Public Relations, Democracy, Quiet Outside Time, TV Time and PSA!

For me, democracy implies a governing system which is representative of the people which assumes equal representation from all over the demographic spectrum. Unfortunately, this doesn’t happen and political power finds itself coupled with money and restricted by institutionalized modes of government. A true democracy considers the best options for a community based on the demands of those existing within that particular area. Ideally, democracy should allocate most of the decision making power to individuals within a community but this requires much more individual participation that we experience in this country.
Public relations has the potential to inform citizens so that political and community decisions can be made with careful attention to implications of an action, alternative modes of accomplishing a goal and to understand the flow of money and information related to this goal/action. However, public relations is a corporately owned industry so it goes without saying that much of the information the general public receives is not motivated in their interest. In a democracy, public opinion is the most important factor in determining who and which issues get voted on.
Concerned citizens would do well to organize or become affiliated with grass roots organizations which employ direct action as well as a re-education of the public. Creating movement among fellow citizens is the best way to get change to occur within the political system. There must be a push for every citizen to want their opinions heard both by fellow citizens and political representatives. Without such a movement, corporate interest will continue to rule legislation and our lives. Citizens must also work with the capitalist system and reclaim competition among smaller businesses that reflect the ideals of the people.
The only thing we can do as individual citizens is keep the hope that this huge shift in power will occur. It is a monumental change in money flow and political sway but it must occur is American society is to remain authentic to its constitution. As a citizen, consumer, prospective educator and future citizen of this country, it is my duty to motivate my peers and keep myself as informed on the inner-workings of the PR industry.

I spent my thirty minutes outside in the garden, slaving over sections of crab grass to save the garlic! My company consisted of a few songbirds who flit around collecting friends and eating dried berries of last summer season. My only distraction was the symphone of activity in the soil- grubs, worms, pill bugs, sow bugs, spiders, ants, the occasional stray jerusalem artichoke, dandelion greens, crab grass and microbes upon microbes that cant help but escape my vision. In such solitude, it is easy for one to recognize the inherent beauty in the earth, all its constituents and myself as one of them.
When the only information input is that which makes no sound, flashes no lights and eats from the soil, one becomes so attuned to the simultaneous simplicity and complexity of natural systems. I tend to think of information overload when I consider television, internet and other such forms of technology, but I had a wonderful realization that even a square patch of garden contains more information than I could hope to consider. The difference is that this sort of information isn’t explicitly stated in plain english, there is no built in cross reference. Intuition, intellect and other sorts of cognitive processing are the only technology available in this sort of seclusion. I never fail to be shocked by my own capacity and how much more personal and telling it can be that the mess of media that keeps such instincts quiet.

I spend another thirty minutes watching a romantic French film. I was surprised by how different the film was from many American films I have seen; very little (if any) product placement, a diverse concept of beauty and barely any reference to consumerism. Nonetheless, there was a huge difference between this experience and my time in the garden. I found it more difficult to pay attention to how comfortable my body was, my posture and even the depth of my breath. My mind was active, yet the nature of each thought was a result of something portrayed in the film. The sort of thoughts entertained throughout the film were much less primitive and personal that those before and led me often to analyze details and frivolities of interpersonal relationships. I expect this experience would have been much different had I watched a true television program complete with commercials and prescribed opinions on such things as beauty, “coolness”, success and citizenship.

Our PSA group is doing just great! While our idea is not quite solidified, ideas continue to flow as we gather information, film and discuss our collective vision. It seems our biggest obstacle is to consider the scope of our message; do we focus on the individual, the UVM community or the greater Burlington community. I’m not too concerned about this falling into place as we progress.
We got together and filmed a segment already but still have two segments to go. Specific goals for class will include finding specific information to use and honing our storyboard.