Processing Perry Propoganda

The link below is to a post wherein the author draws out the ways in which Katy Perry's music video "Part of Me" is replete with militarized propaganda.  While I can see where David Montgomery's ascertains might be reaching, I think they are pretty solid.   Did Katy Perry have purposeful propaganda in mind when she created the artistic vision?  The part of me that is sometimes 'Jones'ing for a conspiracy fix goes off into a 'find the eye-shape/triangle' game, but the more practical part figures that Ms.Perry was looking more for the GI Jane "I am woman hear me roar" angle, which seems to be thematic for the whole album.  Does that  mean I should ignore the blatant symbolism in her Superbowl appearance?  Gah, there I go again...

Here's the fun part of all this - I notice these things.  How I process the information and what I ultimately decide about it, is my choice, but that choice is available to me because I can use critical thinking skills.  What's more, I do make an effort to draw a reasonable conclusion rather than compulsively jump on, or ignore the conspiracy wagon, because I have strengthened my logic muscle. 

This illustrates the great boon that trivium learning provides to human life, by learning to think critically and quickly evaluate the onslaught of potentially manipulative messaging we are pelted with daily.

Language is a tool and like any other tool used to build or to destroy, language is used to inform or to manipulate.  When we are equipped with the skills to recognize potentially manipulative usage, we essentially are protecting ourselves - or at least enhancing our ability to make informed choices over taking compulsive action. 

And it is therefore that I make every effort to incorporate the principals of critical thinking into our independent learning lives; so that my children, who are in fact fans of Katy Perry (lets face it, I sing along too) build a healthy ability to think critically, reason logically thereby navigating more efficiently through and enjoying the labyrinth that is life, regardless.  

In conclusion: perhaps the video is not purposeful propaganda, and perhaps it absolutely is.  Either way, our responsibility is to become, and encourage our children to become,  intellectually equipped to recognize, decipher and deal with it. Happily,  I am confident about our thinking skills so do not worry Katy, Roar on!  There's no Bad Blood we can just Shake It Off while we sing along in the car.  :)  (Okay that last bit was forced)

See Reference Article + Video Here