Awani ...
Slept on your comments to my post.
Slightly confused over your choice of words about "the Coke" as well as your precise point. I suppose I resist being part of any "Coke" culture ... much like I'd resist The Borg ... save for the fact that it's the only cola some restaurants serve.
In my struggle to understand, I'll attempt to clarify my point.
The concepts the clip presents are great, but I suppose I resist how they manifest ... as a result of advertising. Now, resisting that may be entirely incorrect since screenplays are written, they acquire a budget and are produced, in which "product placement" is bought and paid for by corporate or commercial concerns, supplementing the budget ... a necessary evil.
The scene itself may not have been produced exclusively by Coke in order to sell Coke, but only the producers would know for sure. What is known, is that the film clip is at least partially intended to sell Coke.
You recently asked me, "Why so serious?" ... and herein lies part of the answer.
I abhor "pollution" and intentionally applied toxins in our environment, whether physical or psychological. To me, "that's-just-the-way-it-is" isn't good enough (not to say that's what you're saying in this or any other instance). Accepting what "is" as a matter of fact on its face value is what got DDT killing off wildlife in the 60's, or industrial/commercial/municipal effluent as a common addition to our waterways around the same time, or even the buy-this-and-you'll-be-happy crap that's a result of the industrial revolution ... or any other number of matter-of-fact wholly unnecessary injections of useless or even detrimental aspects of human activity.
Is all this business, commerce and money-changing necessary? Frankly, I think that's up for serious debate, although both a lifelong friend retired from banking and several hundred thousand others might vigorously disagree with me. Personally, recalling your own citations of "immature," a culture that blindly accepts "it's-just-business" in its narrowest most limited sense is worse than infantile. "Greed is good," is about as childish, arrogant and even narcissistic as it gets. There's better ways of doing things. And it could be considered even worse than that since we know there's better ways, but refuse to consider changing one iota. That's gluttonously refusing to let go of a nipple we've been feeding from that we no longer need.
But then, I'm citing all this smack dab in the middle of our evolution, and few, if any, can clearly define where we "should be," as opposed to where we actually are. It may well be that we're precisely where we should be, and that place is still quite immature.
Anyway ... I simply find it galling that an international conglomerate founded on the promotion and sale of effervescent caramel flavored sugar water is necessary to manifest expressions of wisdom.
As far as your student responsibility statement, I'll agree with you whole-heartedly ... truly ...
However ...
... (the use of "however" not intended to negate my agreement) ...
I'm compelled to point out that many, many cultures clearly, distinctly, even vigorously, possibly even under the threat of violence, insist that the average person submits utterly to higher authority and everything it teaches and espouses.
"Do it our way or there will be consequences."
I can't remember a single teacher or professor in my history that began a single lecture or class that began with, "You can choose to disbelieve me if you like ..." or anything of the sort. In virtually every instance the underlying theme was, "Do it this way or you will experience great distress, pain and consequence."
That doesn't even hint at student discretion.
It may well be that you were exposed to either a family or social [or even educational] dynamic that taught you to be critical of your "masters," teachers or otherwise, but that is very rare. It is not the experience of the average person, even to the point where such questioning becomes the subject of potential [or even likely] ridicule, instilling a lifelong fear of it.
Essentially, the common experience is the message, "Obey."
I suppose we've both learned otherwise ...
... and in my case, I'm breaking even my own "mandates" by discussing this with you at all ... since I've suggested that you and I are oil and water and shouldn't even attempt to get into stuff.
Guess that's just the oppositional Bohemian in me.
**smile**
**wave**
