Over the years I’ve watched Jon Stewart eviscerate political hacks and pundits since 2004. I’ve decided to showcase some of Jon Stewart’s greatest political smashes. If you are still not a believer, keep in mind that the Daily Show beat Fox News in ratings in May. Without further ado, I give you Jon Stewart’s Greatest Political Hits:

Jon Stewart smashes Tucker Carlson and Paul Begala on CNN’s Crossfire on October 15, 2004

Jon Stewart highlights CNBC’s dishonest speculation and upside-down economics on March 4th, 2009

Jon Stewart gives Jim Cramer the truth razors in regards to Jim’s Mad Money being completely “Mad” on March 12th, 2009 Part 1

Jon Stewart gives Jim Cramer the truth razors in regards to Jim’s Mad Money being completely “Mad” on March 12th, 2009 PART 2

Jon Stewart gives Jim Cramer the truth razors regarding Jim’s Mad Money being completely “Mad” on March 12th, 2009 PART 3

Jon Stewart gives Chris Wallace from Fox News a tongue lashing for comparing news to a comedy show on June 18th, 2011

The time is 3:30 pm in my neighborhood and school is out. As I walk the streets of Kingsbridge Heights in the Bronx, I am taken over by sadness and disappointment. Sadness directed at our youth and disappointment directed at our adults. Ten minutes into my walk I witnessed a teenage boy smoking a joint behind a U Haul van, a teenage boy shoved a teenage girl forcefully (even though playfully) in the chest, a girl rapping vulgarly about her vagina and a boys penis, a young boy (must have been 10 or 11) trying to touch a young girls behind, the word M%&$#^ F%&#$%^ repeated by almost every child and a young teenage girl in Starbucks bawl her eyes out to her friend about her boyfriend pressuring her into sex.

As a teenager I was a rowdy young thing; somewhat of a bully and most definitely a rebel. However, I possessed a teen’s innocence; the innocence of a child. Other than trying to curse every now and then or trying to meet with a boy I was interested from time to time (which I hardly got away with because my parents were hawks in nature), my mind was focused on fun activities like sports, girlfriend hangouts, writing and school.

I look into the eyes of our youth and I see pain, sadness, unnecessary responsibility and emptiness. I see hyper sexualized boys and sexually objectified girls (by both their own doing and parental neglect). I see babies with babies. I see boys lashing out in anger towards one another. I see girls disrespecting their minds and bodies. I see boys disrespecting girls and girls disrespecting boys. I see emptiness. I see aimlessness. I see hopelessness. I see shamelessness. I see adults trapped in youngins’ bodies wishing they could escape; yet, still believing they are grown enough to pave the way to success. Yet, some don’t care to be successful.

I see mothers smiling proudly at an ill mannered young child whose voice is unpleasant and rude to those around. I see fathers neglecting their parental roles in other ways; avoiding being a father or physically present but not mentally there. I witness parents being friends to their children rather than disciplinarians. Today’s youth is lost but not to their own fault. How is a child to direct him/herself when he/she lacks the most crucial thing; a role model to follow and respect.

I remember when I was young it took a village to raise a child. If a child misbehaved the whole community stepped in to educate and direct that one child. The worst parts of American culture seem to dictate new standards to our adults and youth alike. The worst parts of American culture seem to have removed the innocence from our youth; forcing them into an adult-like role at a very young age. Who is to blame? Parents? Media? Technology? The education system? Our youth? Freedom (in an exaggerated form of freedom)? Or is it all of the previously stated combined?

I write this not to judge nor to blame but rather to find solutions; solutions to help our youth heal today, so they can lead tomorrow. I write this with love. I believe that our youth are only as strong as our adults. However, I fear that when today’s babies are having babies and parents are no longer parents, how does our next generation become a Barack Obama, a Sonya Sotomayor, or just simply educated, respectful and successful adults!

I didn’t even intend to write a post today but I found a very interesting link from Kimberly Butler, a well known photographer, who has put together a spectacular short vlog series on the corporatization, politicization and dehumanization of media, or what she calls the “medium”. For the most part, I don’t watch any of the major news organizations because there is so much misinformation, sensationalized content, back biting and hearsay that it’s a complete waste of time. Not to mention you can get to the truth of most things without watching the major news stations anyway. For the most part I seldom listen or watch any television/entertainment to allow my mind not to be bombarded and warped by media frameworks of falsification. Many of you have heard me mention the book Amusing Ourselves to Death by Neil Postman or such “media truthologists” as Jarad A Ball, who is an Assistant Professor of Communication Studies at Morgan State University. The following videos speak to many of the criticisms they’ve leveled against the explosion of disinformation inside the walls of many global media companies.

As mentioned in Daniel T Willingham’s Why Students Don’t Like School: A Cognitive Scientist Answers Questions About How the Mind Works and What It Means for the Classroom or what could of easily been called Why Humans Find Cognitive Thinking on Truth Difficult, this quote from the book sums up why we constantly stumble when dealing with new and useful information. Proper background knowledge helps to identify useful information. As the saying goes, “You can’t know what you never knew“:

Background Knowledge Is Necessary for Cognitive Skills

Not only does background knowledge make you a better student, but it also is necessary to be a good thinker. The processes we most hope to engender in our students-thinking critically and logically-are not possible without background knowledge.
pg 28 —Willingham

Throwback: This post was written in November of 2006 and I decided to resurface it on the front page as a reminder that “buyer beware”. In these very uncertain economic times we need to be reminded how these corporations have tried to control our mind and buying patterns since the inception of mass media marketing and the study of consumer psychology.

Url: http://www.whyihatethejoneses.com/2006/11/slave-fashion-dominatrix-prices/

I wish I was the one who actually came up with this subject line, but I wasn’t and it’s related to this current post. The topic of this post is something I’ve been meaning to post for a couple weeks now. I actually read this promo on the 1 Train tonight one stop before my stop in the Bronx (231st Street). The full promo is “Slave to Fashion Dominatrix to Prices”. It was created by the discount fashion store Daffys. It was a poster ad on the train. Black background, bold yellow lettering with DAFFYs at the bottom in smaller font.

So what’s the significance of Daffy’s and this post? Mainly to bring light to the power of corporate marketing and peoples behavior. Another reason is to highlight a really eye opening documentary I saw called the Corporation. It is Canadian produced documentary that delves into the nature, history, meteoric rise of the entity we now know as the corporation. I’m not going to delve to deep into the documentary but I will state one significant fact.

Fact: When a set of scientists characterized the behavior of most corporations using actual diagnostic criteria of the World Health Organization and the DSM-IV, the standard diagnostic tool of psychiatrists and psychologists the came up with one defining behavior and the behavior was that of a psychopath.

Yes folks a psychopath. Now this is not a scare tactic, but more of an attempt to open our eyes to understand who we really are. This is a chance to think within and try to really understand who you are. Are you really who you think you are? Or are we just a jumble of neurotic impulses trained to the needs of various sorts of marketing and corporate agendas? Who are we really? Think about the clothes you wear? Your religion of choice? Or maybe the reason for not becoming part of what many consider organized religion? Your job and occupation of choice? The foods you eat? The person you chose as a wife? Husband? Boyfrend? Girfriend, etc. How about the traditions you choose to participate in? Think about where your motivation comes from to participate in certain cultures and patterns of behavior? Do you worship the traditions, mannerisms, and lifestyle of so-called “dominant cultures” or do you appreciate your own indigenous and ancient roots? What about the music you buy, and the lifestyle you choose to participate in? Have you ever asked yourself..What are my true intentions behind this act?

I had a conversation with a good friend of mine and asked me “Yo, why don’t you drink alcohol?”. I said, “We’ll, why do you drink alcohol?” He said because it makes me feel good and relaxed. I said, well NOT drinking alcohol makes me feel good and relaxed too so we have something in common. He gave me a baffled look. Keep in mind that me and my boy feel exactly the same, yet the outcome for my boy is maybe $50 dollars less in his pocket after a long night of drinking, a brain soaked in a depressive stimulant, and headache the next day. Same feeling, different outcome. Why can’t we think outside of the box of what Budweiser, Remy, and Courvoisier or any other corporation tells us to be? We have the power to choose outside of what corporations impose on us. Don’t be afraid to step outside of what any other so-called “civilized” culture tells you to be. You always had the power to choose, but the corporations, political organizations, spiritual hijackers and countless other blind followers would have you believe otherwise. You are not sheep. Don’t be afraid to choose the traditions and concepts that encourage proper development of self. A sound and conscious mind is a never-ending journey and a battle worth fighting for.

“That’s the information, you can either take it and be intelligent or you
can throw it away and be retarded.” – Sista Souljah

Other links and Related information: