“Old Glory” By James Bassler

               While touring the Cleveland Museum of Art a must see piece is “Old Glory” By James Bassler.  This piece stands out next to the earthly colored other pieces of the collection due to its vibrant colors.  The piece is an American flag stained with a brownish black color where the word oil can clearly stand out and the less clear letters are an “s” and an “ed” on either side of oil forming the word soiled.  When I saw this piece I immediately thought of the War on Terror and speculations by many that the only reason for U.S. involvement in the Middle East is for oil.  However, I found that I was incorrect although it is still currently applicable to current day events the art was done in 1992 long before the war on Terror was going on.  Thus leading one to the conclusion that, this piece of art was done in protest to the U.S spearheading the Gulf War. 

               This is a very strong piece of propaganda clearly protesting the Gulf War.  It speaks very loudly catching the eyes of Americans with the patriotic flag and the vibrant red, white, and blue.  Then Bassler takes that image and flips it on the viewer by staining the flag with oil.  In the oil the words oil and soiled clearly pop out.  This is a protest by Bassler claiming that the Gulf War was for the soul purpose of oil.  This quest for oil soiled the U.S.A. by partaking in unjust and greedy activities.

               This piece stood out to me because I do not agree with it at all.  It is the military force of the U.S. that allows people such as James Bassler to voice his option in such a manner and live the life he does.  However, in no way shape or form am I saying that a citizen should never question the acts of those who govern him or her.  The Gulf War was a protection of Kuwait from the over aggressive Iraq invasions.  Iraq was taking Kuwait’s land and killing its people the U.S. including many other allied forces fought the Iraq forces to restore Kuwait.  The U.S was not interested in the Oil supply so much as preserving another cultures way of life.  If one has the ability to do what is good, they have the responsibility to act; this is exactly what the U.S. was doing.

Pedigree Dog Food Advertisement

Pedigree dog food produced an ad that depicts a yellow lab digging into a street and in the upper right hang corner it reads “For strong dogs Pedigree”.  This is a very effective ad because it targets a specific audience and connects with them.  It specifically targets men who are dog owners with a lower to middle ranged income.  This can be speculated because Pedigree is a cheaper dog food then other competitors such as the Iams.   Therefore the people interested will obviously have an income comparable to that.  It can also me said that this is targeted at men because the ad applies stereotypes commonly thought of for men to a dog.  The stereotypes I am referring to is that the “ideal” man should be strong and macho.  Then in the ad one can see a dog that is digging through a road and at the top it reads “For strong dogs Pedigree”.  This is a very good use to capture the audience because men like to feel close to their dogs and Pedigree is selling the idea that there dogs can conform to basically what men want to be, strong.  Moreover, a dead giveaway that this ad is targeted for men is the colors that are used they are very deep and earthly colors mostly black and white.  Overall this ad is very efficient in capturing the audience, and also at promoting their dog food.  They single out a specific group of potential consumers and connects with them in a way that they find appealing.  This allows the men who are targeted to commit Pedigree to their mind as a brand name.  This allows men to trust this brand thus will influence purchase decisions made later on by these men.      

“What’s Love Got To Do With It?” Anjula Razdan

               Anjula Razdan wrote an article titled “What’s Love Got To Do With It?” in this article she talks about the differences of marriage from different cultures.  She uses her parents, who are product of an arranged marriage as an example.  They were originally from India where grandfathers would chose fit partners for their grandchildren.  She places this in contrast with the western romantic love or that of the US in the twenty first century.  Although Razdan herself likes the concept of western romantic love a lot she goes on to cite others and what they think.  She adds in that arranged marriages tent to work out more than the typical marriage in the US.  Razdan explains this by citing in het text “People don’t really know how to choose a long-term partner,” offers Dr. Alvin Cooper, the director of the San Jose Marital Services and Sexuality Centre and a staff psychologist at Stanford University. “The major reasons that people find and get involved with somebody else are proximity and physical attraction. And both of these factors are terrible predictors of long-term happiness in a relationship.” This is mainly attributed to the fact that many people use the media partials of a couple “living happily ever after”.  Whereas arranged marriages neglect lust and can find better compatibility of the two people.  This is shown because divorce rate is very high in the US and very low in India.  She goes on to talk about how online dating services can help to cut down this divorce rate because they act as the grandfathers in India arranging marriages.

               I agree with what Razdan is saying but only to an extent.  The culture differences must also be taken account for where in the US it is perfectly acceptable to get a divorce remarry.  In India it is not as acceptable compared to the US to be divorced.  I agree with the point that the public’s view on marriage is distorted my media and pined to a very high standard where everything is perfect.  This is very rare that things work out in real life like they are portrayed in the media.  Also I feel that it is hard to find someone who is right for the other.  However, by meeting more people one can expand their horizons and better chose someone they think is right.  Online dating can defiantly aid in this proses.

               Growing up in the US I see many things that are all sex related, whether it be an ad for any type of merchandise, a TV program or a movie.  It creates an image of perfection in my mind.  So it seems easy to connect these ideas that someone could be unsatisfied with their marriage because there partner is not perfect in every way possible.  Overall I think Razadan discusses some great points, and brings to thought many things commonly overlooked and put in one’s subconscious.