You Call That Art?

What is art? Virgually anything, right? How can you put a restriction on what art is? It is relative. Art is really just anything that is a representation or expression. To some, that means a couple of splattered paint spots on a canvas. To others, that means a sophisticated musical composition or a completely choreographed dance number. So what about video games? Nope. A video game? Art? I think yes. A video game can be viewed as art in so many different ways. For one, the graphics in modern day video games have become incredibly complex. There are vivid landscapes,  crystal clear resolution, and the most realistic looking creatures and people that aren't actually real that I've ever seen. So in that sense, aesthetically, video games are truly art. But I also consider video games art in another way. Their technicality. So much goes into making a video game a video game. Hours of planning, designing, creating back stories, generating images that come off as real life. Then there's actually creating these images electronically completely from the ground up. On top of that, there is incredible music that sets the theme for the game. If the music by itself is considered art, how could that plus all of the production of a video game not be? When you think about it, video games are a bunch of different artful elements smashed into one. In my eyes, having the mind, the vision, the talent to do so is without a doubt artistic. I respect video games for the amount of time, money, skill goes into them to make them enjoyable for gamers everywhere. Though I myself am not an avid gamer, I can at least acknowledge the effort that goes into making them. Art comes in all different forms, and video games deserve its spot to be considered one of them.

The Power of Words

What does "VIRTUALLY SPOTLESS" and "NEW AND IMPORVED" mean to you? Or how about "LIKE MAGIC"? It sounds like a product that will get the job done, right? Something you would want to buy because it will work effectively and benefit you in some useful way. The thing is, do these products actually work as well as their labels say they will? Let's be honest, probably not. But these enthusiastic adjectives and complimentary phrases make us feel better, so we buy that product over the others with less appealing titles.This is because we believe it is 'better than the leading brand'. So what do these words really entail? Allow me to serve as your Advertisement Word Dictionary, your translator.

Let's begin. When a product says "VIRTUALLY SPOTLESS", it is really saying "I mean, you won't be able to see that the spot is there, so that's a plus right?". The word virtually basically means "kinda but not really!". So in actuality, the product will make it seem like it got the job done. What about "NEW AND IMPROVED"? In order for something to be new and improved, it once had to be old and really bad at its function. It makes me wonder what was wrong with the product the first time.And lastly, "LIKE MAGIC''. If something works that well without a real explanation, you probably do not want to know why or how that product works so well. Most likely, its full of harsh chemicals. Congratulations! You are now the new and improved shopper! Go about your life deciphering through the B.S. :)

Consumerism: Can't Live With it, Can't Live Without It.

Consumerism is a disease, and we're all infected with it. Too harsh? I'll start over. We've learned to buy without consequence. We see something we want. Corporations tell us we need it, so we buy it. In reality, the likelihood that we actually need the newest version of our favorite smartphone, or those two-wheeled hover boards that are impossible to balance on, is very slim. Subconsciously, we know we don't need these things, so why do we buy them anyway? That's easy. We want them! Through mindful marketing, corporations convince us that our wants are just as important as needs. We become zombies. The capitalist system makes sure we remain in an endless loop. We buy, we see an ad, we buy more. Advertisements are carefully constructed to appeal to every age group, more races, differing political views. The list goes on. The funnier the ad, the catchier the slogan, the more recognizable the logo or popular the brand, the more likely you are to buy the product.  Think about this. There are actual downloadable apps that test your knowledge of name brands. Provided with a shape of a logo, you must input the proper brand name to advance to the next level. This is a display of how much consumerism runs our lives. What's ironic is that while we indulge in our wants, we forget about needs, or even the needs of others. Something else to think about: The Superbowl. Besides of course the football, hundreds of thousands of people tune in to watch the outrageous ads during the commercial breaks. This incredibly televised sports event is a marketing team's dream. Here's where the irony hits. While we enjoy silly ads and eat finger sandwiches, the losing team's Superbowl shirts are being shipped off to a third world country in need of clothing. To say that consumerism is not beneficial to the stimulation of our economy would be a mistake. However, when it rules over most of the decisions we make, it can be blinding to other, more important real world issues.