Thank You For Smoking Reflection

When asked about why he does the job he does, Nick Naylor often deflects the idea with his necessity to pay his mortgage. In the scene where he's asked by reporter Heather Holloway, he tells her the same. Seeing right through his cover-up, she says, "Is a mortgage that much of a life goal?" This line stuck with me, and I think it gives us a lot of food for thought. 

Is everything that we want in life tied to comfort and security? Is everything that we DO in life done out of love or fear? This scene exposes Nick and the average person, who often resort to the mortgage answer because it's easy, safe, and how the system is set up. Let's remember, we're animals, and we need to do what we can to survive. When it comes down to it, making decisions based on keeping you and who you love alive and healthy is the right way to live. In the same way that Nick challenges his son to form his own opinions in film, I will challenge you to ignore these social norms and think past what society is heavily focused on.

This mindset is very common for the average worker, but harder for someone like Nick Naylor. When the mortgage is paid for in cigarettes, lung cancer, and death, that mortgage is viewed as blood money. So by that logic, Nick's purchasing anything he or his family needs to survive is viewed as illegitimate. And all because of how he made that money. Is Nick less deserving of these necessities or respect than the average working person? What about someone who isn't employed at all? Should Nick's son worry about his father being kidnapped for trying to support his family? These are thoughts I had throughout the movie. 

While I don't agree with Nick's career choice, lack of clear morals, and overall smug attitude at times, I am a firm believer in freedom of choice. Nick visits the idea of why he does this job other times during the movie. One answer he gives for why he does it is that he's really good at it. Now, is that more of a life goal than the mortgage? Getting there, Nick. But perhaps this is the real reason he does it; the mortgage line is just a shield to move the conversation along. If that is the case, if you really love it and are very good at it, then why isn't that your first answer, Nick? 

And this was what I took from the movie the most. Our sense of purpose as people is usually unclear to others and even more unclear to ourselves sometimes. Why do we do what we do, choose what we choose, and say what we say? Is the decision I'm about to make built up over the last 20 decisions I have made, or are those all out of the window because I am angry or insecure when the decision is made? These are questions I often have in general, and this movie brought them to life more.   

I think as humans we can give just a little less of a shit. Especially over the last decade, we've grown quite consumed with ourselves, issues that don't affect us, and overall, what anyone but us does with their time. It's absurd. This guy Nick needs a job just like you, and the job has to be filled by someone. He has a family just like you that also needs his help to survive. So maybe adding a little bit of understanding to these feelings as a society could do us some help. Nick Naylor is living Nick Naylor's life; Max Cordes is living Max Cordes' life, and our ability to just let that be only helps our quality of life as well as that of others. 

The truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth.

"A lie can travel halfway across the world while the truth is putting on its shoes." - Mark Twain. The truth is something we desire and crave as humans. Without truth or certainty, life would feel empty, directionless, and meaningless. It’s what we were taught from day 1 as children. “Liar, liar pants on fire” or “Honesty is the best policy” were sayings that were etched into our brains over all these years. But the unfortunate reality about the truth is that it’s almost never clear-cut and announced to the world. Finding the truth requires some digging. Even then, the truth you get your hands on may not even be the real truth. Whether intentionally or unintentionally, the truth is skewed all the time.

That’s where the Illusory Truth Theory comes in. We humans just so happen to be very human… and nowhere near perfect. The Illusory Truth Theory tackles the idea of the truth being misrepresented. When a piece of information is given to someone more than once, in a somewhat organized manner, they may perceive what is said as the truth. Whether it's true or not, our brain associates repetition of information with that information being true… even if we can identify that the information may be wrong.

Repetition makes things easier to process for our brains, therefore confirming the information and prepping it to be used or passed along. That’s why even when you think you may be getting the truth, and the person you are speaking with thinks they are giving you the truth, that’s not always the case. It’s also why rumors and incorrect narratives get spread so easily. It can be done without harm, without punishment. 

This comes with its strengths and weaknesses. In the world of communication and advertising, this can be used as a tool to move the masses. Repetition of information to the public can play into your company or governmental narrative, product, and overall income if executed the right way. For example, have you ever heard people say that humans only use 10% of their brain? Well, that is simply not true and has been perpetuated through society forever. Humans use almost all areas of the brain throughout the day, and most are often active. This is an example of how information that we often hear and believe to be true can be miscommunicated. 

It’s important as a society that we try to seek our own truth out. While sometimes, you can’t control being fed incorrect information, it’s on us at the end of the day to decipher truth from myth. From big companies to your coworker who thinks he knows everything, people will try to mislead you. People will try to benefit from your lack of knowledge on a topic. Don’t be a pawn. Formulate your own opinions and spread the truth wherever you can. Surround yourself with people who seek the truth the way you do. Don’t be afraid to stand up and speak when the truth is being miscommunicated. 

My generation is at risk when it comes to this theory. All we know is an age where anyone can post information and have a voice. But that only increases our risk of incorrect information. Be careful where you’re getting your information. This causes an increase in the value of credibility. For example, a news agency like BBC or FOX has been around for decades, delivering information that has come out to be true. Because they’ve developed this track record of delivering accurate information, we trust them more in turn. And in a world where delivering news fast is a high priority, the agencies that can deliver TRUE information as FAST as possible are the ones that are rewarded for it. 

In a society where the lines between truth and fabrication are blurred, be a light of truth. Educate yourself and your peers, dig deeper, and stand up to the lies.

The Future of Artificial Intelligence

"We gave technology a place in our lives that it did not earn." This quote from Roger McNamee in the documentary In The Age Of AI really jumped out at me. What a phenomenal way to phrase that. Technology has always been something we look to advance society, speed up tasks, and help solve our problems. But what happens when it goes too far in the wrong direction, and now there are all these problems stemming from the constant technology at our fingertips? How will the advancement of technology and AI change our futures?

You've heard all types of cliché negative narratives of AI. "It's going to turn on us," or "there won't be any jobs left".  I understand it can be hurtful to society if put in the wrong hands or used incorrectly, but I think AI world takeover isn't something we will have to worry about. At least for the next century. 

When I was first wrapping my head around AI, one of my biggest concerns was AI creating fake videos or pictures of people and getting them in trouble for something they didn't do. I now understand that, naturally, AI will force a lot of laws to be made. In the same way that we needed ship acts for the wireless telegraph, or television regulation for children's programs, the ability to regulate AI will hold this social shift together. 

The field I am entering after school is the beautiful world of media production. An area of commerce that has had tons of buzz around it, with AI growing. AI can generate pictures and images in seconds, way faster than a crew of people going to get the footage themselves. It can write scripts and plots in minutes, be a soundboard for ideas, and give feedback you may not have thought of. 

That being said, AI can be a lot for the creative process. But I believe that there's one thing that AI will never be... And that's an artist. You must be human to be an artist. "Artificial," it's literally in the name. While it can do all of these things to help us creatively, it can never take the jobs of the minds behind the art. AI can only think conventionally; it won't make something new and fresh, it will take from things it finds from the past. 

For the most part, AI is going to take these mundane tasks we don't want to spend time on, complete them, and we humans can get to doing more. In fact, I think we will see a boom in media and entertainment. Entertainment will become more valuable to the average person. Meaning, substance, creativity, and truth will all increase in value. You already see it happening. Companies are starting to invest in creative studios. Companies will have movies, shows, documentaries, etc., completely centered around their company and product. A person or a company's "story" is going to be what sells when it's all said and done.  

Media Literacy TED Talks Reaction

 Media literacy and the First Amendment go hand in hand, and neither one would function correctly without the other. Firstly, media literacy is the access, consumption, evaluation, and creation of all forms of communication. It's essentially how we learn and process things under the communications umbrella. Often, analyzing the effects of certain decisions are made in the world of communications. Communications, being the large umbrella it is, has lots of moving pieces that go into the field, and it deals with expression. And anything dealing with expression, we know, means the First Amendment must be looked at.

The First Amendment protects our expression as American citizens. It's what makes America the place to be. But as we see all throughout history and in these TED talks, the government isn't always focused on our First Amendment rights, and if they can get away with violating those rights for their own benefit, they will take advantage of it. This is why, as citizens, we must familiarize ourselves with our rights. 

The first TED Talk video was with Juan Enriquez, and he spoke about our electronic tattoos. This was definitely my favorite of the videos we watched. I think the analogy of our social media platforms being like a permanent tattoo is a great way to describe the dangers of this chronic online society we live in. As the saying goes, "Once you post it, it's out there forever." It's important to remember this often because our reputation is now not just something we can ruin face-to-face, but from the comfort of our own home as well. 

About halfway through the video, Enriquez said something that sent a chill through my body when I really thought about it. He said calmly, "Perhaps with our electronic tattoos, maybe all of us are closer to immortality..." Wow. I never thought about it that way. Our digital image will outlast our lives and even our bodies far, far past our death. All the more reason to be responsible and smart with what you are posting. 

The next two TED talks were more focused on something harder to control. That is surveillance. By now, people understand the effects of what you post and how it can affect your future. But in this case, people are far less educated on how they are being surveilled and how that is affecting them. Many people, including myself, don't think or worry about being watched or surveilled; that is, of course, because we have nothing to hide. I haven't committed any crimes, and I don't think law enforcement has much of a bone to pick with me. But now, after watching these videos, I feel differently. The government should not be able to do this. I feel much less comfortable knowing that when I pass a police car, my car will be tracked and logged... It's weird! 

Many may argue this is in place for our overall safety, and yes, I see that side as well. Of course, I want the criminals in this country to be surveilled, but the notion that we are being watched while acting innocently so that in case we ever commit a guilty act, they already know all they need to know. 

8 Values of Free Expression

 The 8 values of free expression are a great tool for Americans to analyze and understand what makes the United States different from other nations. It's also beneficial for political figures, all the way to the average citizen, to grasp why these values are in place. They help us understand the nature of humans and how that coincides with running a successful government. While they aren't straight-up rules or laws, they are ideas that allow a unique perspective that other countries don't provide. The values also keep society healthy in general, which is more important than ever in today's day and age, with all the distractions and disagreements around us. 

That is a perfect segue into one of the values on this list. It is value number 8... Protect Dissent. This can be described as the tolerance to new and unpopular ideas; it urges respect for those who may have a contrarian viewpoint. In fact, it also urges us to try to think against the government sometimes. A lot of American citizens just believe the government has our best interests in mind, but that isn't always true. If we can't challenge ourselves to challenge the government, then we fall victim to whatever they say goes. 

For most of human history, successful change was often brought about by the courage to think outside the box. The men who may have been ostracized or overlooked due to their unique beliefs often were the ones sparking the real change. The courage to think eccentrically is what this country was built on. Progress and dissent often go hand in hand. For example, without the radical thinking and overall displeasure with the Articles of Confederation in the late 1780s, we would never have gotten the Constitution. The point being, sometimes it takes a Shay's Rebellion to get the protection you deserve as humans. 

We all know that one friend who disagrees with everything you say. While super annoying, these oftentimes are the friends that pull the most out of you. Pull a perspective or feeling out of you that you may not have ever considered. They may open your eyes to something you've never thought about. Or they may just flat out annoy you. But it's important to keep this friend around: 1. Because they're your friend and we try to be loyal... And 2. Because it's this kind of contrarian insight that we sometimes need. If everyone you rolled with just "yes'd" you to death, then nothing productive would come out of the time you spend with those people. 

In a future sense, we may come across people with ideas or opinions that seem so out of this world that you may actually question their intelligence. But to completely ignore the space in your mind for that idea to exist makes you more ignorant than they are in my eyes. Yes, sometimes these "visionaries" of the future will be wrong. But that does not mean they or their idea should be treated any less human than yours. And who knows, a decade may pass, and their idea was right, and you look like an idiot. 

Overall, Protect Dissent is very important to our 1st Amendment rights. Sometimes the majority isn't always correct. The minority view has emerged as the standard plenty of times throughout history. This is why it is important to leave the minority view alone and try to see things from their perspective at times. 

Top 5 News Sources

1. Instagram

As a Gen Z kid myself, this has been the main place I go ever since I downloaded it. Instagram's fast-moving, right at your fingertips nature has propelled it forward, especially in the younger generations. While it often will feed you big news very quickly, it isn't always necessarily the most factual all the time. The thing that I feel is important is taking things you see on Instagram with a grain of salt. It feels more to me like the place to initially find out about the news, then you should switch applications to something more reliable that may be covering the story. I'm sure I'm one of many who have Instagram on their list due to how popular it really has grown over time. 

2. Twitter

Twitter, or X, was an adjustment I made recently. I find it to be more accurate and "news-filled" than Instagram. I am a sports fan so I will go to Twitter for a lot of my NBA and NFL news. But even in scrolling, you will always see big news filtered in and out due to Twitter's way of operating. I also think the "trending" page is very helpful for news. Because to be trending, you have to be in the news to a degree, so sometimes I will find out about news just by seeing someone or something on the trending page. Overal,l I think Twitter, out of all the social media, is the most accurate, yet convenient, platform. 

3. Word of mouth

Word of mouth is another big way I will find my information. Whether it be my family or friends, conversation is always a way that I am finding out about things. As someone who isn't watching or reading into the general news very often, most times, I am made aware of a piece of news just by simply hearing someone mention or reference it. Even back to the days of sitting at the lunch table with my buddies and chatting about all kinds of different areas and topics of the world. That itself was my introduction to news consumption

4. Google

Google is always going to Google. When it comes to achieving any information at all, then google is the guy. Google is something I use more to fact check things. I will hear about something or see something on social media and then take my talents to Google to find more accurate or detailed information on the topic. I don't usually check Google news, but I have done it before and it is a great place to find out about things going on in the world. Perhaps a goal of mine could be to check Google News once a day. 

5. Collegiate Classes

Believe it or not, I have learned quite a lot of current events and news in the first 10 minutes of my classes. No matter what the class is, there is always some kind of tie back to current events and news relating to it. Whether a "gen-ed" or a core class of mine, many of my classes began with something interesting going on in the world of said class. The best example would be none other than Professor Dean Smith! I have him currently, and had him my freshman year. Most of his classes will start with some sort of real-world tie-back and current events. This is an awesome way to get the news because the class discussion is usally very productive.