- What's Saunders' main point?
- What do you think about his tone and rhetoric? (Point to specific textual examples.)
- Saunders asks: "Is human nature such that, under certain conditions, stupidity can come to dominate, infecting the brighter quadrants, dragging everybody down with it?" (pg. 7, right about section 5). Answer this question; use specific (cultural/personal) examples to support your answers.
- Is it fair for Saunders to blame "elements on the right (Fox News, Rush Limbaugh, etc.)..." for the decrease in quality of news? Why/why not? (pg. 10, beginning of section 7).
- Check out section 8. How do you see these concepts connecting to the issue of good jobs/bad jobs, and to sustainability in general?
- Finally, who is our culture's "Braindead Megaphone guy"?
Discuss, jot down notes, and be prepared to contribute your answers to class discussion.
In the eighth section of Saunders, the “Braindead Megaphone” he brings up the question of “who is running this mess?” Its clear to me that I myself am not myself am not the “megaphone” but as I member of this society I clearly buy into it in some ways. Saunders suggests that it is the most literate and ambitious people in our society, who reach the top of this chain everyone seems to be striving for. These people, who we expect to do well for our society, however are in the position to take complete advantage of us. Being at such a position of authority and wealth, these people can easily buy or scheme to create a favorable position for themselves. Being that they are such ambitious people, they will certainly always push to do better, even if it is negatively affecting another. The classical “good job”, a well-paid high authority position however is not so good to the rest of the world. Taking advantage of others for personal gain is surely the opposite of sustainability. I feel like our races strive for personal gain is in a way connected to just about all of the problems we have created for ourselves.
ReplyDeleteWhen considering the section 8 and the issue of good jobs/ bad jobs and to sustainability in general, you really have to think about what is the definition of a "good job" or a "bad job". In Sauders, "The Braindead Megaphone" he suspects that many of the intelligent individuals that are relaying our news or that are in charge of the "megeaphone"don't even pay attention to who their employer is and what they represent. They just want a stable and "good job" no matter if they are delivering entertainment, facts or lies. He believes what matters to most of these people is just climbing the latter of success. Success being having money and to "stay in the game". If "staying in the game" and stomping on others to get to that "god job" is what you need to do, I do not find that to be very sustainable. It is not bettering anything but the individual. although those success seekers that are willing to do anything to be on top may consider this to be a "good job" while I would consider it to be a bad one. However, if someone takes a pay cut because they want to keep their job because it betters the community, I would say that would be a "good job" and create sustainability. It is bettering the whole community and keeping things going. Other people may think this is "bad job" because you are not getting paid nearly as much as someone else. Telling lies and entertainment also does dumb down viewers to where the don't even know what is going on so they are not able to be sustainable themselves.
ReplyDeleteSaunders talks about the system that he believes perpetuates this braindead megaphone mentality in section 8. Although I might not agree with some of his arguments, I agree with the notion that there is no grand conspiracy at work moving society down the road of intellectual deprivation. People in general will do what makes money. In a lot of ways we are taught that our success in life is directly related to how much money we make. Making more money in turn becomes our main goal in life rather than just being happy. Most have a tendency to get so caught up in making money that they forget why the money was so desirable to begin with. It becomes an end rather than a means to an end. The goal of earning a lot of money seems to grow isolated in our minds and we don’t think about the bigger picture. Considering the big picture, rather than just the immediate gratification of payment for writing a vapid news story, is more beneficial in the long run. The man who spreads misinformation is ultimately dependant on those that take it in. A civilization that is based solely on taking advantage of one another isn’t sustainable. All of those little lies, all of those moral compromises, add up. All of those small successions are what allow the system to continue. It isn’t because the system is strong on its own. It needs the sacrifice of good people to sustain itself.
ReplyDeleteSaunders' mention of his young friend and her predicament of having titled an article, "Anna Nicole's Lost Diary: 'I Hate Sex'" shows us the priorities of society. His friend would rather do something she sees as intellectually devoid and even harmful then go back to a "bad job" like delivering pizzas. In her mind (and most of us would probably agree) a "good job" is more about making money and being culturally successful than being happy and honest to oneself. This intentional carelessness effects not just Saunders' friend, but everyone who reads and is therefore effected by her work. Not only does she suffer for doing something she hates, but culture as well. The more non-information and fluff gets fed into the world, the more it becomes numb to its damages. With *everyone* operating under this monetarily prioritized system, the world is certainly caught in a dangerous, information deprived cycle. Successful this world is not.
ReplyDeleteAll of the above comments are great examples of how money controls our lives. We are deemed successful as long as we make a lot of money. No one is worried about if we are happy or if we are enjoying our occupation. It says a lot for the people who will take pay cuts to know that they are going to enjoy their occupation for the rest of their lives. The power of money has changed every one of our lives, especially with the recent economy. People are doing anything they can to get their hands on money, whether they have any interest at all. The Megaphone in our society puts these things in our heads. We are judged by the amount of money we make. As I grow up I hope the power of Greed doesn't have a large influence on my life.
ReplyDeleteSection 8 of Saunder's article, "The Braindead Megaphone," connects to the issue of good jobs/bad jobs, and to sustainability in general in a number of ways. For example, Saunders satirizes the media to emphasize the fact that the most literate, well educated, wealthy, and driven members of society are the ones who obtain "good jobs," or at least the jobs society considers "good." As mentioned above, the definition of a "good job" correlates more with financial gain than sustainable living. Striving for the "American Dream," particularly in the media industry, has little to do with happiness, and nothing to do with truth-seeking. I'm sure in many parts of the world where affluence isn't a primary concern, the Western ideal of a "good job" might seem more like a "bad job."
ReplyDeleteIn Saunder's "Brain dead megaphone" Saunders brings up the pint that the media only reports what they want to report and metaphorically states that the man in the room holding the megaphone will be heard over others who are not. In section 8 in particular Saunder's states "The generalizing writer is like the passionate drunk, stumbling int your house mumbling: I know I'm not being clear, exactly, but don't you kind of feel what I'm feeling?" Saunders point is that the media perpetuates certain ideas to the public and avoids others; they are the Gatekeepers of information and manipulate society thoughts and actions even at a subconscious level. This concept connects to the idea of good jobs/bad jobs in that jobs that are environmentally conscious are underplayed in terms of quality. A high paying job is usually considered the best job but if the company you work at pollutes at a high level then it is not really a "good job." A person who gets a job that strives to sustain the country, or planet for that matter is really the one with the good job.
ReplyDeleteI found section 8 very interesting in terms of contemplating the good jobs/bad jobs concept in association with sustainability. So many of the positions described throughout this section would seem as ideal good jobs to many. I'm sure the pay is great, there's probably lots of excitement that goes along with such responsibilities, and I'm sure there are many other benefits and securities that would lead most to believe that these are amazing jobs. However, I find that these concepts change darastically in light of sustainability. In terms of sustainability these jobs, especially in the news broadcasting world, suck! By placing the raw truth of what the real news should be in a backseat to entertainment and ratings is only distorting the integrity of the news. This trend isn't changing anytime soon either. These people who have seemingly jailed our media, are breaking one sustainabilities core beliefs. The integrity of our future generations' news sources are being fundamentally destroyed. In my opinion, this destruction is happening faster than the depletion of our precious natural resources. Perhaps Fox News should run a story about how mislead and confined in fear they and other media sources have forced the public into for our "entertainment," and it's only getting worse. I don't think many people would classify a "good job" as a job in which you exploit and "sell out" your own society.
ReplyDeleteIn section 8 of "The Braindead Megaphone" Saunders states that the "best and brightest among us" are the ones who run the media. He also goes on to state that the most gifted people go to the best colleges, where they land the best internships, and from there to the best jobs in the nation. The real question is what makes a job a good job? This question can have many different answers depending on who you ask. Some may say a job that pays well and has power while others may say a job that you enjoy. Are these jobs in the media sustainable? With the news constantly being distorted for the purpose of entertainment I don't believe that these jobs are sustainable. Saunders ends section 8 by stating, "There's a little slot on the side of the Megaphone, and as long as you're allowed to keep talking into it, money keeps dropping out." As long as you have a job in the media it doesn't really matter what you say if you're the loudest speaker.
ReplyDeleteWhen I try to relate Saunder's ideas to good and bad jobs, I think of what make a job good or bad. What makes a good job? The answer for most people would probably be money. If you make lots of it, who cares what you are doing. Saunders talks about the bright young people starting their careers and doing work that they do not enjoy or agree with. But they continue working anyway. They value their career and money over their values. Saunders says something like "as long as you keep talking, the money keeps falling out."
ReplyDeleteThe other thing I think about that makes a job good or bad is WHY we think those jobs are good. It is an extension of the ideas above. It sort of pertains to sustainability. One of the first things I though of about good and bad jobs was oil companies, utility companies, car companies, insurance companies, etc. The reason being is that these wealthy industries almost decide our values. They help write the laws of our country to favor their business. They spend lots and lots and lots of money buying out the votes of congress. They lobby our government and almost decide what is important. For instance, alternative energy like wind and solar is viable, and cheaper than nuclear power. It can compete with coal and natural gas, but because the oil companies have so much lobbying power, it holds back the growth of that industry, and keeps their wallets full. The reason that solar and wind is not as cheap as coal is because of the huge amount of subsidies and tax breaks they get from the government - breaks that wind and solar do not receive.
Fun article from 2008. http://money.cnn.com/2008/08/19/news/economy/oil_money/
To clarify, the most money = the loudest voice.
ReplyDeleteAlthough I found Saunders to be a pretentious douche, I did have to agree with some of his arguments in the essay. In section 8, he makes a point to talk about a friend of his, who would rather put out low quality work that may or may not have been true in order to make a lot of money. In her mind, selling out was worth a "good job" because it kept her from working a "bad job" which was something along the lines of pizza delivery. It shows that people are more willing to take the easy choices in life. In the case of the media, it may be falsifying stories or exaggerating the facts. The pursuit of truth and justice is not even romanticized anymore, it seems, because everyone knows that coloring inside the lines is the best way to ensure a "good job" for a long period of time. With this thought process being so focused on the individual and their own success, the thought of sustainability for future generations is not even on the agenda...
ReplyDeleteAfter evaluating section 8 and what Saunders means by a good job or a bad job I've decided that it is important to understand what the person taking the job expects to get out of it. If they are just out to abide by the social norm of going to college, graduating, and entering the workforce in order to acquire a well paying job that is fine, but to me a good job is more than that. A good job is more than a steady paycheck. The person feels rewarded when they finish what they need to and is happy at the end of the day. Whether these priorities are sustainable or not, however, is where the problem lies. A person can think they have a good job and may be happy, but at the end of the day you always have to be able to provide for yourself.
ReplyDeleteIn Section 8 Saunders' "The Braindead Megaphone" he makes an example of his friend who recently wrote a news story about 'Anna Nichole's Lost Diary: "I Hate Sex,"' which his friend justifies by saying "if anyone wonders why Americans aren't informed with real news, it's because of sell-out corporate goons like me who will do anything to never deliver a pizza again." Today in American society, I feel that we are all selling out. We no longer aspire to simply make a living while bettering the world around us. Instead, we are more concerned with making enough money to support our consumerist indulgences. Not only that, but we also aspire to have “good jobs.” In Saunders’ example, his friend admits that he is in fact a sell-out in the media world, but justifies selling-out by the fact that he never wants to have a job delivering pizza again. Looking at these two options, most would consider being a writer a far better job than delivering pizza. In regards to helping society, is it? As a pizza delivery person, he would be feeding people, providing them with sustenance, whereas, writing about “Anna Nicole’s Long Lost Diary” in no way makes our society any better or more intelligent. Nowadays, it has become completely acceptable to sell-out, or to conform to the trend of ignorant news stories, as long as the job we hold makes us “successful.” Perhaps we need to redefine good job and bad jobs in America, because shouldn’t a good job be one that helps people and improves society?
ReplyDeleteAfter reading section 8, it seems a lot of what Saunders is talking about is sustainability. He talks about being able to stay in the game, being viable and being watchable over a period of time. All of this is sustainability. To have a good job, in most scenarios, one must exhibit sustainability. However, to keep a bad job, in most scenarios, one must also exhibit sustainability. The difference between the two is the work and preparation leading to the job. College is now the norm but it is because it's a prerequisite for most "good" jobs. Jobs are not dubbed good or bad solely because of the paycheck, although it does influence that judgment a lot. The quality of the job, the environment one works in, and the tasks the work entails makes the job.
ReplyDeleteIn Saunders "The Braindead Megaphone" he hits on many topics about good jobs/bad jobs, and sustainablity in section eight. Saunder's speaks out on our media and how it is changing for the worse. He thinks the media is more for entertainment. One statement that really caught my attention was the pizza deliever comment. "If anyone wonder why Americans aren't informed with real news it's because of sell-out corporate goons like me who will do anything to never deliever a pizza again." This comment says I would rather deliver entertainment in the news and make money than have a lower class job. People are not obtaining jobs these days because they like the field they are going into but for how much money we will recieve. I think Saunders is trying to state that people will do anything for a dollar, even if that is giving entertainment instead of real news.
ReplyDeleteSaunders brings up a good point in section 8 of The Braindead Megaphone guy. He states that those in power and are “successful” can easily abused that power to influence the less successful into believing, doing, or bending to the more successful person’s agenda. This is true not only in the media but in all work places and the abuse of power is how one gets to and stays in the top of the heap. I would argue that this is the direct opposite of sustainability in that the fight to the top is all about one self and not about how to help the community or the environment. This is not a clear indication a good job nor a bad job because I think that the quality of the job is in the beholder.
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ReplyDeleteAfter reading section 8 it is easy to see a connection to how sustainability is performed in our society today. Saunder's informs us that his freind stated, " If anyone wonders why Americans aren't informed with real news it's because of sell-out coorporate goons like me who will be willing to do anything to never deliver pizzas again." This shows that alot of poeple today will do things that they may not believe in or agree with, in order to maintain a high class status and 'sustain' a paycheck. People follow and are influenced by the "Brainhead Megaphone" because they believe they need to in order to provide for themselves and be financially stable. With all this being said, everyday people are being deprived of their own creativity and are focusing on the given perception of society in order to be sustainable.
ReplyDeleteI found the Saunders reading to be quite interesting. I thought that section 3 proses an interesting scenario or a worst-case scenario that is happening with the news today, which then entail hurts me as an informed US citizen, but then it also corrupts the whole purpose of the new channel. Sauders points out how drive or demand for the person giving to the news to entertain because if not they will lose their job; I think this truly corrupts that outlet and the people involved. This corruption then leads the lack of gaining true information which then effects our ability on make decisions on all levels, social, political, and economical, in other words our sustainability.
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