Propoganda Today

Today, what really catches my eye is advertisements.  America spends billions of dollars on them, and it's what fuels Americans materialistic lives.  We see them everyday, and they influence are perception, and image of certain brands, and items.  These advertisements are everywhere and seen by everyone, and at times without knowing we buy something because it's engraved into are minds.  A certain type of advertisement I have a problem with is an advertisement where a celebrity is wearing, eating, watching something he/she knows absolutely nothing about.  People buy these things because they ascosiate the product with the face, and right away it influences their opinion.  My example is Tiger Woods.  I am assuming that Tiger Woods doesn't know a whole lot about watches, but he tells people to buy it.

Black Boy

A lot of people say bad things about Richards mother in previous chapters, but I thought she did a good job of raising him given the family's circumstances.  People say that she senselessly beats Richard, does not teach him right and wrong, and isn't there for him.  I can see why people would think this, and sometimes she doesn't always do the best thing for Richard.  She is a single mother for most of Richards life so far, and she doesn't get a whole lot of support from Richards father, or outside of the family.  She works with what she has, and she tries her best to be a mother and a father.  Traditionally fathers are the disciplinaries in the family, but she has to take this role, while being a mom, and supporting the family.  Richard also has to grow up quicker than most kids.  He doesn't go to school, and that is another place where children grow up.  Richard is being raised completely by his mom, without help from others.

Richard Craving Attention?

I do think Richard is looking for attention.  Richard is just doing what young boys do.  Obviously most young boys don't kill cats, or light homes on fire, but young boys do get into trouble.  He is doing a normal thing, just way that is worse than most kids.  Some of the things he does are things that he knows he will get into trouble for, but he doesn't care.  He just does them anyway.  He might be looking for attention becasue he never gets it.  He has a single mom, and a brother, so he won't get as much attention as other kids.  This backfires, because he needs something to do.  He has to occupy his time with something, and he chooses to do the wrong things.