"Red Rover, Red Rover..... "

I don't know about you guys, but I always played red rover when I was little. Separating into teams and being picked to run for your life. If you didn't make it through to the other side the other team took you. It was a hard game, should you send your best player? Even if you risk loosing them? And in actuality who is on your side? Can you trust the team member who is now on your team? 

This is what really would frustrated me if I like in Truman's or Winston's world. Who is on my side? For both of them it's questionable, or it becomes questionable. Comrades? Friends? Nope, they'll turn you in or try to sell you MoCoCo (Grown in the hills of Nicaragua!). Who knows. Really. Winston knows not to trust the children, or anyone at work. Truman realizes the horror we all think about. Everyone is working against us. No one to trust no where to turn. Both worlds who's to trust? For Winston its Julia whether or not she's the best pick. For Truman it's himself. These ideas are perpetuated in both stories. We actually see Truman's best friend and wife working against him to keep him in. 

I always hated that moment when I'd call "Red Rover Red Rover! Let....Sean come over!" Then all of a sudden you hear "Seaaaaaaan it's time for dinneeeeerrrrrrrr!" What? No. We're playing here. What did you listen to our game to call him out at that moment? Do you want to ruin it for us? In  Truman's world maybe Sean wasn't a main character maybe Merrill was supposed to come over. For Winston it's the thought police Sean thought to run and keep running. Can't have that. Truman realized that there were two teams but they were him and everyone else. Winston realized that you have to pay on your own. 

"Red Rover, Red Rover. Send Katie Right over!" Jeezum Crow. I have to run? I never get through though! I'll have to change teams! Will I fake it to help my true first team? Or will I switch allegiances with the call of my name? What would you do? 

Life, liberty, and the pursuit of *EXPLOSION*

(If you'd like a soundtrack to this post click here!)

Our country is based on a very simple idea its one we've all heard and if you haven't it's kind of the title, but not quite. 

The idea that I want to discuss is George Orwells' idea of making someone and unperson. This idea in the book seems so casual to Winston. Earlier in the book he goes over the fact that "Mrs Parsons would be vaporized. Syme would be vaporized. O'Brien would be vaporized" ... as if it was so very simple (61). A person's death. Gone from this world. Their society seems to complacently abolish the principle our government is founded on. Life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness. Although if we really consider it, neither does our country today. Around here it seems like the principle of Life, liberty and the pursuit of * EXPLOSION*. Yes, that's the title but what I didn't include in the title is is final outcome *DEATH*.

 If your in Rhetoric you might have recently watched the movie Digital Nation. A fascinating movie that discusses the effects of technology on people in general. Our behavior, society, and government. In the final part of the movie they discuss the current military advance, drones. Drones that aren't piloted b y people in Afghanistan or Iran. Drones that are piloted by men sitting in control centers in Syracuse, New York. If you've never heard of this feel free to find information here. The idea of young men and women being trained to do aerial strikes for thousands of miles from their target. Dropping bombs on black and white  figures on a screen. No consequences for them, sitting in complete safety and comfort. A person walking in Afghanistan unknowingly a little too close to a supposed terrorist hide out dies suddenly with no one knowing who they were. Could say they were vaporized. Not dead, just collateral damage, or simply an unperson. 

Life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness. First an foremost life. Life, you guys. The right to live. To carry on in this world without the fear of being killed at any second. Winston and everyone in Oceania lost that a long time ago and have we lost it here? Okay it's not necessarily in America, but shouldn't we protect our own morals? Yes, it's not in the Constitution but in the Declaration. The declaration that we used to be freed from a mother country exploiting us. Now we betray those words to "help" others? 

You might of guessed, I don't quite agree with these ideas. Our nation has a lot of amendments and articles that protect us from things we don't think twice about, but life is one thing no one should be concerned about  losing. Now once you've got life locked down I think liberty and happiness should only follow.  

HANDI (It's in all caps get it....hehehehe)

In Harrison Bergeron's world everyone is handicapped, and considering what my handicaps would be is a strange thought. First off, as a musician I would probably be given handicaps while playing. Probably something that makes it harder for my fingers to move, or make it harder to breath while playing. I've always considered myself as "rebel rouser" you know that person who really fights for an opinion? I would probably have an ear piece for that, to keep my rebellious thoughts away. As well as a voice inhibitor of some sort to keep me from voicing my opinions. Assuming that they pose ice skating as similar to dancing, I'd be weighted when I skate. Beyond that who knows what kind of madness Diane Moon Glomper would come up with.

Keep calm, a late post is better than no post!

"OH GOOD LORD! My blog was due Friday and it is now Saturday! Oh the atrocities! " I yell angry to myself. I begin to hyperventiale until I look up to see the most beautiful poster of all time convenientaly hanging from my basement wall "KEEP CALM AND CARRY ON" it says. "But no! I've clearly failed! My chances of success in life are miserable at best now!" I look to it again as it hangs there in majesty. "What should I DO?!" Once more, it hangs there. "I see now! I must carry on! Perhaps write it later! Once I've assured my emotional stability!" I say to myself, it is clear now. All I must do is write. I shall carry on.

Now don't you see? This life changing moment could only have happened thanks to one of the most well know pieces of propaganda of all time, if you still don't recall it click here. This piece of propaganda came into being thanks to the British government during WWII. It was the most clear and articulate message tot the people. It told them what to do and how to do it. Keep calm, and carry on. This message was pertinent to the Britian. If the people hulled up in their homes the conuntry could be in greater risk than the impending Germans. They could face economic downturn. they needed their people to go out, to spend money, and carry on. It did exactly that.

In this case propaganda was used for good. It was used during wartime to bring a country together. This is a benefit to propaganda. Not in all cases will you find this, but in many cases in modern history this is what I've seen. We see Uncle Sam who really does want "YOU" for the army. As well as the "We Can Do It!" woman. I think this is the best time for propaganda. In times of need a country needs their people to feel strong and patriotic. They do need them, and advertising with motivational sayings can do it. In wartime when a country needs support propaganda is the way to go, or when you need a little encouragement to post a late blog it can do some good as well.