Culture Jam, The Uncooling of America
The “Culture Jam” sets the tone of the culture jam in America. The thesis is very clear, “America is no longer a country. It’s a multimillion- dollar brand”. The corporate world controls the power and we the people has to listen and watch. The people are so tuned in their own routine that they are stack in their own world. The mass media plays an important role in the American culture. Lasn also reveals on the harmful effects of television and advertising on our society and children. People have separated themselves from their natural environment, and now live mostly through a consumptive, technology based world. The corporate world has all the powers to control the legislators to protect them so that they can make million dollars in profit.
I agree with Lasn that families have drifted apart in this technological world and everyone have their own agenda but still live as a family. Most of us live an unnatural life where we all have to depend on unnatural food. The environment that we live in today has created an atmosphere that has made us detached from this natural world. The mass media has affected our children and us and taken control of our lives. The corporations advertising dollars have been working well for these corporations where we are the victims of their ad campaign. The big advertisers control the broadcasting corporation and it is hard for individual citizens to buy airtime. This shows that the freedom of speech for people is denied where they cannot express their views freely. People are so addicted to the cyberspace that they start to lose focus on their family and friends. This addicting has not only affected the health of the people but has also affected the family values and relationship as stated in Culture Jam “the family matriarch dies in front of the television, rigor mortis set in and her thumb is fixed on the remote” (CJ p46-47).
The cult that we live in today has taken a toll on us where we live our life in stress, anger and aggression. We live on debt that will stay with us for the rest of our lives and there is no way of getting out of it but still we love to live the American dream life. In postwar America, people were happy and enjoyed their family life and bought things with cash and also had savings. This era has ended and the dream soured. I agree with Lasn that corporations have gained a lot of power now then they used to have. Before they were controlled by States and had little powers as the States kept a close eye on them but now they have all the powers that they can do anything they want to please them. As Lasn states that “ Corporations made huge profits from procurements contracts and took advantage of the disorder and corruption of the times to buy legislatures, judges and even presidents” (CJ p67-68). The corporate world has become very political and dirty that the legislators have bent towards them and has supported these corporations to maximize their profit on the expense of individuals. This not only makes the corporation more powerful but also gives them the mandate to carry on the assaults on individuals by high interest rates, hidden charges, overdraft fees and so on.
I agree with Lasn the corporations are not human and they don’t have any feelings. Corporations are unique creatures that have the power and hunger that they cannot go with it. As Lasn states “A corporation has no heart, no soul, no morals. It cannot feel pain. You cannot argue with it. That’s because a corporation is not a living thing, but a process- an efficient way of generating revenue”(CJ p157). The hunger to make money and the power to control the authority’s to make money and be protected. When we, the consumers break the law or commit a crime, we have to face the law and accept the judgment that is delivered to us and that record will stay on our profile of the rest of our lives. On the other hand, if a corporation is found guilty, the CEO will be fired or it will face a lawsuit. But at the end of the day they will hire new CEO, pay all the fines and continue doing business with. The stakeholders will join other corporations and still collect their dividend. But we should blame ourselves for giving these corporations this power. We did not stand up against them when we are victimized. We have the right to do so but we are still holding back and this holding back has given the corporation the powers. We should stand up and start the “second American revolution” (CJ p163).
Culture jammers believe that America has become a multitrillion-dollar brand with technology, television and advertisement. Lasn as a culture jammer, aims to change the way the information flows, the way that corporation gain power and the way the television stations are run and the way the other culture industries run their agenda. America, one of history’s great liberators is in desperate need to be liberated from itself “from its own excesses and arrogance”(CJ p61). People have become addicted to this culture that it is hard for them to focus on their family and health. The cult that we are in has controlled our lives but still we want to live the American dream life.
Reflection
By reading this book, I have learned the culture jam in America. I have realized the cult that we live in today but we still love to live this life. I have also learned the role the corporations play in our economy and the society that we live in. ‘Culture Jam, The Uncooling of America’ also reveals the he errors that our society has made in the process of creating our culture.
I agree with Lasn that families have drifted apart in this technological world and everyone have their own agenda but still live as a family. Most of us live an unnatural life where we all have to depend on unnatural food. The environment that we live in today has created an atmosphere that has made us detached from this natural world. The mass media has affected our children and us and taken control of our lives. The corporations advertising dollars have been working well for these corporations where we are the victims of their ad campaign. The big advertisers control the broadcasting corporation and it is hard for individual citizens to buy airtime. This shows that the freedom of speech for people is denied where they cannot express their views freely. People are so addicted to the cyberspace that they start to lose focus on their family and friends. This addicting has not only affected the health of the people but has also affected the family values and relationship as stated in Culture Jam “the family matriarch dies in front of the television, rigor mortis set in and her thumb is fixed on the remote” (CJ p46-47).
The cult that we live in today has taken a toll on us where we live our life in stress, anger and aggression. We live on debt that will stay with us for the rest of our lives and there is no way of getting out of it but still we love to live the American dream life. In postwar America, people were happy and enjoyed their family life and bought things with cash and also had savings. This era has ended and the dream soured. I agree with Lasn that corporations have gained a lot of power now then they used to have. Before they were controlled by States and had little powers as the States kept a close eye on them but now they have all the powers that they can do anything they want to please them. As Lasn states that “ Corporations made huge profits from procurements contracts and took advantage of the disorder and corruption of the times to buy legislatures, judges and even presidents” (CJ p67-68). The corporate world has become very political and dirty that the legislators have bent towards them and has supported these corporations to maximize their profit on the expense of individuals. This not only makes the corporation more powerful but also gives them the mandate to carry on the assaults on individuals by high interest rates, hidden charges, overdraft fees and so on.
I agree with Lasn the corporations are not human and they don’t have any feelings. Corporations are unique creatures that have the power and hunger that they cannot go with it. As Lasn states “A corporation has no heart, no soul, no morals. It cannot feel pain. You cannot argue with it. That’s because a corporation is not a living thing, but a process- an efficient way of generating revenue”(CJ p157). The hunger to make money and the power to control the authority’s to make money and be protected. When we, the consumers break the law or commit a crime, we have to face the law and accept the judgment that is delivered to us and that record will stay on our profile of the rest of our lives. On the other hand, if a corporation is found guilty, the CEO will be fired or it will face a lawsuit. But at the end of the day they will hire new CEO, pay all the fines and continue doing business with. The stakeholders will join other corporations and still collect their dividend. But we should blame ourselves for giving these corporations this power. We did not stand up against them when we are victimized. We have the right to do so but we are still holding back and this holding back has given the corporation the powers. We should stand up and start the “second American revolution” (CJ p163).
Culture jammers believe that America has become a multitrillion-dollar brand with technology, television and advertisement. Lasn as a culture jammer, aims to change the way the information flows, the way that corporation gain power and the way the television stations are run and the way the other culture industries run their agenda. America, one of history’s great liberators is in desperate need to be liberated from itself “from its own excesses and arrogance”(CJ p61). People have become addicted to this culture that it is hard for them to focus on their family and health. The cult that we are in has controlled our lives but still we want to live the American dream life.
Reflection
By reading this book, I have learned the culture jam in America. I have realized the cult that we live in today but we still love to live this life. I have also learned the role the corporations play in our economy and the society that we live in. ‘Culture Jam, The Uncooling of America’ also reveals the he errors that our society has made in the process of creating our culture.
