Ateneo Com101

Tuesday, June 17, 2008

Lecture 1: Introduction to Media

The slides are available for download HERE.

I'd like to know your comments, questions, reactions from today's lecture. Here are some possible discussion questions for you to ponder:
1) What are the grand claims being made about the media today, in adverts, by marketers, by politicians, by teens, etc.? How can we be more critical about them?
2) What happens when love and affection are mediated? What is your take on the mediation of emotions?
3) What kinds of stories in the media made you think twice about a common assumption that you have about the world, others, yourself? How did that particular story succeed in making you put yourself in another person's shoes?

See you all on Thursday.

posted by Jonathan C. Ong @ 6:28 AM  

24 Comments:

  • At June 19, 2008 at 4:11 AM , Anonymous Anonymous said...

    I've always known that Comm majors are seen as stupid. But I still can't get over it! It disturbs me because I am taking AB-IS, another course where its students are seen social beings with no brains. I beg to differ. We are much better at expressing ourselves than they are, both orally and on paper. Other students stammer but continue to talk anyway even though they can't express themselves well and give any impact with the point they are trying to make. They are not at all persuasive. It becomes dragging as well as useless to listen to them. They're the ones who end up looking stupid. They halt or say 'uhm' for a long period of time. It's as if it takes them a long period of time to process information.

    Isabela Romualdez
    2 AB-IS

     

  • At June 19, 2008 at 7:22 AM , Blogger Jonathan C. Ong said...

    Isa, try sitting in my Com100 and Media and Globalization classes. We have effective, critical, AND RESPONSIBLE dialogue there. Statements that are well argued and substantiated.

    While I am a bit disturbed by your simplistic understanding of communication as very functionalist and rationalist (very transmission-model! what about a more expansive understanding of communication: that it is not just about eloquence of speaking but the ethics of listening?), I will let, you, my Other, explode in this case.

    This is probably our first encounter with the 'communication as breakdown' model in our blog, so I will be compassionate and let the Other speak in her own terms. But in the future, let us also practice responsible, ethical communication based on the twin ideals of dialogue and dissemination.

     

  • At June 19, 2008 at 9:45 AM , Blogger alex said...

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  • At June 19, 2008 at 9:48 AM , Blogger alex said...

    POINT 1: if i am not mistaken technology is media. As far as from what i know, media is the present and the future. We are all spoiled by this thing called media. It has become part of every persons lifestlye and sometimes, it is as if media already runs the lives of people. Ipods, cellphones (considering that the philippines is called the texting capital of the world-- as i have heard),television, the computer, etc... they all consume the time of most people. And i think that it is up to every indivudual to decide for himself or herself on how to deal with the technology/ media being offered.
    POINT 2: i think that the mediation of emotions can only help so much. i am not against it, i am not all for it. i think that the mediation of emotions can in 1) help in avoiding chaos; 2) cause chaos (becuase not everyone may agree to whatever was done or is being done); 3) open the eyes of every individual to the current situation of a certain issue.
    POINT 3: i have yet to think about this :D i will post my comment on this when i have thought of an answer already :D

     

  • At June 19, 2008 at 8:20 PM , Blogger alex said...

    continuation POINT 3: The kind of stories that makes me think twice about the world around me would usually be stories about the poor. i may have assumptions that everything around me is at its right place--this is because i am sheltered and i have a family. But it is through these shows about poverty that kind of makes me realize that i always get what i want.. what about them?

     

  • At June 20, 2008 at 5:45 AM , Anonymous Anonymous said...

    Hello! Me, again. I am aware that I should keep a more broad perspective. I do realize that not all non-Comm majors & the like talk like that. Everyone has their specialties -communication, math, science, etc. It is just that I remembered the stereotype being discussed during our lecture. For me, that topic really stuck out. I was probably unleashing personal feelings in my last comment. It's just that I know a girl who looks down on so many courses, probably all of them, except those from SOM. On a different note, I will sit-in in your Comm100 class one day. :)

    Isabela Romualdez
    2 AB-IS

     

  • At June 21, 2008 at 4:16 AM , Anonymous Anonymous said...

    1) some of the claims by media today particularly in advertisements are sometimes misleading. an example would be food advertisements, that some franchises don't stay true to their claims like the actual size/portion of the photographed meal, this in turn 'fools' people into buying something they don't think is worth the said amount. we can be more critical by merely inquiring or asking around from those who have tried or purchased such items.
    2)I think that when love and affection are mediated there can only be two possible outcomes: that the relationship could get better, or worse. I think that mediation of emotions could be perceived as human nature or the third party's personal gain.
    3)at this point in my life, I think health, particularly how the media influences society to dictate what men and women should look like, and what men and women look for in the opposite sex. stories like these, I think made me (including most teens) have a different outlook in life, like exercising more often, taking care of my body as well as influencing others to do the same.

    Josemari "Spanky" Juinio
    3 AB IS

     

  • At June 21, 2008 at 7:34 AM , Anonymous Anonymous said...

    1.) I think one of the most advertised trends or fads per se these days is the whole "self expression" whatnot with up and coming indie bands, indie fashion you see all over multiply to name a few and though i think its awesome that these people who were demeaned in previous generations are now being given breaks, it still annoys me that when i take a closer look critically, the gates of self expression still isn't really open. why do i say that? well these people are still being grouped, classified and categorized as either indie or emo and the status quo is still perpetually upheld with who makes the decisions that the majority follows just because its the "cooler trend" everyone must follow.. basically, we're still in boxes.. is there any movement we can freaking come up with that can be larger than society's pre ordered boxes?

    2.) quite frankly i think its imperative. in relationships, you shouldn't simply be in love but also in like. love is what keeps you going but affection is what keeps you going with a red tint on your cheeks and a big grin on your lips. :)

    3.) i think (sad to say) that the things that moved me more were the negative stories in the media. most of course are about africa but some are also about how young girls have perception problems about themselves and how some people starve to achieve acceptance status within themselves. although in some twisted way the media i think is also exaggerating this story for some reason (perhaps just to air an interesting feature) i think it also just serves as a reminder to us: it just goes to show that every message we send out there whether we think will get to someone or not is so volatile. once it is out there it is open to the most exaggerated interpretation which is why as future media people we should also learn to look at people's psyche and learn how to do it automatically. we should learn what our moves could mean and translate to being responsible hopefully for a good wave of change.

    erika hoffmann
    2 ab is

     

  • At June 22, 2008 at 3:55 AM , Blogger Unknown said...

    1. The media knows the kind of power and control they have over anyone they can come into contact with. And because media is so prominent in the world today it is not likely that one remains uninfluenced by it. My previous communications classes have provided me with the knowledge that consumers are often exposed to being misled, which is ironic because the main purpose of the media (through communications) is to educate all those who are within reach, right? I suppose that one just has to be more conscious about the claims made by certain products and even certain people. Having an open mind, questioning things that seem vague and just being aware can help one be more critical and less vulnerable to becoming potential "victims."
    2. There's a delicate balance between responsibility and selling a product. So when the media uses emotions to touch viewers etc. one may see it as a form of manipulation. Filipino's are very empathetic people and it is no secret that the best way to touch a Filipino is to strike them through the heart. It really depends on how far the media goes just to sell a product or to get a message across.
    3. I suppose the best example I can think of are the events that occurred during and after the attacks of 9/11. To this day I still feel very confused and have no particular stand on the events. For one can see this as a message from a very passionate religious group taking a stand albeit violently against a country that tends to be manipulative and abusive as well. On the other hand, you have a country that seems to truly fight for democracy and all that it stands for. But who knows really?

    Kathleen S. Crespo
    III ABIS

     

  • At June 22, 2008 at 5:06 AM , Anonymous Anonymous said...

    1) I know that the media has a responsibility in conveying information to the world. Thus, it has a strong influence over society. One of the grand claims on the media is that it can sometimes be too invasive when it comes to celebrity news. Locally and globally, there are a number of gossip magazines and television programs that pry into the lives of famous people. They focus on even the smallest details! People can be more critical about this claim by learning to differentiate facts from rumors. We must keep in mind that not everything the media says is necessarily true. Another claim is that the media sometimes encourages violence. Nowadays, there are so many films and television shows that have to do with violence. In relation, people should be careful not to imitate the stunts they see on the screen, since they are usually very dangerous. With that said, the media is a powerful tool for communication, yet it is a person’s choice whether or not to listen to the media’s various messages.

    2) For me, love, in one form or another, comes with affection, though it may not always be shown. In relation to the media, advertisers make use of images of affection to connote love and thus influence their audience to buy products. An example would be a print ad of a gorgeous couple, both wearing a particular brand of jeans. The ad gives an idea that by purchasing such jeans and wearing them, one shall also look gorgeous and find great love. Hence, as Kathleen said, it is a way to manipulate people, and it often works.

    3) Stories about global warming made me reflect on how human beings are treating our world today. I became more aware that our earth is not going to get any better if people just neglect this problem. I thought about how the children of our future would be the ones to suffer the most from this and so, I became more moved to consider how my everyday actions affect the environment. Thus, I know that the media is a force to get people to do something about global issues.

    Gianna Villavicencio
    II AB IS

     

  • At June 22, 2008 at 10:06 AM , Anonymous Anonymous said...

    1) I think that media today (in all aspects) somehow tries to create this perfect little world wherein everything gravitates toward them because they're at the center of it all. Their influence and impact on their viewers is so great that people tend to get brainwashed and have single tracked minds as to whatever it is they're presenting. It's like the mdeia gives their own definition of what the ideal is and should be and after all that claim that they can give you all that and more. There's such a thing called practicing repsonsible media but at the same time, I think that viewers must not beleive everything that's presented to them and constantly be wary of false and deceiving claims especially when they seem too farfetched. I think that viewers must also never ever compromise their values even at times that the media presents otherwise.

    2) I think that the media uses love and affection to strike viwers hearts and thus get their message across- in a way it's like they're trying to prove that no matter how tough you may act and seem to be, you'll always have that soft spot that will make you vulnerable to such. More often than not the media relates love and affection to our culture (especially when it comes to family)since we're known to be rather warm people, this way they'll be able to reach out to more people since it makes their presentation relatable.

    3)I guess the stories of media that really get to me are those commericals that no mattter how short still manage to contain little stories in them. I remember viewing an old commerical for my advertising class last semester and surprisingly felt the impact of the commercial even more this time around as compared to before. It was Globe's Katrina commercial that showed the point of view of both the daughter and her parents. It really caught my attention because the mother daughter conflict was such a typical teenage situation that I'm sure alot of people could relate to (myself included)which ultimately added to its appeal. I really liked this commercial because it presented the side of both parties involved; for a change,it made me realize what my mom would feel whenever we'd have one of those fights.

    Beatrix Roqueza
    3 AB IS

     

  • At June 23, 2008 at 2:18 AM , Blogger Unknown said...

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  • At June 23, 2008 at 2:22 AM , Blogger Unknown said...

    1) Media has been very powerful and influential when it comes to persuading people to believe their claims. Whatever the purpose may be (to inform, to entertain, to persuade, etc.) media also has the capacity to deceive people to give in to its underlying reason that is, usually if not all the time, to sell. The use of propaganda techniques, such as name calling, band wagon, testimonial, etc., has also been very effective in selling products and stories. When these things function, it is important that viewers or the consumers must see to it that they do not instantly believe everything that media, particularly advertisements, present to them.
    2) I think that the use of emotions in media has its way of drawing people to the side of the issue that they (advertisers, marketers, writers, etc.) would like to promote. It is alright to use emotion in media; however, just like anything else, it also has its own limits. In the Philippines, where we have people who like drama and are emotional, it is evident that these are the kinds of things that usually sell.
    3) Whenever I hear stories and see clips of people suffering due to poverty, I can't help but to reflect on my own life. These stories open my eyes to another reality in this world. Also, it does not just remind me of how fortunate I am to be apart from similar situations, but also motivates me to do a little something to help. For this, I can say that the use of emotions has been very effective for it allows one to reflect and effect change, even in his or her own little way.

    Paola Balmaceda
    II AB IS

     

  • At June 23, 2008 at 7:46 AM , Blogger gem flores said...

    1. The grand narrative of media being portrayed as a 'must-have' neccesity in our lives is one thing that we all must be conscious of. Nowadays, media is being portrayed as a medium in which we all live and breathe in. It's as if without media (in any form - gadgets, technology, etc etc) we can't function anymore. On one hand, this is something that I,for one, can't deny.Media, after all, IS a part of our lives. This is very apparent now, especially since technology continues to further grow,advance, and expand. But on the other hand, this shouldn't mean that we must be entirely media-dependent. Balance should be the key.

    2. Sometimes, media portrays certain things in order to purposely move and ignite the emotions of its target audience. One example of this is seen during advertisements, wherein advertisers try their best to win the audience over by means of persuasion. And usually, the art of persuasion is done by trying to elicit feeling from the audience, reaching out to their emotions and not only to their minds. This, I believe, can get pretty risky, because our emotions are probably one of (if not the) the most vulnerable parts of our human system. That is why meddling with the emotions IS a powerful strategy. It's a very useful tool,if you want people to grasp what you want them to grasp, see what you want them to see.

    3. Stories being portrayed by the media about poverty and the suffering of lots of people in this world made me think twice and realize how I am indeed lucky and truly blessed,compared to a vast majority of people. Seeing and witnessing people who suffer more than I do makes me appreciate what I have in life. It also elicits in me a desire to be a part of something bigger than myself, to be able to contribute a better change in this world. I hope I'll be able to get there someday.

    Gloria Margarita Flores
    II AB IS

     

  • At June 23, 2008 at 8:33 AM , Blogger Unknown said...

    1) One of the grand claims that are being made by the media today are the images of what is ideal or what is socially accepted in terms of beauty, fashion, body image. Society dictates what we should look like, how we should present ourselves, and this is magnified because it is everywhere. It is present in all forms of media -- in commercials, print ads, television, online. I think that at times, these can have a negative effect on people, especially young teens. This is because of how we tend to idolize and imitate celebrities or beauty icons, and consider magazines and such as gospel truth, which gives little room for individuality and may even distort views of body image and lower self-esteem. I think that because of the undeniable power of the media, and the influence it has on people, responsible dissemination of information should be encouraged, especially when it comes to what is socially acceptable nowadays. On the other end, we, as the viewing public, should remain critical, in order to avoid constraining ourselves, so we can go beyond what is accepted and what is ideal in society.


    2)I think that the media really tries to reach people, to get their messages across, or sell their products and ideas through emotions. Especially in the Philippine setting, wherein people rely much on feelings and emotions, we as the general public love anything we can relate our individual situations to. Most times, an appeal to emotion is all it takes for consumers to buy a
    particular product.

    3) Aside from the glossy picture of the world that is painted by advertisers and media moguls, the other, more realistic/journalistic
    side of the media is for me, equally powerful. Stories and articles about poverty and hunger are what strike me the most. The
    knowledge that there are people who are in dumpsites like Payatas every single day, scavenging for food, trying to make a living, are what puts things in perspective for me. Stories like that are what make me venture from my relatively sheltered world to try and a make a difference, in my own little way.

    Gaby Alegre
    II AB IS

     

  • At June 23, 2008 at 6:04 PM , Anonymous Anonymous said...

    1) One of the most damaging claims these days are about video games, where they keep saying that the people who play them lose their touch with reality and become antisocial and violent.

    The problem with that statement is that these claims have been going on for more than ten years already. I want to point out that the earlier audience of this particular relatively new form of media are growing up and getting older. We have people in their 30's who continue to play.

    What's problematic also about that statement about video games is that there is no idea of a professional, say, a doctor, who plays such things. I could clearly see that with video game audiences getting older, they also are the ones who will take the place of professionals in the world and eventually foster a different opinion of gaming due to their life experience. I could see psychologists, who, having experienced playing video games and growing up with them, expressing much different opinion from the professional psychological positions taken up now.

    2)What is problematic about love and affection being mediated is that we have a notion of how to fall in love, what a relationship is like, and how to approach the opposite sex. We get notions of social behavior gotten off such depictions, and we approve of them. In our context, we're flooded with Western depictions of romance (I would say this is moreso relevant to Ateneans given their demographics), and we tend to abide by the tropes displayed in such depictions.

    I could then say that for example, in the Ateneo, a person with a different notion of romance, say, in the East Asian context, will find it hard to strike up a romantic relationship with another person who has romance spelled out in the Western context.

     

  • At June 23, 2008 at 8:17 PM , Blogger yana said...

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  • At June 23, 2008 at 8:23 PM , Blogger yana said...

    1) One of the biggest assertions given about the media today would be its role in setting the standard to the grand scheme of things.

    More often than not, elements relayed through the use of media easily reach an “ideal” status because they are sensationalized to an extreme. This massive exposure of sorts consequently tends to overcompensate for the actual validity/worth of a commercialized product/idea/trade.

    While the most basic aim/s of these media constituents may be far from harmful, there still exists the fact that media is widely utilized as a tool for market and manipulation. It is during this struggle for power and influence that the significantly fundamental purpose of media – that is, to provide neutral grounds for credible info-exchange [a.k.a. communication] – becomes lost.

    As a result, these factors do become harmful as the integrity of media fluctuates, becomes damaged and comes into much question in the process.


    Therefore, to be critical means to deviate from the clutches of generalized popular notion. That is, having a choice to whether or not embrace what the media conveys to us as its receiving end.

    It is, after all, healthier to chew your food first before you swallow.


    2) It really depends. The question we need to ask here is, “How real is it?” We must remember that there are always two sides to a coin. And this is particularly true with the case of emo-mediation.

    .Tails. The term that best embodies the underhandedness of emo-based mediation would be the overused ideology of “sex sells.” While this saying more or less operates on a psychological basis, it still remains that “visually-stimulating” ideas/images do exactly that – they stimulate. The stimulus may have founded its roots from a temporary feeling/affection (i.e lust), but it is a feeling/affection nevertheless.

    The same can be said for reality television, especially those of a “dating-game” or “social-experiment” label/nature. There is always the disclaimer: “Portions of this show [not affecting the outcome] have been edited”; yet viewers still follow through and allow themselves to be swayed by the [much filtered] happenings/events.

    Heads. Undoubtedly though, emo-mediation also has its many positive strengths. A fine example of this would be the many relief efforts for victims of calamities or other such respectable causes (think UNICEF, WWF) which reasonably and quite effectively operate on the recesses of human empathy and compassion for purposes of outreach.

    Emo-mediation is therefore justifiable in terms of how adjacent it is to the margins of reality [or real human emotion, as a matter of fact].


    3) One particular account that has affected me would be a feature on the “circumcision” of women in Africa. I do not wish to delve into the details of this, but I can honestly say that it has changed my perspective about the place of women across cultures such that, in the urban setting, we are very much accustomed to the fact that the modern woman is free to make decisions for herself and can take her place as an equal of the contemporary man. Apparently, this is not so in Africa – where women (adolescents for that matter) endure what many in our part of the world would consider a form of maltreatment/abuse.

    Seeing them in a situation so far detached from our own makes one realize how much we take for granted the autonomy we now fully enjoy.

    Rayana Lim So
    III AB IS

     

  • At June 24, 2008 at 5:21 AM , Blogger Unknown said...

    1.) I think its not really about the media but more on the people who want to relay their message through the use of it that we have to consider since the media is just being used as a means of spreading information.

    Anyway, some grand claims would be in advertisement of various products(like hair care items, washing detergents and others). The commercials portray exaggerated benefits and improvements beyond what is actually plausible. This gives the media a bad image since it shows support to blatant deception. They come off as spreading the message: "We get paid to mislead people ad we like it >:D *insert evil laugh here*".

    2. When emotions are mediated, it becomes impersonal. The absence of the other's presence in the exchange feels like there is something lacking in the interaction, be it his or her body language, mannerisms or dreamy, dreamy eyes. Im not saying this is a bad thing and I actually think this is something good since ideally, this would be done when there is no other option available. Even though it is somewhat frowned upon(or not since the Filipinos may have gotten of it being the texting capital of the world), at least you can still communicate and relay what you feel...to some extent.

    3. Stories about global warming and how we're slowly killing animals, plants and people. I used to wonder about the global condition of this phenomenon and think that there must be solutions being made and done somewhere but I was wrong. Sure there are people researching on alternative energy but other than that, nothing much is being done about it. Whats really annoying is that the countries with the capacity to solve this aren't really doing anything to help *cough**cough*U.S.*cough*. This is why I can relate to those environmental protest groups. The "do nothing" attitude of the people is just irresponsible.

    Martin S. Benedicto
    II-AB IS

     

  • At June 24, 2008 at 7:18 AM , Blogger Unknown said...

    Hi sir, I'm not sure if I understood question number two correctly XD Here's a pahabol comment/reaction :))

    When you say mediation of love and affection... does this pertain to how expression of affection has transformed from traditional face to face interaction or iloveyou's to professions of undying love through text messages, friendster messages, and the like? I remember one scene in the Sex And The City movie, wherein Carrie was asking Mr. Big why he never wrote her love letters :P I think his reply was something like, "My secretary must've sent you a love fax at some point" and that made me think about the effect of media on relationships in society today. Because of the many advances in technology and media, people tend to resort to expression of love and affection via text messaging, instant messaging, and the like. People may find it more convenient to express themselves through these mediums, because there is more room to think about what to say, and you don't worry much about how to say things, all you have to do is type it on your keyboard or cellular phone, press send, and the receiver gets it immediately. Love letters for me, are a step above love faxes, or love texts, etc., but really, nothing beats having something said to you face to face, especially if it's an expression of love or affection :) Hahaha.

     

  • At June 25, 2008 at 5:24 AM , Blogger beacastro said...

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  • At June 25, 2008 at 5:26 AM , Blogger beacastro said...

    1) Media is seen as a very influential force in the world today. It transmits information and is therefore essential in our everyday life. One grand claim on media is that it dictates beauty. It considers white skin, long hair and skinny frame as beautiful. This portrayal of beauty misleads viewers into thinking that in order to look beautiful and pleasing, one must fit the above requirements. This claim often has negative effects on viewers (especially teens) as it lowers their self esteem and body image.

    We can be more critical of media's claims by sticking to our ideals / morals and not believing everything it offers. It would be good if we can weigh and think about media's portrayals first before believing in them.

    2) Mediation of love and affection both has its positive and negative side.

    Positive: I think love immediately entails affection. One cannot love without being affectionate to the other party. Affections are also ways of showing and communicating love. For me, love would be boring and unimaginative without affection :)

    Negative: Affections can my misinterpreted into love when they are mediated. Feelings brought about by affection may be confused as feelings of love.

    3) Media is a useful tool for awareness and consciousness of different issues regarding our world. An example is American Idol's "Idol Gives Back" program where one gets to appreciate more how lucky one is. Locally, there are various orgs and companies using print, TV and internet to disseminate awareness.

     

  • At June 26, 2008 at 11:32 PM , Anonymous Anonymous said...

    1)basically, the grand claims the media are mostly found in ads. for me, seeing the ads nowadays, being more cautious with the products i buy is important. weight loss, size of servings in restaurants, whitening lotions etc...they're all false advertising for me until i myself have seen real results...
    2)love when mediated loses it's essence...although, i must admit that through media, love somehow is promoted but sometimes in not in its classic form...it is now a common form that ads use to sell their products...
    3)narrowing it down, shows like documentaries about people i usually won't bump into move me...they connect people from different parts of the world as well as social classes and make the stories known.

    ivan aldover

     

  • At August 30, 2008 at 7:09 PM , Anonymous Anonymous said...

    1. For me, television is one of the most effective medium of media that influences a lot of people. A lot of things are being flashed before our eyes by media through television like commercials, game shows, variety shows, telenovelas, animes and the like. For me, the main claim of media is that they show a lot of violence. It’s not that they want the people to imitate it, but I think that they really don’t care whoever watches it as long as their rating goes up. They plug in shows with violent content without consideration of who is watching. As a result, most children who watch these shows become more aggressive. I heard of one story wherein a kid got killed after leaping off a building after watching power rangers on television. The media makes the impossible possible on tv and to these young minds they become overwhelmed and believe with what they see on screen that they tend to imitate it. Sure they warn parents to guide their children in watching television but it is not all the time that they can supervise their kids.

    2. I usually fire up when I see commercials that suggest love. An example would be the pond’s commercial where it shows that if an old married woman uses pond’s, she would become prettier and look younger and that her husband will love her more, making their marriage grow sweeter and longer. It irritates me to think that a whitening product could make a relationship become stronger that by using that product, it determines the flow of their relationship and the future of the couple, but weirdly enough, it seems to work well.

    3. I love watching American Idol, and there is one part called “idol gives back” where the donations goes directly to the impoverished areas in Africa and where they give free medicines and nets ( ung parang kulambo. Haha) to those infected with AIDS and malaria. I can see that the money being donated is not being corrupted and is put to good use. It makes me feel aware that not only in the Philippines is this kind of situation seen and felt but also in other countries as well. It also makes me feel moved that people are not selfish enough and are doing something to try and help others. Moreover, it makes me think of what I can do for my own country to help.

     

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