Tubes Tuesday: Ship My Pants

Have you seen this commercial?! I was shocked when I saw it; things have changed so much on television. I swear I sometimes hear the f*bomb, and often find myself saying, “When did they start allowing them to say ‘bitch’ on T. V.?”

George Carlin (theatlantic.com)

Don’t get me wrong; I’m not beyond using “curse” words when they are appropriate for what I want to say (so did George Carlin, a master of words). But there’s a little part of me that sees the deterioration of decency, and the manipulation of the public viewer with humor and shock. It angers and disgusts me. I’m not disgusted only at the media for promoting this change, but I’m angry (maybe more so) at the public who has allowed their senses, and those of their children, to become numb and dumb and vulnerable to such heinous manipulation. The young people who have grown up with this as a norm have no idea that they are being manipulated and used by greedy people who just want their dollar.

There's no place like Kansas! REALLY?

On the other hand, this is a really clever use of words and funny just because they get away with it. I suppose not everyone is so easily duped as I’ve worried about above, or is that just an excuse to forgive myself for enjoying it, or is it me wearing “rose colored glasses”?

Here’s the story behind the commercial from creative-online (Ann-Christine Diaz). The article is peppered with curse words, in keeping with the interview and creative discussion. The intention of the creators is to make the joke evident and lasting. The impetus for the joke was the need to make customers aware of a service that K Mart offered but wasn’t being used. From this interview we can see that the manipulative intent of the creators of the commercial is to make us laugh, and it is an intelligence based effort. Nothing dumb or greedy about that. So, if we want to be angry about the dumbing down of the viewers, we have to look at the need for the commercial, not the creation or delivery of it; the latter is just art.

Whose Reality?

Almost 49 years of life and love. Love? Really?

When I was a little girl, love was The Brady Bunch, The  Partridge Family, and Father Knows Best. When I was a pre-teen love was Shirley Temple, Dorris Day, Dean Martin, Judy Garland, and Elvis on Sunday. When I was a teen-ager love was Judy Blume, Soul Train, and American Band Stand. When I was in High School love was sad and lonely; it was unrequited Bobby Balentine, and requited Bruce Hammer, until..... Until Jennifer Matthews became the first friend in a string of many to betray my trust, loyalty, friendship, and belief. And Bruce became the first love in a string of many to betray my trust, loyalty, friendship, belief and heart.

Tamra Dozier

At almost-49 I look at the patterns of love in my life. Every boyfriend I have ever had has cheated on me with someone close to me, except one, who cheated on me with his own selfishness. It has cost me much in my life: a timely education, a potential for career to be fulfilled, a natural child birth.

At almost-49 I look at what I believe about love and realize the price I have refused to pay: I refuse to become jaded and have refused to pay with my belief that love is real. At almost-49 I continue to choose love; I continue to grow.

I still believe in the media and literary love, at almost-49. I still believe that my heart has a mate, somewhere. I believe in love, and love believes in me. My love is waiting for me to believe in me.

Brooke Fraser

At almost-49 I believe I am a good friend, a good citizen, a good mother...I AM good. I'm not "trying" to be, I AM. I look at the patterns of love in my life and I see growth, and I see perseverance, and I wonder what more there is to learn. What is left to learn? Is it to "get real"? Maybe. And maybe reality is not something we discuss, or learn, but something we "know".

What is reality? Is it not trusting? Is it not believing? Is it guarding one's self from pain? Is reality that state in which one lowers expectations to what might be possible when all else seems impossible? It is not in my nature to expect less. I can not expect less loyalty, less honesty, less selfLESSness, of myself or of others. I cannot give up on others, I cannot give up on my self.

I must continue to learn...until I know, without thinking, that I AM love. I wonder how long I get to live when I know that I AM love? I can't yet imagine what other lesson there is to learn after that; they haven't made a Sunday Musical Movie or Sit-Com about it yet.... Or have they!?