No Logo – Brands, Globalization & Resistance

I found this video to be pretty interesting. I don’t agree with every single idea coming from this site, but check out the Media Education Foundation at: www.mediaed.org. This news outlet, unlike most mainstream media organizations, have several interesting stories and are not obsessed with hype, gossip, fluff, or over sensationalized news.

Bob Marley – Music Video of the Week

Robert Nesta Marley (AKA Bob Marley) was born in Jamaica on February 6, 1945, and sadly passed away from a cancerous brain tumor in Florida on May 11, 1981 (He was only 36). Bob Marley was a revolutionary musician and a history changing icon that will live on way past forever. His music has united millions and remained an inspiration and encouragement for people to do the right things no matter what circumstances have to say about it. For those of you who do not know, his band was called “The Wailers” and he before Bob was popular for his reggae music styles, he was making ska music all the way back in the 60’s.

Below is my video of the week. Enjoy and make sure if you are one of those people who thinks the Bob Marley compilation entitled “Legend” contains the only brilliant works from him, you need to go seek out the hundreds of other masterpieces he made during his life here.

If You Don’t Have a Religion, There’s Always Money

I know, I know what you’re thinking, but I don’t need a lecture on the money situation in life as I realize that our existence will always depend on earning or exchanging goods and services in order to meet our needs. I get it! The very fact that I’m typing on my computer right now is only possible because I had to earn something to obtain it. But the more I live, the increasingly I’m amazed by how people so constantly praise the almighty dollar. I mean, it is to the point where the fascination with money is becoming innate and an almost cult like instinctive obsession. Regardless of what religion you are, when you think about everyday life, it’s clear that almost everything we do and say revolves around money. The basic act of getting up in the morning is often because we have to go to work and earn money that keeps a roof over our heads. Most of the conversations we have in life with strangers include an exchange of currency or a negotiation of how one party can get a portion of the others money. And when it’s time to eat or go shopping for groceries, we naturally look for the cheapest prices as we know that what we buy is dependent on how much we have in our wallets. From the first day of kindergarten, we were not only being trained and prepared to make money, but we were ourselves paying money to the school (probably too much money) Needless to say,from everything from the very structure of our houses to the car we drive, our default religion is money. It would seem like a distraction in most cases, but money is a social and psychological element in life that gives us a clear purpose each day and makes us feel reasonably comfortable about making efforts in life whatsoever.

This reward called money is the single most influential force that the world has ever seen. Imagine how many deaths daily are a result of the desire to obtain money. People are victimized each day because someone else believed in money over another individuals life. This philosophy of willing to kill or be killed (over money) is very frightening as it shows how out of touch we can get when it comes to money worship. Don’t get me wrong, I believe it’s a good thing to achieve goals and make profit from one’s work, but making money should give a person the opportunity to be thankful for that reward and encourage others to succeed. We so easily get locked into the mindset that money and possessions make us who we are. We even go as far as showing off new possessions we purchase and even boast of how much currency we have in the first place. We are selfish and self centered by nature, but money is so powerful that we’re willing to do things we don’t want to do and on occasion “bend the rules” if we must (AKA ripping each other off). And to add to this religion, we are willing to do this for as long as it takes. Forever even.

You often hear the term; “money doesn’t bring happiness”, but do you truly believe this, or do you think money does bring you joy? Ask yourself, has more money solved your problems in life? If you are a slave to money, perhaps you should try something new. Remember, cash and possessions can’t follow you to the grave, so maybe it’s time for us to find a new god.