1985 Called, They Want Their Coke Back: Marketing and the Common Man

The only ads that people look forward to are Super Bowl ads--they’re flashy, loud, and we expect them to be. It’s the only event where mankind and media alike come together and talk about what, at any other time of the year, is either a convenient time to search for a snack in the kitchen, or an ill-timed break from the action of your favorite show.

Because of this, the average person often feels pretty apathetic for ads and the marketers who created them. TV viewers perceive an ulterior motive, a slick-haired salesman with a bottle of snake oil and a smile. This, however, is the wrong profession. Marketers don’t sell snake oil, they sell solutions. If a marketer had a product that he didn’t sincerely believe solved a customer’s legitimate problem, he wouldn’t sell it. This is because a marketer’s purpose is not to push an unwanted product on an unwilling customer, but to create value. Think about it: most of the products you own, you value. Chances are there were marketers behind them, coming up with product ideas that would grace your living room, better clean your tub, or entertain your child. At the same time, they were the ones who delivered you the message and let you know there was a better way to do something. So although a marketer must turn a profit in order to keep his job, people should understand that a marketer’s real purpose is to start the dialogue between company and customer, because with this understanding, people can better participate in the conversation. It’s one worth having.

The Cost of Chemistry: The Struggle Between Amateurs and Professionals

Biochemistry: Investigating Organism's Chemical Reactions

It was during my final year of high school that I had my first real-world chemistry test.  I had been working in a university laboratory when the head professor showed me a list of gases that my test subject was producing and asked, “Which of these chemicals burn?”  He caught me open-mouthed.  You try picking from a list of twenty chemicals that include names like “Perchloroethylene” and “1,3-butadiene”.  I wanted to ask him if he would make it a multiple choice response. Hurriedly, I scanned it and was relieved to see something I recognized from the gas station: octane.  “Octane,” I replied reservedly.  “Good.  What else?” he responded.  As a university student majoring in biochemistry, I have quickly recognized that chemistry is an exclusive field because of the complexity of the subject matter, the academic language and the cost.  However, amateur scientists have made significant discoveries in the past and will continue to do so. Although expertise in the field of biochemistry is important, the chemistry community needs to improve their academic and organizational infrastructure to accommodate amateur scientists because, with cheaper emerging technologies, amateur scientist’s work can lead to breakthroughs in the field.

           

               

Honesty is the Best Policy

When people think about public relations, they often think of a ‘PR Stunt,’ or some kind of advertisement or campaign meant to draw attention, often on the verge of scamming the audience. People commonly don’t trust public relations because it seems to promise with no delivery. Today, public relations has built its own brand where honesty in information and relationships is the most vital way to not only increase loyalty of consumers, but to break down the walls of distrust with public relations itself. Over the course of history, public relations has developed from a ridiculous notion to the key to brand success and consumer retention.

History

It’s hard to pinpoint exactly where Public Relations started because it came about when people began to persuade for an organization or cause—where people began to reach out to the public. So, really, where it can be traced back to is the Athenian rhetoricians with their public speeches and writing to persuade the people of their ideas. Even Martin Luther’s posting of the 95 Theses can be counted as early public relations. (Lattimore et. al., 2009)

It wasn’t until about 300 years later that modern public relations began to emerge through P.T. Barnum’s tactics to get publicity for his circus—publicity solely for persuasion that ignored the truth because it wasn’t interesting enough. It was his dishonest, outrageous advertisements and displays that gave public relations a reputation of deception for the sake of making money that carries on today.

Cover and page from Barnum Courier, 1883. 2010. Wikimedia Commons. Web. 2015 Dec. 9. Courtesy of Creative Commons.

In the 1900’s, George Michaelis established the Publicity Bureau where he essentially set the ground work for the focus on fact over fiction with press releases by gathering information to publish in newspapers in order to inform the public of current happenings.Through distributing information, it was obviously more effective to communicate truth to the public that would keep consumers’ trust and loyalty. Around the same time, Ivy Lee defined public relations as a “management function” (Lattimore et. al., 2009)—making public relations a more reputable medium for companies or public figures to create a certain image and get their initiatives known to the public.  

After this, public relations even moved into the political realm as President Theodore Roosevelt communicated to the United States through press conferences and interviews. (Lattimore et. al., 2009) Once again this emphasized persuasion through being honest with the public.

Several years later, exaggeration creeped back in with perhaps the most memorable propaganda-filled public relations campaigns put on by the government during World War One and Two. (Lattimore et. al., 2009) Although these campaigns rallied loyalty and support for the war and the country, the propaganda brought about negative perceptions of certain countries and cultures.

As time went on, though, effective public relations was adapted into businesses by Edward Bernays with promotional events, Arthur Page of AT&T and his emphasis on connecting with customers, and Moss Kendrix and his advertising campaigns. (Lattimore et. al., 2009) Soon, departments and firms were established and public relations became more of a professional affair in building a trustworthy image rather than just initiatives to get attention.

According to Wren Ludlow, a current public relations professional who attended BYU, the biggest changes in public relations that will affect the careers of my peers and I are its convergence with marketing, journalism and advertising. New developments in our era such as social media and other technology have brought data and content for engaging and strategic public relations efforts. All of these aspects contribute to more efficient financial management and decision making. Organizations’ transparency about this information is what fosters trusting, “mutually beneficial relationships with key publics.”  

Howle, Jason. Social Media Apps. 2013. Flickr. Web. 2015 Dec. 9. Courtesy of Creative Commons.

Communication and Loyalty

Over the course of this progression, public relations has changed from being 100% about persuasion for business and has brought its focus into being open and transparent with its audiences. This is an essential part of the effectiveness of businesses today.

The purpose of public relations, as BYU professors have said in classes is to ‘build mutually beneficial relationships.’ Public relations professionals’ number one priority is to know exactly what is needed to build that mutually beneficial relationship with a public, individual, company, department, ect. in using effective communication and persuasion tailored to that specific audience.

The purpose of public relations firms and departments is also primarily to build up the image, or brand, of an organization. In other words, the focus of my career is to use strategic planning to increase the credibility of whoever/whatever I represent through relationships, campaigns and other tactics to gain loyalty and trust.

In order to do this, I have to be aware of current trends in society in order to make my communication kairotic enough for people to pay attention. Emotional and logical appeal are then used deliberately to craft messages with distinct rhetorical techniques designed for each specific public. 

Throughout all of these communication techniques, the real loyalty comes from the transparency and vulnerability that an organization offers. To tie this all together, I’ll use an example. When Tylenol's reputation was as stake, Johnson & Johnson saved their image (which is why Tylenol is still a household name) while creating a historic case study:

In the Fall of 1982, cyanide was found in several bottles of Tylenol in the mid-west. Several people were fatally poisoned and a nationwide scare quickly arose due to extensive media coverage. Johnson&Johnson lost the trust of millions of customers as people suspected that they created dangerous products or may have been careless in the production process.

Tylenol rapid release pills. Wikipedia. Web. 2015 Dec. 9. Courtesy of Creative Commons.

In order to fix this, Johnson&Johnson kept the public informed through news and other media about what they were doing to find the source of the tragedy. They also recalled their products, warning consumers not to partake of the medication in case it might be dangerous. This strategy maintained consumer trust and is the reason why we still see Tylenol on store shelves today. (Markel, 2014)

Analysis

This case study not only shows the value in transparency, but how to utilize that transparency to be most effective. If Johnson&Johnson had not been honest with their audience, they would have lost the valuable relationship with consumers that kept them in business. By being transparent, they were able to portray to consumers that their first priority was the consumer’s health and lives rather than trying to salvage what money they could from what was lost after recalling so many bottles of Tylenol.

This may seem counter-productive to the business as a huge aspect of why businesses exist is to make money, but it actually works for both sides. When a company is honest and willing to have open communication, the customer feels cared about and connected to that company. In turn, companies are able to retain a loyal audience and continue to keep their business growing and being successful.

Overall, we have come a long way from the days of P.T. Barnum’s tall tales meant to use deception as the main tactic for drawing in attention and ultimately revenue. Today, public relations professionals are kept honest not only through the success of their company, but by the Public Relations Society of America and its authority, network and code of ethics. To be transparent in public relations is almost not a choice, as the consequence of being discovered for dishonest PR Stunts is the loss of reputation, consumer loyalty and business as a whole. Looking at the whole picture, public relations builds loyalty with honesty in businesses in order to create its own image of honesty to earn the loyalty and trust of the public.

Works Cited

Lattimore, Dan, Otis Baskin, Suzzette T. Heiman, and Elizabeth L. Toth. "The History of Public Relations." Public Relations: the Profession and the Practice. 3rd ed. N.p.: Mcgraw-Hill Education, 2009. 25-43. PDF.

Markel, Howard. "How the Tylenol Murders of 1982 Changed the Way We Consume Medication." PBS. NewsHour Productions LLC., 29 Sept. 2014. Web. 09 Dec. 2015.

The Need for Speed?

Breaking news! Some big event just happened and now journalists are scrabbling to be the first to report the details.

The Society of Profession Journalists Code of Ethics states: “Remember that neither speed nor format excuses inaccuracy.” But with the move to digital platforms, speed is becoming increasingly important to journalists.

A journalist’s job is to communicate and persuade. Journalists communicate information to news consumers (readers, listeners, viewers) and try to persuade them to keep reading or to come back for information in the future. Journalism has been around for thousands of years, but recent changes with technology are bringing changes to the business and business model. Since speed can mean more views (and more views often means more money raised in advertisements), sometimes journalists publish stories before all of the facts are completely known. Historically, this has not always been the case. But with the move to digital journalism, it is becoming more prevalent. Although speed is becoming more important with digital journalism, accuracy should take precedence because it is the more ethical approach.

Recreation is Important to Your Health

Since birth, humans are taught to love to play. From playing peek-a-boo with Mom and Dad, to running, dancing, and jumping – humans live for leisure.  Elementary school kids can’t wait to get outside and play, just like college students and working adults long for the weekend. The roots of recreation can be traced back to the beginning of civilization, when people specialized so they no longer had to forage and hunt all day to survive. Free time was a luxury that only the privileged were able to experience. However, recently free time has become more and more replaced by work voluntarily, causing negative effects on modern society. The bottom line is that recreation is an extremely important part of life, yet in the United States especially, children play less, adults work more, and recreation is often put off and forgotten. Recreation is a vital part of a healthy life and should be a higher priority than it currently is in the United States.

      Americans Need Recreation.   

   In the book Take Back Your Time, Juliet Schor talks about the increasing working hours for adults. In 1967, the average annual working hours for the general public was 1716 hours per year. In 2000, the average working person worked 1878 hours per year (Graff, 7). While these numbers are staggering, they become even more staggering when productivity is also considered. According to Schor, “between 1969 and 2000, the overall index of labor productivity per hour increased about 80 percent, from 65.5 to 116.6… … indicating that the average worker in 2000 could produce nearly twice as much as in 1969.” (Graff, 10) Therein lies the problem. Americans are working more and producing more, and the trend of increasing hours does not appear to be slowing down anytime soon.

Besides working more, Americans are also vacationing less. Schor says that Americans gave back on average “175 million days of paid vacation to employers last year – time they already had coming.” (Graff, 23) The increasing pressure on the working adult to perform and to work extended hours has contributed to the substantial rise of depression. An article in the New York Times wrote: “The World Health Organization reports that suicide rates have increased 60 percent over the past 50 years, most strikingly in the developing world, and that by 2020 depression will be the second most prevalent medical condition in the world.” (Luhrmann)

While the information presented deals mostly with adults, there are also several studies about “overscheduled kids” and the negative effects a full and rigorous schedule has on children. (see Take back your time ch. 5). Needless to say, time is precious. It often feels like there aren’t enough hours in the day to accomplish everything that needs to be accomplished, and it’s no surprise that recreation is the first thing to be cut when short on time. However, in an article written in 2005 by the California Outdoor Recreation Planning Program which works with California State Parks, the positive effects of recreation on one’s physical, mental, and social health are examined. In short, recreation:

•  reduces obesity

• diminishes the risk of diseases such as heart disease, cancer, osteoporosis and others

•  relieves stress

•  reduces depression

• overall improves the quality of life

 (The Social and Health Benefits of Recreation)

What Recreation Management is Doing to Bring Leisure to America

In the industry of recreation, there are many different facets that focus on different aspects of recreation and leisure. However, all facets work together to educate society about the importance of leisure, and enable the general public to better their quality of life, build relationships, and enjoy themselves. The recreation industry can include travel, hospitality, therapeutic recreation, event management, and parks and recreation. Each aspect of recreation specializes in one area of leisure and provides a different experience to the consumer.

Event planning is an important part of recreation. Event planners help the client to tell a story at their event, therefore themeing is extremely pertinent to the successful event. The more immersive the theme, the more transformative and memorable the event for the guest. Rhetoric is also extremely important because the recreation industry is so diverse and extensive that the consumer is all powerful. Like most other businesses, recreation must persuade the consumer that their summer camp, their theme park, their sporting event is the best, all while competing with other businesses trying to do the same.

Besides attracting customers, there are aspects of the recreation industry that explicitly work to educate the public about the positives of recreation. For example, movements such as Nickelodeon’s “Get Up, Get Out, and Go Play” strive to teach kids about the importance of active recreation, while organizations such as the Workplace Fairness Organization work give adults time for recreation, and ensure that employees’ rights are protected.

Therapeutic recreation also falls under the title of recreation management, and is extremely important in the lives of those who are struggling physically or mentally with disabilities. As a therapeutic recreation specialist, one would help his or her client to enjoy their life with their disability, also helping them to improve certain skills that their disability affects. For example, a child with Asperger’s may have a hard time communicating or over coming anxiety, through leisure and recreation, a specialist would design a plan filled with activities that stretch the client, while developing his or her social and leisure skills.

Communication is especially important in this field, because of the nature of recreation. Recreation can often involve safety risks, and if communication is not effective, the well-being of the participants can be compromised. Communication is also extremely important in event planning, specifically. Each event or campaign must have a theme or a story to tell to the guests. In therapeutic recreation, communicating well with the client is important to build client-therapist trust.

Recreation is an extremely important part of life. While in the US it is often neglected as necessary for a healthy life, those who have careers in the recreation industry try to show society just how beneficial it can be for their lives. Leisure allows people to relax, to learn, to bond, and to enjoy their lives.

Sources

Feaster, S. (2013, September 20). Nickelodeon and Partners Encourage Families to Get Up, Get Out and Go Play. Retrieved December 6, 2015, from http://www.letsmove.gov/blog/2013/09/20/nickelodeon-and-partners-encourage-families-get-get-out-and-go-play

Graaf, J. (2003). Take back your time: Fighting overwork and time poverty in America.San Francisco, CA: Berrett-Koehler

Luhrmann,TM. (2014, March 24). Is the World More Depressed? Retrieved December 6, 2015, from http://www.nytimes.com/2014/03/25/opinion/a-great-depression.html?_r=0

The Health and Social Benefits of Recreation. (2005, March). Retrieved December 6, 2015, from http://www.parks.ca.gov/pages/795/files/benefits%20final%20online%20v6-1-05.pdf

Workplace Fairness. (n.d.) Retrieved December 6, 2015, from https://www.workplacefairness.org

Give Economics a Chance

Imagine a world without proper theories that economists have developed over hundreds of years. Can you see it? Picture a place like Zimbabwe, which has such economic potential, but has fallen to the point of requiring its citizens to pay 1.6 trillion Zimbabwean dollars for a loaf of bread (Fisher 2010). If that doesn’t show a government that does not know how to apply the science of economics, I don’t know what would. Although economics is considered a social or dismal science, it is a science comparable to chemistry and should be considered a subject of general education, because economic theories are practical applications of everyday life.

Sometimes people see the physical sciences as more reliable, or that they state the facts and are not wishy washy. There seems to be this disposition that nothing in the physical sciences change. As an example of the contrary, over the last few centuries many new theories have developed about the atomic model.

Source: Advameg, Inc. 2015. Atomic theory.
Accessed December 2015.
http://www.scienceclarified.com/As-Bi/Atomic-Theory.html.

 First it was Dalton’s model, second was Thompson’s plum pudding model, then Rutherford’s, followed by Bohr’s planetary model, all the way until our current understanding of the atom, which is the quantum theory (Advameg, Inc. 2015). Does that seem like a hard and factual science? There are so many theories and assumptions that have to be made for chemistry to work, why would it not be the same for economics.

Through the Ages

Economics is a different way of viewing the world, and thus certain assumptions have to be made, just as chemist would make certain assumptions in order to view the world in an atomic way. The principles relating to economics were used even in the days of Socrates, but it wasn't really formed into a field of study until the 16th - 18th centuries when the formation of an economic theory called mercantilism was developed (The Centrist Party 2014). This theory in simplistic terms means that any nation is only as prosperous as the amount of money they have (The Centrist Party 2014). 

It wasn't until the development of classical economics in 1776, and with the publication of Adam Smith's article called The Wealth of Nations that economics truly began to be viewed as a field of study (Centrist Party, 2014). With the start of this study of viewing the world in terms of economics there were many more theories that began to merge, theories such as the laissez-faire. Laissez-faire was developed in the 19th century, bringing about a free market, which increased the restrictions that governments have on a free market (Centrist Party, 2014). This was a contradicting theory to mercantilism which gave more power to the government, and thus we see the separation of opinions especially concerning economic theory.

This division of opinion in economic theory is what I assume the reason many people consider economics a soft science because it does not have specific unchanging values. The thing to consider is that even though two different theories may seem to contradict, it doesn’t invalidate each individual theory.  In the markets or societies that laissez-faire has been implemented, it has proven to be quite effective, and efficient. On the other hand certain governments, such as China, who have more of a government ruled society have also proven to be successful. There is obviously a question of how ethical each theory is, and personal opinion is important in deciding which way is the “right way.” That is the beauty of economics, it can mold to fit the need of each individual.

The View of Our World

            Of course the study of economics is not the same as a study of chemistry, but the value each subject presents the world is equally useful. When a chemist decides to present his or her work, they do it with models and formulas. These things are very specific and cannot allow much variation, but the point of it is to help us understand the world we live in. The following definition illustrates this point:

Chemistry is the study of matter and the chemical reactions between substances. Chemistry is also the study of matter's composition, structure, and properties. Matter is essentially anything in the world that takes up space and has mass (Boundless 2015).

I would like to reemphasize that chemistry studies matter, and everything in the world is made up of matter. Thus, chemistry is the study of understanding the world. In contrast, or rather in agreeance to that definition let’s look at the definition of economics, presented by the American Economic Association[IF1] :

Economics is the study of how people choose to use resources. Resources include the time and talent people have available, the land, buildings, equipment, and other tools on hand, and the knowledge of how to combine them to create useful products and services (American  2015).

Similar to chemistry, economics studies the behavior of humans, and the way they interact with the things around them. The world is filled with humans, and so economics, like chemistry, is the study of understanding the world. Just because we view it from a different angle, doesn’t make it any less accurate or useful.

            Just as was mentioned before, chemists present their work through models and formulas. That is exactly what economists strive to do. Unlike chemists though, economists have a harder time expressing their work in formulas and models that are so concrete and specific. Certain assumptions must be made, and thus hypotheticals are created, which are oftentimes discredited. What I am proposing that maybe it’s not the study of economics that is soft or unspecific, but rather the inability of economists to communicate their work. If an economist doesn't know how to communicate his knowledge to others, it will make no difference what kind of research he has done, because he can't communicate to others.

Through the Eyes of an Economist

            What I want to impress on your mind is that we should not discredit or give less value to economics simply because economists fail to present their findings in a concrete way without assumptions. That is what makes economics what it is. Why shouldn’t it be a required course in high school and college? Chemistry is a required college and high school course, along with many other physical sciences. Many people end up not ever applying the principles studied in their physical science related classes, even though they are important. What I am saying though is that everyone will have the opportunity to apply the principles of economics in their own personal lives if not in their careers. The benefit would be that every person would be able to view and understand the world in a way that would strengthen the state each individual lives in.

I propose that we increase students’ exposure to economics by incorporating core high school and college level classes into curriculum. The more we can incorporate viewing the world in the way economists do, the more likely it is for economists to improve their ability to present their findings. Let’s set aside this fictitious notion that economics is the dismal science with no hope for the future. I invite anyone that has read my words to evaluate the way you view the study of economics and find the desire within yourself to learn more about how you can see through the eyes of an economist. 

---

References

Advameg, Inc. 2015. Atomic theory. Accessed December 2015. http://www.scienceclarified.com/As-Bi/Atomic-Theory.html.

American Economic Association. 2015. What is Economics? Accessed December 2015. https://www.aeaweb.org/students/WhatIsEconomics.php.

Boundless. 2015. The Study of Chemistry. October. Accessed December 2015. https://www.boundless.com/chemistry/textbooks/boundless-chemistry-textbook/introduction-to-chemistry-1/overview-of-chemistry-26/the-study-of-chemistry-176-7533/.

Fisher, Daniel. 2010. In Pictures: The 10 Worst Economies. Forbes Magazine.

The Centrist Party. 2014. History of Economics. Accessed November 2015. http://uscentrist.org/platform/docs/history-of-economics.

Why Localization Trumps Translation

What is the difference between localization and translation? Ask every professional in the field and you’ll get a different answer from each one. Why? Because localization is an old idea taking on a new identity. Localization, the adaption of a product from its source culture to a target culture, is a process that enables companies to enter new markets without getting ‘lost in translation.’ The discrepancy is not that there are differences, but which encompasses the other. Some say that translation encompasses localization and others say that localization encompasses translation. The newer more tech savvy generation seems to agree that localization encompasses translation. The older demographic tends to disagree with translation becoming a byproduct of something newer arguing that because translation is older, it encompasses localization. But I argue that although translation is more well known, localization encompasses translation, because translation is only one step in the bigger process of localization.

Anesthesiologists and CRNAs: Not Separate, yet Equal.

Why Have Both?

        Like many career fields and practices, general anesthesia came about to solve a problem. This  universal problem that becomes an extreme issue when someone cuts into your bones. Pain is this problem, and anesthesia is the solution. Anesthesia, in its many forms, has been around almost as long as recorded history tells us, with nurses administering the anesthesia under surgeons’ supervision. In my experience talking with doctors and nurses, I have gotten an overall feeling that the game is changing a little bit in the medical field. Doctors are liable for so much that all they do is paperwork now. There is so much technology that can tell us more than we thought imaginable just a few years ago. This allows physicians to be very specialized. Talking to a nurse anesthetist was the reason why I want to become one. I usually tell people what he told me when people ask what a Certified Registered Nurse Anesthetist (CRNA) is. That is, a CRNA is basically an anesthesiologist that didn't have to go to medical school. As a generalization, the anesthesiologist has more liability and tells the CRNA what to do. 

         CRNAs are certified to do nearly all of what anesthesiologist can, yet they need to be supervised in many instances. Multiple problems could be solved with the progressively complicated system if CRNAs could work independently. Although some may say that anesthesiologists’ specialties are crucial to the medical field, Nurse Anesthetists should replace anesthesiologists because student debts from medical school would drop drastically, it would give CRNAs opportunities to utilize all of their training, thus reducing the redundancy of having two such similar specialties in the same workplace. It would also eliminate a level of potential miscommunication between physicians working together to improve and save lives.

The Redefinition of College Education: Last Words of a College Senior

Modern School

I have a sister in high school. I have talked with her and heard her express her concerns about her future, especially the pressures she feels to attend college even though she has no clue why she personally would want to. She knows that college could help her towards a good career but doesn’t know what career she wants. Although I know that college is a good means to a career, I don’t think a career is the central purpose of a college education. I propose a redefinition of what a college education is in order to help students like my sister make the decision to go to college without feeling the pressure of career-oriented college rhetoric.

Feminism...The Good Kind

 I am the oldest of four girls. Growing up, I was taught that I could do anything I wanted, as long as I put my mind to it and worked hard. Rights as a woman never seemed like an issue.

-Updated- Final Call!: Changing Radio in Review

The Apple Seed Team and some of our guests

At the beginning of the semester, had you told me that by the end of the next four months I'd have strong feelings towards the future of radio, I'm not sure I would have believed you. But now, as we are in the midst of finals, I can tell you very adamantly that radio is not dead! And I'd then tell you in detail about how broadcast executives can go about refurbishing their approaches towards radio (and not simply dismissing it) and in turn bring back radio as a relevant, contemporary, and fresh media channel.

This January, I began my job working as an Assistant Producer at BYU Radio for a show called The Apple Seed. It's a storytelling show with deep roots in the traditional storytelling community and flavors of The Moth Radio and This American Life. I LOVE my job.

stranger danger no more (on the web)

I type this fairly certain that you (the reader) have signed into a google account in order to access this blog site, and therefore know that I am preaching to the choir. That said, my request is reducing the number of anonymous human interactions we have online.

It's about families, it's not about borders

When dealing with immigration we should remember that it’s about families, not borders.  It’s so easy for us to get so concerned with nationalism, patriotism and technicalities that we forget that people are people and deserve our respect.  Over the course of this semester I’ve done a thorough investigation of why so many Americans rage and are overly concerned with immigrants.  I took a Latin American culture and history class to better understand why this happens and what we must understand to overcome it. 

Religious Tolerance: America's Final Frontier

This semester, in my rhetoric and civilization course, I decided to focus on the value and practice of religious tolerance. With tensions ebbing and flowing between America and ISIS, and with day-to-day tensions between Americans who share different beliefs, who wouldn't benefit from taking a moment to evaluate themselves? I decided it was time to explore an alternative view toward religion in America. Throughout my research, my personal views on religious tolerance evolved--often prompted by questions raised from my peers in the class.

We Are The Change

With the rapid development of technology in our age, social media has become an integral part of our lives. Along with a plethora of efficacious implications, technology also carries with it the potential to be an pernicious evil. When used as a medium for pornographic material, technology begets a destructive force with implications of destroying interpersonal relationships, hindering society and harming individuals. We need to become more conscious of the negative consequences associated with pornography through increasing personal awareness and effecting change by personal acts of valor.  By doing so, we thereby effectuate the change.

An Uncertain Source: Why You Should Doubt the Internet

This semester my call to change is focused on changing the undeserved trust that people give to the internet. In my midterm video, I began by recapping a normal interaction on the internet; seeing a product, following a link to a website, reading reviews and then purchasing the project. While this seems normal and harmless, the fact is that the internet user just followed an unverified link to a website who’s reviews they blindly trusted and then gave very personal information, including a personal address and credit card number, to a company they have no real knowledge of. Basically the reckless way in which we approach the internet will come back to bite us if we don’t put measures in place to protect ourselves.

"It Takes a Village", Samoan Style

My call for change is that we need to take a fresh look at education in America. I took note of the changes that Tonga had made to its educational system, which had been heavily exam-oriented, and British (or Western) based, and I have now further expanded to look at Samoa (with the same British base), who revamped their educational system entirely.

Brother, can you spare a dime?

My call to change is that the NCAA should allow certain athletes to be paid. I say certain athletes because I don't think that it is possible to pay all athletes right now but in the future I would hope that all collegiate athletes could  be paid.

For all of my life I was opposed to paying college athletes. It wasn't until last year, when a point guard from the University of Connecticut caught my attention. His name was Shabazz Napier and he helped lead his team to win the national title in men's basketball.

 In an interview Napier told members of the media that he often went to bed starving despite having a university meal plan. According to the University of Connecticut's student-athlete handbook, student athletes were allowed three meals in any residence hall from between 7 a.m. and 7:15 p.m. But for Napier, this plan could not simply provide enough nourishment for his body. It was at this moment that I realized that many of these athletes come from the poorest of backgrounds and can't afford the simple indulgences like McDonalds or a Wendy's. I felt for Napier and I thought that it was simply not fair that he would go to bed starving because he couldn't afford to buy food but the University that he played for would make millions of him and his teammates. 

A Change in Student Debt

Well, it’s been a long semester, filled with twists and turns, but I’ve finally decided on my call for change. I suggest that the government should allow pro bono hours to be applied toward alleviating law school student loan debt.

About two weeks ago, I finally decided to attend BYU Law, and the main factor was the price. I felt like I would have more freedom to actually serve people when I graduated if I graduated with as little debt as possible. However, not all people are as lucky as I am to go to a school that provides a fairly cost-effective option. Some graduates find themselves saddled with six-figure debt that severely impedes the options they have to serve others because instead of serving the poorer community, they need to work to pay off their student loan debt.