Description of the CAGW commercial - Essay Example

Zhen Xu 21/10 Free Writing The commercial I have chosen was made by CAGW (citizens against government waste) organization. CAGW organization isa nonprofit corporation; they mainly talk about the issues of which the government is spending too much on unnecessary things, instead of cutting their budget on health care, education immigration etc. This commercial is trying to let the people realize US’s national debt, by predicting what’s going to happen in future 20 years. Their main audience here will be all the US citizens.

The organization is trying to tell public to take consideration on government’s necessary spending, and not get sold by the government. The commercial I have chosen to talk about was first aired a year ago, on the October 21st 2010. Basically this commercial is addressing American government’s spending addiction. As well as the dangers of relentless deficits, and the corrosive nature of their debt. In terms of specific content, this is a short commercial about 1min 20 seconds long. The main theme of this video is about a Chinese man giving a lecture in a classroom, on why great powers fall.

The lecture was given in fully Mandarin, the Chinese national language and English subtitles. The voice of tone used by the Chinese professor was also very serious. Which I think the organization did it in purpose to point out the the seriousness of the issues the professor is talking about. But in a way, I see it as they are trying to say Chinese will replace everything of the Americans even the language. And English is the most influential language in the world. It’s used worldwide. But in this video they are trying to tell the people Mandarin is becoming the most influential language, which is going to replace English.

You can also tell this by having English as subtitles in this video which is referring in 2030. As the video goes on, it points out the reasons to the cause of US’s national debts and how should Chinese learn from it. It stated clearly Chinese will own Americans in future due to their debts which is happening right now. As the whole world knows, America is in huge debt of over 14 trillion dollars. And out of the 14 trillion dollars, 1.16trillion is owed to the government of China. Which its self is not really capable of paying it back.

Many economists have stated that when the payday lands, most of the US citizens in the United States of America is going to be affected. Big companies will result in bankruptcy, and people will be left without jobs. And since Chinese have that much American debt, in theory most of the American citizens will be working for Chinese. In terms of political agenda, it’s clear that the commercial slants drastically towards the conservative right. In these regards, the commercial is a pointed attack on policies espoused by the current Presidential administration.

One notes that the government spending that the commercial is referring to is an indirect reference to the stimulus package that has been passed under the Obama administration ("useconomy"). Similarly, the commercial constitutes a direct critique on economic theory that argues the economy needs to be infused with funding and infrastructure developments as a means of pulling the country out of recession. Among this perspective one sees very similar notions expressed by the Tea Party Movement ("Economist").

This movement emerged as a means of challenging government policy, such as those espoused by President Obama and the Federal Reserve. The reasons I find this commercial interesting were firstly because of the way how they made this video. They showed what is going to happen in future, while the things are still just happening. The CAGW organization made a prediction on what’s going to happen in 20 years, if we don’t make any changes while we still can. For example, the video put America in the past tense as a fallen nation.

And during the video it explained the reasons why made America decline as a super power; thing such as people not aware of government’s wastes and corruption. I also think the positioning of the commercial in a college classroom is a very important element. In large part, it seems that the commercial has conservative political intentions and is speaking to a specific segment of the population that may feel alienated by intellectualism, or the college classroom as somewhat cold and removed from true American values.

In these regards, the positioning of the commercial in the context of a college lecture functions to further play on the emotions of a segment of the population that already feels alienated by such intellectualism. Another reason why I find the video interesting is because of the way it frames China. One such example is the language used. The video was in Mandarin with English subtitles. I find this interesting because, I think it might mean that Mandarin have the ability to take over the important role of English is playing among the worldwide.

In these regards, the nature of such a visualization makes one consider the very nature of language. While English currently enjoys a privileged linguistic status in terms of its political and economic clout, the potential for an Eastern shift of power is readily apparent. Such a shift would certainly carry with it linguistic implications. I also find interesting in the video is how they made Chinese look evil, by making it look like we have planned to own US for a long time. In these regards, the video seemingly plays on American ignorance regarding China and the Chinese people.

Most Americans live a highly ethnocentric existence and fail to recognize significant cultural and political aspects of immediate neighbors, let alone Eastern society. This commercial plays on this ignorance in its presentation of a Chinese populace that has perhaps held nefarious intentions on overtaking the United States. The commercial represents a highly effective piece of political propaganda. Through its message the filmmakers are able to emotionally appeal to a segment of the population that might not otherwise be responsive to traditional modes of political activism or discourse.

The commercial constitutes a new way of achieving its political aims. In terms of rhetorical strategy, the commercial plays on American notions of exceptionalism and patriotism. The American perspective on self and country is one that has grown accustomed to viewing itself as the predominant super power in the world (Tyrrell). The threat of Chinese supremacy, as presented in this commercial acts not simply to demonstrate potential political and economic consequences, but to implement rhetoric as a means of playing America’s deep rooted pride and sense of self.

Another important rhetorical consideration is the means of placing America in context with other historical superpowers, including Greece and Rome. The positioning of America in this hypothetical context functions to force Americans to self-reflexively examine themselves and their country’s position in a global and historical spectrum. It also creates a sense of panic and urgency in the America populace. This aspect of the commercial is a very important part, as the commercial has been created for as a political statement and in creating this sense of urgency, the commercial has more successfully inspired the viewer to have a paradigm shift or to take political action in favor of the private interests that supported the commercial’s creation.

Still, the commercial has made some very good points. But there are some parts I didn’t like. For example this commercial can create a lot of public, social conflicts among China and America. The reason I think that is the case because, at the end of the video when all the students started to laugh when the Chinese professor said “we own their debts, so now they are all working for us.” This part made Chinese look like the bad guys that are trying to make all the Americans suffer. I think it can lead some people into thinking the fact everything that’s happening is because of the Chinese.

This might mislead people instead of realizing the problem of their national debt, and what got them into trouble, to blaming everything on Chinese people. Another problem I have with the commercial is that the people that supported the commercial’s creation might not even be interested in saving the America that is talked about by the professor. In these regards, I consider that the people that most likely paid for this commercial did so as a means of supporting Republican and conservative business interests.

Their intention in creating the commercial is to shift public opinion away from Democrats or liberal candidates as their political positions run contrary to the business interests of the people that paid for the commercial. In this context of understanding the commercial takes on sinister intentions as these private business interests have played on American fears, pride, and sense of self as a mean of enacting panic that would benefit their underlining profit margin. I feel that to some degree this means that the commercial is unethical in its rhetorical techniques.

The result online can prove this commercial is creating problems. On the comment section, a lot of people got interfered, but mainly they were Chinese and Americans. I am sure the first purpose of this commercial is trying to ask help from people to consider the US’s debt. But instead of discussing the problem, people were just insulting each other and their races. This shows clearly that the video can mislead people from discussing the problems we are facing right now into a huge race war.

Since their nationality is involved, people are usually biased; they just want to believe the fact that their own nation is the best. So in this case, people are shifting the national debt problem into more political problem. Despite the entire problem this commercial might bring up, the corporation is doing what they are supposed to do. This CAGW organization is focused on the issues such as public health care, environment, education, immigration, general waste, taxes, homeland security, etc.

The latest news they have released from this corporation are spending cut alert: senate transportation, housing and urban development. Over all I think the commercial was very interesting. It has pointed out some very interesting points about the US’s debt. It has suggested people to be more involved with the nation’s problem and challenges. And the CAGW organization was not afraid to predict the future from what is happening now. But in the other hand, I think the commercial was a bite harsh on the judgments and slightly unethical.

This is a clearly problem because I believe the purpose of this video was for people to realize the problem and start to do something about it. Instead now people have realized the problem, but instead of working to solve it, people are just arguing which country is better. References "Stimulus Thinking." Economist. N.p., 2011. Web. 3 Nov 2011. . Tyrrell, Ian. "What is American exceptionalism." useconomy. N.p., 2011. Web. 3 Nov 2011. . "What is in the Obama Economic Stimulus Package." useconomy. N.p., 2011. Web.

3 Nov 2011.