Money Makes the World go Round

Christopher McCandless was a unique individual that attended and graduated from Emory University here in Atlanta back in 1990. McCandless viewed life differently than the majority of people do, and he thought in ways that many would consider odd. Chris was independent person who cherished the simpler things in life. For a great deal of is adult life he chose to live amongst pimps, prostitutes, and homeless people. He took numerous adventures throughout the country, and later his travels took him to Alaska where he died trying to live solely off the wild. Do I believe that a character like McCandless exist today or has society changed so much in the past 15 years that our primary goals are economic? It is in my opinion that a person like McCandless is less likely to exist today because yes people’s primary goal is economic.
My first reason why I believe that a person like Chris is less likely to exist today is because people are too in love with money. Many individuals go to great lengths whether it’s legally or illegally to obtain more money; McCandless, however, had a college degree from Emory and had to the opportunity to go to law school, yet he decided to live underneath a bridge. He donated $20,000 that was supposed to be used towards his law degree to Oxford Famine Relief Fund. He realized that there where other things in life rather than the number of zeroes on his salary. He could have been hired at numerous of prestigious places, but yet he was content with working for McDonald’s for a short stint. He found things that would make him happy that money could not buy.
Another reason why I stand behind my opinion is because people viewed McCandless as lunatic and his actions were controversial. Why is that? Because he did not conform to the world and follow society’s rule of how a person should live their life. He did not do the things that are expected; rather he thought and lived outside of the box. Society dictates how everyone should live their lives, and if someone does not follow those rules than there is obviously something wrong with them. Many of us would probably question why bury all his earthly possessions and burn his last $160 dollars. There is a saying that goes, “Money makes the world go round”, but McCandless thinks money makes life way too easy. So who is there to say he is wrong? Is it not possible for somebody to be happy with no money?
The world today has become too economic for anybody to have the same mindset about money as McCandless did. People these days value money and earthly possessions more than they value life itself. We spend many years in college to get better degrees so we can get higher paying jobs, and once we start working at the jobs we will probably be working for many years to come trying to get more and more money. On Chris last note he wrote he stated, "I have had a happy life and thank the Lord. Goodbye and may God bless all!", yet he died with no money in his pockets. There goes to show we don’t need to value money as much as we do to be happy in life. Besides you can’t take your money with you when you die.

Taking advantage of AIDS

Companies use many different marketing techniques to get consumers to buy their products. They use many tactics such as bandwagon which features a famous person endorsing their product, they might use logos which appeals to ones logic and they uses facts in their advertisement, or ethos is when the company uses an authoritative approach to get one to invest in they are selling. Finally there is pathos is supposed to put an emotional charge in people that makes people want to go out and support a cause. The clothing company represented in the picture in question uses this ethos approach. I believe pathos in advertisement works, but in the picture in question I believe that this is not effective and should not be used.
In the picture it shows a family crying at the bedside of a fellow family member who was the victim of AIDS. The clothing company promised to donate some of its proceedings to a foundation benefiting the AIDS effort. The first reason why I make my claim against it because I think it’s a poor/sad effort to try and sell their product for a profit. The initial reaction to this picture is a very touching one that makes one want to support it, but after I got over the initial shock of the message of the picture I realize what was going on. They are taking the opportunity to gain more revenue from a picture of a guy that looks like he has suffered so much and finally has to suffer no more. I felt like the company saw an opening to raise the sales and that they took advantage of this man's death.
The second claim that I make is that if the company cared so much about helping the AIDS foundations then they would not have to wait till they saw this picture and advertise it, yet they could have donated some of their profits without having to run the commercial. I feel as though people can do good things, but should not broadcast it. Then if you think deeper it is kind of like blackmail. They will support AIDS IF you buy their product. I am almost willing to bet that the percentage of the money that they do end up donating from the gain from the advertisement is really miniscule. This picture might go as far as infuriating some people like me for example. It would have been fine to see that picture on a commercial that 100% of its proceedings goes to the foundation, but to see that as an effort to sell clothes is unprofessional and not classy.
The whole point of this ad is to get people to purchase the represented clothing brand by tapping into your emotions and make you feel as though you are supporting a just cause when in actuality you are falling in another advertisement trap. I question the family who gave the company permission. I understand that they will support anything that will help raise awareness for AIDS, but I wonder if the company is paying them money for the picture. I am not saying that they are and I truly hope not, but it is a question. It’s sad how people will go to any extent imaginable to earn more money. Whether it is stealing or in advertisement like this individuals take any path necessary for them to obtain more money