Monday, January 12, 2009
First Response to un-spun
After reading the first chapter, I was astounded by what the text stated. It was interesting how easy the beauty industry can manipulate us into believing MAC is indeed better than CVS brand eye-liner, yet all brands are made with the same chemicals. A MAC eye pencil is at least $20 in comparison to the CVS brand which could be as cheap as $1. Its remarkable to me to find that Listerine does not genuinely cure bad breath or be substituted for flossing. Advertising is all a misconception and this text surely demonstrates that. The media takes advantage of how ignorant the public is to certain facts about things. The book also talks about how Michael Moore's movie on the events of 9/11 mislead the viewers on many topics. More specifically, the book focuses on the flights of the Bin Laden family out of the country shortly after 9/11. The book describes in detail how Moore "spins" the information to make it seem one way but does not blatantly say it that way. This reading leaves me at a loss. I knew marketing, advertising, and media twisted information and that the government does not properly regulate all of the false ideas portrayed. However, it is disheartening to know that companies are permitted to "imply" anything, even though it is wrong, as long as they don't blatantly say it. It contradicts the definition of a lie. Is a lie omitting details in order to determine truth? Or is a lie omitting any truth whatsoever?
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Kelly, I completely agree with how disturbed you are after reading the first couple of chapters. I forgot about the 9/11 examples until I re read them in your blog. I find it absolutely horrifying that someone could make up lies about something so terrible and simply get away with it. I also thought you made an excellent point about MAC vs CVS brand make up. I use BareMinerals which can be ridiculously over priced. Maybe I should switch to the cheaper brand? Great points.
ReplyDeleteThe interesting thing is, because everything in the 9/11 implications was unspoken, it's technically protected by law under the freedom of speech Americans so subscribe to and adore. And so the already fuzzy line between right to say whatever you want and slander continues to grow.
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