The Commercial | Teen Ink

The Commercial

August 24, 2011
By L.B.C.. BRONZE, Muskegon, Michigan
L.B.C.. BRONZE, Muskegon, Michigan
4 articles 0 photos 25 comments

Favorite Quote:
"Only you can be the change you want to see in the world." - Ghandi


Eric sat down facing the television, expecting nothing but low grade advertisements of the latest and greatest junk he didn’t need when he turned it on. Maybe even some extraordinarily boring commentary about politics or religion. None of it mattered to him, but he had just got out of a long day of school, and he was looking forward to nothing more than to sit down and relax with some television. You might even say he was determined to watch television.

He shifted until he was adequately comfortable, lifted the remote, and flicked on the TV. Commercials, just as expected, but not the type he was expecting.

The screen went into a saddening slideshow of pictures of kids looking hungry and helpless. Of course most of them were crying too, naturally. Then a well groomed woman appeared on the screen, with long, brown, well kept hair, a black skirt, and a quite fancy top.

“Children and their families go to bed hungry everyday in America, and you can make a difference. Donate to the Food for the Holidays foundation, and we will ensure that every family has a hot meal this holiday season.” spouted out the lady on the television, and two poor children came up to her sides, and she instantly threw her arms around them. They all stared deeply into the camera with wide, sorrow filled eyes, and it went black. A split second later, some other commercial that wasn’t even worth watching came on, so he thought about what he just saw.

It upset Eric in multiple ways. First of all, it was quite early for such commercials. It was only mid September. But that wasn’t what upset him the most. What upset him the most was the insincere sincerity of it all. The woman in the commercial was obviously some celebrity phony that was doing it to compensate for all the terrible things she once did. It was strictly publicity.

Second of all, he wondered why it was that the only time we as a society can pull ourselves together and help the less fortunate is in the holiday season. Nobody will go without a meal this holiday season, but on every other day, let em’ starve! Guess that’s America for you.

Thinking about that, he said to himself that sometime, somewhere, somebody said to himself, “Gee, I have been a jerk all my life, but now it’s the holiday season, and I have to be good. Let’s see, what could I do? I know! I’ll give some poor family a turkey, and then I can go back to being a jerk until next year!” Then of course people were all impressed by his action, and followed in his footsteps. Naturally overtime organizations would pop up that would by the food for you if you donated to them, making it even less of a personal inconvenience to care for one another.

He sat there and thought about it some more, and tried to remember a time when it didn’t take holiday spirit or a catastrophe to care for each other. It would have been a time when food was sent to those who need it everyday, holiday season or not, natural disaster or not. People would help out a neighbor in need, expecting nothing in return. And maybe they’d even feel good about it, instead of considering it an burden on themselves.

He thought that if there was any way to make a perfect society, that would be the way. He thought hard again, trying to remember if there ever was such a time. He came to the conclusion that if a time like that ever existed, it certainly wasn’t in his lifetime, but oh, how he longed to change that.


The author's comments:
Inspired by a conversation I had with one of my best friends, and the poor state in which the pride of this society is in. I can't remember a time when it didn't take cheap holiday spirit or some natural disaster to get us to care for one and other. I hope this article will help the struggle to open our eyes and start caring.

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This article has 4 comments.


L.B.C.. BRONZE said...
on Sep. 2 2011 at 4:03 pm
L.B.C.. BRONZE, Muskegon, Michigan
4 articles 0 photos 25 comments

Favorite Quote:
"Only you can be the change you want to see in the world." - Ghandi

Those people are only talking about helping, and too me one person actually helping is better than a million people talking about helping. I think that's what it all comes down to. 

 


Steph0804 GOLD said...
on Sep. 1 2011 at 6:38 am
Steph0804 GOLD, Seoul, Other
12 articles 4 photos 206 comments

Favorite Quote:
"Explaining a joke is like dissecting a frog: you understand it better, but the frog dies in the process." -E.B. White

When I see those commericals, I say, "What the heck are you doing?! Those children need food! If you're rich enough to book a private plane all the way to Africa, you should be loaded enough to feed them! Stop filming and give them some bread, you selfish mercenary!"

L.B.C.. BRONZE said...
on Aug. 31 2011 at 9:45 pm
L.B.C.. BRONZE, Muskegon, Michigan
4 articles 0 photos 25 comments

Favorite Quote:
"Only you can be the change you want to see in the world." - Ghandi

Thanks for reading my work! Yeah, there was this especially cheesy commercial on tv a week or so ago like the one I described. When I see this stuff, I don't see selflessness, I see a bunch of people trying to cover up for being selfish. The reason is because we can only seem to do good things for people when a terrible natural disaster has occured or during the holdiay season, which of course is the point of this article. I'm hoping to get a good response on this article overtime in hopes I can bring light on the subject and hopefully get some people to really care for one another. 

 


Steph0804 GOLD said...
on Aug. 31 2011 at 4:50 am
Steph0804 GOLD, Seoul, Other
12 articles 4 photos 206 comments

Favorite Quote:
"Explaining a joke is like dissecting a frog: you understand it better, but the frog dies in the process." -E.B. White

loved it! You have a good point; every day, these commercials of starving children come out, but only when it's holiday season (aka money season for the big time businesses).