleansing ceremony in many christian sects. She then continues to point out Oprah Winfrey in particular, analyzing her choice of words, "In the name of ALS and the Ice Bucket Challenge", speculating some form of proclamation of faith for some other deity (Owens). While I commend the two on their incredibly detailed level of analysis, I have to call foul.

The problem with their analysis is that rather than treat it as a form of opinion, the article reads as if it were fact. These authors would have you believe the ice bucket challenge to very well be "a satanic ritual", rather than just point to questionable actions and open up the floor to dissenting opinon. Their rhetoric is heavily reminiscent to that of those that argue Hip Hop artists are a part of the Illuminati.



http://www.complex.com/music/2013/11/rap-conspiracy-theories/troop-sport

There are several examples of videos on youtube of religious types arguing over the presence of the devil within lyrics and visuals of hip hop media. They have their right to argue for the presence of immorality within the hop hop community, as even gender equality activists have their beef with aspects of rap lyrics. However, many of these videos are titled as, "EXPOSED" as if there were some factual evidence that has been looked over -rather than just a point of view perspective. Rapper Busta Rhymes is critical of this in an interview with MTV, commenting, "When you talk about these things and it stirs conversation that’s one thing. But within the last four years, it became mainstream American dialog" (Alexis). My point echoes the sentiments of Busta Rhymes -I'd never thought I'd hear myself say that. It's ok to have these kinds of conversations, but you have to be grounded in reality. You can't allow yourself to be misled by rhetoric intended to have you accept opinon as fact. It's the same kind of narrative that has existed as far back as critics of Led Zeppelin's "Stairway to Heaven".

http://www.vh1.com/music/tuner/2014-02-20/15-songs-satanic-backwards-messages/





All of this is very in tune to the commentary that argues over the media's negative influence on the youth. Whether it makes them believe in the devil, do drugs, or become violent offenders, it all goes back to one true point: Media IS very influential. Whether it makes you into a super criminal is questionable, but there's no arguing that it can make you into a "believer" of some opinion. The problem is, often times it's not the facts that are being believed.

What do you think? Comment below and offer your OPINON on the matter. We'll be sure to have this discussion in class, so feel free to reference it any point below.

Sources:

http://www.mtv.com/news/1711750/busta-rhymes-hip-hop-illuminati/

http://www.rollingstone.com/music/lists/the-10-wildest-led-zeppelin-legends-fact-checked-20121121/if-you-play-stairway-to-heaven-in-reverse-you-hear-satanic-messages-19691231

http://www.wnd.com/2014/09/the-dark-side-of-the-ice-bucket-challenge/

http://www.complex.com/music/2013/11/rap-conspiracy-theories/troop-sport