Think!

It's getting to be the season of political ads, which gives me, a teacher of rhetoric and persuasion, a great deal of fodder. Anyway, I think this is a not-so-subtle form of manipulation:

http://www.usmagazine.com/britney-spears-paris-hilton-featured-in-new-john-mccain-ad

The sad part is that for many Americans, who don't think about the information that is fed to them on a daily basis, this ad will actually be convincing. They might not think about it consciously, but they will respond to Obama being related to Paris Hilton and Brittany Spears.

A neighbor of mine has a bumper sticker with an American flag on it. Above the flag it says Think. Below the flag it says It's patriotic. Whether you're liberal or conservative, I think we can all agree that many Americans are non-thinkers. We eat up the media like it's candy and never question its validity.

But it's our responsibility as voters, as consumers, as societal members to think.

I'm off to watch a movie, eye candy of sorts. No, the irony is not lost on me.