Citizenship is inherently a matter
of location. It seems extraordinarily difficult, if not impossible, to be an
influential citizen in New York if you live in rural Kansas.
Making a positive social, political, economic, or cultural impression on a
place that you don’t constantly visit appears both improbable and impractical. It
is unlikely that someone would take time to help out a foreign place instead of
their own backyard and our regional bias often reigns supreme over
issues in a far-away land. If the problem isn’t affecting you or people you see
on an everyday basis, it’s easy to sweep under the rug and save for a rainy day.
Likewise, the means of making a positive impact so far away from your domicile
may outweigh the ends. That’s an equilibrium that requires a delicate hand
to balance. Thus, an interesting question emerges. How can one be an
influential citizen in a place where they spend a minimal amount of time? This brings
me to Chris Zaluski, a Professor of Communications and Journalism at Wake
Forest University. In July of 2012, Zaluski visited Venice, Italy for a
week to record a promotional video highlighting
the Wake Forest University Law School’s study abroad program at Casa Artom. This helped to influence many students, including myself, who would stay
there for months on end, creating a profound cultural, environmental, and
economic ripple effect. By just
residing in Venice for a week and creating an advertisement, Zaluski was able
to become an influential Venetian by inspiring other people to go to Venice and
become more long-term citizens. Therefore,
Zaluski became a citizen-by-extension.
During my last semester at Wake Forest, I took Journalism 287, Introduction to Digital Media, with Professor Zaluski. In this class, Professor Zaluski showed us several videos that he had made to give us an example of what he was looking for in our future projects, one of which was his Wake Forest University Law School study abroad promotional video. At the time, I was deciding between trying to study abroad in Australia or in Venice. After I saw the glistening canal, beautiful buildings, and the smiling faces on all the students who were happily sitting on the porch where I now eat breakfast every morning, I knew I wanted to go to Venice. So, I know from firsthand experience that Zaluski’s video gives Venice a magnetic pull. The question then is how many other kids did what I did and decided to study at Casa Artom after watching the promotional video and does that make Zaluski an influential citizen?
After interviewing Zaluski, it became evident that he was torn on whether or not he considers himself an influential Venetian citizen. On one hand he states that, “I guess persuading people to spend their summer in Italy may make me an influential citizen.”[1] However, as our interview progressed further and further his belief in his Venetian influence began to wane increasingly. In answering my last question, Zaluski said, “by and large, I don’t think citizenship plays a large part of making promotional videos.”[2] This led to Zaluski’s strongest argument; that his role in the grander scheme of Venice’s future was more parts advertising than citizenship and thus more capitalism than citizenship. This is an important point. When he was making his video, he was trying to persuade Wake Forest students into spending their summer at the Wake Forest Law School’s study abroad program. It wouldn’t have mattered if that place was Venice, Athens, or Timbuktu, Zaluski’s job would have been the same; get students to study abroad. Nevertheless, the idea that advertising and citizenship occupy different worlds is a short-sighted one. Advertising, when it is genuine, and citizenship can go hand-in-hand.
An important point to note about Zaluski’s weakest argument is what his own view of citizenship is. By analyzing this, we can get a better understanding of Zaluski’s worldview, consequently shining a light on different parts of citizenship that are usually not considered. Zaluski wrote in an email to me, “I think making a positive impact on our planet and on our fellow man is more a part of citizenship. If sharing the benefits of a place is creating a positive impact… then maybe it could be considered part of citizenship.”[3] This is his feeblest argument because when you examine it in the context of Zaluski not believing that making a promotional video plays any role in citizenship, it is contradictory. Protagoras’ theory on Dissoi Logoi states that there are always two or more sides to every issue.[4] The countervailing argument that I would present to his belief that there is not a large connection between promotional videos and citizenship is that the advertisement he made, and other promotional videos shown all around the world, can have an ever-lasting impact on our “fellow man” and distant places. To continue with Dissoi Logoi, advertising itself is an essential part of citizenship because it creates the aura of places that most people have never been to. For example, I have never been to Paris, but I know that it is a beautiful and romantic city because of the reputation it has garnered through years of advertising and word-of-mouth. This changes the way people view certain places, when and where they travel, and which places go down in history as wonders of the world. Moreover, I am a living and breathing example of the positive result that a promotional video can have on our “fellow man”. If it wasn’t for Zaluski’s video, I may never have come to Venice. This experience has changed my life forever and I am trying to make sure I leave a positive mark in Venice. Furthermore, when you consider how many other students have come to Venice and will one day come back because of Zaluski’s video, he may even have a more widespread effect than some Venetians! Since he is not doing the direct acts of citizenship that we as denizens of Venice do, interacting with locals, learning the history, etc., yet helped pull the strings that led to us performing these acts, Zaluski is an incredible influential citizen-by-extension.
As it relates to citizenship, Zaluski’s major accomplishment and most lasting impact are one in the same; encouraging people to study abroad. Although it may sound cliché, studying abroad is a life changing experience for both the people studying and the locals those students meet. Students who study abroad end up gaining a cultural depth that is impossible to attain while remaining stateside. The locals who meet these students have their days brightened up by having a wide-eyed American to speak English to and help out with their funky Italian pronunciations. I’ve seen it first hand during my stay in Venice and I’ve talked to many others who have seen the same. We as students have a large citizenry footprint, even more so than we may realize, and that reflects back on people like Zaluski. Helping to persuade people to have the guts to go on a trip that will be the time of their lives is a major accomplishment. That is good citizenship both domestically and internationally. The latter form of citizenship has been mentioned above; however domestic citizenship is also noteworthy. Promotional videos like the one Zaluski made help to mold young Americans into more sophisticated versions of themselves making America an incrementally more cultural place one student at a time. Zaluski agreed saying, “I think it’s good for students to see different parts of the world.”[5]
Aristotle and Machiavelli both provide citizenship theories that are incredibly helpful in evaluating Zaluski’s argument. Firstly, Aristotle believed that each individual had a calling and it was their social responsibility to do what they were best at for the good of society.[6] Considering how great Professor Zaluski is at making videos, Aristotle would be pleased that he is fulfilling his societal purpose. Moreover, Aristotle believed that humans had the duty to expresses our opinions, converse often, and persuade people.[7] Zaluski uses his voice through video. Although the video is straightforward and informative, Zaluski still used his creative voice by focusing on “the natural beauty of Venice more so than the academic benefits of studying abroad. A lot of scenic beauty shots and things like that. The program is attractive because it is in Venice, even if the academic benefits were the same. So I tried to showcase Venice”. By making the video as convincing as possible, Zaluski is also enacting some of Machiavelli’s principles, most notably that man can be easily manipulated.[8] Since advertising is a form of subconscious manipulation, Zaluski is persuading more people to study abroad, thus indirectly being a good citizen.
My biggest critique of what Zaluski said during our interview is that he doesn’t view himself as having any sort of Venetian citizenship. While it’s understandably hard to measure the effects of Zaluski’s video and therefore determine how largely influential of a citizen he is, there still is citizenship to measure. I don’t think Chris knows that one of the main reasons I went to Venice was because of his video. It never came up during our interview. But I wonder, if he knew how grand an impact his video had on me, and how large of an impact students like me have, would he change his stance on citizenship? Although his fingerprints aren’t at the figurative citizenship crime scene, he was the one who kept his hands clean while pulling all the strings from behind the scenes.
Overall, the concept of a citizen-by-extension and the role advertisements play in that is a noteworthy one. Creating a place’s reputation and causing people, who would otherwise not travel there, to have life-changing experiences in that place is very important. Furthermore, I am excited to see the lasting impression that Zaluski’s video has. His video lives on and its reach grows wider with each person who goes to Venice. He may never acknowledge it, but his Venetian citizenship grows by the day.
Works Cited
Zaluski, Chris. Email interview. 22 Sept. 2014.
Levine Gera, Deborah. "Two Thought Experiments in Dissoi Logoi." The American Journal of Philology 121 (2000): n. pag. zsr.wfu.edu. Web. 23 Sept. 2014.
Machiavelli, Niccolo, and J.G. Nichols. The Prince. Richmond: Oneworld Classics, 2009. Print.
W. M. Barker, Derek. "Oligarchy or Elite Democracy? Aristotle and Modern Representative Government." New Political Science 35.4 (2013): n. pag. Z. Smith Reynolds Library. Web. 22 Sept. 2014.
[1] Zaluski, Chris. Interview by Jacob Shubert. Online interview, via E-Mail, 9/22/14
[2] Ibid
[3] Ibid
[4] Gera Levine, Deborah, Two Thought Experiments in Dissoi Logoi (The American Journal of Philology 121.1, 2000)
[5] Zaluski, Chris. Interview by Jacob Shubert. Online interview, via E-Mail, 9/22/14
[6] Barker W.M., Derek, Oligarchy or Elite Democracy? Aristotle and Modern Representative Government, (New Political Science 35.4, 2013)
[7] Ibid
[8] Machiavelli, Niccolo, The Prince, (Oneworld Classics, 2009)
During my last semester at Wake Forest, I took Journalism 287, Introduction to Digital Media, with Professor Zaluski. In this class, Professor Zaluski showed us several videos that he had made to give us an example of what he was looking for in our future projects, one of which was his Wake Forest University Law School study abroad promotional video. At the time, I was deciding between trying to study abroad in Australia or in Venice. After I saw the glistening canal, beautiful buildings, and the smiling faces on all the students who were happily sitting on the porch where I now eat breakfast every morning, I knew I wanted to go to Venice. So, I know from firsthand experience that Zaluski’s video gives Venice a magnetic pull. The question then is how many other kids did what I did and decided to study at Casa Artom after watching the promotional video and does that make Zaluski an influential citizen?
After interviewing Zaluski, it became evident that he was torn on whether or not he considers himself an influential Venetian citizen. On one hand he states that, “I guess persuading people to spend their summer in Italy may make me an influential citizen.”[1] However, as our interview progressed further and further his belief in his Venetian influence began to wane increasingly. In answering my last question, Zaluski said, “by and large, I don’t think citizenship plays a large part of making promotional videos.”[2] This led to Zaluski’s strongest argument; that his role in the grander scheme of Venice’s future was more parts advertising than citizenship and thus more capitalism than citizenship. This is an important point. When he was making his video, he was trying to persuade Wake Forest students into spending their summer at the Wake Forest Law School’s study abroad program. It wouldn’t have mattered if that place was Venice, Athens, or Timbuktu, Zaluski’s job would have been the same; get students to study abroad. Nevertheless, the idea that advertising and citizenship occupy different worlds is a short-sighted one. Advertising, when it is genuine, and citizenship can go hand-in-hand.
An important point to note about Zaluski’s weakest argument is what his own view of citizenship is. By analyzing this, we can get a better understanding of Zaluski’s worldview, consequently shining a light on different parts of citizenship that are usually not considered. Zaluski wrote in an email to me, “I think making a positive impact on our planet and on our fellow man is more a part of citizenship. If sharing the benefits of a place is creating a positive impact… then maybe it could be considered part of citizenship.”[3] This is his feeblest argument because when you examine it in the context of Zaluski not believing that making a promotional video plays any role in citizenship, it is contradictory. Protagoras’ theory on Dissoi Logoi states that there are always two or more sides to every issue.[4] The countervailing argument that I would present to his belief that there is not a large connection between promotional videos and citizenship is that the advertisement he made, and other promotional videos shown all around the world, can have an ever-lasting impact on our “fellow man” and distant places. To continue with Dissoi Logoi, advertising itself is an essential part of citizenship because it creates the aura of places that most people have never been to. For example, I have never been to Paris, but I know that it is a beautiful and romantic city because of the reputation it has garnered through years of advertising and word-of-mouth. This changes the way people view certain places, when and where they travel, and which places go down in history as wonders of the world. Moreover, I am a living and breathing example of the positive result that a promotional video can have on our “fellow man”. If it wasn’t for Zaluski’s video, I may never have come to Venice. This experience has changed my life forever and I am trying to make sure I leave a positive mark in Venice. Furthermore, when you consider how many other students have come to Venice and will one day come back because of Zaluski’s video, he may even have a more widespread effect than some Venetians! Since he is not doing the direct acts of citizenship that we as denizens of Venice do, interacting with locals, learning the history, etc., yet helped pull the strings that led to us performing these acts, Zaluski is an incredible influential citizen-by-extension.
As it relates to citizenship, Zaluski’s major accomplishment and most lasting impact are one in the same; encouraging people to study abroad. Although it may sound cliché, studying abroad is a life changing experience for both the people studying and the locals those students meet. Students who study abroad end up gaining a cultural depth that is impossible to attain while remaining stateside. The locals who meet these students have their days brightened up by having a wide-eyed American to speak English to and help out with their funky Italian pronunciations. I’ve seen it first hand during my stay in Venice and I’ve talked to many others who have seen the same. We as students have a large citizenry footprint, even more so than we may realize, and that reflects back on people like Zaluski. Helping to persuade people to have the guts to go on a trip that will be the time of their lives is a major accomplishment. That is good citizenship both domestically and internationally. The latter form of citizenship has been mentioned above; however domestic citizenship is also noteworthy. Promotional videos like the one Zaluski made help to mold young Americans into more sophisticated versions of themselves making America an incrementally more cultural place one student at a time. Zaluski agreed saying, “I think it’s good for students to see different parts of the world.”[5]
Aristotle and Machiavelli both provide citizenship theories that are incredibly helpful in evaluating Zaluski’s argument. Firstly, Aristotle believed that each individual had a calling and it was their social responsibility to do what they were best at for the good of society.[6] Considering how great Professor Zaluski is at making videos, Aristotle would be pleased that he is fulfilling his societal purpose. Moreover, Aristotle believed that humans had the duty to expresses our opinions, converse often, and persuade people.[7] Zaluski uses his voice through video. Although the video is straightforward and informative, Zaluski still used his creative voice by focusing on “the natural beauty of Venice more so than the academic benefits of studying abroad. A lot of scenic beauty shots and things like that. The program is attractive because it is in Venice, even if the academic benefits were the same. So I tried to showcase Venice”. By making the video as convincing as possible, Zaluski is also enacting some of Machiavelli’s principles, most notably that man can be easily manipulated.[8] Since advertising is a form of subconscious manipulation, Zaluski is persuading more people to study abroad, thus indirectly being a good citizen.
My biggest critique of what Zaluski said during our interview is that he doesn’t view himself as having any sort of Venetian citizenship. While it’s understandably hard to measure the effects of Zaluski’s video and therefore determine how largely influential of a citizen he is, there still is citizenship to measure. I don’t think Chris knows that one of the main reasons I went to Venice was because of his video. It never came up during our interview. But I wonder, if he knew how grand an impact his video had on me, and how large of an impact students like me have, would he change his stance on citizenship? Although his fingerprints aren’t at the figurative citizenship crime scene, he was the one who kept his hands clean while pulling all the strings from behind the scenes.
Overall, the concept of a citizen-by-extension and the role advertisements play in that is a noteworthy one. Creating a place’s reputation and causing people, who would otherwise not travel there, to have life-changing experiences in that place is very important. Furthermore, I am excited to see the lasting impression that Zaluski’s video has. His video lives on and its reach grows wider with each person who goes to Venice. He may never acknowledge it, but his Venetian citizenship grows by the day.
Works Cited
Zaluski, Chris. Email interview. 22 Sept. 2014.
Levine Gera, Deborah. "Two Thought Experiments in Dissoi Logoi." The American Journal of Philology 121 (2000): n. pag. zsr.wfu.edu. Web. 23 Sept. 2014.
Machiavelli, Niccolo, and J.G. Nichols. The Prince. Richmond: Oneworld Classics, 2009. Print.
W. M. Barker, Derek. "Oligarchy or Elite Democracy? Aristotle and Modern Representative Government." New Political Science 35.4 (2013): n. pag. Z. Smith Reynolds Library. Web. 22 Sept. 2014.
[1] Zaluski, Chris. Interview by Jacob Shubert. Online interview, via E-Mail, 9/22/14
[2] Ibid
[3] Ibid
[4] Gera Levine, Deborah, Two Thought Experiments in Dissoi Logoi (The American Journal of Philology 121.1, 2000)
[5] Zaluski, Chris. Interview by Jacob Shubert. Online interview, via E-Mail, 9/22/14
[6] Barker W.M., Derek, Oligarchy or Elite Democracy? Aristotle and Modern Representative Government, (New Political Science 35.4, 2013)
[7] Ibid
[8] Machiavelli, Niccolo, The Prince, (Oneworld Classics, 2009)