In a person's life the Earth School is the most authentic. Its teachings are very comprehensive. It combines the best traditions of the traditional and non-traditional schools. Its lessons are formal and informal and occur 24 hours per day, 7 days per week and 52 weeks per year.
The major objective of the Earth School is to have us learn by repetition, trial and error. Once we have mastered a lesson, we will proceed to the next level of our educational development. In this school there are many defined and not so defined rules to be learned and one can easily visualize a continuum from accomplishing the simple things of life that many take for granted to the very difficult that we may never be able to achieve in our lifetime. All of us have general and specialized lessons to learn. These are all geared specifically for our welfare.
The Earth School's philosophy is “Do unto others as you would have done unto you.” This saying could be seen in many different ways by a person, community and nation. But how accurate are our perceptions?
Pictures of Our Lives
Over the course of a day, Americans see flashes of thousands of color and black and white pictures from various sources especially TV, film, newspapers, magazines, books, billboards and the Internet. These pictures have implications for us. They reach us wherever we are whether we like them or not. They impact us consciously and subconsciously. Critics are aware that these pictures accomplish their mission in one way by the tremendous success story of the advertising industry. This multi-billion-dollar industry serves as the backbone of America, Americans and the worldwide mass media.
Pictures and images though could be misleading and although the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) may overlook complaints of some deceptive ads there are still some areas of worry. For instance ads say, “Buy, buy,” “everyone is doing it,” and the product “fulfills one's life.” Many adults learn to make informed decisions about these products but young children according to activists and the Federal Communication Commission (FCC) are particularly vulnerable. Despite this the Earth School requires viable economics for persons to function to their fullest potential.
An individual therefore has to be able to cut through the avalanche of these images. He has to be able to recognize what is true, false or misleading. Persons may be vulnerable to fast moving pictures. Through these, one's thinking processes may become limited. In spite of this, one still has to make a determination of his progress in the Earth School. While viewing ads is there a particular standard one should expect? What is most important? Is it the actor's physical appearance or the quality of the product itself? Is it possible to separate the two? Is a salesman's dress important? Is there prestige in acquiring an expensive car? What is the buyer's idea of prestige?
Every living moment all of us in the Earth School face differing decisions and situations. How we respond tell us something about ourselves. The mass media offer many opportunities for us to come to grips with those situations that we consider important. We can best do this by opening our eyes, examining our hearts and weighing and considering our options.
On the surface, such decisions may seem simple but they could be intricate and call for much reflection. In some past news stories, the mass media have presented us with the details of some famous stars that faced bankruptcy. How, we may ask ourselves, can such persons with access to the best business and legal minds become bankrupt? On the contrary, many middle-class Americans do well living responsibly and within their means. Some stories like the latter cause some Americans' spirits to lift.
The Role of Images
Many media professionals are concerned about the image of their clients. It is widely known that a good image is productive, reaps benefits and can translate into huge profits. This is why many corporations invest in having an appealing corporate image.
Politicians depend on image-makers. Some presidential races are won because of the slickness of this aspect of their campaign. Here, the public is coaxed to see political candidates as combining many appealing attributes including being physically attractive and having exceptional leadership qualities e.g., being cool under pressure, displaying decisive action, the capacity to articulate issues, being a family man and patriot.
Public relations practitioners will show a company as having stable financial assets, a history of fiscal reliability, accountability, continuity, excellent leadership, demonstrating an innovative edge with the intent of retaining their clientele. It is the individual's task to cut through this veneer. How could he do so? To what extent is the presentation he is watching based on clearly delineated facts? Is the company's portrayals fluff? Does their pitch make sense? When it comes to financial matters a person could seek information and counseling through the Better Business Bureau (BBB) and FTC.
