Why do you think companies spend big bucks on advertising? Because they want to entertain people? Because they want to irritate people? I have always thought that I was immune to the manipulating moves of these companies. I have this thing when it comes to manipulation – I pride myself in being able to discern the motives behind actions.

Yet this weekend, I realized – to my dismay – that I have been influenced by media. Despite my pride, the ever present ads have been subtly working to influence me – a little bit here, and a little bit there.

Case in point. I wanted lunch. I didn’t feel like cooking. Where to eat? What to get? Automatically my mind conjured up pictures of a nice juicy burger hot off the grill. Ooh, this burger would be great with crispy fries fresh out of the deep fryer. While I am at it, why not get a super sized softdrink. It will surely quench my thirst and give me enough energy to keep going.

Where do you think those images came from? Maybe my mind made them up myself? I am pretty creative but heck, I know influence when I see it. I can attribute those images – and the craving that ensued – to the endless TV ads, print ads, and even radio ads that I see and hear day in and day out.

You may think that you’re too smart to fall for commercials. I did too. But I was wrong before and boy, I am ashamed to say that I was wrong again.

We may not all have a Ph.D. on philosophy but that doesn’t mean that we should give up learning and pondering on philosophical ideas. One of the best things that you can do with your spare time is to engage in activities that will enhance your knowledge and understanding. And one such activity is the seminar that Endicott College in Massachusetts is holding.

On February 6 and 7, the college will be holding a seminar on philosophy and pop culture. This seminar is going to held at the Visual and Performing Arts Center in campus. The event starts at 4 in the afternoon of the first day (Friday) and will end at lunch the next day. The whole seminar is open to the general public, as long as participants register. If you want to partake in the meals, there will be a minimal fee charged.

What can you expect as a participant in the seminar? Undergraduates from several educational institutions – Endicott, Gordon, Clark University, Salem State College, and Boston College – will be serving as panelists and giving their take on various aspects of pop culture with a philosophical twist. The presentations will be answering two main questions:

1. What can pop culture teach us about philosophical issues?
2. How can philosophy help us understand the workings of our culture?

If you are interested, do register asap and get in touch with Willie Young, assistant professor of humanities, at 978-232-2242, or at wyoung@endicott.edu.

Changing jobs is part of life. We all need to move on at some point in our lives. In this day and age, we can’t very well be expected to stay in one place for the rest of our lives. Yet even in cases like these, we are expected to think things through and to follow certain ethics.

Take this example. Company A has been in operation for several years. After 4 years of operation, most of its employees feel frustrated. They have gone as high as they could in the ranks and discontent is the general prevailing feeling. A competing company opens within the city, unknown to the upper management. This competing company offers a higher salary and better terms. The people within the company also deemed it necessary to try and hire the most skilled people in the original company.
Naturally, these things are kept secret from the original company.

The question now is the ethics involved – not from the perspective of the newly formed rival company but in the part of the employees who are being pirated, for the lack of a better word. Is there something wrong in them wanting to leave their current job for greener pastures? Isn’t that something normal and expected?

I’d have to say that leaving for greener pastures is all well and fine BUT leaving and immediately working for a rival company when you have an agreement with your current company NOT to work with a similar group until after 1 year of leaving is something else. Oh, did I leave that fact out in the beginning?

Here’s your question – would you do what these employees are doing? Or would you be more ethical (and perhaps less practical)?