Coca-Cola: The Most Recognizable Brand on the Planet

This is a paper I wrote for my Advertising class. I put about 3% of effort into it, and got a 100. I assume that means it was a good paper… or that my professor was feeling very generous that day. Either way, Coke is something everyone is familiar with, and I figured I’d share.(Don’t be too hard on me, it’s definitely not my best work!)

This paper is based on a One-Hour television special on CNBC called “Coca-Cola: The Real Story Behind the Real Thing”

You can watch the special (for a limited time) by clicking [Here]

Introduction:
On CNBC’s “Coca-Cola: The Real Story Behind the Real Thing,” they go deep inside the world’s most recognizable brand. This one-hour special focused on the history of Coca-Cola, how it became the words most recognizable brand, its ups, downs, successes and failures. It was the first time television cameras were allowed in the company’s hidden corporate testing facility, where they study the psychology of consumer buying patterns.
The psychological studies of their customers are only a small part of the marketing phenomenon that is Coca-Cola. The company is considered the “planet’s most recognizable brand,” and the CNBC special takes a look at all the aspects that have made it such. (Dauble 1).
Key Learning Points:
A very big part of Coca-Cola’s status as the most recognizable brand on the planet is their study of the psychology of their customers. They believe that part of their success is the fact that they aren’t just selling a product, they’re selling positive feelings and memories.
In addition to selling memories and positive feelings, they have also created a specific shape for their bottle, further evoking memories. Feeling a regular bottle evokes no specific memories, but feeling a distinctly shaped bottle that you’ve been feeling for years, every time you have a family gathering, etc, reminds you of the memories created at those gatherings. Coke said in the special that they’re bringing that specific shape and feeling back.
Coke changed their formula when Pepsi started outselling them. They figured they would do what it took to be successful. Such a move, though, was actually a negative decision on Coke’s part. People were outraged by the change in formula. One woman even claimed that by changing the formula, they had “taken away” her “youth.” Coke eventually brought their original formula back as “Coke Classic,” and actually began outselling Pepsi.
Another big way Coke started selling positive feelings was during World War II. They made it a point to get their product to the soldiers fighting in the war. It was a small pleasure to the soldiers, like getting a letter from home, only it was soda.
Application of Key Learning Points:
Packaging is a big reason why Coke has had such immense success. In the very beginning, they were so popular, other companies started copying them, and it was difficult to tell them apart. To rectify the situation, Coke designed a unique bottle, so the consumer could know they were holding a bottle of Coke, even in the dark.  “Packaging is another potent means of providing product identification… the Coca-Cola bottle is recognizable both by shape and by touch,” (Jamieson 201).
“When one product evokes more positive associations than competing products, the intended audience will tell surveyors that a brand name is an important factor in determining which product to buy,” (Jamieson 205). This is a big part of Coca-Cola’s selling factor. Their secret lab is proof that they understand this. They specifically say in the special that they are selling positive associations. The one example of getting Coke to the soldiers in the war was a huge factor in positive association for Coke.

Referencing BPSF:
This special specifically addresses the Economic aspect of BPSF, which is “relating to or based on the production, distribution, and consumption of goods and services, having practical or industrial significance or uses; affecting material resources; the business cycle that fluctuates among four stages.”
Coca-Cola is hugely involved in the economics of not only the United States, but countries all over the world. It has a huge market in South Africa. For some people, it is their main source of income.
When I was in West Africa this past January, Coca-Cola was the main drink available in restaurants, and it was sold at all the local markets at stands run by people whose main source of income was whatever they were able to sell that day. Cases of Coke were brought over on the Ferry each morning and sold throughout the day. It was amazing to see something I’m so familiar with as someone’s main source of income in a country in Africa.
The special also addressed the Quality aspect of BPSF, which is “peculiar and essential character; a degree of excellence; superiority; distinctive properties or character.” As stated several times prior, Coke is the most distinguishable brand on the planet. It’s bottle shape and feel is universally recognizable.
When Coke changed their product to compete with Pepsi, they got millions of complaints because people felt they were taking away what made Coke so special in the first place. “The new formula is as forgettable as Pepsi,” was a line in a complaint letter when Coke introduced their new product to compete with Pepsi.
Conclusion:
Coca-Cola has been around for hundreds of years, and even in these harsh economic times, it proves to be a market that will not die. It serves as the livelihood for people all over the world, and remains the most recognizable brand on the planet.
They continue to find new ways to reach their customers and never stop striving to better themselves. This is a company who’s got it figured out. Even if they struggle sometimes, one thing is quite clear: Coca-Cola isn’t going away.

Sources

Dauble, Jennifer “CNBC Presents Coca-Cola: The Real Story Behind the Real Thing”
<http://www.cnbc.com/id/33507487/CNBC_PRESENTS_COCA_COLA_THE_REAL_STORY_BEHIND_THE_REAL_THING >

Jamieson, Kathleen and Karlyn Campbell. The Interplay of Influence: News,
Advertising, Politics, and the Internet. Belmont: Wadsworth Publishing, 2005.

Going For The Gold – Analysis

Song Analysis

Artist/Writer: Bright Eyes (Conor Oberst)

Album: Oh Holy Fools

2001 Saddle Creek

Going for the Gold

There’s a voice on the phone
telling what had happened.
Some kind of confusion,
more like a disaster.
And it wondered how you were left unaffected
but you had no knowledge
no, the chemicals covered you.
And so a jury was formed
as more liquor was poured
No need for conviction;
they’re not thirsting for justice.
But I slept with the lies
I keep inside my head
I found out I was guilty.
I found out I was guilty.
But I won’t be around
for the sentencing,
cause I’m leaving
on the next airplane.

And though I know that my actions are impossible to justify,
they seem adequate to fill up my time.
And if I could talk to myself like I was someone else
well then maybe I could take your advice.
And I wouldn’t act like such an asshole all the time.

There’s a film on the wall,
makes the people look small
who are sitting beside it
all consumed in the drama.
They must return to their lives
once the hero has died
they will drive to the office
stopping somewhere for coffee
where the folk singers, poets, and playwrights convene
dispensing their wisdom,
oh dear amateur orators.
they will detail their pain
in some standard refrain
that will recite their sadness
like it’s some kind of contest.
Well if it is,
I think I am winning it,
all beaming with confidence
as I make my final lap
the gold medal gleams
so hang it around my neck;
cause I am deserving it–
the champion of idiots.

But a kid carries his Walkman on that long bus ride to Omaha,
I know a girl who cries when she practices violin.
‘Cause each note sounds so pure
it just cuts into her
and then the melody comes pouring out her eyes.
And now to me everything else,

it just sounds like a lie.

I chose to analyze the song “Going for the Gold” written and recorded by Conor Oberst (more popularly known as Bright Eyes). I chose this song because I feel it has significant meaning in regards to human nature. This song has the ability to evoke an incredible amount of emotion from the listener and I feel that it is just a very powerful song that is very true. This song is basically talking about how the world is full of liars. In this song the main emphasis is on singers, poets, and playwrights, or authors. It also talks about humans as a whole eating up the garbage that is fed to us without considering the truth behind it.
The first section of the song focuses on a phone call in which someone is talking about a disaster that had occurred, and wondering why the recipient of the phone call is not affected by this. The reason, which is clearly stated, is that the person is either too drunk or too high to even realize that anything has happened.  This is referring to the way that the majority of artists, musical or otherwise, lead their lives. Many artists will write songs about world tragedy and disaster, and in reality, they aren’t even the slightest bit affected. The section goes on to talk about a jury being formed. The jury is the rest of the world, those of us who listen to the music, read the books, or watch the movies. The singer realizes that he is guilty of selling lies, selling sadness, and selling tragedy that is not genuine. He says that he won’t be around for the sentencing because he’s leaving. He’s leaving to go perform a concert and continue selling his lies. It doesn’t matter though, because we as humans don’t care whether or not it’s real, we’re not “searching for justice”. We just continue to be spoon fed the lies.
In the next small section he says that even though he knows what he’s doing is morally wrong, he’s going to keep doing it anyway because he has nothing better to do. We as humans tend to do this all the time, even if we know something is wrong, we just continue to do it. To go even further, he’s creating a parallel between himself and the rest of the world (us). He knows that what he’s doing is wrong, just like we know it’s fake, but regardless of how wrong it is or how fake it is, we just continue to listen. He’s saying that if we had the courage to stand up and actually say “Hey, this is wrong” then maybe we could make a difference.
The following section is basically talking about human beings need to escape from their lives. We get consumed in drama as a way to avoid dealing with reality. In the song he’s talking about a movie, but we do this is a variety of ways. Many people will watch soap operas or read books or listen to music, all to escape their lives. He points out though that eventually these distractions come to an end and we have to return to our lives.
In the same section he again draws a parallel, when we return to our lives, we are still returning to a world full of lies. He talks about stopping for coffee (think of stopping at a Starbucks in New York City). It is in places like this that the liars meet. All the singers, poets, writers, and public speakers who “recite their sadness, like it’s some kind of contest” are doing just that. The goal is to see who can create the most drama, the most sadness, to feed to the rest of the world. Who can sell the deepest lie? We’re IN the coffee shop, we can see this going on, and yet STILL we do nothing to stop it. He goes on to say that if it really is a contest, he wins. He’s the biggest liar. When humans can come to the understanding that they are lying to themselves and others, they become stronger. At this point in the song, he become stronger. He calls himself an idiot and acknowledges the fact that he’s been lying this whole time.
The final section of the song talks about escape once again. The “kid” who is carrying a walkman on his bus ride is really just blocking out the world around him. Not only is he blocking out the world around him, but he’s doing so with another album full of lies. We will do anything in our power to avoid dealing with reality. Then he goes on to talk about a “girl who cries when she practices violin.” This is by far the deepest and most meaningful part of the entire song. This girl is making genuine, truthful music. Her pain is not like that of the poets in the coffee shop. She is not trying to sell tragedy. Her tears are for the beauty in the music that she is creating. What this means is that often times we don’t know we’re hearing lies until we hear the truth. And once we hear the truth, we can differentiate between the truth and the lies.
We as humans are fed lies every day, not just in music, but even in our news. The media is constantly telling us lies, but because we generally just believe what we hear, we mistake the lies for the truth. We can clearly see the fabrication of lies happening all around us and yet we do nothing to stop it.
I agree with every aspect of this song. I do not believe that every poet or writer is a liar or is fabricating lies, but I do believe, for example, those who have to be SEEN doing it, like sitting in a coffee shop, are really just trying to sell something. The girl practicing violin is the symbol for those artists who are true to themselves. They are not trying to sell anything or be seen, they’re just trying to be honest. I believe that if humans as a whole could start realizing when we are being lied to, then the world could be a much better place. The sad truth though is that we are all idiots, we just haven’t realized it yet.

Reviving Ophelia – analysis

Book Review

“Reviving Ophelia: Saving the Selves of Adolescent Girls”

I highly recommend this book to all girls,  parents of an adolescent girl, and any one who wants to learn more/gain insight  about what adolescent girls go through.

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Sociological Perspectives Found in “Reviving Ophelia”

In the book “Reviving Ophelia: Saving the Selves of Adolescent Girls” by Mary Pipher, Ph.D., many sociological perspectives are mentioned. Each perspective helps explain why adolescent girls have become such troubled individuals. Pipher, through her book, explores personal stories from a variety of adolescent girls, each with a different background and family life. As a therapist, she sheds light on the reasons why many young girls act out, do drugs, have sex, and inflict personal harm, along with many other concerns that land them in therapy.
Even though this book was written in the early 1990′s, many of the issues it addresses are still overwhelmingly common today. There are still suicide attempts, alcohol is still used as a way to escape, sex, especially under the influence of alcohol, is still being had by girls barely in their teens. Young girls are still experimenting with drugs as a way to find their place. Females are still stereotyped as being less important than males and hold lower positions in the corporate world. The battle of sexism is still being fought.
While there are many different sociological perspectives mentioned in the book, some are more prominent than others. The first of these is sexism, more specifically, the Global Stratification and Status of Females. In such a technologically advanced world, one might think that the issue of sexism would be far less common than it was throughout history, but that is not the case. Many young girls are losing faith in themselves as a result of what they are seeing in the world around them. Girls are seeing men holding higher positions than women and feeling a sense of inferiority. Pipher addresses this periodically though the book. “By junior high girls sense their lack of power…[t]hey see mostly men are congressmen, principals, bankers, and corporate executives. They notice that famous writers, musicians and artists are mostly men” (41).
To many young girls, it is not only the political aspect of male preference, it is the personal problems girls face in their everyday lives. “Girls complain that they do more chores than their brothers. Or that they make less money baby-sitting than their brothers do mowing lawns. Or that parents praise brothers’ accomplishments more than theirs” (41-42). The combination of the political and personal aspects of sexism in these girls lives leads them to feel insignificant in a male dominated world.
Sometimes the sexist messages sent to these girls are not very obvious until they are pointed out. Pipher recalls “…one client brought in a magazine from my own waiting room. It was an alumni magazine… there were forty-five photographs, forty-four of which pictures males” (43). Parents can unconsciously magnify their young daughters feeling of linferiority by having something as simple as that magazine in their home.
Of course, there are other sociological perspectives mentioned in the book that also have an enormous influence on these young girls lives. Many girls use reference groups in order to evaluate their behavior and, based on their observations, change it accordingly. The problem with this is they often evaluate themselves against their fellow classmates, who are also struggling to find their true identity as well. When girls are young, they often feel that popularity is the only issue in their lives that matter. They start focusing less on things that used to be important to them, and more on being like the popular kids, because that is what they observe. One of Pipher’s patients was a fourteen-year-old girl named Rosemary. Rosemary used to be “interested in everything and everybody”. But once she got to high school “she stopped making good grades because she felt grades didn’t matter. Popularity was all the counted. She obsessed about her weight and her looks” (97).  “She did things she didn’t agree with to fit into the popular crowd” (98).
When these girls use reference groups at such a young age, they hide who they truly are with a hard outer shell of what they believe they should be in order to be considered cool. They do this by not only changing their behavior and attitudes, they also try to change their appearances. Some change their hair, or their clothing, while others try to attain the perfect body. Rosemary said “[s]he felt she needed to lose ten pounds…she had tried dieting” (98).
Other girls do just the opposite. They too use reference groups, but instead of changing themselves to fit in with the popular crowd, they change themselves to stand out. The problem with this is they are still changing their true selves, and often they are still changing to fit in with some group, even if it isn’t the popular one. One of Pipher’s patients “was dressed in a way that signaled ‘I am different’ with her head half shaved and half purple punk” (161). While these girls have made some progress by understanding they do not want to be part of the in crowd, they still end up changing their true selves to stand out.
The changing of themselves can sometimes be attributed to Cooley’s Looking Glass Self. He said that our sense of self develops from interaction with others. We imagine how we appear to others, interpret others reactions, and based upon this, we form a self-concept. This self-concept can be positive or negative. Often times the girls develop a negative self-concept and thus feel a need to change who they are to gain approval. Pipher says, “girls are socialized to let others do the defining” (257). By judging themselves solely on interactions with others, girls give up the ability to be who they truly are.
One sociological perspective that is mentioned but is not incredibly prominent in this book is genocide. Some girls who are savvier with the events going on in the world react to things such as genocide with the emotion of a young child. This often leads them to depression or cynicism about the world. Pipher had a patient who said she “felt that [she didn't want to be part of a species that produced Nazis] when she read that Stalin killer even more people than Hitler….She said the ‘Holocaust wasn’t an isolated event. It happens all over” (163).
These girls are mature enough to know about genocide and be disgusted by it, but are not emotionally mature enough to respond to the problem in an adult way. Instead, they channel all that negativity onto themselves and lose their faith in the rest of the world. With this lost faith comes the “I don’t care attitude” that leads girls to take drugs or use alcohol at a very young age.
In groups and out groups also play a huge role in this book and in the lives of young girls. Often, young girls feel an incredible urge to be a part of the in group because they want to feel a sense of loyalty to a group  and have people with whom to bond. With in groups, however, comes tension and often peer pressure. Rosemary “hated the pressure”. She “felt close to her friends, but she admitted that friendships were difficult. She worried about betrayal and rejections” (98). Many girls want to be a part of the in-group so they are not targeted for being in the out-group. Being in the out-group means being an outsider who is often seen only as having flaws. They become victims of hate and prejudice as created by the in-group.
Deviance plays a part in this book in a big way. Much of the behavior that lands these young girls in Dr. Pipher’s office is viewed as deviant by the parents of the young girls. Since it is the reaction to the act that makes it deviant, the girls themselves may not, and often don’t, view it as being deviant. Instead, they view it as simply fitting in. Parents view drinking alcohol, having sex, and partying as being deviant while to the girls, it is the norm.
These young girls also use labeling as a way to show that some fit in and some don’t. “People are assigned to groups such as geeks, preps and jocks. One girl’s categories included ‘deeper than thou’, a derogatory term for the sophisticated artists in her school. Another divided the world into Christian and non-Christian, and another into alternative, non-alternative, and wannabe alternative” (59). By ascribing labels to people, the girls often feel better about themselves. By having a label ascribed to them, they feel incredibly low and unworthy.
Piaget, in his theory for the development of reasoning, said that the ability to think abstractly begins roughly at age twelve. Many of the girls in this book are no more than two years older than this, and their ability to think abstractly has not fully developed. In fact, it has often been hindered by mainstream media, which dictates the way things should be to young and impressionable girls. “Most early adolescents are unable to think abstractly. The brightest are just moving into formal operation thought or the ability to think abstractly and flexibly. The immaturity of their thinking makes it difficult to reason with them” (59). “The concreteness of girls’ thinking can be seen in their need to categorize others” (59).
It is clear that many of these sociological perspectives blend into one another and together help explain the behavior of these young girls. They see sexism and begin to lose faith in themselves, which is often the point at which they lose their own identity and try to replace is with another. It is here that they try to become one with the in-group for fear of being humiliated daily. They feel the need to put people in certain categories to feel better about themselves. When they are feeling low they often turn to drugs and alcohol as an escape. If they aren’t using drugs and alcohol as an escape, they’re using it to fit in. This behavior often leads to sexual promiscuity since inhibitions are temporarily down.
The combination of these factors is seen as deviant behavior by the parents of these adolescents. They feel that their children are really crying out for help or attention. Since they don’t know what else to do, they send them to therapy for professional help. Mary Pipher, being a therapist, got a first hand look into the lives of these adolescents and through her book, is helping others remember what it was like to be young. She is helping parents to understand that these girls are victims of society and the pressures it puts on children, especially girls. She is helping these girls save themselves before it’s too late.

From a Balance Beam – Analysis

Song Analysis

Song: From A Balance Beam
Artist: Bright Eyes

Album: There is No Beginning to The Story EP

Record Lable: Saddle Creek
Release Date: May 7, 2002
Written By: Conor Oberst

There’s a man holding a megaphone, he must have been the voice of God
The bystanders claimed they saw angels flying up and down the block
Well, they must have been attached to wires
I’d seen one laying in the lawn with a broken arm, so I called 9-1-1
Well that’s one less founded opinion
One more cause for a dispute
So the street filled like a basin up with cameras and their crews
And they washed away the rumors leaving just the concrete truth
It was a spectacle…
No, I, I mean a miracle

So then I fell like that girl from a balance beam
A gymnasium of eyes all were holding on to me
I lifted one foot to cross the other and I felt myself slipping
It was a small mistake…
Sometimes that’s all it takes

Now I’m staring at my wrist, hoping that the time is right
When the planets will align
There’ll be no planets to align
Just the carcass of the sun
And little painted marbles spinning senseless through an endless black sky

And so it never started and it will never stop just like I am and you are

It was in a foreign hotel bathtub I baptized myself in change
And one by one I drowned all of the people I had been
I emerged to find the parallels were fewer; I was cleansed
I looked in the mirror
And someone new was there.
But, I was as helpless as a chess piece when I was lifted up by someone’s hand
And delivered from the corner my enemies had got me in
But in all of my salvation I still felt imprisoned in-side that holding cell, that is myself.

So I wait for the day when I’ll hear the key, as it turns in the lock
And the guard will say to me, “Oh my patient prisoner you’ve waited for this day and finally, you are free.. you are free.. you are freezing.”

Now I’m staring at the sun, waiting for it to explode
Because the day is gonna come, don’t know when but it will come
And we’ll finally know the way out of here
And I’ll throw away this wrinkled map
And my chart of stars and compass, cracked
And I’ll climb that tree all wet with sap to avoid the hungry beasts below
I’ll cut out my lover’s tongue and sing
Of a graveyard gray and a garden green
And we won’t have to worry no more
No we won’t have to wonder again
About how this song or story ends
About how this song and story will end

I chose to analyze the song “From a Balance Beam” written and performed by Conor Oberst, more popularly know as “Bright Eyes”. The song is from the Album, “There is No Beginning to the Story EP” The Record company under which Conor is signed is Saddle Creek. The album was released on May 7, 2002. I chose this song because, for me, it has multiple meanings, all of which reveal different aspects of human nature. It touches on people’s beliefs and how both the media and religion influence them. It also references changing one’s self, and how often we can become prisoners in and of ourselves. The visual pictures painted are somewhat apocalyptic, which I believe is part of what makes the song so incredibly influential.
I believe that the goal of the song is to enlighten people, to help them understand why they are the way they are, and to perhaps help them realize some of the flaws with their thought system and help them change. While Oberst sings the song in the first person, the lyrics allow the listener to place him or herself in the visual picture he paints and that is a critical aspect in how powerful the song can be.
The song starts out by painting a very clear visual picture of the streets full of both bystanders and news crews.  In the very first line, “[t]here was a man holding a megaphone, he must have been the voice of God” , he is already suggesting that we take what the media says so seriously, it is like we are hearing the words from God himself. He goes on to say that the news crews came to “wash away the rumors leaving just the concrete truth.” Again he is illustrating how just because the media says something, we automatically believe that it’s the “concrete truth”. He makes it very clear that he is cynical towards religion when he says that the ‘angels’ “must have been attached to wires”.  When he says “it was a spectacle, no, I, I mean a miracle” he shows how he originally believed the scene to be nothing more than a mere “spectacle”, but he changes his statement to say it was a “miracle”, because that’s what the media made it out to be. This not only demonstrates how the media influences our opinions, but also how it pushes religion on us, specifically Christianity in the United States.
In the next section of the song he compares himself to a girl on a balance beam. In today’s world it can seem that someone is always watching, just waiting to find a flaw or a mistake. “It was a small mistake, sometimes that’s all it takes” is an incredibly powerful line. He is indicating that even the smallest of mistakes can be magnified and can sometimes even lead to the destruction of something, whether it be a reputation, a relationship, or even a brief moment of glory.
In the last two sections of the song he touches upon changing one’s self for the better, and also finding religion within one’s self, especially when he says “I baptized myself in change, and one by one I drowned all of the people I had been”. He is saying that not only was he able to change himself but he did so in a religious way. The way he says he “drowned” all the people that he used to be is interesting because it’s like he is saying that the people he used to be were not worthy of the Catholic religion. People in general are not recognized as being a member of the Catholic religion until they have been baptized. People accept that they are not “good enough” as they are, and are willing to go through the steps necessary to become someone they think will be better, just because that’s what someone tells them.
When he says “But in all of my salvation I still felt imprisoned in-side that holding cell, that is myself” he is saying that even though he has now been cleansed and become a new person worthy of the Catholic religion, he’s still only himself, only mortal, still trapped within his body, just as we are all trapped. He says that he is waiting for the day when the door will be unlocked and he will be freed from the prison (which ultimately is mortality, his body).  He makes a point to mention that the “guard” will make note of the fact that he has been patient (especially with the suicide reference in the beginning of the song: “Now I’m staring at my wrists”), however he has become cold and distant while waiting to be freed, just as many people who are waiting for salvation grow colder and more distant with time.
I believe that every aspect of this song is true. The media is constantly in our faces telling us what to believe, what to think, how to feel, and twisting the truth to better suit someone’s “needs”. We live in a world where we are more apt to believe lies, or at least half-truths, because that is what is presented to us. We tend to just believe whatever is placed before us. When we do in fact have our own opinion about something, we don’t have a hard time forgetting it to accept the one that the media places before us.
There are countless different newspapers, news stations, and even news wielding magazines, all of which contain different versions of the same story, some making one side look good, and others doing the same for the opposite side. No matter which way you spin a story, there is one inevitable truth; it’s biased. The problem is that we don’t really care that it’s biased; we just believe it because it’s available. Humans in general tend to be creatures of habit. For example, if someone watches Fox News, they probably aren’t going to turn to another news station to hear what’s going on in the world, they’re going to listen to what Fox News tells them is going on, regardless of whether or not it is the truth.
The media also throws religion in our faces, particularly Christianity. Christianity is everywhere we look, it’s on our money, it’s even in our pledge of allegiance. The problem with this is that not everyone follows the Christian Faith. I know I personally used to, but decided to rethink it. I believe that everyone needs something to believe in and I would never in any way try to convince anyone to give up their religion based on my own opinions, for I am not educated in the aspects of the majority of the religions that exist.  I know that I gave up Christianity because I felt like I was being forced into a cult-like ritualistic religion.
I do not believe that people should have to be baptized in order to be recognized as belonging to a certain faith. To me, baptism is just what Oberst made it out to be in the song, drowning the person you are. I think that the Christian Faith is too critical of people. Baptism is like an initiation; who you are before you are baptized is not good enough to be a Christian, and only after you are cleansed can you truly be recognized as a keeper of the faith.
I also believe that Christianity forces people to act a certain way for fear that they will not be accepted into life everlasting if they do not follow all the rules laid down before them. With all the promises of eternal life and heaven, people can’t help but feel trapped within their own bodies, just waiting for something better. Not only do they feel trapped, but they also feel helpless because the Christian faith instills the fear in them that if they do not live without sin then they may not make it to heaven, or eternal life, instead, they might burn in the pits of hell for all eternity.
Because these people can end up feeling trapped within themselves, and helpless, they can often times become cold or bitter. I know plenty of older people who say they wish they could “just hurry up and die already” to get it over with. They think that they’re going off to something so much better than what they already have, and they don’t really take the time to appreciate all the life and beauty that surrounds them here on earth with the rest of the living people. The problem with this is not only that they believe death will bring them more satisfaction than life can, but also that they want to rush death.
Christianity pulls yet another cruel joke on it’s believers; death might be a whole lot better than life if you have followed all the rules and confessed all your sins and repented for them, but if you get sick of life, you still have to stick it out because suicide will get you a one way ticket straight to hell. I do not believe that suicide is ever the answer, but I can honestly say that with all the hype about death freeing you from your mortal body into an everlasting world of paradise, I can definitely understand why some people would think that to be their only way out.
This song, when listened to on a deeper level, really reveals a lot about human nature. It shows us that we are easily influenced and will believe whatever is placed before us. We are willing to change our opinions based on what the media tells us is true. We can be so influenced by religion that we are willing to abandon who we are just to be accepted and have a chance to find something better in the afterlife. We can often times feel trapped within ourselves, and while that is not always a result of religion (because some people do not practice any religion), it is still part of human nature to want to find something better and feel “free”.