A Eulogy to JOUR4460

Ahh, dear JOUR4460. We’ve had times. Times where I scrambled just to keep up, times where you put me in my place just to open my eyes. Ignorant denial of room for improvement does not suit you well, and my ego suffered constructive blows. You will be missed, and I honor your conclusion with words of the valuable lessons that you gave me.

The importance of press releases is better emphasized now. You taught me how to pitch to journalists that are most likely going to hate me. You made sure I would be prepared before blindly selling my soul.

Epiphanies are rare and appreciated. I remember a time when you blew my mind and challenged my confidence, only to rebuild me with protective instincts. Cold calls have made a fearful reputation throughout your existence that echoes in the ears of unborn students. You knew my hatred for phone conversations and helped the irrationality justifying it. Deaf to excuses, you shoved me out there and taught me I am ridiculous for questioning myself. Ultimately, making the call was a breeze and made me recognize the competence I have for the future. The feedback alone was enough to release any remaining insecurities and introduced a girl that can strut with assurance.

Recreational hobbies became a requirement to the world of public relations and class time. Twitter, Facebook, blogging and other social media is like oxygen to you and now, me as well. You taught me that life isn’t so desolate in the realm of Twitter and getting followers and "friends" is simple. It’s unacceptable to be a wallflower, you must engage and be active with others. I will keep your wise notes over SEO and increasing online traffic as reference through future speed bumps. This could probably qualify as the most valuable lesson given to me. Not only did I learn the need to keep up with trends and progression of social media, but also led to many nights drifting between theoretical ideas and philosophy about our generation.

I owe you gratitude for easing my resentment toward group/partner projects. There is no doubt PR can't avoid team effort. Public relations depends on the ability to cooperate, a fact I used to lament. This opportunity to create a major project that is counter-dependent on someone else was eye opening. My learning experience was monumental, as I realized the project would have been impossible alone. I genuinely appreciate learning communication campaigns that the grown-up world will demand. The final product was impressive and tangible evidence of our efforts.

Thank you, JOUR4460, for your strives to better my craft and form. You influenced my growth to the future-professional I am about to be and my individual self that I am now. Substantial credits are due to the your spokeswoman, Samra Bufkins. Her respect for you is obvious and she forwarded that passion into her students. While at times her approach was intimidating and resembled tyranny, there was always a hue of altruistic sentiment behind her clever wit.

Survived by: the classiest, most dignified gangsters. hayyy.

Constructing Images, Constructing the World.

Nearing the close of my college career has drawn circles of thought for me. I wonder about the path I’m headed, the convictions I hold, and the deeper meaning. Let’s see, the basics…I’m studying journalism, focusing on public relations-- a field of image, perception and global networking, implemented by writing, meeting people, and persuasion. On paper, this couldn’t sound better tailored for me. While there is expected skepticism about my choices circulating my head, I am ultimately thrilled with the path I took.

I’m starting to realize image is a powerful thing, a thing that no PowerPoint or lecture could adequately emphasize. Throughout history, publics get their knowledge essentially from “images.” We see what someone has given us, what someone wants us to see, and it’s very rare to see “absolute truths” in their objective, operating form. The person behind molding these images is the gatekeeper to international comprehension and basic grasp of the world. Thinking basically, our image of a man is one of a guardian, hunter, competitive, assertive, insensitive and so on. Where we got this image is the never-ending question of “nature vs. nurture,” a term so overused that it’s become a definition, a term with no second thought. A woman is the anti-selfish, the loving, the caretaker, the vain, the incompetent, a passenger to the captain (man) of our life ship. While nature vs. nurture is a sound theory to this global image, it’s boring and I choose to raise the question of excellent PR strategies.

In the 1950’s C. Wright Mills released The Power Elite, analyzing and explaining the true propeller, the true force, behind the system of America. He showed three components to the power, wealth, and control of America: Politicians, military, and business owners (white men). This obviously goes without saying today, but it was only brought to our attention in the 50’s. This type of influence has been going on since the foundation of our country. With the mission of profit and power in mind, this “triangle of influence” realized that image is everything. They also realize, and I think formed with the help of PR, that the current differentiation that we accept today between men and women images is exactly what makes them the most money and circulates their lineage.

In respect to attention span, I will only focus on how this applies to current standards. For example, the image of a woman is shoved in our faces relentlessly with product advertisements and PR: your facial lines are now in your control, you can now do the dishes and iron at the same time, pretty girls wear bows and scarves and heels, etc. Today we have ads and characters formed that exemplify this role of women. This form of advertisement and PR is working with the goal of keeping women in the pursuit of the feminine image, and further perpetuate it. Keeping women interested in “women things” distracts them from challenging real world issues, issues that men are expected to handle while we play with makeup or dolls, as well as profit the client that pays them. This image ensures easy money for clients and publicists, but also benefits the original gangsters by keeping their lineage consistent. Could it be that the basic understanding of women and men was generated by great PR, and could I provoke you to think that it's possible there were never any differences like the ones we associate with today? It’s interesting to see how relatively easy it is to form universally accepted imaged, or “facts,” and how much of an impact they have. While I realize now this was a controversial? example to use, it was the most universally understood one I could think up on the spot.

I see this concept/theory of images in so many more elements of society today. The wikileaks are a fun and trendy topic of discussion. America has run impressively successful on the image of altruism, superior benevolence, and patriotic loyalty; but this image is drudging through the biggest and most public walk-of-shame now. It doesn’t shock some people that have seen through these “evangelistic wars” like a Rose McGowan dress, but the information is quite appalling, and quite a shift from American heroism. The government is so flustered with hysteria, like they got to McDonalds at 10:32. They know the damages image can do. It's not like the behavior in the leaks is shocking news to anybody, it's just this news is now public, and persistent, and the face of America. Our face is much more important than our actions.

Ultimately, image building and positioning echoes textbook terms that serenades me to sleep at night. But really thinking about it, forming an image for something is forming its essence, its meaning and how it’s communicated. It can be as powerful as to eventually evolve into a common fact, or as detrimental as world wars. And that’s just one aspect of public relations. Brittany Stone--future emperor of your mind. :D

Oh! And if you get a chance, watch the videos embedded in this post. Trust me.