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To quote one of the most powerful and prolific poets of our time, the lead singer of LMFAO
once said in his hit song, "I'm sexy and I know it," that "When I walk on by, girls be
looking like damn he fly. When I walking on the street in my new lafreak, yeah this is
how I roll, animal print pants outta control,It's Redfoo with the big afro, And like Bruce Leroy
I got the glow, Yeah." and he pointedly stated, "when he walks in the spot this is what he
sees, everyone stops and looks at me. I got passion in my pants and I ain't afraid to
show it. I am sexy and I know it." When recently asked what this song meant, what was the point,
he actually stated a very important truth. That he felt that he was sexy, and it didn't
matter to anybody else. This is a truth that we deal with in our lives every day and it
needs to be understood. This leads us to our quotation tonight by Winston Churchill who
states that, "The most simple and important definition we make in our lives is the definition
of who we are." I agree on this quotation completely and will look at this a little
deeper in three separate ways. First, we will look at George Herbert Mead's symbolic interactionism,
we will then look at Jeremy Lin from the New York Knicks, and last--but not least-- we
will look at the television show that has 4245 episodes...no you heard me right. So
let's go ahead and let's start with George Herbert Mead and symbolic interactionism.
This idea from one of the founding fathers of communication states that words are arbitrary
and yet we give meaning to them. Let's keep on subject with the term sexy. What I think
is sexy may not be what you think of sexy. I may think of Ryan Reynolds. ::Laughter::
It does not matter. We give meaning to the words. It's our responsibility. Such words
as ***, ***, ***, ***, have been abused, and once again are nothing but arbitrary letters
that we have given meaning to. Herbert Mead states that it is our responsibility each
day to understand the meanings and the definitions that we give and then make the important choice
of how to use them. Race is an important factor and it was no different with Jeremy Lin and
the New York Knicks. Now you may have heard of the crazy success of Jeremy Lin. Lin-Sanity
as many call it. And many people wanted to show something for the amazing progress that
one of the few Asian Americans has done in the National Basketball Association. So Ben
and Jerry's came up with their latest ice cream, "Lin-Sanity," and it was good. Vanilla
Yogurt. But the problem was what was in the yogurt...fortune cookies. Many people thought
this was a racist move,complaining. Even though many reported saying "why are there 50 asians
down in the store trying to get it?" You know, when Jeremy Lin was asked himself what do
you think? He says "To be honest, I think it tastes good." And yet the truth lies deeper.
Jeremy Lin didn't get caught up while other people did, and ironically they missed the
truth. That the Yogurt contained a fruit called "lychee" which is also from south eastern
Asia which was used much like honey to only embrace Jeremy Lin's heritage as a Southeast
Asian. And last but not least you may be thinking of the show four thousand, two hundred..what
show is that? Let me just remind you... ::singing:: Sunny Day sweeping the clouds away, take me
down to where the air is sweet. Can you tell me how to get to, how to get to Sesame Street?
I don't believe that there is someone right now going "where is that?" In all this time,
over 25 years, many children's television shows have gone by the wayside, and yet Sesame
Street has remained the staple. And when Jim Henson was asked "Why? What have you done?"
He said "because there is a simplistic idea that defines who we are. And that is every
time the parents and more importantly the children can rely on the word of the day,
the number of the day, and the letter of the day." And that is a simplistic truth of who
we are. So today, we have looked at George Herbert Mead's symbolic interactionism. We
have also looked at Jeremy Lin, New York Knicks, and last but not least Sesame Street. But
let's go back to that poetic man who so eloquently stated the following truth. From LMFAO: "When
I'm at the mall, security just can't fight them off, And when I'm at the beach, I'm in
a Speedo trying to tan my cheeks. Yeah This is how I roll, animal print, pants outta control.
Come on baby We headed to the bar, baby don't be nervous, No shoes, no shirt, and I still
get serviced." As Winston Churchill once said, "It doesn't matter because the important truth
is what we make of ourselves." ..and just like LMFAO says, he's sexy and he knows it,
and that is all that matters. ::applause::