Maddox (Media Mediation #2)

It's not very often that you come across a person like "Maddox." He's a programmer for a telemarketing company. However, during his free time he operates the "the best page in the universe." What I really like about Maddox is that he gives such a great new perspective about all different types of media. He’s brutally honest, incredibly sophisticated and never is fearful to hold back on what he truly thinks. In one article called “9 things I learned about the world according to anonymous stock photo models,” it shows how advertising companies use the idea of group dynamics, warm and fuzzies and plain folks to target a certain audience. To give an example of “plain folks,” Maddox makes fun of Ron, a customer care consultant.



“I don't know Ron, but I guarantee you that Ron has never said "allow us to provide you with excellent customer service." In fact, I'd be willing to bet that Ron provides satisfactory, but not excellent customer service, jerks it to manga, gets in heated arguments over Battlestar Galactica, and hates his job because his boss doesn't appreciate him enough. But some day Ron will get his degree in computer science, quit his job, and then his boss will be sorry for not paying Ron more! Until then, he's an undersexed shill. Unless the beefy, goateed computer programmer look is making a comeback, and based on personal experience, it hasn't.”- Maddox

Maddox is one of the greatest media writers I’ve come across. If you wan't to see the rest of the article portraning to Ron, check this out...If you’re interested to see more of his writing, check out his website
MADDOX

Maddox article on the “Swine Flue,” uses many of the different power tools that we are taught in class. He first uses a testimonial aspect by referring to his mother panicking after she watches a “CNN special about how swine flu could kill everyone.” I feel that CNN uses the swine flue as emotional transfer because people seem to be hooked on fear. Maddox goes on to give scientific evidence of why the swine flu is no different then any other flu by showing duplicate pictures of the symptoms. He includes diagrams that expose the swine’s flues big lie.

I like also how Maddox uses nostalgia when he says, “Remember SARS… Fewer than 800 people died form it worldwide. Yet the news networks prattled about it for months.” Maddox uses both humor and strength in his writing really well. He likes to swear, but at the same time he uses perfect grammar and is often intellectually enlightening.

Overall, I enjoy Maddox writing because it has many value messages. It push’s my neo-cortex to think through a different perspective while my limbic brain keeps me focused because he presents information in such a interesting way. He often explains many different topics by symbolizing himself as a pirate in his own hand drawn cartoons. Maddox isn’t really that

warm and fuzzy but he knows how to get a good point across.