This past week I had some free time and enjoyed watching TV. I have been paying more attention to the new commercials and publicity displayed in the media.
Lately, I have noticed a lot more publicity toward influencing social responsibility: campaigns against cigarettes, texting while driving and drug consumption.
Every time one of these commercials comes up, I can’t help but realize they all share the same strategy: making the viewer experience nostalgia and guilt.
This makes me worried, because I feel instead of teaching and leading, they are patronizing the public. Do you think this method is effectively impacting societal problems? I don’t.
As a future scientist, I have been taught not to follow ideas just because they are part of a trend and to only follow the ones supported by data, logic and reasoning. If we want to help our society make better life choices to improve the quality of life, we have to make a more profound impact on them.
By promoting empirical studies that are able to give us objective and realistic data on controversial topics such as the side effects of drugs, we can stop patronizing youngsters and actually help them.
Sadly, there is no funding, intent or ethical support to develop these types of studies, because we cannot study things that are considered unlawful or damaging.
Let’s get objective and realistic. Lately, online videos of smokers’ lungs have become viral and impacted more people than the information printed on the back of cigarette packs. Why?
In reality, the public is more responsive to the honest truth than guilt trips and overworked publicity. Therefore, we need to start promoting a more direct message supported by science and research methodology.
Imagine a publicity campaign in which the real physiological effects of methamphetamine are shown rather than an emotional story by itself.
Also, think of the impact we can have on kids in middle school and high school by showing them the research, showing the young public the medical effects of drugs, cigarettes, alcohol and other damaging decisions. Most people believe youngsters won’t be open to this kind of information. I disagree with that idea.
Back in middle school, when I lived in Venezuela, we had a week during which we were educated on controversial topics. Medical professionals and speakers with personal experiences came to the school auditorium and spent time with us, answering our questions in the most honest ways. At the end of the day, I felt scared, educated and a bit more grounded. It felt good to be treated more maturely and to embrace the problems society has from an adult perspective.
Therefore, I would like to influence your thought process by making you realize the importance of honesty and reality. It is our responsibility to influence future generations.
We need to start doing it by removing the idealistic fantasy and taboo embedded in problems and provide the aid necessary by first facing it with truth.
Open up, become part of the process, aid your community by sharing and remember to support ideas that have validity. Emotions can trick your judgment, so keep it real.
Andrea Taboada is a UF microbiology senior. Her column appears on Wednesdays.
