Tozier+Film+Annotation2

Toxic Sludge Is Good For You 9/9/15 Ryan Tozier Kim Fortun 1. What is the argument of Toxic Sludge is Good for You, and what examples are given to support it? The argument of Toxic Sludge is Good for You, is that the influence of public relations professionals has reaches from governments to corporations directly into our lives without regulation. He cites examples like the gulf war, which was not popular at the time in America. To generate momentum behind the war, Americans were misled concerning Iraq soldiers killing babies. In addition, they were misled about the number of participating Americans in the war effort by front organizations like Citizens for a Free Kuwait. More recently, there is also the example of genetically modified foods. To actively prevent issues like those that arose in Europe United States biotech industries began crushing public debate though constant advertising and massive amounts of money being poured in. Also there is the other side to public relations which is censorship, and in this case what was censored was which products even contained genetically modified foods so whether you know it or not you will be buying these foods. 2. Describe how commercial public relations has likely shaped the thinking of k-12 students we will work with. What are many k-12 students in the US today likely to take as given and “natural”? Consumer culture has most certainly become natural for students today. The phone industry seems to me to be at the front of it, always telling them to buy the newest greatest phone they have ever seen. Companies like Apple with a loyal following have convinced many kids to upgrade over and over without real need and this likely does not feel like problem for the students involved. This has been done through intensive advertising campaigns that put the new things we need in front of our faces whenever we get in front of a screen, as well as carefully explaining why this upgrade with fundamentally improve the human experience. 3. What is “greenwashing,” and what examples do you find particularly provocative? Greenwashing is a type of PR that spins information in a way that makes a company or product seem environmentally friendly. “For example, the Temperate Forest Foundation is funded by the logging industry. The Green Earth Society is funded by the coal industry, and the Water Environment Federation by the municipal sewage industry.” In addition, I had read about ( though I can no longer remember the specifics or the site) different major food distributors like Kraft that have created their own standards for measuring how healthy a food is. Of course their brand has very high marks. 4. How could we teach middle school students about greenwashing, and propaganda more generally? Suggest a specific exercise. To teach kids about propaganda I believe the best way is to start historically, because it has come very far from where it started and isn’t always as evident. After pointing out blatant explains from our past I would show more complex forms from present day like what happened after the BP oil spill. I would then show several different videos and have students identify the propaganda. 5. Consider how we should – and maybe should not – use public relations strategies in planning for a community Earth Day event at RPI. Suggest specific ways that we could follow the suggestions listed below (from Wilcox, Dennis L, et al. Public Relations Strategies and Tactics, 4th ed. (New York: HarperCollins), 1995, p. 300, referenced in the study guide for Toxic Sludge is Good for You). Also discuss public relation strategies that are not appropriate for use by educators, researchers and/or civic activists. From the suggestions below the most like to draw good attention to our community event would be to stage a debate or hold a contest. During the event if we could hold a debate between a supporter for global climate change and someone opposed to it. If we feel that might draw negative publicity, it could instead be a debate over the best green technology to move forward with (i.e. solar power, wind power). For a contest we could do something like who can pick put the most trash, or something of that sort and the winner will have the privilege of planting a tree somewhere on campus