Great one minute video about words

[catdaddy]

Originally Posted by mc1

i hate to be the debbie downer, but i fail to see how this in any way shows the power of words. if anything, it shows the power of manipulating human emotions through artificial scenarios and proper music (try watching it with the sound off).

i think it would be an interesting experiment to actually see which sign, if either, would produce more generosity.

maybe i should just keep my thoughts to myself.

I agree with your thoughts. Glad you expressed them. I for one would have been more moved to 'donate' in that scenario when presented with the first roughly written message as opposed to the second one done in a better hand than a blind man could likely manage on his own.

[mc1]

Originally Posted by catdaddy

I agree with your thoughts. Glad you expressed them. I for one would have been more moved to 'donate' in that scenario when presented with the first roughly written message as opposed to the second one done in a better hand than a blind man could likely manage on his own.

thanks.

[Herb Hunter]

Originally Posted by mc1

i hate to be the debbie downer, but i fail to see how this in any way shows the power of words. if anything, it shows the power of manipulating human emotions through artificial scenarios and proper music (try watching it with the sound off).

i think it would be an interesting experiment to actually see which sign, if either, would produce more generosity.

maybe i should just keep my thoughts to myself.

The video tells a story and in that story, a change in wording made a notable difference, the moral being that the right words can be powerful. To say that the tale "shows the power of manipulating human emotions through artificial scenarios" is to say that fictional novels like, To Kill a Mockingbird, are nothing but manipulative texts.

[mc1]

Originally Posted by Herb Hunter

The video tells a story and in that story, a change in wording made a notable difference, the moral being that the right words can be powerful. To say that the tale "shows the power of manipulating human emotions through artificial scenarios" is to say that fictional novels like, To Kill a Mockingbird, are nothing but manipulative texts.

the video is scripted, staged and carried out by actors. the images and music are carefully chosen to create a certain effect. the actors in the video aren't genuinely reacting to the change in wording, they are acting.

what the people who watch this video are reacting to isn't the change in words, but the carefully scripted emotional journey the story takes us on. and in that story, words are very powerful and have a huge effect on the characters. how true to life that story is is a matter of opinion. i tend to think in real life changing the sign would not cause the dramatic outpouring of generosity as shown in the video.

try watching it with the sound off and check the effect. watch it again with the sound on an notice how your emotions are already impacted prior to the big reveal at the end.

if this was a candid camera type setup where the "i'm blind please help" was changed to "it's a beautiful day and i can't see it", and the (unknowing, unscripted) people walking by were affected, then i would give the premise some credibility.

instead it shows to be how a video can be powerful. it's the video that has an emotional impact on those viewing it, due to the story, images, and especially music.

[Herb Hunter]

Originally Posted by mc1

the video is scripted, staged and carried out by actors. the images and music are carefully chosen to create a certain effect. the actors in the video aren't genuinely reacting to the change in wording, they are acting.

what the people who watch this video are reacting to isn't the change in words, but the carefully scripted emotional journey the story takes us on. and in that story, words are very powerful and have a huge effect on the characters. how true to life that story is is a matter of opinion. i tend to think in real life changing the sign would not cause the dramatic outpouring of generosity as shown in the video.

try watching it with the sound off and check the effect. watch it again with the sound on an notice how your emotions are already impacted prior to the big reveal at the end.

if this was a candid camera type setup where the "i'm blind please help" was changed to "it's a beautiful day and i can't see it", and the (unknowing, unscripted) people walking by were affected, then i would give the premise some credibility.

instead it shows to be how a video can be powerful. it's the video that has an emotional impact on those viewing it, due to the story, images, and especially music.

Of course the allegorical video is scripted. That is the point; it is a story; a story with a moral. Do allegorical movies loose legitimacy because they include a musical soundtrack? The authors of allegorical stories carefully choose their words, whether for prose or dialog (the right words being powerful), in order to convey the implied moral. Directors of allegorical movies (and videos) carefully choose all the elements of a movie, including the music, to the same end.

The story isn't about ways to manipulate the public into coughing up more coin. The degree to which the wording change on the blind man's sign is effective in generating revenue in real life is irrelevant. Whether a controlled experiment reveals that the revenue would go up 10 percent or 100 percent would be interesting but the actual results don't matter in terms of the story's moral. Aesop's fables has talking animals. That in real life animals can't talk at all doesn't belie the moral contained in each fable.

[jmcc]

Originally Posted by mc1

the video is scripted, staged and carried out by actors. the images and music are carefully chosen to create a certain effect. the actors in the video aren't genuinely reacting to the change in wording, they are acting.

what the people who watch this video are reacting to isn't the change in words, but the carefully scripted emotional journey the story takes us on. and in that story, words are very powerful and have a huge effect on the characters. how true to life that story is is a matter of opinion. i tend to think in real life changing the sign would not cause the dramatic outpouring of generosity as shown in the video.

try watching it with the sound off and check the effect. watch it again with the sound on an notice how your emotions are already impacted prior to the big reveal at the end.

if this was a candid camera type setup where the "i'm blind please help" was changed to "it's a beautiful day and i can't see it", and the (unknowing, unscripted) people walking by were affected, then i would give the premise some credibility.

instead it shows to be how a video can be powerful. it's the video that has an emotional impact on those viewing it, due to the story, images, and especially music.

Lighten up Francis! and make it a good day!

[mc1]

Originally Posted by Herb Hunter

Of course the allegorical video is scripted. That is the point; it is a story; a story with a moral. Do allegorical movies loose legitimacy because they include a musical soundtrack? The authors of allegorical stories carefully choose their words, whether for prose or dialog (the right words being powerful), in order to convey the implied moral. Directors of allegorical movies (and videos) carefully choose all the elements of a movie, including the music, to the same end.

The story isn't about ways to manipulate the public into coughing up more coin. The degree to which the wording change on the blind man's sign is effective in generating revenue in real life is irrelevant. Whether a controlled experiment reveals that the revenue would go up 10 percent or 100 percent would be interesting but the actual results don't matter in terms of the story's moral. Aesop's fables has talking animals. That in real life animals can't talk at all doesn't belie the moral contained in each fable.

but you do see the difference between reading the script (or reading a summary of the story) and watching the video? i would contend that the real power to stir emotions is in the media and not the story.

it's as though someone took the tortoise and the hare story and created a video/movie. through many techniques, such as an appropriate score, the director may produce a much more visceral reaction in his or her audience, compared to the written story. but the moral hasn't changed.

Originally Posted by jmcc

Lighten up Francis! and make it a good day!

don't take me too seriously, i find it interesting to think about and discuss. i am only mildly bothered by my feelings that those viewing the video are displacing the emotional content of the video with the power of words. the producers have apparently done a very fine job with what they set out to do.

[beach bob]

Originally Posted by cotten

Words are like atomic energy. Handle with care!

Indeed. I'll modify to say:

People: Handle with care!

Thanks to the OP for the inspirational video

[Battleman]

The video reminds me of being thankful for what we/I have.

[Herb Hunter]

Originally Posted by mc1

but you do see the difference between reading the script (or reading a summary of the story) and watching the video? i would contend that the real power to stir emotions is in the media and not the story. ...

I do. It is the same difference I would find reading the script to, The Godfather, or, Doctor Zhivago, as compared to watching the movies.

[SongwriterFan]

Originally Posted by mc1

i hate to be the debbie downer, but i fail to see how this in any way shows the power of words.

Well, I agree with you. (Not sure you'll appreciate me saying that or not, though. )

I watched it without any music, and I fail to see how the change in words would've made anybody more likely to contribute. Not that words aren't powerful, but the "story" chosen to illustrate it seems like a lousy example.

[mc1]

Originally Posted by SongwriterFan

Well, I agree with you. (Not sure you'll appreciate me saying that or not, though. )

I watched it without any music, and I fail to see how the change in words would've made anybody more likely to contribute. Not that words aren't powerful, but the "story" chosen to illustrate it seems like a lousy example.

i do appreciate that. you are an intelligent person, songwriterfan.