We Learn How To Be Unselfish

Forgive me.

I am selfish.

The naive
don't know
of other's pain.

I am young
and still learning.

I don't know
of the dagger
in my hand.

Or the blood
most have hidden
on their hands.

Lilting Visions

Foxes play
in the corners
of my mind.

I see the world
through a reflection
through the surface
of a lake.
Suppressed memories
sink.

Ugliness Is A Part Of The Human Condition

No one looks good every day.
Women walk around
parading
cosmetic illusions.
Pretending to be a fantasy.

But on off days
we all look like creatures.
Everybody has days
where they didn't sleep
and barely look human.
Sometimes we are all a shell
of our real selves.

Out Of My Comfort Zone: My Venture Into The World Of Basketball

    Most people would describe me as very feminine. I'd describe myself this way too. I ski, I play tennis, I have a PS3, but I prefer makeup, fashion, and reading. I never played group sports and I never watched sports. This changed when I started dating Ryan around 3 years ago.
    Ryan is the type of guy whose world revolves around sports. He was a champion lacrosse player in high school. The first year of dating him I put up with hours of ESPN and games. I got to know the various sportscasters but I just made fun of them in my head. I watched games but I didn't take sports seriously. I liked basketball because it was more fast-paced but I didn't care about teams.

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    I actually grew up with a photograph of Michael Jordan and Clyde Drexler hanging in my bedroom. It was a photograph my mother took. She was a sports photographer, specializing in basketball and golf. I never gave the photograph much consideration. I just liked Michael Jordan because of Space Jam.

    My love for basketball came slowly but surely. A few Blazers games in Portland, watching the NBA finals, and following March Madness. This past year I developed a real love for the NBA. I also got pretty, pretty good at NBA 2K13, a gift I gave Ryan. I watched the whole basketball season and I yelled as teams and players struggled and celebrated as they triumphed.

    I now have a genuine love and appreciation for basketball. I can appreciate my photograph of Michael Jordan because I've watched some of his old games and understand how talented he is.

    My discovery of basketball has made me learn a lot about myself. It has opened up a world of possibilities for me. There are numerous subjects I want to become knowledgeable in now; not just sports either. My venture into the world of basketball shows I can expand my interests and understand, with time, things completely foreign to me. 

A New Requirement For Brands: Social Responsibility

            In the world today, we live our lives integrated with iPhones, iconic product images on our shirts, and equivalent foods sitting in our cupboards. Consumers value an aspect of the brand, usually the quality of the product, to give it their money. Brands have become a part of our identity and are a major part in how we define ourselves. There is a differentiation between who "bings" rather than "googles" something. You now "iMessage" someone. Wearing a certain brand or label now clearly illustrates an individual's financial situation. Someone who carries a Prada bag depicts a life of luxury and that they have a lifestyle that supports the purchasing of high priced items. Some people buy only organic or green products and are viewed as environmentally conscious. What we decide to spend our money on is part of who we are. The relationship between consumer and brand is a partnership. It is mutually beneficial and because of this, the brand has a responsibility to the consumer. The consumer holds the power because they have a choice in what brand to choose. The brand is thus dependent on the demands of the general public and the consumer, at the same time, they must be honest in their selling point, or put up a front of honesty because consumers don’t like to know they’re being swindled. The brand is reliant upon the consumer for money and in order to be successful, the brand owes it to the consumer to consider their best interest and the public's best interest as a whole.

            Brands are business entities that exist in the world, but they are still derived from people who work to promote and manufacture the product as well as run the company. They exist of people and so they should be concerned with people's best interest. A brand, or company, is essentially made up of people cloaked behind a label or iconic image; thus, they should promote their product in a manner that is consistent with both the manufacturer's belief and the wants/beliefs of the general public. To show their consumers they care, they promote themselves as having human characteristics. They aim to have character and personality. Coca-Cola describes itself as " a responsible citizen" and states its mission as "To refresh the world...To inspire moments of optimism and happiness...To create value and make a difference." (Coca-Cola Company). They market themselves as a very relatable company. Companies often strip down and try and show they are “human” or family oriented. For example, Johnson & Johnson – their slogan is “A Family Company”. They don’t just do this to illustrate their care and concern for the world, but their idea of inspiration also appeals to the masses.

            The economy is built on the principle of a free market, where the majority of "production, distribution, and exchange is controlled by individuals and privately owned corporations" (Houghton Mifflin Company). This allows for competition, which results in better products for consumers, and therefore more social good. A real example of this benefit is the brand Method, which has "safe and effective home and personal cleaning products derived from natural ingredients... the products come in environmentally responsible, biodegradable packaging." (Liodice). Not only does competition force companies to make better products, it also prompts them to do good. Consumers have so many choices that a brand must stand out. One way to do this is memorable advertising, but another way is to impact and effect society itself. Pedigree boosted its brand in the eyes of pet-owners when it made a goal in 2009 to "distribute $1.5 million in grants to 1,000 shelters and breed rescues" (Liodice). Brands who are affiliated with a charity that serves to better society like this earn more respect in the public's eyes and that is only good for business. Nike had to earn back their customer's trust after it became public that they used sweatshops. The effect a brand has in the real world directly affects their revenue.

            The majority of companies in 2012 "issued a CSR or sustainability report" and "more than 8,000 businesses around the world have signed the UN Global Compact pledging to show good global citizenship in the areas of human rights, labor standards and environmental protection." (Knowledge At Wharton). Companies that represent our favorite products, from lip balm to cars, understand that they need to take part in corporate social responsibility. There has been a rising green movement for the past few years and it is only the beginning. Brands need to be socially responsible in order to compete. It's a responsibility they now have because we have demanded it of them.

Works Cited

Coca-Cola Company. "Mission, Vision & Values." The Coca-Cola Company. Web.

Houghton Mifflin Company. The American Heritage Dictionary of the English Language. 3rd ed. Boston: Houghton Mifflin, 2005. Print.

Knowledge At Wharton. "Why Companies Can No Longer Afford to Ignore Their Social Responsibilities." Time Business & Money. Time, 28 May 2012. Web.

Liodice, Bob. "10 Companies With Social Responsibility At The Core." Advertising Age: CMO Strategy. Ad Age, 19 Apr. 2010. Web.