Friday, November 21, 2008

Happy Thanksgiving



WOW!!! Where to start??!! For those of you who might not know, the above video represents an interview conducted after Sarah Palin pardoned a turkey in Wasilla, Alaska. That bit can be found here:

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/3036677/#27831044

Earlier this month, on November 10, Rachel Maddow said in her special way, while covering Palin's insistent jabbering upon her return to Alaska after the election, "I find it difficult to read Sarah Palin quotes with appropriate cadence, so please forgive me." I was reminded of Rachel's humorous remarks after seeing this slaughter video. It's often difficult enough to following what Sarah Palin is trying to say without animals being killed in the background, which is why I had to watch the video a couple times before I really started to get what Palin was attempting to convey. Proper inflection, punctuation, diction, and statements distinguishable from one another really are assets of language. I think Palin's been taking her cues from Bush in one way or another. If you're interested in seeing the clip from The Rachel Maddow Show, in which she appears to comment on Palin's language impairments, it can be found at the following link, the quote can be heard about 2 minutes in:

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/26315908/#27652879

The slaughter video also reminds me of our tendency to avoid what unsettles us or disrupts our relatively peaceful existence. The first coverage I saw of the video on MSNBC utilized image blurring in what seemed to be an effort to disguise some of what was happening to the turkeys. Perhaps blurring also has the effect of heightening the drama, in that the apparent need to blur means some of what's being shown must be too sensational and startling to be fully seen. However, blurring also conversely has the impact of directing more attention to surrounding areas in hopes of fully understanding the scope of what's happening, such as to the piece of equipment being used and the violent shaking we can plainly see, which in turn may increase the dramatic affect.

I think we have a right and a responsibility to fully comprehend what we are contributing to, which is why I've posted the uncensored version of the video. I think if more people were more aware of and cared about what goes on around us, what we directly and indirectly influence, and the impact we can and/or do have, the better off we will all be. That's why things like reading, keeping informed through various news sources, voting, and intelligent thought are important. No matter what it involves, when our reality is blurred, either by us or for us, there will inevitably be a deficit in our consciousness that will have to be reconciled at some point; hopefully toward the positively productive.

1 comment:

Vincent said...

the sad part is that it is easier not to care or learn than it is to take action. shrugs.