Discreet Peeing for Golfers

The Euro Golf Club apparently must have been all the rage in the 90s.  I am unsure as to why it didn't catch on and become a household name.  The following 30 second clip sums it all quite nicely.

According to Marwell & Schmitt's Taxonomy Influence Tactics, the tactic used to sell the Euro Golf Club is garnered  from the negative esteem of others.  The ad leads the audience to believe that since the restrooms are so far away, everyone would have to wait for you to get there and then make it back.  Obviously this is a huge inconvenience.  Using a formal restroom delays everyone's game, UNLESS of course you purchase the Euro Golf Club.  Then all your problems relating to your bladder can be condensed within this handy golf club.  

You see, there is a lid that can be unscrewed at the top of the pretend golf club.  This specialized club also comes with a green towel.  The towel serves as a sneaky curtain to mask the contents being released into the club.  It is a win-win situation.  No one could surmise that you are doing anything other than checking the handle of the golf club underneath the green towel.  Days of carefree golfing are in your future if you purchase this club, for only $49.95.  It does seem to be a bit of a sexist design though. What about female golfers?

The fourth process premises are evident in the selling points outlined with the Euro Club.  First of all, there is a standard of reassurance.  The green towel is a guise that provides security so that the behavior of urinating in public will go unnoticed.  Second, the commercial explains that the club will work in a predictable manner, without leaking and it is completely sanitary.  I guess you probably shouldn't share this club.   The final premise focuses on the use of rewards.  No longer is it necessary to delay the game with friends because you need to use the restroom.  With the Euro Golf Club in your arsenal of clubs, you will be ready to relieve any pressing matters, on your bladder that is.  

Out of class - Hip Pocket - Like attracts like

I presented my hip pocket speech to a group of my peers, fellow DCP members.  I shared with them about the law of attraction, as discussed in The Secret, by Rhonda Byrne.  I began with a story about how I was trapped in a relationship.   It wasn't until I decided that even if I left, everything would work out, but I had to take that first step.

I explained that the greatest hurdle I encountered was myself, and that my mindset was to stay in that relationship to provide for my children and myself, as I had for many years.  Once I believed that it would work out if I would just step out of my comfort zone, that is when I noticed that things began to change.  I needed to believe that I was successful and happy, and then I began to draw those experiences to me.

I transitioned into something that relates to most, getting stopped at red lights.  A simple way to test the power of one's mindset and to more focus on positive things is by attracting green lights.  By picturing yourself driving through green lights, and saying to yourself, "I experience green lights," you will begin to attract them.  The trick is to really believe that you will get green lights. Then the universe desires to give you what you want, so you will attract them.  This also works for red lights.  If you announce that you only get red lights, then the universe will provide that too, plenty of red lights.

The next transition was about bills and debt.  When dreading getting the mail, because you "believe" that you only get bills in the mail, then that is what you will find, more bills and debt.  A simple change in attitude can cause a change in what you receive.  Instead try believing and saying, "I receive checks in the mail."  It will begin to change your experience with your mailbox.  The universe
gives you what you ask for, you just have to have a positive mindset and focus on the things you want, believing that you already have it. Don't focus on what you don't want.

In conclusion, I talked about how there is no need to feel trapped, and that anyone can achieve or receive anything that they desire.  The first step is to believe.

The feedback I received for my speech was very helpful.  I found that I needed to get to my point quicker, I spent too much time talking about the situation in which I was stuck.  I also learned that my transitions needed to coincide with my slides better, I needed more rehearsal.  Another thing I could work on is dynamics of speech. There were opportunities to show excitement in my speech and I didn't seize them. I was pleased that the audience found me to look confident, maintain eye contact, and that I was able to hold my places within the speaker's triangle without fidgeting or pacing.   Overall, the experience helped me to understand where I can improve and gave me accolades that helped me feel like I was gaining experience.

Government Surveillance

Is Big Brother watching us?  

How much of what we do online and on phones is monitored? 

According to Christopher Soghoian, hacking is a favorite past time of many governments around the world.   His speech relates directly with the Reich's Cultural Parable, Rot at the Top.  This parable speaks to the powerful elite and the authoritative government which uses control and conspiracy against the rights of the common man.

Soghoian explains how most people know that governments can hack into phone calls and text messages, but believe they are safe on their computers and private Skypes.  This is not the case. There are companies that sell software only to governments which will hack into your computer, enable your microphone, webcam, and even steal documents from your computer.  Now you can be monitored without your knowledge, in your own home, and your webcam light won't even light up to alert you.

This speech created an awareness for and had an affective consequence because it presented the actions of governments which can effect the common citizen from most countries.  Soghoain shared with the audience a paper trail discovered when Egypt's Secret Police Office was raided in 2011, after it fell.  Gamma International, a company that sells surveillance software only to governments, had sent them free demo software, which is what the police had been using to spy on the people.


The second process premise was in play throughout Soghain's speech.  The emotions of fear and anger were both experienced.  There was fear that this technology was available. Then the fear changed into anger because governments were buying them.  Anger turned to outrage that these technologies were then used to spy on citizens without search warrants or consent.  Regardless of the country, there is a certain amount of privacy that everyone is entitled to, especially in their own home.

As Soghain illustrates, the reason this technology is of great concern is because while the government may placate the people by saying it is to target pedophiles, or terrorists, or drug dealers, there is no clear line drawn. We all use computers, and we all use phones.  If the government can hack into theirs they can hack into ours.  While technology is good, in the wrong, untempered hands it can be risky for us, that are not in the know.  The governments, as described in The Rot at the Top, is in charge of who and when people deserve to be hacked.   He certainly succeeded in making his point and explaining why we, as citizens, should be concerned.

OBJECTIFYING DISABILITIES

Are disabilities objectified?  Who hasn't been emotionally moved when they hear about how an individual lost a limb in battle, or a person that exhibits the will to complete daily tasks from a wheelchair? These types of people have battled against life and overcome the limits life put in front of them and have become inspirations in our society. But Stella Young differs with this conclusion. 

Stella related that the playing field in life needs to be leveled for those that are disabled and that are not disabled.   A disability does not define an individual as an inspiration.  Rather the person with a disability is simply "using their body to the best of its capabilities."  Larsen's Value of a Challenge is turned upside-down with Stella's explanation that disability does not equate to inspiration. Ordinarily, she contended, the reason people with disabilities are seen as inspirational is because seeing how they have to cope with life's challenges makes the rest of the population without disabilities feel like their life is that much easier.  

Larsen's Value of a Challenge myth did play out in Stella's talk when she related a story from when she was teaching a class. A few years back, and about 20 minutes into her lecture at a high school classroom, a student raised his hand and asked when she was going to start doing her speech.  She was a bit confused and asked him, "what speech?"   He said, "you know, your motivational speech?  We usually go into the big auditorium."  She then proceeded to ask the audience if they too were waiting to be inspired, to which she received a few laughs.  

The audience laughed because it was true. They were expecting the woman in the wheelchair to tell them how she overcame great obstacles.  When in fact, she was there to set them straight and help them see disabilities in a different light.  This shows exactly how the audience expected to edified by Stella's challenge and her subsequent conquering of the challenge, which is described by Larsen's Cultural Myth of the Value of a Challenge. 

The processes of premises that Stella used were three-fold.  From Maslow's Hierarchy of Needs she drew from a sense of belonging.  People everywhere want to be accepted into society.  This applies to those that are "normal" and those with "disabilities."  As a society she implores her audience to not attach a label of inspiration to someone with a disability because they were "able to get out of bed and remember their name."  She reiterates that someone that has a disability is simply using their body to its best ability. Effectively placing a basic human need, to belong, her persuasion elicits an emotional response and probable change in future behavior.  

Another process of premise used in Stella's talk is guilt.  Why should the audience assign greatness for merely functioning through daily tasks?  It is not a reasonable assumption that doing the same things that everyone else does should be seen as inspirational.  Stella contends that "[we] are more disabled by the society we live in than by our bodies and our diagnoses."  This is a valid statement that requires consideration and action for society as a whole.  A thought from the Incredible's comes to mind, "If everyone is special, then no one is."  Placing the onus on the audience, who feel guilt for having done this in the past, drives home her point.  
Lastly, Stella created a cognitive dissonance with images she shared versus explanations she gave. Here is one that is similar to hers, and shares the same quote as her presentation.    Stella explains how she views this quote from Scott Hamilton.

"That quote, 'The only disability in life is a bad attitude,' the reason that that's bull**** is because it's just not true, because of the social model of disability. No amount of smiling at a flight of stairs has ever made it turn into a ramp. Never." 

Stella even referred to these types of photos as "inspiration porn."  Her reasoning is that people with disabilities are "objectified for the benefit  of another group of people." Additionally, her comment regarding the feel good quote about attitude really caused me to think.   It also caused some dissonance in my perception about how a good attitude can be beneficial, but not be the way out of disability for some individuals.  Stella effectively used cognitive dissonance to encourage a change in thought.  

Sadly, while I was researching Stella Young, I found that she passed away in December of last year.  Even though she didn't seek to inspire, she was a voice for equality among people with all abilities and was not afraid to go against the norm and speak out for what she believed.    

Constructing Perception

                                                                          

HOW DO WE CONTRUCT PERCEPTION?

In this speech by Rory Sutherland entitled, Life Lessons from an Ad Man, he shares his insight into how a change in perspective can begat a change in how human beings place value on intangible things.  This is evident in the advertising world, and can be applied by placing material value on something previously seen as an intangible.  The question remains as to what will facilitate someone adding value to a previously undervalued intangible?

According to B.J. Fogg there are three distinct factors that will elicit a change in the behavior of an individual.  This behavioral model is defined by: Behavior = Motivation, Ability, Trigger.  When one of these elements is missing, then a change in behavior does not occur. With Fogg’s model, the factors of motivation and ability can be traded off.  This is because if the motivation is high, then the ability can be lower. A motivated individual is not held back by difficulty when the desire to achieve is high.  The core motivators listed are pleasure/pain, hope/fear, and social acceptance/rejection. Humans will go to great lengths to avoid pain, avert fear, and find an acceptable place within society. There are also specific influences that affect ability, that are outlined as simplicity factors. They are time, money, physical effort, brain cycles, social deviance, and non-routine.  People use these influences and place higher value on them differently.  For one person, time is their greatest commodity, while another will go to extreme efforts to exert the least amount of physical effort. Additionally, there are people who would rather spend money to complete a task than to exert the brain-power necessary to solve it on their own.  Finally, the triggers are the third component that initiate a change in behavior and are highlighted as a facilitator, spark, or signal.  These triggers are the final piece of the puzzle that push the thought into an action. 

Fogg discussed how this is evident with an example from his experience with FaceBook.  He relates that you will receive notifications when you have been inactive with your FaceBook account. The message received from FaceBook is a simple trigger, or facilitator to remind you about this.  You are then instructed to “click here”, which constitutes an easy ability, which lets you see what have missed. Then, the motivation, to discover more friends, with another helpful “click here” button is available. This encourages the behavior of checking in with FaceBook more regularly.  This action of clicking, actually, sets in motions the change in the behavior that FaceBook seeks for their users.  

Now, back to Sutherland and his idea that by placing value on intangibles one can illicit a change in behavior.  One example he used relates to potatoes.  The Great King of Prussia, Frederick the Great made potatoes a popular crop, to reduce the risk of famine.  The problem was that the people did not like the potato.  How could he get the people to begin farming the potato if they did not like eating it or the disliked the way that it looked?  He made it an intangible, so to speak.  He declared the potato to be a royal vegetable, and positioned guards around the potato patch.  The guards were instructed to guard the potatoes (wink, wink), in other words to do a poor job guarding them.  This caused the peasants to desire the potatoes and it began an underground (literally and figuratively) potato growing operation.  The King had re-branded the potato.  

The affect of this re-branding changed the perception of the potato.  The peasants wanted to have something that was restricted to royalty, although, the King’s ulterior motive was to reduce the likelihood for a famine, by diversifying the risk between two main staples of crops.  The motivation to have a potato was increased when it was presented as only good enough for the royal families. The ability to get the potato was technically guarded, but achievable, and the trigger for the behavior was its restriction.   This example relates that it is possible to change the perception and by applying Fogg's Behavior Model, that a change in behavior will follow when the three elements of motivation, ability and trigger are met.  

Sutherland wrapped up his anecdotes with a challenge.  He encouraged his listeners to learn to place a material value on things that have been previously discounted as intangibles, for instance; health, love, or sex.  With this understanding and change of perspective,  then people can realize that they are much wealthier that one could have possibly imagined.  

Melodee Delaney