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December 10, 2015

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Analyzing Donald Trump and His Muslim Ban

TrumpDonald Trump is one of the best personalities for generating millions in free publicity based on his “off-handed” remarks. His latest remarks about banning Muslims from entering our country until we figure things out were a part of a well-planned announcement. The campaign generated huge visibility worldwide for Trump and high ratings for the radio and television networks.

It was also a big enough event for those entering the publicity queue to take advantage of riding Trumps coat tails. It generated thousands of interviews across the nation for every level of “expert” that local stations could find.

Analyzing the announcement and the world’s reaction can be revealing.

The first point of analysis surrounds the fact that Trump’s remarks were thought out, written, and accomplished his goal of grabbing the attention of the media. Trump typically appears to say things off of the top of his head, but with this announcement he sent out a press release with his exact wording and read it from the sheet of paper in the video I watched.

Here is the exact quote:

“Donald J. Trump is calling for a total and complete shutdown of Muslims entering the United States until our country’s representatives can figure out what is going on.”

The “newsworthy” reactions from people like Mohammed Ali and others coming out of the woodwork were expected. All publicists know that reaction based news stories fuel the extended duration of free publicity, allowing the frequency of Trump’s name to be used well beyond what normal publicity could afford.

Keep in mind that none of the responses have anything to do with what Trump specifically meant, but what could be molded to fit their agenda for publicity. This pattern allows the original speaker to refute the comments or clarify his own, while allowing the responders to promote their agenda. It’s a media game that was started in the 50s and further exploited by bloggers to their sub-markets.

Trump’s campaign requires a media spend of $100MM to gain the predetermined number of votes needed for election. However, estimates show his free publicity stunts generate $20-30MM in media reach and frequency for his campaign. Last summer’s free controversial media campaigns were so significant that Trump was able to cancel $15MM in television commercials set to air.

Trump is the first person to effectively use the media for a highly visible and free campaign (although Obama’s campaign got some free publicity based on his use of social media).

Trump’s style of brusk and controversial remarks has driven much of the news since his announcement to run for office. Meanwhile, those candidates who are more diplomatic in their approach of “temporarily closing borders to all immigrants” until representatives can figure out what’s going on get little news coverage. But those opposing the controversial Trump by suggesting that America will always keep its borders open are getting plenty of airtime.

Free publicity requires a lot of showmanship and little knowledge of political science. Obama’s contrasting “change” campaign did the very same thing. Neither campaign revealing how the candidate would actually run the government once in office. Instead, we were entertained with showmanship.

The publicity is also filled with noise of ignorant people trying to make a name for themselves. The anger driven comments about Trump being a racist fit that foolish category. The reason is because Muslim is a religion, not a race. However, many are now trying to say that he has a racist attitude toward a religion, but the attempt of this positioning insults those who have endured a lifetime of real racism.

The bottom line is that Trump knows how to use his First Amendment rights to gain attention in the polls. And, those who try to ban him, like he wants to ban the Muslims, forget that they are opposing our First Amendment – The very Amendment that allows us freedom of speech and freedom of religion.

But there’s more to consider in a good analysis. We also need to reflect on what’s not being said. Hillary Clinton is purposely staying out of the arguments and playing it safe. Many know she is slipping in the poles and Bernie Sanders is gaining momentum. The key is to keep low until Trump falls, shifting the voting population from a “guaranteed” Republican ticket back to the Democratic ticket.

If Clinton jumps into the mix too soon and becomes one of Trump’s knee jerk reactionaries, she could drop further in the polls. If she waits too long, then Bernie Sanders can gain even more in the polls and pull her “undecided” voters.

Don’t forget that if its in the media, it’s all about entertainment value and ratings. Unfortunately, there is no other national forum available to learn what candidates would really do in office. The “running for office” system is broken and fixing it would hurt the media, as everything is about viewership.

Copyright © 2015 by CJ Powers

					

	


			
				



	
		


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			November 25, 2015
		

		

			
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Directors Share Insights in the Human Condition

		

		
Book Option to FilmI’ve chatted for a few minutes with numerous directors over the years and I’ve found that the top one percent all think alike. They are captivated by the human condition and explore each character they meet, finding the underlying treasure deep within their being.


This newly exposed treasure always contains a form of entertainment that fascinates. The story that rises from the personal backstory brings understanding to the attentive audience. Regardless of ones personal perspective, empathy is drawn and reveals the human condition.


Philosopher Martha C. Nussbaum, in her book “Upheavals of Thought,” speaks to the intelligence of emotions. She argues how storytelling rewires us. Her argument can be easily extrapolated to explain why motion pictures alter our culture. She further argues that our emotion is the very fabric of what forms our moral philosophies.


“Emotions are not just the fuel that powers the psychological mechanism of a reasoning creature, they are parts, highly complex and messy parts, of this creature’s reasoning itself,” says Nussbaum.


A director who is aware that emotions are not a motivator, but instead part of the character’s reasoning can form arguments that change the way people view themselves. Thereby changing our culture.


I met a lesbian pastor a year ago and we chatted about what drew her to other women. After she gave me the programmed and politically correct answer, I asked the question in a different way. She carefully shared how she was always beaten by males as a small child and comforted by females. Women provided the only form of love she understood.


If I were doing a character study for a film, I’d draw from the pastor’s experiences that shaped how she felt about men and women. Her reasoning was molded by her emotions and the only thing that could change her course in life is the demonstration of a higher love that she does not know exists.


As a director, it’s my job to acknowledge the audiences reasoning on culturally hot topics and introduce them to another perspective. When I demonstrate through a character and his or her circumstances similar ideas and feelings, I hook the person long enough to consider the new perspective demonstrated through the main character changing by the end of the story.


Top directors always talk about the thesis world, antithesis world, and the new thesis world. The thesis world starts the audience where they are socially and politically concerning their reasoning. The antithesis world demonstrates the things that can go wrong with their version of the thesis world. Every thing is turned upside down and looked at in a fresh way. This is followed by the new thesis world where the director leaves the audience with their version of what our culture can look like.


The human condition is where we all must start. It’s where we all live with our flaws and unanswered hopes. We can then explore all the things that could go wrong based on our current worldview. This opens our hearts to better solutions that we consider when presented in love or entertainment. If the information we consider includes a demonstration of what the new perspective proposes, we are ready to embrace it and test it out in our own lives.


The logic is sound and it makes sense why all Hollywood films follow this format. What seems illogical is that faith-based films, which are supposed to have truthful answers for our lives, do not follow this process. In fact, many Christian films do the exact opposite and don’t stand a chance of changing our culture.


Film is one of the greatest art forms ever created and it’s the only one that directly impacts our culture. Some say its because it includes the other art forms within it, but top directors say its because film starts the audience with the reality of the human condition, explores the flawed alternatives and gives rise to a great demonstration of what life can look and feel like when embracing the main character’s choices in the person’s own life.


Copyright © 2015 by CJ Powers



		
	
					

	


			
				



	
		


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			November 8, 2015
		

		

			
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Life from the Perspective of Peas and Peanuts

		

		
peasMy youngest daughter and I were laughing at dinner. It was hard to withhold side comments when her son attempted to stick a garlic shell noodle up his nose. My son-in-law thought the little guy’s behavior was a little illogical, because if his son really wanted something up his nose, the peas on his plate would make the attempt easier.


Contemplating any form of logic in that particular moment was worth a chuckle, so we all joined in with crazy banter, trying to one up each other on profound comments surrounding the logical choice of peas.


Soon a deep parallel was drawn to my daughter and son-in-law’s middle school youth group. This morning half of the class shared their contemplation of topics few adults are willing to address. I was amazed at their understanding and openness to discuss such controversial subjects.


The most artistic filmmakers, actors and artists I’ve met all held the same willingness to explore the depth of any topic related to the human condition. In fact, the better the artist, the more impact they made in society by addressing the difficult in the development of their works.


Charles M. Schultz is one artist that I’ve admired for years. The man demonstrated integrity in his art and consistently demonstrated how to salt in morals and ideal behaviors that the masses drank in ever so deeply.


The syndicated Peanuts comic strip was his crown and joy. He spent 50 years entertaining the world with difficult childhood emotions that impacted our society. Two weeks after the assassination of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., Shultz received a sincere letter from a Mrs. Harriet Glickman, who perfectly articulated the idea of adding a Negro child into the Peanuts strip. She was also astute enough to warn him of the possible ramifications.


Schulz LetterSchultz received thousands of letters every month and rarely heeded suggestions. He was a true artist with many ideas stock piled for future strips. However, he was so moved by Glickman’s suggestion that he responded to her with his concern. Schultz feared any attempt on his part might come across as patronizing and he had no good solution.


Glickman asked Schultz for permission to share his letter with a black male friend of hers by the name of Kenneth C. Kelly and had him write Schulz with two good reasons for including a Negro child in his Peanuts strip. Kelly was also articulate and suggested Schulz introduce the character as a supernumerary that could be developed later into a main character.


But Schultz wouldn’t have it that way. He had something specific in mind to do once his fear of patronizing blacks was defused. Schulz sent a letter off to Glickman announcing that on July 31, 1968 Peanuts would debut Franklin, Charlie Brown’s African American friend.


Unfortunately, Glickman was right about the backlash Schulz would receive, but he handled it well. Larry Rutman, president of United Feature Syndicate didn’t like a scene with Franklin playing with the other children and asked for a change.


Schulz gave the perfect response, “Well, Larry, let’s put it this way: Either you print it just the way I draw it or I quit. How’s that?”


Larry printed it and Peanuts went on to impact numerous societies worldwide.


It only takes one artist with perspective and integrity to change a culture.


Peanuts


Copyright © 2015 by CJ Powers