IKEA nesting instinct

"Like so many others, I had become a slave to the IKEA nesting instinct.

Narrator: Uh, yes. I'd like to order the Erica Pekkary dust ruffles.

Operator: Please hold.

If I saw something clever like a little coffee table in the shape of a yin-yang, I had to have it. The Klipske personal office unit, the Hovetrekke home exer-bike, or the Johannshamn sofa with the Strinne green stripe pattern. Even the Rizlampa wire lamps of environmentally friendly unbleached paper. I'd flip through catalogs and wonder: What kind of dining set defines me as a person? I had it all. Even the glass dishes with tiny bubbles and imperfections. Proof that they were crafted by the honest, simple, hard-working indigenous peoples of...

Operator: Please hold.

Narrator: Wherever. I was holding.

We used to read pornography. Now it was the Horchow collection."

This scene from Fight Club strongly addresses the idea of materialism. The man in the clip is controlled by his need for Ikea products and as a result, suffers isolation from society. The text in the scene depict how a simple furniture catalogue can become the basis of one's life. As the scene progresses, it becomes clearer and clearer how the man's Ikea products consume all of his thoughts, time, and energy.

[UPDATE]

Background information. The narrator has no friends, no family, suffers from severe depression and insomnia. As you can notice he talks to the automatic voice on the phone, apparently, because he feels lonely and miserable.

Where is the Love?

"Where is the Love" Music Video by The Black Eyed Peas

This video seems to have an agreement that America is hypocritical. It frequently comments on the ideas that America doesn’t want certain things including terrorism and war however we are still having these issues. For example, America says we want to refrain from fighting several countries, meanwhile we are still sending troops abroad. This video is stating that America tends to make promises, and usually fails to fulfill them. The video continues to elaborate on the internal problems in the United States with drug dealing, gang wars etc.

The question marks in the video play an important role because it associates different things with problems. The question marks are representing the people of America asking the government for answers and reasons regarding their questionable actions. For example there is a question mark on a road sign, this might mean that there is problem with the direction in which we are taking our country. Another question mark is also on the flame of the statue of liberty, which could question the justice of our country. Also the fact that the questions marks are being placed by people from all different walks of life show that not just a select group of people want answers, but that everyone does.

To sum it up the whole video is questioning the actions the United States is taking, not just within our country but within the world as well.

-Rebecca Poser, Angel Algarin, Spencer Rogers, Josh Edington

No War!

Total annihilation is the most probable outcome when there is no end worldwide warfare, especially when there hydrogen bombs to be worried about. ~Thomas

The United States, and the major countries alike, are all power hungry, and competing against each other in an arms race. If we stop fighting on the other hand, we will lose our arms as the war sky-rockets. ~Michael

As we raise our white flag in order to surrender, we must raise it for all the deaths that the war caused. We will always have competition which led to the fighting; therefore, another end and want for 'No War.' ~Julia

This cartoon reminded me of the Lyndon B Johnson presidential campaign ad ( http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oYcgw0xfAZ0 ). The whole goal of the ad was to scare voters into thinking Johnson's opponents would lead them all to WWIII. This cartoon has the same effect. A child's arm floating up on a balloon advising an end to war is a pretty powerful persuasion for the audience to move toward peace. ~Ambria ;)

”This is America, there is no reason to lie, cheat, steal, unless you wanna be awesome but don't fuck people over to get to the middle. You betray everything America is about, we didn't throw Britain’s tea into the ocean because we wanted to be a mediocre country and we didn’t let those fuckers line up in a line and then shoot 'em in the back because we didn't want to be one of the best countries in the world and we're not giving China an "I owe you" because we actually planning on paying it back. This is America the land of opportunity to fuck people over, take what isn't yours but only if you planning on getting to the top of the mountain and waving what you have, and they don’t, in their face.” –Philip Defranco-This is America

This is a very extreme view of the American capitalist system. American's dumping Britain's tea into the ocean and killing people lined up shows America's disregard for others who are in the way. The reference to America's debt to China alludes to the possibility of future conflict. Currently America isn't and will not be in a position in which they will be able to pay back China, therefore it is likely that there will be some form of conflict to resolve the debt. The rant brings light to the fact that many of the opportunities provided in America can take advantage of other people and businesses for the personal gain of individuals. It also implies that people and businesses take advantage of others to get to the top.

-Mark Samiec, Charllotte Reardon, Chelsea Finn-