Kirn's Multitasking

Kirn doesn't have one wasted word in his entire commentary. That is what is most impressive about this piece. It is obvious that he attained as much research as possible, while also sitting down, patiently, thinking of all the multi-tasking scenarios he could remember from his own life. This gives his position substance and a more personal feel. He could have just thrown research at us, but instead, he gives us real life instances in which he and other people try to do too many things at the same time.

His sarcasm is the second best thing. He mostly makes fun of society and himself, which makes his serious comments a bit more lighthearted than they would seem if they were taken out of the context of this commentary. His statistic about deaths and injuries caused by cell phone usage while driving is shocking and disconcerting. Fortunately, Kirn surrounds this and other depressing research by humor.

The commentary is structured in a way that exhausts the reader. I feel that because no words are wasted, the piece can be quickly read. He seemed to have made it read fast paced to reflect an ever-changing and never-slowing society. After I finished reading it, I told myself I would try every now and then to leave my computer in my room and the ice cream carton in the fridge while I'm watching TV. It'll be tough. Commercials are brutal and TV just makes me want to eat. The point is, reading Kirn's commentary did to me exactly what multitasking does to me - wears me out and leaves me yearning to just sit and stare into space while eating my ice cream. Or is that multitasking?

Anderson's American Roulette

Anderson hit the jackpot (no pun intended) with his choice of controversial topics. Yes Taibbi's piece about Obama gives it's readers something to think about and Hitchens covers something that's so controversial, most would just rather not talk or hear about, but they just didn't draw me in like Anderson did.

First, the title. So perfect. Like he says, a family today, has a one in six chance that their income will drop. Sounds like a game of roulette to me, except Americanized. The title really captures every aspect of his commentary. It is about America and it's failing economy that is putting people's quality of life at stake. Taking a risk is no longer "constructive," just as playing a game of Russian Roulette is far from offering anyone a pleasant outcome. Not only does the title fit perfectly with the topic, it drew me in instantly. Russian Roulette is something people don't take lightly. We joke about it and use it to mock the the unpredictability of things, but when it comes down to it - it's no laughing matter. Replacing Russian with American is quite effective in raising some questions. Questions that will be answered by reading his commentary, of course, exactly what Anderson wants.

The story he begins with is another very effective aspect of his piece. It really puts the economic crisis into perspective. Anderson gives his readers humans to sympathize with. He doesn't just start by ranting, all fiery, about the selfish CEO's. He gives us faces, literally. We see Sam and Paul feeling gipped, but having no choice but to continue with their day. At least they have a job. He builds his readers up to be able to appreciate, even more so, his passionate and also witty critique of what America has come to.

His language is very effective as well. Anderson is extremely witty, and choosing to compare the economic downturn to people involuntarily gambling gives him multiple angles of criticism to work with. He takes advantage of each of them. For example Anderson says,

"The spectacle of a few ecstatic big winners encourages the losers to believe that hey, they might get lucky and win, too. We have, in effect, turned the U.S. into a winner-take all casino economy, substitution the gambling hall for the factory floor as our governing economic metaphor, an assembly of individual strangers whose fortunes depend overwhelmingly on random luck rather than collective hard work."

Who ever would have thought to compare America's current position to a casino and it's loyal followers. Anderson couldn't have spelled it out any clearer. What is the most brilliant part of all this, is that he gives this controversial topic new life. Talk of the economic crisis, greedy CEOs, and the suffering individual is continuously leaving political residue in our ears and heads. Most of it, we don't understand. Anderson offers his readers a point of comparison that not only speaks clearly about what is happening, but also gives the situation a somewhat comical effect. Through the use of his witty and carefully constructed language, he presents himself as an expert on this serious issue, but also as someone who is willing to set aside the somewhat serious tone of the situation and speak in a way that will be understood by readers and will also keep them interested.

you can't really hate on Jon and Kate

Do we really need to hear anymore about parents who can't fight for their marriage? Even for the well-being of their kids? Their eight kids? This type of thing happens all around us these days. The last thing we need is to be reminded of it constantly in the news. Or maybe we do. Maybe it would be good for society, especially parents, to see the cruelty in our inability to TRY.

If you haven't already guessed, I'm speaking of the infamous Jon and Kate. While their situation has been looked down upon for a good while, they were actually booed at the FOX REALLY Awards. Will it get their attention? Most likely not. These days, we have all just become too self involved to really care about what others think. It's likely that the person thinking bad things about you has done the exact same thing. Hypocrite. I don't mean to sound so harsh, but really? If you're gonna boo, make sure you can. The divorce rate in the United States is 50 percent, most likely meaning that 1 in every 2 of the people that booed Jon and Kate have probably gone through a very similar situation. While not all of them may have had kids when they got divorced, it is likely a large number of them did.

I'm trying to make two points here. One. Maybe society should get a little glimpse of the slippery slope we are all heading towards. Two. You can't boo when half of America has done the exact same thing. It just goes to show that we really might need a wake up call. From Jon and Kate. ASAP.

Jon and Kate represent what society has come to. They are two people who were once in love, who decided to start a family, had some issues, and are now giving up. If two people can't even try with the whole country watching, then there seems to be no hope for the rest of us. Hopefully this isn't the case, but I'm convinced more so everyday. There is also no hope if we all act as hypocrites and criticize a situation that is only a publicized version of our own. There is something to be learned from their debacle, even if it is slightly sensationalized by the media. Maybe society will begin to remember that after having children, it's really not your life anymore, it's your children's. Whether people take this and use it towards their marriage and child-raising, or use it as birth control, it's their fish to fry. But fried it must be, because society as a whole will slip even further down that slope if the Jon and Kates out there don't straighten up and take some responsibility.