This week I watched Brad Paisley’s video “Online”. I posted it somewhere (above) in this blog so others can take a look for themselves. It actually turned out to be interesting, even though I groaned (a deep hearty groan) when I saw all the country cliché’s kicking in. Growing up in Texas it still makes me feel embarrassed to see people running around in their contrived country costumes. As they say, “that’s entertainment.” My personal pretentiousness and Northwest snobbery aside, I thought the video itself was really cute. I think that George (Jason Alexander) from Seinfeld was the main character in there and I definitely recognized some of the older stars like Captain Kirk.   The video was a little fuzzy so I’m not sure about George. The basic plot of this video is that the average everyday Joe-Schmoe can portray himself as anything online. He delves a little into having a 3 way with some people who are just as ugly or “average” as him. He pretends to be a country music star online (even though that somehow ends up really happening with Brad Paisley at the end)

 I did like the evolution of the story in the video, instead of making fun of George the whole time and how much of a loser he is, the parents and everyone got involved. I liked how when the parents finally got on there, George put on his marching band gear and found a girlfriend. Sort of. They made fun of the hypocrisy of it all, but didn’t really mock anyone too badly. I think the lesson is, we’re all guilty of it.   

 I like that other people go the other way and seem to embrace the geekery of online, prentending to be worse than they are. I included my favorite little Napoleon Dynamite dance scene in here too to illustrate the point. It’s kind of the antithesis of the Brad Paisley video, yet ultimately the same. Embracing and taking your inner-geek over the top is still the same message. In films, in the movies, online – we are just the characters we make ourselves into. The internet just adds the possibility of anonymity. Even celebrities laugh about the annoyance of fame, “aren’t you the guy from that one show?” No that's a character... 

 Ultimately these videos encourage us to be who we really are, for better or worse. The same message the human race has been giving out since the dawn of time. “Thou shalt not covet your neighbor’s donkey/boat/career/body/wife”. Be yourself. 
 I definitley see how this ties into our class reading from Wood and Smith. We all posted lots of reasons in our discussion of why we can't truly know anyone online. We all accentuate our best features, it’s an instinctive thing. When speaking face to face we tell stories about ourselves, often highlighting or exaggerating moments of prowess, brilliance or even self-deprecating humor. We're superheroes!  The internet makes that even easier, and it is the easiest place to falsely represent one's true self. Why merely exaggerate the truth in a story when you can change it around completely? Who is that hurting, who does it bother? We are free to lie without consequences (more or less) and this contrast between the truth and reality is what makes communication difficult to believe. The internet’s largest boundary is also it’s blessing - the perceived disconnect that allows you to create an alter ego without fear of reprisal.

 

-Sam Paul

(Sam sees what you did there...)

 

Be sure to eat your green veggies, and if anyone could tell me how to make text wrap around the pictures I would really appreciate it!

I think that one thing that Brad Paisley does in most of his videos is make fun of the general audience and the faults that we have. As Paisley points out people are always unhappy with who they are but they love themselves anyway or at least find ways to deal with themselves. I can remember back in high school when I wished I was in this group or that group but now looking back I am happy were I ended up because I wouldn't be who I am today. Kinda how Jason Alexander's character evolved in the video.

It is interesting to me how the most successful people who have the looks, the car, the "hot" spouse, and the money try to tell us that we need to "be ourselves" and not aspire to being like them. I have nothing against Brad Paisley, but in a culture like ours that is based on materialism, sex, etc. I imagine it is really hard for people to want to be themselves. We are told that success has little to do with solid relationships, or values like kindness and compassion, no in our country success is having the Hummer, the Jimmy Choo's, the size 0 body and plastic surgery. I don't think technology caused this, but I do think that it helps people promote this way of life. Do you think that you have personally been affected by any of these issues or has the internet tempted you to lie about who you are? Thanks for the post...it was really interesting.:)