Make That Money

It is sometimes said that wealth equates to power.  Those with money will influence others by offering them bribes and/or giving them gifts.  It is money that acts as both the medium and the procurer which allows man to obtain objects and these surges of power.  Supposedly we live in a nation where all men were created equal and that justice shall be applied to the same extent to everyone.  However, it infrequently seems as though this is the reality of our nation.  Instead it seems as though those with power write the rules.

                These two ideas introduced above work together with one another:

1.       Money is power

2.       Power dictates the rules

Essentially the conclusion that can be made is this, those with money dictate the rules and how they are applied.  In a sense those who have money have no reason to act just because they can use this wealth to get out of it.  Goethe summarizes this idea well by explaining, “Money’s properties are my – the possessor’s – properties and essential powers. I can be ugly, but I can buy the most beautiful women. Therefore, the effect of my ugliness is nullified by money.”  The parallel that can be drawn here to the previous point about wealthy people not needing to act justly is because it will always be possible to buy or bribe those who are supposed to act as disciplinarians.  Money and wealth ultimately act as a medium which aids man’s own self interest over those things and beings who wish to possess it.

Sexual Preference and Porn

                The pornography industry acts as a catalyst for teens, young adults, and even middle aged adults to truly explore their sexual likes and dislikes.  Those who are ignorant will simply say that pornography consists of people taking off their close and having sex on camera.  On a very basic level this is true about porn, however the industry as a whole does so much more.  It does a fantastic job at recognizeing the differing demands and produces a style of pornography that will appeal to a specific group.  This business in some ways can be all things to all people.  Individual companies within the industry will pick one type of niche and target it aggressively.  The people working behind the scenes of these companies are true geniuses.  The reason I say this is because as stated before we all have different tastes and preferences.  The idea men/women of these companies continue to find ways to satisfy different sexual fantasies that our population demands.  The pornography industry did $13 billion dollars in revenue in 2006 and consists of approximately 12% of all online websites (Ropelato).  It is a business, like it or not that is expanding at an incredible rate.  Unless legislation places restriction on the types of pornography that can be released on video or streamed via internet, this is not an industry that is endanger of slowing down any time soon.  The only thing I could see happening in the future is that market share will continue to diversify as more competitors enter the industry since it is so easy to make a website, film a video, and charge a membership fee to those who want to view the site.  It is these emerging websites that allow individual sexual fantasy to become somewhat of a reality.

References:

http://internet-filter-review.toptenreviews.com/internet-pornography-statistics-pg2.html

Body Art

Imagery at times can speak louder than words.  Those with tattoos for whatever reason are often associated with a certain social stigma that they are either dirty, slutty, or labeled as a “badass.”  I think that those who make external judgments about body art simply do not take the time to think about the true meaning that these body images may represent.  Instead we become judgmental based upon the location of the tattoo and graphics that are involved in these works of art.  I believe the majority of people who decide to wear ink do so to fulfill their own self interest.  They are much less concerned as to how the external world will perceive the message they are sending and instead focus more on what the tattoo means to them. The vibrant colors and intricate patterns contain emotion, display individuality, and even help to relive memories from the past. 

            There is emotion that is tied to certain tattoos that an external viewer may never truly understand.  It is important that we refrain from being too critical of body images treat them with sensitivity.   It is common for people to get a tattoo depicting a date or an image of a loved one who was lost.  These tattoos serve as a reminder of the past as well as a way to keep someone with your forever.  It is extremely rude not to honor one’s deep emotional ties with a loved one even if it comes in the form of a tattoo.  So whether you are for or against body art, it is pivotal that our judgments remain objective because the true meaning behind the message may never be known by outside observers.

Selective Hearing

Our generation compared to others may be the biggest offenders of selective hearing in history.  It is almost impossible to get one’s undivided attention during the age of multitasking.  This point is especially true when an uninteresting topic is brought up because it encourages us to tune the speaker out.  Kevin Smith wrote a blog about today’s power of caller I.D.  I would like to slightly tweak some of the points made as well as draw some parallels between caller I.D. and selective hearing.

I would argue that caller I.D. makes us more socially selective but not necessarily more anti-social.  When our phone rings we first check to see who is trying to reach us.  We are then able to make a decision whether or not that person is worthy of holding a conversation.  Having the power to accept or decline a call is similar to having the power of who we choose to talk to on the train.  If we deem that the stranger sitting next to us is not bring much to the table then it customary to sit there in silence.  I think we most often choose to initiate conversation with those who are either approachable, attractive, or interest us in some way.  If the characters on the train do not hold any of these qualities then why not hit the ignore button and be selective as to who we talk and listen to?