Confession of an Economic Hit Man by John Perkins (IRB Tow#18)

       The book is a confession, and it is a unique one. John Perkins, the confessor, has worked as an economic Hit Man for US for more than a decade. His job is simple: to further the cause of economic imperialism on behalf of his country, or basically, to convince developing nations into unfair deals.

       Published in 2004, just a few years ago, “Confession of an Economic Hit Man” details the behind-the-scenes deals US government had made with numerous developing nations, such as Saudi Arabia, Panama, and Ecuador. As the government’s chief negotiator, John Perkins held nothing back to his worldwide, but especially American, audience. He wrote down his memories, from the prostitutes of Panama to the palace of Saudi Arabia, from poverty and desperation to luxury and corruption. Perkins wants people to no longer be ignorant.

       Before he can change people’s perception, Perkins first needs to present himself as a trustworthy source, and he accomplished the task with flying colors through the usage of specific description and fact referencing. When Perkins describes the image of General Omar Torrijos, a forward-looking leader of Panama, he was extremely detailed, reflecting how the general “was dressed casually, in typical Panamanian style: khaki slacks and a short-sleeved shirt buttoned down the front, light blue with delicate green pattern” (Perkins 81). Even when mentioning the women he used to accomplish his deal with a prince of Saudi Arabia, Perkins still put many details in his portrayal: “ ‘Sally’ was a beautiful blonde women who lived in the Boston area; she had a cavalier attitude about her husband’s activities, and she was a hippie who had become accustomed to promiscuous sex”(Perkins 107). The emphasis on specificity in Perkins description is a testimonial to his memory and credibility. It is Perkin’s way of saying he was there.

       Adding on to the specificity in Perkin’s description, the numerous reference to facts also made his believable. The discussion about “JECOR embodied an innovate concept for foreign aid”, the mentioning of how “United Fruits was one of the largest landowners in Guatemala,” and how “OPEC is established to preserve the powers of Middle East” (Perkins 93) all attests to Perkin’s expertise on current economic and world affairs. These facts are declarations to his audience of the book’s veracity.

 

       May we open our eyes.

IRB introduction- Confessions of an Economic Hit Man

Written as a confession for a man's past sin, "Confession of an Economic Hit Man" details the behind-the-scenes deals and extortions the "democratic United States of America" had made with numerous developing countries. The non-fiction centers around the struggle of the author, John Perkins. It examines his struggle with his conscience, deciding wheather his own welfare is worth the sacrifice of numerous others living in impoverished and devloping regions; it examines the ethicity of United States and all other developed countries in extension, questioning wheather social darwinism is justifed, and it examines a century old profession called "economic Hit man", a small army of man and women used by developed nations to convince developing nations to accept unfair deals and futher the cause of imperialsim. Perkins wants the world to see reality without decorations, without illusions. When I saw the summary of the book, and when I saw the words "the little-kown government and corporate activites America has been involved in since WWII, and which have dire consequences for the future," I decided to pick it up.

Once more to the Lake by E.B. White (text Tow #17)

       A prominent writer of the famous New York Times, E.B. White produced many masterpieces under his pen, especially the renowned children’s book Charlotte’s Web. However, contrary to his amazing talents, E.B White himself is a very reclusive man, and Once more to the Lake characterizes his insular tendencies with brilliant narration.

       First published in 1941, Once more to the Lake is a peaceful description of a man’s nostalgia to a shimmering lake he visited often during his childhood. The essay emphasizes upon calmness, peacefulness, and memory unlike any other. There is no dramatic plot for action-seekers or thriller-finders. The essay is centered upon nature and men, and is a way for White to communicate to those who are mature enough to understand nature, men, and memories.

       White primarily relies on rich imageries and a nostalgic tone to connect nature, humanity, and memories into a beautiful picture. In describing the scenery of the lake, White was precise and awed, saying “In the shallows, the dark, water-soaked sticks and twigs, smooth and old, were undulating in clusters on the bottom against the clean ribbed sand… and the water felt thin and clear and unsubstantial”(Oates 181). In portraying his nostalgia of the lake, White used the same imaginable style, saying “I looked at the boy, who was silently watching his fly, and it was my hands that held his rod, my eyes watching” (Oates 181). With pictures that readers can form in their mind, White made his trip to the lake much more realistic and connectable. Surely, every reader has a “lake” he wants to go back to.

       Adding to the rich imageries, the incessant nostalgia White portrays through his diction also calls upon the readers’ cherished past memories through nature. In reflection, White gasped, “the small waves were the same, chucking the boat under the chin, and the boat was the same boat, the same color green…” (Oates 181). All had not changed. The memories that filled White with joy, the nature of his childhood, and the nostalgia of his past were all traced back to the origin, the lake. White, through expressing a longing for the past, through the emphasis of “same”, also bestowed his readers a sense of nostalgia to both their childhood and nature.

       The years were a mirage and that there had been no years.

Insert Flap “A” and Throw Away by S.J. Perelman (Text Tow #16)

       A well-known humorist and a top writer for the prestigious New Yorkers, S.J. Perelman once again demonstrated his exceptional ability of sarcasm in his exceptionally sarcastic short story “Insert Flap ‘A’ and Throw Away”. Published in 1944, the short story details the origin of insanity: the normal human tendency against overtly motley manifestations, especially, in Perelman’s case, the flagrant directions of making a Self-running 10-Inch Scale-Model Delivery Truck.

       The audience of the short story varies from time to time; yet, the distinction only lies in education. Humorous short pieces are for those who understand and those who can see through the humor for the deeper meaning of the author. For those who did, Perelman’s purpose is clear: to ridicule the unnecessary complexity of the human world. The method is also clear: through irony and imagery.

       The irony of the whole process of making the “Self-running 10-Inch Scale-Model Delivery Truck” is laid out overtly from the beginning. An obvious comparison between the “shortest, cheapest method of inducing a nervous breakdown ever perfected” and Self-running 10-Inch Scale-Model Delivery Truck- method instantly displays the un-needed complications society tend to have (Oates 186). Jiffy-Cloz, the infamous nervous-breakdown method, contains “dozen of gigantic sheets of red card board, a packet of stables, and a set of abstruse directions designed to give the builders a vivid sense of frustration, anger, and helplessness” (Oates 187). On the other hand, the Model delivery truck, bought from an ordinary toy store, likewise consists of “ninety-eight segments, two lambkins, and a set of confounding directions”(Oates 187). The result, as Perelman portrayed, is him “bunting the infernal thing along with my nose and whinnying, gouging them with his nail and forcing them together” (Oates189). The complications of the Self-running 10-Inch Scale-Model Delivery Truck and the numerous other unnecessary complexities the Model represented is as Perelman illustrated, only useful for driving this society to the brink. People have no need of making things complicated, so, as Perelman urged, they should not.

       Or else, everyone will be having a “long and expansive recovery” (Oates 189).

“Disgusting…” (Visual TOW#15)

       What’s the difference between the popular Coke and the almost just as renowned Pepsi? The answer, officially, is there are no differences. Coke and Pepsi are two products derived from the same method. Ironically, the two brands belong to two different companies, which results in an intense advertisement competition of the same product to see who can gain more popularity globally.

       With vigor, determination, and a tint of condemnation, Pepsi Company presented yet another advertisement belittling his arch-enemy Coke and praising itself. The aim is simple: to gain credence and favor from the general public, and so is the presentation. Using humorous personification and simple juxtaposition, Pepsi Company strikes again at the “Cokes”, and though little depth is in the message, the straightforward and memorable picture will surely stay in the minds of all who saw the advertisement.

       In the advertisement, the straw for the Coke acts vividly as a human, and the humorous connotation of its action adds another reason for the audience to remember the message. Stretching out his “hand” and clinging tightly to the edges of the Coke opening, the straw is clearly very resentful of even touching the Coke liquid, as if infinite doom is waiting inside. The funny reaction of the straw, its deep and seemingly fanatic determination not to touch the Coke liquid, instantly deepens the audience’s negative impression on Coke. Surely no one will want to drink a liquid so terrifying that even a straw is disgusted and afraid to touch.

       Adding on to the negative impressions of Coke, Pepsi Company turned around and showed the beauty of their own product through another straw, creating a clear juxtaposition of quality for the audience to remember. While the straw of the Coke is trying with all his might not to be touched by the Coke liquid, the straw of the Pepsi is comfortably enjoying the drink and relaxing. The quality difference is imminently made obvious, and Pepsi, which straws like, will probably have an advantage over Coke, which straws despise, next time the audiences go out for shopping.

       Choose Pepsi next time.