Mitt Romney Style

This week I was introduced to a new Mitt Romney parody and I have to say, it's the funniest parody on a politician I've seen. It amazes me that people spend the time and money to create parodies, but what I've come to find is that there is something very special about there impact, especially come election time! I think that with parodies it's all about the catchiness of it all, and this parody is as catchy as they come.

I think it would be interesting to discuss the position of parodies in our class, considering the fact that these types of videos seem to reach college students more readily than some of the actual events taking place. I find it really funny that this particular parody mimics that of rap videos and deals primarily with that of wealth and fortune. It makes me feel a separation to Mitt even more so, but in turn makes him a certain figure in my life, regardless of whether he ends up becoming one to "make fun of".

There are also a wide range of interest when it comes to the comments that other viewers make. I almost find it more interesting to read what others say about the video, and also simply what they have to say.  Some people go off topic and discuss their opinions while others just comment on the hilarity of it. There is something to say for the reactions of others, because those reactions lay out a discussion about how media can trigger our emotions, even if the emotions are intended to be a simple way of playing the political game.

2008 Beijing Summer Olympics Clip

It's getting hot... and I don't care for the heat.

I've been recently trying to catch up on all of the madness lately. I feel as though my last post was a bit of an impulsive attack on Romney and his robotic characteristics. Maybe I shouldn't be so harsh on him I mean who doesn't have robotic characteristics these days! No... it's totally different and Romney serves as a wonderful robot today. I had to love this bit from Thurston Howell:

"Personally, I think he’s a kind, decent man who says stupid things because he is pretending to be something he is not — some sort of cartoonish government-hater. But it scarcely matters. He’s running a depressingly inept presidential campaign. Mr. Romney, your entitlement reform ideas are essential, but when will the incompetence stop?"

This helped remind me that Romney was a real person,
because sometimes political figures don't seem so real
do they?

I reread this article today and had some thoughts about some of the more recent hoopla going around the internet and television. I don't know, I mean I'm just thoroughly disgusted and I would truly rather turn every thing off and work on my art rather than be infested with this junk.

There I just went on a Romney tangent again. 
Shew.

I'm losing what I need to be saying because I can not intelligently describe what is really making me TICK. I find that once I am content with a certain group of information, all of these new revelations on certain topics surface and it's like... what a trick! 

I'm ticked that I'm getting tricked. 
Sad state of mind in this time.  

Perhaps I will find something more intellectual to blog about once I can find something that doesn't call for avoidance anymore. 

Where is my mind?

There has been a lot of talk on any given politics broadcast station (take your pick!) about how Romney is too vague with his plans for our nation.  All I have to say is...

Duh. This fact has been going on since Romney existed (over-exaggeration). He's a face for a purpose, and that purpose has had many names, but this time it is named The Termination of Obama, and it's as simple as that. He is a puppet.

See? I told you.


Moving on, I have to say that I am getting EXTREMELY frustrated with all of this hoopla. I honestly feel as though I am losing brain cells this election. I feel as though last election served a more intellectual purpose for me. This time I REALLY feel like I'm being tricked. Is this a big joke?

"Obama stay, Romney leave.
Why are we still fighting this?
Ah, because people actually like Romney.
Why?
Probably because they hate Obama.
Why?
Probably because they hate all that Hope and Change nonsense all the time.
Why would they hate all those positive attributes?
Probably because they fear they will lose their tradition of wealth... or something like that, you know,
people fear change."

This is from a conversation I overheard today...

I'm thinking...
Gosh... it's sometimes really just as simple as that.

I feel like someone is taking my intelligence and distorting it's potential. I feel like I am being lied to about EVERYTHING constantly and I feel insecure about my future in this world. I'm certain a large number of people feel this way too. The description of my feelings mean little when it comes to the feelings of the overall majority, but it certainly means the world in contradictory fashion.

I am ranting.
But I truly feel as though this time it's the biggest political joke I've ever been a part of.

How'd You Say That?

Blithe Riley's insightful lecture was wednesday night in the Briggs Theater. I am so glad that I was able to thoroughly listen and examine the perspectives of her activism. The lecture did a lot for me as far as curiosity in the area of activism and what goes along with the intent to voice and reveal certain issues that many hide from the surface.
What was most interesting to me was the topic on social media and its roll in activism today. Before the lecture I was having an in depth conversation with friends on the way our generation chooses to voice their opinions.  Something interesting we discussed was the fact that people (and not only just "our generation") were finding the confidence in their awareness, but in turn losing the "act" in activism.  There seems to be a boost of individuals who find it easier to voice their views (sometimes completely uncensored and inappropriately) through multimedia situations as opposed to physically standing up among others despite their vulnerabilities. I wanted to share a viewpoint on this however it was difficult to get the attention back on this topic after a few other questions lead elsewhere. This is something I'd like to discuss in the classroom because it is something that impacts the way we live today. The use of alternative voice methods such as the usual Facebook and Twitter really bring up important issues on HOW we will stand up for what we feel is wrong or right, good or bad, etc.
The issue of alternative ways of activism leads to the questions, how many people stand up for issues ONLINE and how many people physically STAND UP where ever they may be? These are two basic questions that may never be statistically answered, but I think what I was aiming at during the discussion with my friends was that ultimately people are fearful of their physical presence on an issue.  It is easy to type out what you think through whatever means you feel necessary, but ask someone to possibly get arrested or be affiliated with a group that may become a too noticeable, seems too risky for many.
I understand the fear of risks, and I feel conflicted.  The fact is that our government can sometimes scare us (well, lets face it...) ultimately brings a restraint on our freedom of speech whether we have something profound to say or not. The fact is, people DO feel more comfortable speaking their minds through their keyboards and find too many risks in the physical involvement of activism.  There are too many things to lose and not enough to gain in a sense, even though there is ALL to gain and ALL to lose.

On Politics. I'm Thinking Uhhh?

In general, my vision of politics means power.  It is the power that hovers over every individual whether it is wanted or needed, helpful, or destructive.  The political world we live in controls a majority of life outcomes people face every day.  The control is set through policies (politics=policy) which are enforced by specific groups of people globally.  These specific groups of people refer to as the "government officials" or those involved in the process. They make up the system and the system makes up the entire basis of rules that must be followed by the citizens of whatever country, city or state. 

Of course, a definition means little to me.  It is a definition which I feel is simple, and that leans closer to my own political opinions.  I personally feel as though I relate to the ideals of anti-establishmentarianism.  What I find most interesting about anti-establishmentarianism is that the same attitude it conveys has been practiced by people for over a large period of time.  The term made it's way in the 1960s due to the complete frustration of war and the control over the people, but was found much earlier history for many of the same reasons (holocaust as an example).  The idea is that no matter what historical period, and to no matter what similarities and differences these periods produced, the political system has obviously failed its people in one way or another.  Otherwise, why would there be the development of anti-establishmentarianism to begin with? (by the way, anti-establishmentarianism happens to be one of the longest words in the dictionary... if you didn't already notice. Also, I only truly added this last bit to use the word anti establishmentarianism a couple more times.) 

What baffles me about politics is the way in which it aims to create conflict.  As if we don't have enough conflict to begin with, we decide to create competition between parties which we see as a conflict almost daily.  The problem is that with political competition comes pride and with pride comes stubbornness. So now we have a load of stubborn people walking around the world. No one can figure out how to agree to reasonable and compassionate resolves about important issues in our shared lives. 

It's the "shared lives" that really triggers the insanity in politics for me. I can't seem to realize why we place divide both locally and globally when we all have to ultimately deal with the consequences our world faces.  I feel it has a lot to do with the competition but more closely it has to do with the attitudes that have been ingrained in people overtime.  I believe we are all people of power in our own right, and we feel strong about what we individually want and need.  However we lose focus with the fact that if we create one solution, it ends up a problem somewhere else, regardless of whether we attained what we wanted and/or needed. WHY CAN'T WE ALL JUST LIVE WITH THE BASICS? GROW A BIT SLOWER, AND MAYBE PICK UP THE FALLEN? Ah, but those questions will always remain just "those kinda questions" ya know? 

As hippie as most of this may sound, I am not trying to entirely set myself apart from reality.  As things are currently, I am always willing to let my mind open up to the positive outcomes that politics can create.  I do not completely hate the system and feel like it should be terminated, because that would destruct more than it would improve anything. What is done has been done over a long period of time and can only introduce a complete change once the world is ready and willing. So, for now I will ride the wave and actively share the ideas and opinions I have when appropriate. I'll vote for who I feel is the best bet (because let's face it, if we have to live by these rules than I might as well vote for who may make my life better or worse) and watch them turn the tables and flip the political world upside down. I'll experience how it feels to have inconvenience and stress in my life due to their policies, and then I'll watch them move on along so someone else can come and turn everything over... again.