Logical Fallacies

In the motion picture PCU, which is a fictional movie trying to depict how college life is, the use of logical fallacies are throughout the movie. A specific fallacy that stood out to me was hasty generalization. This became more evident while viewing the movie, we see how the different social groups interact with a particular club that the movie refers to as “the pit.” The people who are grouped in this organization were deemed and looked upon as losers, and potheads. They stereotype every member in the group, basically jumping to conclusions that everyone who associated with “the pit” are ignorant. This film is trying to generalize and stereotype a certain group of college kids, giving off the impression that college is based on who you hang around, and who you know.

Death of an Innocent

In this society it’s hard to consider that someone would voluntarily want to live a life without worldly processions, responsibilities, and money. As I continued reading this intriguing narrative I began to ask myself, is living a life such as that really a dreadful idea? I think everyone can in some way relate to McCandless. Granted his actions are somewhat far fetched, but his beliefs are a staple in American culture. For the most part, it seems that people have forgotten the simple things in life. Living in a culture where you are judged on how much you accomplish your wealth, and success. We often lose sight that money and other economic value is not the true meaning of life.
Chris McCandless is someone who dared to go against the norm and be true to himself. His ideas were simple, to live a life free from society’s ideas of happiness, and to better understand oneself. Even though times have changed since this heroic story took place, people still carry McCandless views and beliefs in society today. In this generation where we put so much value on material possessions, it is often hard for us be content with oneself. In the story, it is made clear that McCandless despised the idea of materialistic assets that we as a Western society have now become obsessed over. In several instances the author describes how worldly goods are of no importance. It mentions how he donates $20,000 to a Famine Relief Fund, and also speaks about how he burned the little money he did have, and buried the meager belongings he owned. Once again his he goes over board with his actions but we have all given money away to someone or an organization. Donated clothes to the goodwill, or even given something that you valued to someone who was in dire need.
Living in a world where economic value is the forefront of our society we tend to fall in society ideas of what we can do to make money. Money equals success therefore success equal happiness. That’s what is frequently discussed thought our society. Often it is instilled in the youth to go to college so you can get a good job and make oodles of money. Rarely do you hear people telling there children to go to school do to something you enjoy and love. McCandless thoughts of “losing our bearings to push overselves into unknown territory,” is somewhat freighting to many of us, but we have gone through it. Simple things such as your first day of school, to meeting new people, are some examples. In an uncanny way McCandless exists in all of us. Even though we may not be as extreme or adventurous as he, we all need time to find our own path in life. Death of an Innocent, in not only an appropriate title for the story, it is also a great way to explain what is going to happen if economic value is the primary goal in our lives.

Two thoughts ran though my mind the initial time I saw the image. First, a feeling of remorse came over me because I felt bad that the family had to watch a loved one on their death bed. The second thought was more of a curiosity then anything else; I wondered what he was dying from. Since the advertisement was only a picture with no words, I was left only with assumptions. Soon my thoughts and questions were answered, but the response that I received was not what I expected. When I learned that a clothing company used this image as an advertising tactic, to say the least I was shocked.

The purpose of advertising strategies is to entice the consumer into buying the product. In this case, this advertisement does more then entice, it pulls you in emotionally as well. There are several different strategies that the clothing company could have chosen. We have all seen a commercial, or picture in a magazine of a model wearing the latest and fashionable ensemble. Your reaction could be “cute outfit” but then turn the page, or channel. Instead of going the typical route, they used a more creative strategy and chose an advertisement that would draw you in, and keep you talking about it. In a strange way the advertisement is fairly successful. Just to prove how effective that advertisement was, I showed a couple of my friends the image to see what they thought about it. None of them knew it was for a clothing line, but the first thing they did was ask me questions and wondered what this was supposed to advertise. That’s how simple it is, I showed two people, they do the same, and soon it will be the object of discussion everywhere. It keeps you talking about it, it makes you want to know more, and it creates an emotion ambience. Those are the three most important things that make up an advertisement.

In conclusion, this ad campaign is powerful and frankly used to shock people. I am not totally agreeing with the route that they choose, but I must admit that it grabs my attention. Usually we as consumers are more attracted to products that make us feel happy. United Colors of Benetton choose instead to go for the shock value, and make us think. In the marketing field their goal is to get a message across to an audience, and grab the consumer’s attention. As I have mentioned above, this ad has accomplished both of those things. Overall, my opinion is even though some people could consider these ads offensive, they are very effective. Obviously, these ads are doing the trick, due to the fact that United Colors of Benetton is still in business and not showing any sign of slowing down. Many may argue that the ad doesn’t appeal to some consumers at all. The point is that you see the name brand and have a reaction whether good or bad it will cause debate and conflict of ideas.