Humor Me

A couple years ago I visited the Milwaukee Art museum and saw an exhibt called cut. Which was about cinema and film splicing and editing. In one of the displays it was the song leaving on a jet plane covered by a female vocalist, and the video playing in time with the music was of men's diving. Now men's diving is initially kind of interesting to take in, but this was the same couple of dives over and over again for roughly 3 min. Despite the repetition the song was catchie that you still found yourself standing there for the entire duration. Under the display was a synopsis that talked about how Nazi's originally coined this technique. They would take fine Ariana specimens and set them on a rotating platform. Then they would parade them through the town while playing popular music of the time, in addition to, espousing their propaganda about genetics and race superiority. They noticed that the people swallowed the message more readily when it was set to popular music, and thus the music video was conceived.



I remember sitting through an in service once and watching a video about change, and embracing change with a tag line "Shift Happens," and the music was so catchie and the images so moving you couldn't help but want to be apart of it afterwards. Later I recalled the art exhibit, and in future in services remember to keep this manipulative tool in mind. Is this a good idea, or is someone very invested in mass amounts of people coming to terms or getting on board with a concept.



Its important to be critical of this as most of the time this is used in commercials or ads for people trying to persuade you to spend your almighty dollar on their brand. It is also used to get people to stay longer in clothing stores, because the longer you stay the more likely you are to buy.



And unlike other forms of promotion individuals don't seem to get tired of this type, nor has its effectiveness worn off.



Germans at the time of the Nazi's were a state of great poverty and anguish. They were desperate to believe in something that would save them from their hurting, so despite the birth of an incredibly manipulative promotional tool it would not have taken a whole lot to get people rallied around anything promising as much hope as the Nazis were.



I think a lot these days about adolescents. About all the promotional messages they get infiltrated with and the tools they have to filter out the garbage from the good. To navigate the complexities of the gray areas. I think the song "The Fear"very accurately what a lot of adolescents experience even if they are unaware of it:



Lilly Allen



I attended a course last summer where Chris Farley's brother the key note speaker. He talked about how adolescent raised in loving homes are given all kind of values and morals to combat a lot of what American culture lacks. However he said that once these children reach middle school its like they have been sent out on a boat with only their peers, and those relationships are vital to their survival. And one of the tools that can help an adolescent navigate those rough waters is humor.

Here is an example of a script he gave:

Sandy : "Hey Charlie you going to Allen's party on Friday its going to be a total blast with his folk being out of town."

Charlie : "I would but Flavor of Love is coming over to teach me how to tell time."

Or

Sandy : "There is going to be beer at the party."

Charlie : "Well I only attend parties where heroin and meth are available."

These quick little comebacks help the person doge the response, and distract. In the same way a block in volleyball deflects a hard driven spike from earning the opponent a kill. Its not only a good way to prevent the action its also impressive when it happens. Memorable even after a game finishes out.

You become that kid who makes everyone laugh, and who doesn't like the funny kid. Then the person is free to go to the party or not go to the party but save face in front of his buddies regardless.

You can practice this skill at home with your kids by doing a lot of the types of warm up activities improve groups do. I will post those warm ups in a day or two here.

I know that in a perfect world all our kids make perfect little friends who never pressure them to do anything wrong or naughty, but this just isn't realistic. Especially if they travel in even the most socially accepted secular circle (a.k.a. public school :).

The main speaker at Mean for More two years ago described the traumatic experience of boldly opting out of a party, and the popularity repercussions that followed that bold assertion. Of course she survived and of course she is stronger for having gone through that trial. But having that same expectation for every kid is an enormous error, and maybe this is just what your kid needs.

Let us not forget :

Matthew 10:16 (New International Version)

"I am sending you out like sheep among wolves. Therefore be as shrewd as snakes and as innocent as doves."